The Decatur Daily Review du lieu suivant : Decatur, Illinois • Page 28

a a a a a a PAGES TODAY. THE DECATUR REVIEW Decatur, Illinois, Wednesday, April 18, 1951. Willis Named Decatur Mayor Over Smith By 2,341 Vote Majority 24,000 Ballot; Davis, Holmes Join Council By J. NEELY MARTIN Of The Review Staff Dr. Robert E.

Willis was elected mayor of Decatur yesterday. He will take office Tuesday, May 1. Unofficial vote totals were, Willis 13,158, Smith 10,474. To fill out the new council, four commissioners were chosen: Homer L. Chastain Don Davis Cody R.

Holmes Lyle Kirby Mr. Chastain and Mr. Kirby members of the present council. IN A HARD FOUGHT election, which brought 24,000 to the polls, Dr. Willis piled up a 2,341 plurality over his opponent, Earl V.

Smith, three times a city commissioner and a 20-year veteran of city politics. It was the second defeat Mr. Smith in a mayor race. lost to Mayor, James A. Hedrick four by 700 votes.

Edward A. Schroeder was elected police magistrate over Harold F. Paine, who sought re-election, by a vote of 11,212 to 10.474. Dr. Willis, whose only other for elective office was as a Democratic candidate for assistant pervisor in 1941, was recognized as a probable winner following Feb.

27 primary in which he ran 1,900 votes in the lead of Mr. Smith for the two nominations. DOUBT OF the outcome was raised in the final days of the campaign when the Smith camp. under the direction of Fred M. Whitten, Democratic county chairman, massed a large army of precinct workers in the east part of city and made lavish use of vertising literature.

But, Dr. Willis lacked only one precinct of sweeping the entire west side and reached into east part of the city to carry precincts and run close in others. He carried Mr. Smith's home precinct as well as the home precinct of Democratic Chairman Whitten. In his campaign, Dr.

Willis was supported by Harry G. (Skinny) Taylor, Republican county chairman, most of the Decatur Republican precinct committeemen, and a well-organized group of business and professional friends. IN THE ELECTION of the four commissioners, voters selected men equipped by training and perience for specific departments of the city government. There will be no dispute over signments. Commissioner Chastain will remain in the water department, Commissioner Kirby will continue as street commissioner, Don Davis will take the finance department and Cody Holmes will succeed Dr.

P. A. Steele: as health commissioner. Leaders of an independent ganization, headed by Dan Dayton, were pleased with the election of two of the three candidates they supported for sioner Davis and Holmes. HERB HILL, the other member of the three-candidate slate, finished in fifth place.

The Dayton group was organized in support of Clarence Schlesier, who narrowly missed nomination for mayor in the February primary. The support of this group contributed to boosting Commissioner-elect Davis from his position in the primary to second place in the election and raising Commissioner-elect Holmes from eighth place in the primary to third place in the election. In a radio statement last night. Commissioner Kirby, lowest vote getter among the four successful commissioner candidates, attributed his trailing position in part "the Schlesier outfit." his township highway commissioner job to seek election to the council, and D. Whitten both had Republican organization support.

but finished in sixth and seventh place. Harry Barber, who lagged in eighth place had no political party support. Commissioner Kirby was elected to a third consecutive term. That recerd is exceeded only by the late Harry Ruthrauff, who served four consecutive terms from 1911 to 1927. DR.

WILLIS' victory was won despite opposition by Mayor James A. Hedrick; the indorsement of the Smith candidacy by former Magor Charles E. Lee, and a purported interview of former Mayor O. W. Smith in which Earl V.

Smith was praised. Mayor Hedrick, who quit as a Willis supporter in the final weeks of the campaign, is the Republican committeeman in the 14th precinct. He reportedly opposed Dr. Willis after failing in an attempt to gain a pledge he would have a voice in patronage of the office in next four years. The mayor opposition in his precinct failed to CHARLES SCHULTZ, who left Church Group Seeks Limit On School Use Vote Totals Don F.

Davis 13,980 Cody R. Holmes 12,503 Lyle Kirby 11,114 Herbert E. Hill 9.538 Charles Schultz 9,283 Roy D. Whitten 8,374 Harry E. Barber 7,567 Police Magistrate Edward A.

Schroeder 11,212 Harold F. Paine 10,474 Here is the total unofficial vote registered yesterday in Decatur's 39 precincts: 39 PRECINCTS OUT OF 39 Mayor Dr. Robert E. Willis 13,158 Earl V. Smith 10,817 Commissioner Homer L.

15,454 Foes Continue Dog Bill Fight Two Decatur Humane society directors who attended yesterday's committee hearing on the vivisection bill at Springfield claimed today they would continue their opposition. Both claimed the bill, if passed, would impose an additional load to the taxpayer. The women, Mrs. H. T.

James and Mrs. A. G. Eichel, attended the hearing with 12 or 15 others from here. Yesterdap the House public aid committee indorsed the 6ill 20 to 0.

The bill, which would force public pounds to turn over live dogs and cats for research, now is to go before the entire House. As amended yesterday, the bill requires that public pounds hold stray animals for at least 15 days to give their owners a chance to claim them. The two Decatur women point out that the township hence the taxpayer-would have to feed these dogs and cats for those 15 days. At present here, the township feeds dogs for five days; and then the Humane society feeds dogs which it is trying to place. She said the society pays for cats including the first five days.

Both women claimed the committee hearing was unfair in that the bill's proponents got 45 minutes to be heard on it, the opponents, 15. Church Fund Is $19,000 Slightly over $19,000 has been pledged for the rebuilding of the Mount Zion Presbyterian D. F. McGaughey, president of the Mount Zion State bank announced today. Mr.

McGaughey and the three other members of the board of trustees of the church are acting as a committee to raise approxiE mately $75,000 in funds for the new building. Morton Myers, Floyd Fulte and DeLoss Smith are other trustees on the committee. One or two preliminary discushave been held with an architect, but no plans have been drawn as yet, Mr. McGaughey said. Work on the structure is scheduled to begin as soon as the money needed is pledged and it is hoped to have the church completed by fall.

It will be a frame building. The old church was destroyed by fire March 11. Mount Vernon School Officials Visit Here The assistant principal and vocational education director of Mount Vernon high school visited Decatur high yesterday to discuss the school's counseling and guidance program. The Mount Vernon school men have been visiting high schools around the state to gather information for starting a guidance program in their school. The D.

H. S. testing program and record system was explained to the pair and the way the school tries to keep track of graduates was demonstrated. CAR HITS TREE Billy M. Scott, 20, of 829 East Olive street, reported to police that his car went out of control at Broadway and Condit street a a.m.

today and hit a tree. Damage to the car was estimated at $200. YUNG TO SPEAK Roy Yung, director of the state Department of Agriculture, will speak at a dinner meeting of the First Methodist church Men's club at 6:15 p.m. today. click, Dr.

Willis carrying the precinct 417 to 262. The indorsement of the Smith candidacy by former Mayor Lee had two possible explanations. Mr. Lee is a leader in veterans' tivities and Mr. Smith is a veteran of two wars.

Mr. Lee is currently "on the outs" with the local Republican organization. He was defeated for re-election as a precinct committeeman in 1950. Willis Margin Is Near Top In Pluralities The margin of Dr. Robert E.

Willis' victory over Earl Smith, as indicated in unofficial returns in the mayors' race yesterday, 1S one of the largest in the 40-year history of the commission form of government in Decatur. In the 10 elections under the commission form of government, the 2,341 plurality has been topped only twice. The largest went to Charles E. Lee, now a practising attorney, in 1939. He topped his opponent, William H.

Walker, by 2,593 votes. BACK IN 1927, O. W. Smith was elected to his first term over incumbent Mayor Elmer R. Elder Dy a plurality of 2,570.

These pluralities seem to loom even larger when compared with the slim margins in early races. Dan Dinneen beat C. M. Borchers by only 60 votes in the 1911 election, the first under the commission form. Only men were allowed to vote in those days.

The total vote was 6,932. IN THE NEXT election, 1915, Mayor Dinneen was re-elected by only a 50-vote margin over J. D. Barnhart. Women voted for the first time in a Decatur city election.

But the men elected Mayor Din" neen. Men's and women's votes, although they carried the same weight, were counted separately. The men elected Mayor Dinneen 4,710 to 3.561 while the women were voting for Mr. Barnhart 4,449 to 3,359. But the women managed to elect Mr.

Borchers, who was defeated by Mr. Dinneen in the first commission-form election, in 1919. The plurality was 346 votes. The men again favored Mayor Dinneen, 135 5 to 3.927. But the women went against him 3,820 to 3,266.

IN RECENT YEARS, the only plurality of less than 1,000 was one on which Mayor James A. Hedrick slid into his second term. The official canvass showed a 553 margin over his oppo'nent, the same Mr. Smith who was defeated again yesterday. Bigger votes than yesterday's were tallied only twice.

In 1935, when Harry Barber, defeated yesterday for commissioner, became mayor, 26,135 votes were counted. Mr. Barber defeated Fred Ziese 14.141 to 11,994. Less than a year later he resigned and Mr. Lee, who ran successfully in the following election, was appointed by the council to fill out the term.

In the 1939 election. 25,495 turned to express their preference for Lee over Mr. Walker. out. HERE IS the 10-election history in brief.

Commissioners are listed in the order of number of votes received. 1911, Dan Dinneen defeated C. M. Borchers 3,496 to 3.436, plurality 60, total vote commissioners H. F.

Robbins, W. P. Shade, Harry Ruthrauff, Charles Becker. 1915, Mayor Dinneen defeated D. Barnhart 8,060 to 8.010, plurality 50, total vote commissioners Ruthrauff, J.

F. Mattes. Becker, Robbins. 1919, C. M.

Borchers defeated Mayor Dinneen 7,747 to 7.401, plurality 346, total vote commissioners Mattes, Ruthrauff, Becker, Alex Van Praag. 1923. Elmer R. Elder defeated Mr. Dinneen 11,499 to 9,733, plurality 1,766, total vote commissioners Philip Kayser, Ruthrauff, Arthur L.

McNabb, Thomas Pitner. 1927, O. W. Smith defeated Mayor Elder 12,020 to 9,450, plurality 2,570, total vote commissioners Van Praag, Beecher Hughey, Earl V. Smith, A.

A. Hill. 1931, Mayor Smith defeated Forrest Pollard 12.262 to 11.104, plurality 1,158, total vote commissioners Smith, Thomas A. Moran, Walter Rugh, William L. Hamilton.

1935, Harry Barber Fred Ziese 14,141 to 11,994, plurality 2,147, total vote commissioners Rugh, Ralph Long, John Rehfelt, Hughey. 1939, Charles E. Lee defeated William H. Walker 14,044 to 11,451, plurality 2,593, total vote commissioners Hughey, Chris Albert, Rehfelt, Earl V. Smith.

1943, James A. Hedrick defeated Mayor Lee 9,923 to 7,943, plurality 1,980, total vote 17,866: commissioners George Lyle Kirby, Dr P. A. Steele, Bushrod Sattley. 1947, Mayor Hedrick defeated Earl V.

Smith 10,931 to 10.378, plurality 553, total vote commissioners Kirby, Albert, Steele, Sattley. ST. PAUL'S BANQUET The Father and Son banquet of St. Paul's Methodist church will be at 6:30 p. m.

Thursday in the church: with a representative of the Federal Bureau of Investigation as the speaker. The Association of Commerce church advancement committee voted today to ask the school board not to rent school facilities to itinerant evangelists any unless sponsored by a local oragnization. The request also is to be made to other groups which control publie buildings. Most of the committee discussion centered around a 15-meeting revival held in the high school in late February and early March by Dr. Charles Halff.

who claimed to be the youngest "converted" Jewish preacher in the country. Dr. Halff, who was not sponsored by any group. claimed "the greatest sponsor of them all, Christ." It was brought out in the meeting today that Dr. Halff solicited no local support until after he arrived in Decatur.

Then 1 he called several Decatur ministers, but got no response. His advertising, the ministers agreed, was offensive to the Jewish religion. The only dissenting voice was that of Rev. E. M.

Ringland, pastor of St. John's Episcopal church, who expressed the fear that the action would be interpreted as a move protect our vested rights." Church Committee Studies Bomb Problem The Association of Commerce church advancement committee today started plans for protection of church members in case a bombing attack should be made on Decatur during services. The group's special steering committee was instructed to suggest measures to be considered and arrange a meeting of all local pastors and one lay member of each church with Frank Gollings, civil 3 This picture of Dr. Robert E. Willis home, 288 Linden avenue, of Decatur.

The children are the left, and Joel, 12. The chilWillis and his family was only a few hours after Dr. Sue, 9, seated on the floor at dren attend Dennis school. taken this morning in the Willis had been elected mayor (Herald and Review Photo by Robert Meadows) Court Orders Destruction of 74 Machines Under order of the Macon county circuit court, 63 pinball machines, 11 console slot machines, 10 punchboards and some miscellaneous prizes will be destroyed next Tuesday morning by Sheriff David M. Peters.

The machines are to be burned under supervision of State's Attorney Kenneth E. Evans, with state police cooperating. The destruction order was entered today by Circuit Judge Martin E. Morthland under an agreement in which six of the machines. which were confiscated in Decatur and Macon county in state police raids last October, will be returned to their owners.

STATE'S ATTORNEY Evans and Baird Helfrich, an assistant attorney general, said the six machines to be returned are devices which the prosecution could not prove were used for gambling purposes. Which of the five owners named in the court proceeding own the six machines to be returned was not known today by Sheriff Peters. Money found in the machines will be used to pay the expenses of storage, court costs and other expenses. Any balance will be turned into the county treasury. ON THE same night the machines in Decatur and Macon county were seized, a large number were also seized by state police in Logan county.

The Logan county machines have been destroyed under order of court. The machines taken from Decatur taverns, service stations and other business establishments were seized and made subject to destruction, despite the fact that they were operated under city license. 16 Teachers To Workshop Sixteen Decatur teachers and administrators will attend a workshop of the Illinois Association of Childhood Education Saturday and Sunday at Allerton park near Monticello. Planning the next school year's activities of the association will be the main task of the workshop group. The following are the teachers scheduled to attend the meeting: Charlotte Meyer, elementary supervisor; Margery Elder, Warren school: Marian Sligar, Lincoln; Mrs.

Hazel Dunivan, Lincoln; Pauline Pachciarz, French; Pauline McEuen, Pugh; Edith Estes, Garfield; Vera Miller, Garfield; Grant; Betty Hawkins, Oak Grove; Jennie Young, Ullrich; Lena Stone, Dennis: Mrs. Elizabeth Braden, Dennis; Kathryn O'Mallie, Riverside; Vella Boggus, Durfee; Willo Kincaid, Lincoln. defense coordinator. MR. GOLLINGS yesterday outlined protection problems to the Miss Decatur to Be Named Awards to Be Presented at Program Tonight Ten Decatur girls will move onto the stage of the Lincoln theater tonight in quest of laurels as Miss Decatur of 1951.

The program starts at 8:15 p. m. The sponsors, the Junior Chamber of Commerce, said today that all reserved seats for the program have been sold, but general admission tickets will be available tonight. The girls will appear, first in evening gowns and will be judged on carriage. Then will follow judging on talent, beauty of figure in bathing suits and, finally, personality.

THE WINNER, to be crowned by Miss Illinois of 1950, Catherine Kleinschmidt, will receive an expenses-paid trip to the Miss Illinois contest in Rockford; a string of pearls, wristwatch, cigaret case. hurricane lamps, and other prizes from local merchants. The runner-up and third place Jews Observe The Passover A community seder at 5:45 p. m. Friday in the St.

Nicholas hotel will open local celebration of the Jewish passover. Rabbi Leo E. Turitz of Temple B'nai Abraham will conduct the services. Many seders also will be held in individual homes, Rabbi Turitz said. The holiday will be concluded April 27 in the temple at Sabbath eve services with the passover motif.

The choir will sing festival music and Rabbi Turitz is to speak on the modern significance of the freedom festival. The Jewish passover celebrates the deliverance of the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt, and ceremonial observances of the holiday cary out the theme of freedom. At the seder, a supper on the opening evening of the passover, head of the family recounts to the rest of the members the story of escape from Egypt. Unleavened of the fact that bread the Jews did depart from Egypt they went in such haste they had no time to leaven their bread. wine, bitter herbs and a mixture of apples, nuts and other fruits are the symbolic foods found on the seder table.

The wine represents the joy of freedom, the herbs the bitterness of slavery and the nuts and fruit the sweetness of freedom. Lamar on State Group To Study Curriculum Wilmer Lamar, head of the Decatur high school English department, has been appointed as the Illinois English association's representative on a state curriculum committee on the setting of standards in training English teachers. Mr. Lamar will go to Champaign Saturday to meet with the committee, which is headed by Frank Oneal, assistant state superintenI dent of public instruction. winners each will receive a trophy and compact.

THE CANDIDATES and their sponsors include: Irene Jeppson (Burstein's Women's Apparel) Carolyn Lingle (Wayne E. Hatfield Hardware store) Helen Malleos (J. J. Swartz Co.) Corrine Ranney '(Arlene's) Doris Ryan (Carson Jewelers, Inc.) Roselyn Turner (Harold Irish, Insurance) Evelyn Walden (Morehouse Wells Co.) Nancy Todd (Yellow Cab Co.) Joy Watkins (Emerson Piano House, Inc.) Inez Willson (Pfile's Camera Shop) The music will be by Ben Bradley and his orchestra, and Myron Walden, WILL sports announcer, will be master of ceremonies. Fisherman Calls From Tennessee to Get Election Results Interest in the city election here yesterday went far beyond the city limits--at least as far as Reelfoot lake in northwestern Tennessee.

One of the first calls received The Herald and Review switchboard this morning was from George Reese, Lake Grove club, who with his wife is on a fishing trip in the South. Mr. Reese, who is associated with the Bennett Shade 146 South Water street, called at 7:30 a. m. to get the election results.

He couldn't wait until this week end when he's scheduled to return. Freight Train Injures Child George French, son of Mr. and Mrs. George French, 1908 North Union street, walked into a moving 82-car Illinois Central freight train yesterday afternoon and had only a minor head bruise to show for it today. The child ran into the pilot of the engine at the Union street crossing of the I.

C. The pilot brushed him aside and threw him to the edge of the tracks. The train stopped within six car lengths, and the child's father took him to Decatur and Macon County hospital. The child was released after only a temple bruise was found in an examination. HEADS OIL GROUP Harold M.

Davis distributor for the Gulf Refining Co. here, has been named Macon county chairman of the oil industries information committee, succeeding R. E. Lee of Standard Oil it was announced by Alex Van Praag, IlI. regional chairman of the oil industries group.

Mr. Davis will appoint a local committee. Youth Dies OfRifle Wound Samuel B. Whitesides, 19, died in St. Mary's hospital at 3:25 p.

m. Tuesday of a bullet wound in his received at 2:14 p. m. head, Maude Whitesides, nis mother, of 1263 West Green street, told SAMUEL WRITESIDES, JR. police the shooting occurred in the home of Mr.

and Mrs. Maynard Tuttle. 1272 West Green street. where her son and Billy Tuttle, 3. had gone a short time earlier to find some puzzles.

Police reported Mrs. Whitesides had been taking care of the Tuttle child in her home. IN A SHORT TIME the small boy came running to her and said "Sammy" was lying on the floor in his home, "playing with a gun." She found her son wounded. She called police, who said the bullet had entered the left side of the head and came out on the right side. He was taken to the hospital in a Brintlinger ambulance.

Officers said a rifle was lying beside the body. The rifle belonged to Mr. Tuttle, but shells for it were hidden in the house. Police found a discharged shell which they said compared with others in a box 10 the Whitesides home. The Tuttle boy told police that Sammy removed a shoe and sock and pulled the trigger of the gun "with his foot." MRS.

WHITESIDES said her son had been in ill health three years and recently had been despondent because he could not work, police reported. Samuel Whitesides, was born Oct. 6, 1931, in Niantic, a son of Samuel B. and Maude Beck Whitesides. He moved to Decatur with his parents about 10 years ago.

He had attended grade school in Niantic and attended Roosevelt junior high school and Decatur high school here. Besides his parents, he leaves a brother Larry Dean. Coroner Harold Brintlinger said he will hold an inquest. Services will be at 2 p. m.

Thursday in the J. J. Moran Sons funeral home, with burial in Fairlawn cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home. steering committee.

As reported to the committee today by Secretary E. L. Huntley, Mr. Gollings recommended that persons who happen to be in church when an air raid alarm sounds scatter to their home basements if there is time. The probability is, however, that an attack will take place within a short time after the first warning.

Most churches do not have basements suitable for shelter. If there is not time for the members to go home, they should be transferred to a nearby building which has been previously selected for shelter. IN THOSE CASES where the church building is the best shelter in the area, the best plan probably is for the members to hug the walls in the basement. Mr. Gollings suggested a warden for each church, a planned program of first aid training and information files on all nurses and medical men in the membership of the church.

Members also should be delegated for training in dealing with escaping gas, electricity and fire, he suggested. Rev. Fr. Michael O'Shaughnessy, assistant pastor at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church, who lived in England during World War II, related how the number of fatalities in bombing raids decreased as people got used to them and the tendency to panic decreased.

Minister as 'Chaplain' To Council Offered The Association of Commerce church advancement committee opened its meeting today with a prayer for the new city council, which was elected yesterday and will take office May 1. The committee also voted to offer to delegate a minister to attend each council meeting and open the meeting with prayer, if desired. Dr. Robert E. Willis.

mayorelect, during his campaign suggested that Decatur ministers be invited to take turns serving as "chaplain" for the council. it is that man's unaided efforts are feeble enough that we would do well to of Providence in our deliberations." he said in a radio campaign talk Friday. Carl West, Terminal Worker, Dies at 65 Carl I. West, 65. of 2132 North Lowber street, a resident of Decatur since 1942, died in Decatur and Macon County hospital at 3 a.

m. today. Mr. West was born in Chestnut, 111., May 31. 1885, son of Jesse and Caroline Kuntz West.

He came to Decatur from Latham, and was employed here as a carman for the Illinois terminal railroad. He was married to the late Carrie M. Gilbert Green here Oct. 7, 1908. He was a member of the Chestnut Methodist church and the Latham Masonic lodge.

He leaves a daughter, Mrs. Pearl G. Fravell, Decatur; brothers, Albert Decatur, and Thomas, Cayuga, Ohio: a sister, Mrs. Minnie Meadows, Chestnut; half-brothers, John Schrishhuhn, Lincoln, and Fred Schrishhuhn, Ridge Farm, a half-sister, Mrs. Mollie Boyd, Monon, and one grandchild.

The body is in the Dawson Wikoff funeral home, where friends may call after noon Thursday. Services will be at 1:30 p. m. Friday in the funeral home, with burial in Lake Bank cemetery near Latham..