The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, December 1, 1937, Page 1

| | | Telephone | "THE ESTABLISHED 1878 The Weather Partly cloudy tonight and Thursday; not so cold tonight. MARCK TRIBUNE North Dakota’s Oldest Newspaper : BISMARCK, N. D., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1937 ‘BIS PRICE FIVE CENTS STEELE WOMAN SLAIN Urge Bismarck to Aid Charity DriveFarm Hand, 21, (MANS WIL List [Bismarck Child a Is Held; Said to POSSIBLE DONATIONS . Have Confessed. ON QUESTIONNAIRES i oe oe 10 BOTH MEASURES Mrs. Hugh Armstrong, Farmwife, 40, Shot Figure in Slaying Goal of Légion’s Open Your| Late Tuesday While Play- Southern Representatives Op- Through Temple, Body Burned; Keith Heart Campaign Is Happy ing in Street Christmas for Destitute SCOUTS TO AID WORK Blanks Will Be Distributed Thursday; Collections to Begin Saturday Tra Emory Burkhart, 4-year-old son of Raymond Burkhart, 220 South was fatally injured late ‘Tuesday afternoon when struck by a delivery truck near the corner of ‘Third St. and Sweet Ave., while play- ing with a group of children. What can you give to insure a happy Christmas for the children in Bis- marck’s destitute families? ‘business of setting up the organization. which will feamatatertne good inten- tions of Bismarck’s people into good deeds before Christmas time. Biles wal be asked directly: of every household Thursday when Boy. Scouts will deliver to Bismarck residents a bedi questionnaire listing the things need- ed and desirable. | Rescued From Car oO Minneapolis, Dec. 1—(#)—Con- tinuous blowing of an auto horn near Wayzata boulevard and Cedar Lake road attracted the at- tention of Gerald Fisher, 22, early Wednesday. He found an automobile overturned. Unharmed but unable to get out of the ma- chine, the driver was pressing on the horn button. Fisher helped extricate the motorist. B. H. RASCHE FOUND DEAD OF GUNSHOT IN LONELY CABIN Leaves Note Indicating Reason for Suicide; Had Been Miss- ing Since Sunday E. H. Rasche, Bismarck, was found dead in his father’s cabin north of Bismarck Tuesday night, his head shattered by the discharge of a 12- Not, iow. jnation of Dr. L. W. Larson, Burleigh county coroner, who said no inquest Un! would be held, since none is necessary. police station about! a note, contents of which authorities The accident ideciined to reveal but which they said indicated the reason for the sui- of | Cite: Was found in the cabin, with the body. Rasche’s body was discovered Tues- 19 The body was found in the cabin s- jafter, Kohler forced ‘the door in order his Funeral services will ‘be held at 2 m., Thursday in the Webb Funeral Burial will be in Fairview cemetery in the femily lot. MORE LOGICAL’ EXPLANATION OF SHOOTING SOUGHT Sheriff Thinks Rancher Way- laid N. D. Couple; Will Plead Self-Defense 3 Columbus, Mont., Dec. 1.—(#)}—Un- Terrorists Murder Palestine Police|™* 2s Haifa, Palestine, Dec. 1—()—One of three policemen kidnaped by ter- Torists Tuesday escaped and reached Haifa Wednesday and reported his two companions were slain. iG CHRISTMAS SUPERSTITIONS |itmc= Unemployed Ranks . Swell in October New York, Dec. 1.—(?)—There was Vandenberg Is Not After Presidency sung by invisib! the mine with the richest to gain entrance. Indications were that Rasche had been dead for about 24 hours before hhis body was found, Dr. Larson 5 which would place his death some- time Monday night. Kohler said Rasche had apparently placed the muzzle of the shotgun to his temple and pulled the trigger, with his toe after removing his right shoe. Rasche leaves his wife and three children, in addition to four sisters, two brothers and the father. Sisters are Mrs. Joe Kohler, wife of Deputy Sheriff Joe Kohler, Bismarck; Miss Violet Rasche, Mandan; Miss Grace Rasche, Portland, Ore. and Mrs. H. A. Heider, Twin Falls, Idaho. Broth- ers are Dewey and George Rasche, both of Mt. Vernon, N. Y. The mother died at Regan several years ago. Funeral services will be at 2:30 p m., Friday from the Regan church and burial will be in the family lot iu the Regan cemetery. N.D. MORATORIUM ON EVICTIONS DECLARED Governor's Order Good to Mar. 15; Will Apply to All Oc- cupied Homes Gov. William Langer Wednesday ordered all judges, peace officers and bY|cther administrative authorities to re- frain from “making, ordering or exe- ‘cuting any process” which will dis- possess or evict families from their homes until next March 15. The moratorium on evictions will able title or under lease, written or oral, the governor said. “Leassors may, however, upon due it ally able to pay rent,” Langer stated. TRANSFER MONIES TO HELP SCHOOLS $100,000 Goes to Special Fund; Public Welfare Board Gets $377,000 pose Labor Bill; Industrial- ites Might Retaliate SPONSORS PREDICT PASSAGE President's Proposed Curtail- ment of Federal Road Aid + Draws Opposition Ws , Dec. 1.—(7)—A behind- the-scenes struggle over crop control and wage-hour bills threw house members Wednesday in such turmoil that some legislators said both meas- ures might be endangered. Representatives of urban and in- dustrial districts indicated they would try to strike cotton provisions from the farm bill unless Southern col- leagues help get a vote on the labor standards measure. The labor bloc arranged to organize ‘Tuesday night, but postponed the meeting until Wednesday night. Chairman Norton (Dem.-N. J.) of the labor committee preferred to see how many of the 24 necessary names could be added Wednesday to a petition to wrest the wage-hour bill from the rules committee and bring it before the house within a fortnight. The labor bill's backers contended they were entitled to support from farm-state congressmen because they always had aided farm legislation. Many Southern members have op- posed the wage-hour bill on the con- tention it would harm industrial de- velopment in the South. Predict Approval In both senate and house, farm leg- islation entered the final stages of ; | debate... Although. criticised virtually all major provi- sions, sponsors. predic! the meas- ures would be approved with only minor changes, The senate heard an argument that |cheaper money would increase agri- culture prices and halt the downward trend in economic indices. Senator Thomas (Dem., Okla.,) as- serted that “the farm problem is a price problem” and outlined his pro- posal to give the federal reserve board said, /authority to hike prices by cheapen- ing the dollar. As the house prepared to conclude general debate on the farm bill Wed- nesday, Rep. Patman (Dem., Taxes) said he would call a second meeting Thursday of a new farm bloc commit- ted to seek parity prices for all farm commodities, After the vote on the farm bill, leaders spoke hopefully of bringing before the house the administration bill to stimulate a privately-financed building program. President Roosevelt’s proposal to curtail road expenditures created in congress the same split that has de- veloped among presidential advisers over the wisdom of balancing the federal budget at this time. Oppose Cancellation Much of the opposition was directed at the president’s choice of highway funds as the first medium for reduc- ing expenditures. Western senators especially opposed cancellation of $214,000,000 already authorized for dis- tribution to the states in 1939. Some senators who heretofore have advocated quick balancing of the budget said the business decline now called for a different strategy. One expression of this kind came from a New England Republican—Senator Austin of Vermont. Doesn’t See ‘Rush’ “I’ve got over the idea that the government has to rush to balance the budget,” Austin said. 4 On the Democratic side, Senator Pittman of Nevada said he had “never considered balancing the budget so (Continued on Page Two) Police at Wheat Basin, Mont., said Frank Robideau (left), 38-year-old farmer and father of three children, confessed he shot and killed Mr. and Mrs. Mike Kuntz, former North Dakotans, and severely beat their son Larry, 6 (right). Robideau told police he and Kunts id to @ gun duel after the latter had refused to pay for 180 bushels of mortgaged wheat. Larry is shown in a Columbus, Mont., hospital. He was beaten unconscious. Two Killed When Oil Tank Explodes Dickinson Men Hurled 160 Feet; Dominick Weisgerber, Curtis Allen Victims Dickinson, N. D., Dec. 1. — (%) — Hurled over 160 feet when the oil tank which they were welding ex- ploded, Dominick Welsgerber, 29, and Curtis Allen, 21, employes of the Le- high Briquetting company’s plant five miles east of here, were instan' killed Tuesday afternoon. Edward Prostelle, plant manager, had just climbed to the ground from the top of the 35-foot high container when the top of the tank blew off. While the blast rocked the plant, no other damage was done. The explosion apparently was caused by hydro-carbon gas that formed in the tank on which they were work- ing, 8. A. Binek, state mine inspector, said Wednesday. After his investiga- tion, Binek said he believed company officials were unaware of the presence of the gas. He took a sample of the oil in the tank and will send it to the U. 8. bu- reau of mines, Pittsburgh, to deter- mine what gases it contains. | Weisgerber and Allen were building @ walk on the 30,000 gallon tank which was partly filled with oil, a by pro- duct of the briquetting process. Their work involved electric welding. Preiously they had completed a ladder on the tank, one of three located at the plant. The body of Allen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Deiroy B. Allen of Walcott was being sent to Walcott where he at- tended high school. Allen attended the state agricultural college and grad- usted last spring from the state school of science, Wahpeton. a Funeral services for Weisgerber, son of Mr, and Mrs. Dominick Weisgerber of Dickinson will be held Friday, Both were single, Cities Dark as Plane Hits Wires; None Hurt Milwaukee, Dec, 1—(/?)—Racine and Kenosha were without electric serv- ice for nearly an hour Tuesday night when an airplane struck and sheared two high voltage transmission wires near the county airport here. The air- plane was undamaged and its two oc- cupants unhurt. Jurors Se In Benner Trial: Former Revenue Collector's Case May Take 2 Days; Ex- tortion Trial to Follow af lected ius Overmoe, Hillsboro; Mrs, Ruth- ells Ruud, Grand Forks; Richard Salter, Menoken; and George Al- Jets, Carrington, Peremptory challenges were being exercised in the first jury trial of the term of federal district court in Bis- marck as the court recessed Wednes- day noon. Jurors were being selected in the case of the it versus Perry Benner, formerly deputy collector uf internal revenue in , charged with appropriating monies due the United States. ! Benner'’s trial was started sfter Judge J. A. Donohoe had required the government to elect on what counts of the indictment the government would proceed. a The judge’s order followed chal- lenging of the indictment by counsel for the defense in which allegations were made that the indictment was defective because it dit. ferent offenses with different penal- JAPANESE RETURN AMERICAN LAUNCH, “OFFER APOLOGIES Story U. S. Flag Thrown in Riv- er Mistake; Action Had Drawn Protest Shanghai, Dec. 1—(P}—The Japan- ese navy returned to its owners with apologies Wednesday an American- owned launch, seizure of which by Japanese sailors Tuesday drew a pro- test from the United States consul ‘general. Apparently disturbed by strong re- action in the United States, the Japan- ese returned two American flags with the vessel. They also handed back to their own- ers two Italian vessels with apologies that their seizure Tuesday was “all s mistake.” Japanese assertions that Japanese sailors had not thrown the United confirmed by United States consulate | Coul officials. The William Hunt Steamship com- pany, owner of the launch, had re- ported the alleged disrespect to the flag to American Consul General Clar- ence E> Gauss, who protested against seizure of American property and dis- Officials explained that the Mag merely had been handed down to an edjoining Chinese launch at the time the American vessel was seized. A Japanese embassy spokesman earl- ier Wednesday explained that the launch was seized under Japan's block- ade regulations and declared the Japanese navy had felt certain that i$ was the property of the Chinese government. Japanese forces had seized a num- ber of Chinese vessels to trs Outlook for Farm Products Is Good Dec, 1.—(?)—There’s no Craig Brought Here for Protection NEIGHBOR FINDS BODY BESIDE HOUSE 3 Children at School at Time of Tragedy; ‘Was Trying to Poison Us,’ Suspect Is Quoted as Explaining Mrs. Hugh Armstrong, 40-year-old Kidder county farm woman, was dead Wednesday and Keith Craig, 21-year-old farm Band; was being held in the state prison here charged with her murder. Craig was brought here for safe keeping Tuesday night to prevent possible violence at the hands of neighbors. : Bereaved by the tragedy were the three Armstrong chil- dren, the oldest eight years of age, and Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Smith, 924 Fourth St., Bismarck, Mrs. Armstrong’s parents. Mr. Armstrong was absent in Iowa where he had taken a load of livestock to sell. Mrs. Armstrong also leaves two brothers, Wells Smith at Moorhead, Minn., and Miles Smith, living in Pennsylvania. _ _ Grilled by C. A. Miller, chief of the state criminal identifica- tion bureau, and Prison Warden A. J. Loudenbeck, Craig was said to have confessed shooting Mrs. Armstrong, “because she was trying to poison me and her three children.” Miller said he expected Craig to sign a confession Wednesday morning, Fires Three Shots Into Body 5 The confession relates that Craig shot Mrs. Armstrong in the living room of her farm home near Steele Tuesday after- noon, firing three shots into her body. He then dragged it to the top of a nearby strawstack which he set ablaze. A pistol was found in the Armstrong home. Officers said the woman had been shot in the right temple. Kidder county officials were notified of the murder by Lloyd Brousseau, a neighbor, who stopped at the Armstrong home and saw Craig “mopping up blood” from the living room and kitchen floors. 5 ae At the corner of the house he saw the body of Mrs. Arm- strong. Brousseau went into Steele and notified Sheriff John Sack- man, who went to the Armstrong home and apprehended Craig at the gateway to the place. - He submitted to arrest peaceably but to all their questions he answered: “Everything’s done but the milking.” Officials later learned that between the time he was seen by Brousseau and his arrest Craig had appeared at the home of Fred Hitchen, a neighbor. He explained blood on his cloth- ing by saying he had just killed a horse. Children at School The three Armstrong children were absent at school when the tragedy occurred and were taken to the home of a neighbor. Mrs. Smith, stunned by news of the tragedy, relayed to her by a Mr. Harris, expressed the opinion that Craig had become demented. 4 “Gladys (Mrs. Armstrong) thought the world of him and so did Mr. Armstrong and the children,” she said. “She told me that he waited on her hand and foot and was as good as he ld be. “I am glad they didn’t hurt him. That would have done “He was at Mr. Smith’s birthday party three years ago, when Mr. Smith was 80 years old and everybody seemed to like him.” Craig had been employed at the Armstrong place for the last eight months. ‘ : He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Craig, former Kidder county farmers now living at Clearbrook, Minn. Mr. Craig at one time was auditor of Foster county. : The Craigs left Kidder county a few years ago and sub- sequently their son went to work for the Armstrongs. The body is at the Perry funeral home in Bismarck. To Tell Story toSathre — Craig, a former CCC worker, will tell his story to Attorney General P. O. Sathre Wednesday. 4 : Miller said a signed statement of confession will be de- no ‘sup-|livered to State’s Attorney Arne Vinje of Kidder county who, he asserted, probably will have Craig arraigned immediately. “If he Heads guilty, a speedy hearing will probably be arranged before District Judge Fred Jansonius for sentence, Miller said. eae Craig awoke Wednesday from a “good night’s” rest and officials escorted him to the penitentiary bertillon room where *! his fingerprints and photograph were taken. Sathre was at the penitentiary attending a meeting of the .| state pardon board and was expected to take the signed con- fession personally at noon. State Pardon Board Approves 2 Paroles The North Dekota pardon board Wednesday approved parole in the first two cases of 131 to be considered at the December session. POSSIBLE SUSPECT HELD AT STANLEY Federal Agent Questioning Man Paroled to John Gunlogson, Sr., were his son John, and Peter Olsson, both sentenced from Pembina county last June to terms of 18 months to three in the next clemency case, that of Ervin F. Garbe, sen- tenced from Ward county in 1935 tos five-year term for embezzlement was halted as the board recessed. Sixteen inmates sentenced for mur- Ger are seeking leniency. They include cases on which action was deferred at the last session—clemency pleas of Francis Tucker, convicted in LaMoure county and Floyd Johnson, convicted Held on Vagrancy Count; Fingerprints Checked Aberdeen, 8. D., Dec. 1—()—Wer- in Ward county. WPA ROLLS UP wy