The Hancock Democrat from Greenfield, Indiana • Page 1

HANCOCK DEMOCRAT "TUE UNION THE CONSTITUTION THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE' GREENFIELD, THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 18, 1954 JURY GETS MURPHY CASE EARLY TODAY HIGHWAY WORKER DIES IN ACCIDENT CHILD BORN SOON RED CROSS MONTH JOIN AND SERVE ELAINE EDWARDS REPORTS TRIP EAST AFTER ACCIDENT 'Jf Funeral Services for John C. Payne are Held Here Saturday Mrs. Charles Boots Injured Sunday Morning and Gives Birth to Girl Few Hours Later Local Young Lady Was One to Make Tour of Nation's Capital Last Week Greenfield Man Goes on Trial Monday for Shooting 23-Year-Old Son Last December COOKING SCHOOL IS APRIL 6 AND 7 POLICEMAN HURT IN AUTO ACCIDENT Automobile Driven by Dayton, Ohio, Woman in Collision With Greenfield City Police Car Elbert Young, a member of the Greenfield city police department, was injured Tuesday night when he was thrown from a police car after the ve hide was struck bv an east-bound au tomobile at the intersection of U. 40 and A street. Mr.

Young was not seriously injur ed. He was taken to Hancock Coun ty Memorial Hospital where he was treated for a bruised arm. He re mained at the hospital over night for further examination Wednesday morn ing. Glenn Cross, also a member of the city police department, was the driv er of the car in which roliceman Young was riding. Cross was not in jured.

A car driven by Dorothy Lou ise Eschenbrenner. of Dayton, Ohio who was east-bound on U. S. 40 struck the city police car as it waited on U. S.

40 to make a left hand turn onto A street. The Eschenbrenner driven automo bile, which is owned by a St. Louis, Drive-It-Yourself firm, struck the police car and then struck an automobile driven by Herbert A. Kramer, who lives at School and Park streets. Neither the Dayton.

Ohio, woman nor Kramer were injured. All three vehicles figuring in the accident were damaged. CHURCH NOTICES First Presbyterian Church (Thomas C. Arthur. Pastor) Sunday.

March 21. 1954 9:30 a. m. Church school. Wayne Smith, superintendent.

10:40 a. m. Worship. Sermon: "The Weak Link in the Chain." 11:30 a. m.

Congregational meeting to consider the purchase of a manse. 7:30 p. m. Quiet Hour. Theme: Discipline.

A congregational meeting to consider the purchase of a manse will be held as originally scheduled. All members are urged to be present at this very important meeting. "There are too many administrative decisions which have to do with the mode of life and habits of the indi vidual citizen which are made so far away from his habitat that he not only has lost interest, but his sense of public responsibility." Sherman Adams, Assistant to the President. Cake Baking Contest Will Be Feature of School Which Will Be Held at Memorial Building Another Free Cooking School will he sponsored by The Hancock Democrat at the Memorial building April 6 and T. Each afternoon session will begin at 2 o'clock.

Susan Lowe, nationally know food expert will he in charge of the cooking school. Hundreds of persons throughout Hancock county, including Home Ec club members, are expected to attend either or both of the two sessions. A number of prizes will be given to persons attending. In addition a cake baking contest will be held. Five classes of cakes will be judged.

There will be a prize for first, second and third places and in addition a grand prize will be awarded the woman who bakes the best cake. Miss Mildred Campbell. Hancock County Home Demonstration Agent, will be in charge of the cake judging. All cakes are to be made from packaged cake mixes. The empty cake mix box must accompany the cake.

A cash prize of $25 will be awarded to the Hancock County Home Economic club having the largest percent-ace of members in attendance at the two-day schools. Members attending both day sessions will be counted twice. Individual prizes will be awarded each member of the winning club. Full details concerning the school will appear in next week's issue of The Hancock Democrat. Stage of the Memorial building will be converted into a modern kitchen with the latest kitchen appliances being installed.

ANNOUNCE WEDDING PLANS The marriage of Miss Joan Powell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Powell. 1850 Sugar Grove Avenue.

Indianapolis, and John C. Wyse, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Wyse, of String-town, will be on April 17. The ceremony, at 1:30 o'clock in the afternoon, will he in the Unity Methodist Church, 19th and Harding Streets.

Indianapolis. Attending the couple will be Miss Marybelle Moore, maid of honor and Miss Janice Shipman of Indianapolis, and Miss Ruth Wyse of Stringtown. lister of the prospective bridegroom, bridesmaids. Robert Wyse of Stringtown. brother of the bridegroom-elect, will be best man and ushers will be Robert Powell, brother of the bride-elect, and Bill White of Stringtow n.

Elaine Edwards, a member of the Hancock County Farm Bureau, with representatives of 12 other Indiajia counties toured the nation's capital last weeK. The delegation visited the offices of the American Farm Bureau Feder ation in Washington and discussed farm policy with their legislative staff. Office conferences were held with Senator William E. Jenner and Homer Capehart and also Representative Ralph Harvey and Charles Brownson. Congressman Charles A.

Halleck, the House majority leader, permitted the group to visit the House floor and see first hand where a Puerto Rlcan Terrorist's bullet smashed through the leadership table. Cecil Harden, M. C. of the 6th Congressional district, entertained several at lunch in the Congressional dining room, the Indiana Congressional delegation were guests of tour members at a dinner and Farm Bureau President Hassil Schenck discussed Farm Bureau legislative issues. Ralph Harvey, 10th district representative and chairman of the committee on agriculture, spoke at a breakfast.

Members of the Indiana group were joined with delegates from Michigan, Kansas and Missouri at the breakfast. A sight-seeing trip in and around Washington was also enjoyed by the group. Sixteen from Indiana made the trip. Thirteen of them were declared winners in the Farm Bureau's 1953 membership campaign. The membership drive, sponsored by the Indiana Farm Bureau, ana me American Farm Bureau Federation with a national goal of members by 1956.

provides for delegates to make the expense-paid trip. Accompanying the group were George R. Harvey, research director of the Indiana Farm Bureau; Paul T. Norris, organizational director and Glenn Sample, information director. MRS.

MARTHA BOONT7s PRESENTED 50-YEAR PIN At the stated meeting of Miriam Chapter No. 64, Order of Eastern Star, held on Tuesday evening. March 9. Mrs. Martha Boone was honored by being presented with a fifty-year membership pin.

The presentation was made by Mrs. Floy Green, a past Grand Matron of the Indiana Grand Chapter, Order of Eastern Star. Miriam Chapter will hold a public installation of newly elected officers on Friday evening, March 19. The following officers will be installed: Worthy Matron. Kathryn Hine-worthy patron, Delmar Hine; associate matron.

Edith Briney; associate patron. Virgil McClarnon; secretary. Helen Lougher; treasurer. HatoI White; conductress. Helen Mohr; associate conductress, Ruthalys Green; chaplain.

Ruth Green: marshal, Gladys Adams; organist. Lucile Coble; Adah. Gladys Pope; Ruth. Genevieve Brown; Esther. Barbara Osborne; Martha.

I moeene Tlnaa- ta, Rosemary Sharp; warder, Thelma Watson; sentinel. Virgil Mohr. An interesting program has been arranged and members and friends are invited to be present JOHNSON FILES FOR CO. SHERIFF Greenfield Police Chief is Seeking the Democratic Nomination for Sheriff of Hancock County Purl L. Johnson, Greenfield chief of police, filed his candidacy today for the Democratic nomination of sheriff of Hancock county.

Mr. Johnson has served as a member of the Greenfield city police department for the past eleven vears, being police chief for the past seven years. He served in the police department under both the late former mayor. Percy Ellis, and Mayor James L. Allen.

Mr. Johnson, who lives at 610 West Fifth street, was born in Greenfield and has always lived here. He has been engaged in the transfer business here thirty-five years. In recent years he has operated his own transfer business. As a youth Mr.

Johnson worked in the glass factory, a business which flourished here during the gas boom era. APPROVE SOIL DISTRICT IN COUNTY J. Russell Cushman, Fortville, and Ezra Faut, New Palestine, are Supervisors Hancock county was approved as a new soil conservation district at the regular monthly meeting last week of the state soil conservation committee. R. O.

Cole, Purdue University extension soil conservationist, reports that J. Russell Cushman, Fortville, and Ezra Faut, New Palestine, were appointed supervisors for this new district. This brings the number of districts in Indiana to 64. Soil Conservation Week has been proclaimed by Governor Craig for March 23-Aprll 3. New supervisors who were appointed for existing districts are Ivan Nunemaker, Wakarusa; Lawrence Mc-Kinney.

Wingate; Charles Blltlmler, Spencer; and Fred L. O'Hair, Green-castle. Subscribe for The Democrat Mrs. Maude Boots. 28.

wife of Chas. Boots, of Philadelphia, entered Han cock County Memorial Hospital twice Sunday. The first time she was treated for a severely injured hand and the second time she gave birth to a girl a few hours after being admitted to the hospital. Mr. and Mrs.

Boots were preparing to drive to Greenfield Sundav morning when engine trouble developed. In aiding her husband in repairing the defective fan Mrs. Boots' hand was caught. She was brought to the hospital in a taxi cab. One finger was amputated and two other fingers were badly injured.

After being treated Mrs. Boots was released from the hospital. She was back again that evening at 9 o'clock for admission to the maternity floor. Mrs. Boots gave birth to a baby daughter at 1 o'clock Monday morning.

Both she and the child are reported to be doing nicely. MAN KILLED ON U. S. 40 LAST NIGHT Automobile Driven by Thomas White, of Greenfield. Hits Aged Man Walking on Highway Fred S.

Woodward, age about 75, was killed in a traffic accident on P. S. 40, six miles west of Greenfield, Wednesday night at 11 o'clock. An automobile driven by Thomas White. 40i North Broadway street, Greenfield, struck the Indianapolis man.

Mr. White, who was on his way to work in Indianapolis, told Hancock County Coroner John L. Pasco that he was blinded by lights from approaching automobiles and did not see Woodward until too late to avoid striking him. Woodward was walking east on S. 40 and was in the north lane of the highway.

Woodward's home was listed as 2411 Oxford street, where his daughter, Mrs. Eva Perry, lives. However, Woodward had been living at a nursing home for some time. The body was brought to the Lynam Funeral Home and later was removed to the Shirley Brothers Funeral Home in Indianapolis. LEAVES FOR GERMANY Mrs.

Joan Huches. Greenfield. R. R. 3.

sailed from New York on the S. S. 1'nited States on Saturday March 6. to join her husband. Floyd A.

Hughes. who is stationed near Mannheim, Germany. Her parents. Mr. and Mrs.

Lloyd Peters, accompanied her to New-York and took a tour of the ship. They, also toured New York and Washington, D. C. They visited Mr. Peter's cousin.

Mrs. Walter MeCory. near Boston. Mass. They also visited relatives in Big Stone Gap.

Va. The Peters received a telegram Sunday, March 14 that Mrs. Hughes had arrived in Mannheim safelv. THIS FIRST LIE This first lie is the step By which we shall descend This high plateau our love has placed us on. So lie shall lead to lie.

To faithlessness, until We wake one morn and find our love is gone. So little was the sin. So small the apple Eve Took from the serpent on that fateful daw n. Yet by that little fruit A world was lost to man. As by this lie is lost another one.

Richard V. Bolt. Memorial Hospital Admissions Mark Leary. Dewey Skinner. Jean-nie Gibson, Walter Larrabee.

Cora Lee Haste. Donald Frazier, Helen Hull, Lena Mueller. Stephen Starnes. Martha Jo Cole, Lois Stephens, Donna Jean Hogan. Carol Ann McKenney, PatriMa Jarrett.

Anna Jean Miller Violet Childers. Iris Wood. Madge Wil son. John P. Cassidy.

Jeanie Bowman. Jean Mikesell, Maude Boots. Eleanor Wheatley, Jean Booher, Virginia Ren-forth. Earl Lawrence. Bill Crider, Paul Brennaman.

Laura Witte, Teddy Sue Fralich, Jimmy Inmon. Charles Arthur, Kenneth Mattingly, Marilyn Guffey, Martha Liming. Elbert Young Dismissals Roy Kemp Herrill. Ernest Cooper, Paul Mowery. Mildred Tucker.

Betty Jackson. Mark Leary, Jeannie Gibson, Carl Codley. Helen Crider, Cora Lee Haste. Helen Hull. Jack Shamblin, Genevieve Hardin.

Dorothy Hopkins, Jennie Reese. Donald Frazier. Dewey Skinner, Gertrude Parsley, Ruth Straf ford. Thelma Campbell, Phyllis John son, Patricia Fenti. Jane Breese, Ei leen Butterfield, Doris Binford, Lois Stephens, Patricia Fentz.

Patricia Jarrett, John P. Cassidy, Francis L. Hammer, Violet Childers, Carol Ann McKenney. Births-Mr. and Mrs.

Roy Calhoun, a boy; Mr. and Mrs. Joe Stephens, a boy; Mr, and Mrs. Charles Jarrett, a girl; Mr and Mrs. Richard McKenney, a boy; Mr.

and Mrs. Norman Wilson, a boy; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Boots, a girl; Mr. and Mrs.

Elwyn Wheatley, a boy; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bowman, a girl; Mr. and Mrs. Duward Mikesell, a boy; Mr.

and Mrs. Byron Witte, a girl; Mr and Mrs. Charles Brennaman, a boy A state highway employee working on T. S. 40 was killed in a traffic accident a mile east of Greenfield last Thursday morning at 11 o'clock.

The victim was John C. Payne, age 61. Charlottesville, the second person to die in Hancock county in a traffic accident this year. Payne and a fellow highway worker, Harlan Buckley, of Knightstown, were picking up trash along the highway. The Charlottesville man was driving a state truck west on the highway.

The vehicle, according to officers, was either stopped or moving slowly on the highway. A west-bound semi-trailer operated by Edward J. Betts. of Berea, Ohio, attempted to pass the truck. At the same time a motorist behind Betts attempted to pass the Ohio truck.

Betts told officers that he realized a collision was imminent and that it was just a question whether he swerved to the right or left. He said he swerved his heavy vehicle to the right. The semi-trailer hit the rear of highway truck and drove the I ed into the cab. The highway truck swerved to the and crashed into a fence. The third vehicle did not stop.

Betts told officers that the engine of the highway truck was still running when he readied the demolished truck. Mr. Payne died within a few minutes. v- limi nf tho accident, was not injured. Mr.

Payne had been employed by the state highway department about one year. He was born in Philadelphia, the son of lsiah and Nancy Wiggins Payne and had lived all of his life in this county. He was a veteran or worm war l. Survivors include the widow, Mrs. Vinnie Payne; a daughter, Ruth Alice Payne.

Indianapolis; a son. cnaries P. Payne two sisters Mrs Pavne. Indianapolis: a son. Charles Mary Harlan, Idaho, and Mrs.

Ralph Hudson, New Castle, and two brotn-ers. Frank Payne, of California, and Walter Payne, of Kennard. Funeral services were held at the Pasco Funeral Home Saturday after- wu. iui mi oo mauc tit i etery. MAN HELD AFTER ATTACK ON WOMAN Edward Sylvester, of Buck Creek Township, is Held in Hancock County Jail A man alleged to have raped a 4S-year-old Hancock county woman was arrested by Sheriff Armin Kleiman early Wednesday and placed in the county jail.

The man. 52-year-old Edward Syl vester, is alleged to hare attacked Mrs. Ellen Byrant. wife of Carl Byrant. route 2.

Greenfield, at her home west of the Otterbein E. B. church early Wednesday morning. Mrs. Byrant told Sheriff Kleiman that Sylvester entered her unlocked home about 4 o'clock Wednesday morning.

He carried a toy pistol covered by a cloth. The Hancock county housewife said Sylvester made advances towards her. She resisted and in the scuffle the toy pistol dropped to the floor. Sylvester, the woman told the Sheriff, then drew a .22 calibre pistol from his belt and assaulted her. Still menacing her with the revolver, Sylvester forced her to accompany him to his car.

Sylvester was unable to start the car because of a weak lattery. He told the woman to get her car and push his auiomobile. Mrs. Byrant told Sheriff Kleiman that instead of pushing Sylvester's car she fled to the nearby home of a nelsh-bor where she telephoned the sheriff. As she sped away Sylvester is said to have fired one shot at her.

The bullet struck near the top of the car, about one foot from Mrs. Byrant's head, the sheriff said, and then ricocheted. When Sheriff Kleiman arrived at the Byrant home Sylvester was seated in his automobile. He did not resist the officer and was brought to the county jail. State Policemen Gene Chaney and Carrol Mohr assisted Sheriff Kleiman in the investigation Wednesday.

Sylvester, the officers stated, said he drove to Shirley about midnight Tuesday and drank two bottles of beer. Later he went to the Byrant home. Before entering the home he cut the telephone wire. Mrs. Byrant said that Sylvester told her that he was going to drown her after the attack.

Asked if he planned to drown her, Sylvester said "I guess so," Sheriff Kleiman said. Mrs. Sylvester said that both she and Sylvester were employed at the Mt. Comfort Canning Company last summer and that on numerous occasions Sylvester directed his attention to her but that early Wednesday morning was the first time that he used force when the woman repeatedly ignored him. Mr.

Byrant. the driver of a semitrailer, was reported to have been on a trip in Illinois Wednesday night, a fact said to have been known by Sylvester. Purdue Agricultural Extension Bulletin No. contains many good sug-eestions on "Helps for the Home Gardner." You can get a copy from your county agricultural agent or the publications' office. Purdue University.

A 23-vear-otd sailor, Paul Murphy, now stationed at Annapolis Naval Academy. told a Jury of eleven men and one woman Monday how he was shot by his father, 53 year-old Isaac Murphy last December. The shooting occurred at the family home. 101 South Franklin street, December 12, a few days after voung Murrhy arrived home on a leave after seeing service with the Navy in Korea and Japan. The sailor testified that he entered the home late Saturday afternoon and that his father, who was lying on a davenport, objected to him having the television on because his head hurt -lie told me to shut the television off" the sailor testified.

"I turned it down and was sitting on a stool In front of the television when I was shot." Dad got up and asked me i I relieved In God and In Heaven and then Paul testified. The vouth was in critical condition in Hancock County Memorial hospital several days and later was removed to Great Lakes Naval Hospi tal where he was treated until re recovered from the pistol wound win the chest. trial onened Monday. tQtifvinc for the state included police officers who made de the arrest, the defendant wue. divorce suit penamg WHO now nas a umin lUn.wk rlrcillt court Himellck.

superintendent oi nancix Countv Memorial Hospital. written confession made by Mur-phv in the county jail a few hours after the shootinsr was introduced bv the state. The statement. In part, reads "I Artie about 0 p. m.

and laid on the davenport. My wire and son. Paul, came home about fifteen Mr face was hurting and toM evervone to be quiet and let alone. Paul danced across the f'oor comine towards me and 1 raised up and shot him. I had the gun.

a 3 on the davenport with me. I don't denv that I shot Paul. The boy ran out of the house after I shot him and I don't know where he went. My tr ina tlrl tlftrt Pit me no shooting. Mv wife came home and said to her I shot your son.

I took the gun out of the tool box and put it in my pocket before I laid down on the davenport. did not have an argument with Paul because I did not feel well enough to argue. 1 was In a sitting position on the davenport and all I said was Son-nv vou have rode me lone enough. That is about all there is to it. except the boy started to get on me and I also said boy you have made a mistake.

I am not a bit sorry for what 1 have done, hereby certify that this statement was read to me before I sicned It. Isaac Murphy. After the state rested Its case Murphy testified Tuesday and Wednesday. He told the jury that he had had domestic troubles more or less since he was married. The children, he testified, "did thincs that I didn't approve of and my wife never could see that they did anything wrong." Murphy, who is basing his defense on temporary insanity and self defense, testified that "Paul lunged at me before I shot him." Murphy testified that he has had severe headaches over a long period and that he submitted to an operation last but obtained little relief.

He also testified that he had been treated for head pains while being confined to the county jail during the past three months. Dr. Rronnie Vingls. Greenfield physician, testified as to treatment rendered Murphy prior to the shooting and afterwards. Two court-appointed phvsicians.

Dr. R. E. Kinneman and Dr. Wavne Endi-cott testified they were of the oninion that Mnrrhv is now sane.

Dr. Kinre-man said that he did not know whether Murphy was sane or not last December. Dr. Fndicott testified that be was of the opinion that Murphy was sane at that time. The 12 jurors are: I.unis Sanford.

W. M. Stafford. D. H.

Bowman. Guv Rodkin. Floyd W. McFarland. W.

E. Llndamood. Francis Sanford. Clyde Steelsmith. Mary Burke.

Iawrence E. McConnell. Don McClarnon. and Howard E. Delashmlt.

Eight other members of the jury venire were excused for various reasons. DEATH OF FORMER RESIDENT Word has been received of the death of Mrs. N. S. Cox.

widow of Dr. N. S. Cox at her home in Miami. Florida.

She died on February 17th. Mrs. Cox was formerly Miss Myrtle Smith, daughter of the late James L. and Mrs. Smith, of Greenfield.

She was also a niece of Mrs. E. W. Felt and Mrs. Mellie Winslow Lowry.

former residents here, both now deceased. Mrs. Cox is survived by one son. Dr. Joseph T.

Cox. a practicing dentist in Miamia and two grandsons. Mrs. Cox had visited here on several occasions and her friends are sorry to learn of her death. KAPPA DELTA PHI Gamma Epsilon chapter of Kappa Delta Phi sorority met for a regular social meeting Monday evening March IS.

at the Elk's Club, with June Caldwell and Mary Lou Zapt as hostesses. A short business meeting was held. Pledge services were given to the following: Barbara Ricks. Luetta Hart, Gladys Adams. Jean Bradbury and Mary Jane Lewis.

Prizes Prizes PLAN NOW To Attend the Free Cooking School Sponsored by The Hancock Democrat Tues, Wed. Afternoons April 6 and 7 Memorial Greenfield 2:00 P. M. Prizes Prizes.