davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
man is SLUGGED
and ROBBED In
TAVERN H0LDUP
Two Negro Gunmen Assault
Wilmer Gratz, Operator of
Beer and Wine Store
Victim Unable to Identify Two
Suspects Rounded up by
State Patrol Monday

Two nattily dressed negro holdup
men this week remained the object
of an intensive search throughout
northwestern Ohio, after slugging
and robbing Wilmer Gratz, 40, oper-
ator of a carry-out beer and wine
store, one mile north of Bluffton
shortly before 10 o'clock Saturday
night.
Before fleeing with S75 taken from
the cash drawer of the establishment,
the two gunmen forced Gratz to ac-
company them about 80 feet to the
rear of the building where they club
bed him with a board left on the
scene by carpenters, who built the
new structure about five weeks ago.
Gratz, who fell to the ground and
feigned unconsciousness when struck
over the head, remained at the rear
of the building until he heard the
two bandits start their automobile
northward on the Dixie highway to-
ward Findlay.
Taken To Hospital
AS he re-entered the building, he
was met by two customers who came
in the front door. One of them took
him to Bluffton Community hospital
where four stitches We're required to
close a long cut in his scalp. The
other customer telephoned state high
way patrolmen from neighboring
farm. Gratz returned to work after
being treated at the hospital.
Choosing a lull in the busy Satur-
day evening operation of the estab-
lishment, the two negroes entered the
building just after a customer hao
driven away. Gratz who was busy
arranging stock turned to find the
shorter of two negroes covering him
with pistol.
After the gunman's accomplice
took SIS from the cash drawer, the
holdup pair took Gratz' wallet con-
tanning 81, and escorted him to the
rear of the building where he was
slugged. Gratz said that he fell to
the ground and remained quiet, and
after the two men waited a few
seconds, one said, "Well, we'd better
get out of here"
They made their escape in an
automobile which had been left with
motor running, north of the tavern
along the Dixie highway.
Stop For Water
Reports that two negroes had
stopped three places between Bluff
ton and Rawson to request water for
leaky radiator in their car about
the same time the robbery was re-
ported led to the belief that the pair
were having trouble with their car.
The automobile was described as
about a 1886 or 1897 model.
Altho state highway patrolmen
established road blocks, no trace of
the two holdup men, was discovered,
but the search was continuing this
week.
Approximately two dozen state
highway patrol cruisers, manned by
30 patrolmen, set up the blockades,
and the manhunt was augmented by
Continued on page 10)
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
RENEW CONTRACTS
WITH TOWN FOR
FIRE PROTECTION
Orange and Richland Township
Trustees Act to Continue
Arrangement
Button Provides Rural Dis.
tricts Service for Annual
Fee of $3.50

Bluffton villages fire protection
contracts with Richland and Orange
townships have been renewed for
the coming year and payment in ad-
vance for the service has been made
by the board of trustees of each po-
litical subdivision.
Under contract term the Bluffton
fire department answers all calls at
a fiat rate annual fee of $3.50 for
each township.
Renewal of the Orange township
contract served as an indication that
supplementary agreement worked
out last winter between the town.
ship and Ada was not reflection of
dissatisfaction with fire protection
service from Bluffton.
Under the supplementary arrange
ment, the Ada fire department will
also answer calls to the extreme
southern portion of the township,
laying beyond the Lincoln highway.
Township spokesmen said this
week that the contract with Ada
was drafted only because that part
of the township was much closer to
Ada and not because there was any
dissatisfaction with the service pro-
vided by Bluffton.
Better protection for the isolated
section also is assured, it was point
ed out, for trucks from both fire de-
partments will be called to areas
where the coverage contracts over
lap.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
Mrs. ID. C.. Biret
Funeral Thursday

Funeral services will be held
Thursday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock
in the First Mennonite church for
Mrs. Delilah Bixel, 50, wife of David
c. Bixel, who died at 3:35 p. m.
Tuesday at the residence on North
Lawn avenue.
I'm poor health for some time, Mrs.
Bixel had been bedfast for the last
six weeks.
She was born in Orrville, Ohio,
January /, 1867, the daughter of
Peter and Barbara (Lehman) Baum
gartner, and married Mr.. Bixel De-
cember 8, 1891.
Survivors include the husband,
three daughters, Mrs. Millard Oberly
and Misses Dora and Fern Bixel,
all of Bluffton, and son, DR.. Cord
on Bixel, also of this place.
Also surviving are two brothers,
William Baumgartner, Pandora, and
Peter Baumgartner, Orrville; and
two sisters, Mrs. Clara Steiner,
Orrville, and Mrs. Frank Shoup,
Beach City, Ohio.
A member of the First Mennonite
church, Mrs. Bixel was active in
church activities.
Rev. ]. N. Smucker, pastor of
the church, will officiate at the fun
eral rites Thursday. Burial will be
in the Ebenezer cemetery. The body
will remain at the Basinger funeral
home until time for the services.
The family has announced that
memorials to religious and charit-
able institutions will be accepted.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
FRUIT PROSPECTS
HERE Dealt HEAVY
BL0W6BY FREEZE
Temperature Drop to Thirty
Degrees, Freezes Ice We'd
nesday Morning
Extent of Damage Will Not BE
Known for Several Days
Fruit Men Say

Fruit prospects in the Blufftor
area took sharp drop Wednesday
following a heavy freeze Tuesday
night. Farmers examining apple
cherry and peach trees which have
been in bloom during the past week
were uncertain Wednesday morning
as 10 the extent of the damage.
The temperature dropped to low
of 80 degrees during the night and
froze ice to one-eighth inch in thick
ness on stock watering tanks, it was
reported Tops of automobiles left
standing outside garages were white
with frost Wednesday morning.
A wind which rose early Tuesday
evening dropped about midnight and
the sky was cloudless under bright
moon nearly full.
For several years fruit crops in
this area have been blighted by
frosts occurring after the trees were
in full bloom. The freeze this year
followed the usual pattern, coming
after midsummer temperatures es-
tabhshed a high of 90 degrees the
latter part of last week.
1t will be several days before ar
accurate appraisal of the frost dam.
age can be learned, fruit growers
said
Rising temperatures Wednesday
followed the freeze with fair and
warmer weather forecast for the
latter part of the week.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
GIee Club Concert
On Tuesday Night

Bluffton College Mems Glee club
will present its spring concert at
the high school auditorium next
Tuesday night at o'clock. The club
is directed by Otto Holtkamp of the
college conservatory and Claren
Sommer is accompanist. Appearing
in special numbers will be Mrs.
Elizabeth Howe and the College
Mems quartet.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
Bluffton College To Have More Than
80 In Student Relief Work Programs
High School Junior Is
Named To Boys State

Don Schmidt, Bluffton high school
junior has been named as Bluffton
representative to Buckeye Boys
State to be held June 18 to % on
the Ohio Wesleyan university cam
pus at Delaware, it was announced
Tuesday.
Selection was made by Bluffton
Legion post, local sponsor. The
Boys State is an annual affair de-
signed to give boys of high school
age an insight into civic and govern
mental affairs. Boys from through
out Ohio will be in attendance.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
Three Place In
Scholarship Tests

Three of the 13 pupils entered by
Bluffton high school in the district
state scholarship tests at Ohio
Northern university, Ada, Saturday,
placed in the top ranking 25 in the
various subjects, it was announced
here the first of the week.
Placing were: John Bauman, third
in chemistry; Margaret Stratton,
seventh in biology and Ruth Diller,
18th in English XI.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
Program in Bfton District is Under Way This Spring

of Cherry street intersection.
In the television cable construction
program, work already has started
on the repeater station, a small
building of concrete blocks, located
on the Grove street road, just beyond
Maple Grove cemetery. The under
ground cable will be installed this
summer by crew which started at
Dayton and is working north.
In addition to the four projects
slated for this summers program,
there also has been lot of interest
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
Graduating Recitals
On Friday EUening

Three Bluffton college seniors
graduating this spring from the de-
partment of music will present their
graduating recitals in a joint pro-
gram, Friday night at Ramseyer
chapel at o'clock.
They are Claren Sommer, organ
and piano; Elizabeth Brand Howe,
voice, and Ruth Porter, violin.
Walter Treadway and Carol ST.
mon, also seniors in the department
who will complete their work in
voice and organ respectively this
summer, will appear in graduating
recital in July.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12

With a variety of major expansion
projects either under way or about
to be launched, Bluffton this spring
will be the center of an industrial
construction and institutional building
program on a scale unsurpassed in
the history of the community.
Booming construction activity on
the spring and summer program here
include:
Start of a $2,0OO,0O0 build
ing and equipment expansion pro-
gram at the generating plant of
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
TlCO NeU Houses Are
Being Built Here

Prospects for residential building
in Bluffton and vicinity which have
been looking up for the past several
weeks received an additional impetus
this week with the laying of found
ations for two more new houses.
Maynard Steiner is building on his
lot ON Harmon road south of the
hospital and Abram Rickert is pre-
pairing to build on location ON the
former Santschi farm on the Dixie
highway south of Bluffton.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12

struction of the 10 by 43-foot build
ing addition will get under way this
spring.
Latest expansion of the plant, the
third since original construction in
1887, will give Bluffton one of the
largest plants of its kind in North
western Ohio.
Bluffton colleges s250,000 gym
nasium- building program
will be started on the campus in
early June, following ground-break,
ing cermonies held in connection with
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
Pastor To Speak At
Church Centennial

Rev. Howard Landes, pastor of
the Ebenezer Mennonite church is
one of the speakers at the Tooth an
niversary of his home church, The
Deep Run congregation near Phila-
delphia, this week. Rev. J. Herbert
Fretz is pastor of the church which
has arranged programs on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday nights.
Rev. and Mrs. Landes will also
spend some time in Philadelphia and
among members of their former
charge at Germantown, Pa.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12

locally in a proposed bill in the Ohio
legislature calling for construction
of an east-west super-highway,
similar to the Pennsylvania turnpike,
proposed route of which would pass
near Bluffton.
In the bill, the turnpike is slated
to run between Route 224, which
passes thru Findlay and Ottawa, and
the Lincoln, highway which goes thru
Beaverdam. Conjecture has put ten
tative route of the super-highway on
Route 103 which touches Bluffton.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12

the Central Ohio Light and
Power Co. i'm Bluffton.
2-Plans to begin S250,000
gymnasium m-auditorium on the
Button college campus early in
June.
3-Installation of a new 22-
inch trunk line south and east of
Bluffton by the Buckeye Pipe
Line Co., of Lima, a S6,000,000
project.
4-Laying of an underground
coaxial cable connecting Toledo
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
FiUe Shades Appear
In COI0rfuI Program,

The Five Shades, mems vocal or
ganization of Bluffton college stu
dents will appear in program at
Ramseyer chapel this Wednesday
night at $3.50 o'clock. Members 70
the group are James Hilty, Dean
Niswander, Al Diller, Roger Howe
and Claren Sommer, accompanist.
There is no admission charge and
the public is invited.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
Record Industrial and Institutional Expansion Program

and Cincinnati, which will pass
west of Bluffton just outside the
corporation limits. A repeater
station, to magnify signals car
ried by the line, is being built on
the Mrs. Sarah Motter farm, just
outside the village on the Grove
street road.
Utility Expansion
Ground breaking ceremonies fol
the S2,OO0,O00 Central Ohio Ligh
and Power Co. addition were hell
recently at the plant, and con
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12

commencement week the last OF May.
Pipe Line Installation
Work on the pipe line installation
here will be completed within the
next few weeks, as workmen proceed
with laying of a new 22-inch main
connecting Lima and Toledo. Route
of the Buckeye Pipe Line runs thru
Richland and Orange townships fol-
lowing new right of way, crossing
the Allen-Hancock County line at the
Greding farm a short distance south
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
Choir Program, At
Mennonite Church

Choir of the First Mennonite
church will give a program Sunday
night at 1880 o'clock. Assisting will
be Claren Sommer, organ; Mary Lou
Rich, soprano; jeanne Vercler and
Dean Niswander in soprano and
tenor duet and the College Mems
Glee club quartet.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
Red Cross To Elect
Officers On Monday

Buttons Red Cross Chapter will
hold its annual election of officers
at a meeting in the high school Ii
brary Monday night at s o'clock.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
MARRIAGE LICENSE

A marriage license has been is
sued to Nome Mathey Huff, car re-
pairman of Caseyville, ILL.,, and Doris
Maxine Fisher of Bluffton.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12

Ohio Conservation Field Days and
State Flowing Matches, August @
and %, at Apple Greek State Farm
in Wayne County.
The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-05-12
Pipe Line Installation

commencement week the last of May.
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1949-03-05
Abingdon, Bethel
Guest Speaker

Dorothy w Abingdon, edltorN
Of the AME Sunday School
quarterly OF Nashville Tenn
will be the guest speaker Al
Bethel AME Church SUNDAY
when the Len.en season pro.
gram officially begins on Sun.
day moning at a communion
service at III a. m. at Bethel A
M. E. church.
AT the close of the morning
service the annual probation.
ers' class will begin their study
leading up TO confirmation on
Easter Sunday. These classes
will be conducted each week
until Palm Sunday at 100 pm
by the pastor, the Rev. J A
Danes and the Associate Pas.
tor. Rev. S. S. Morris, Jr. IN the
balcony Of the church.
The machinery for the COM
pilation for the 1949 church
directory is being set in motion
This is a booklet which con-
tains the names of all the reg.
istered members in good stand.
ing at Bethel. This will be the
third official edition.
The committee under the
leadership Of Mrs. Beatrice
Fleets is moving forward TO
make this the largest and best
edition Of the group. All mem
bers of Bethel are expected TO
register in order that their
names may be carried in THIS
volume.
Liilnh Ii motor uahicla accidenis.
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1949-03-05

pared for use all over the world
and arranged under the super
vision of Mrs. Welthey II. Fish
err chairman of the World Day
of PRAYER committee. The gen.
eral theme is The Lord is Thy
Keeper" All church women who
attend have been asked to mem
orize the l21st Psalm, from
which this theme Is taken.
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1949-03-05

MARY MARGARET BAILER dancing dantily on her toes
in the Jabberwock skit presented by the MARY ANN
CLEMON SCHOOL OF DANCE Like mother
like daughter ONE of the lovelest of the sub-deb
dancing daughters about town is BEVERLEY EVANS
Busiest group at this time the energetic committee OF
ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA sorors working on the mammoth
brdgecar-cash project which will eliminate in April
An interesting thing about the winning dance skt in the
Jabberwock LORRAINE JONES GROUP is that there
uncertainty about its being able to on as late as
o'cock-a missing principal-He appeared and help
ed them win first place.
PARDON, BUT SLIP is SHOWING :. the slip
that makes certain socates look askance at others
Ts all because of the spying antics of certain Madame
who puts her findings into print mo not L.
ERAYCE SADLER, JOSEPHINE GAINES, BERNADINE
TEARS MYRTLE GASKILL, RUTH BREAUX and RUTH
.WEBB All vehemently denying the rumors of
Madame's identity meanwhile irate matrons continue
call all and sundry with threats of donnng battle
jackets and issuing invitations to rendezvous
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1949-03-05
Pastor Says:

Pedestrians. Don't Walk Your
self to death.
Those pertinent words of ad-
vice TO the person afoot are con-
tanned in Poster TO be erected I
February %, on 400 Street corner
standards strategically located
throughout Detroit
The poster also features sket-
ches of four pedestrians who did
walk themselves TO death. All APP
parently got to heaven. though.
judging from the halos about
their heads and the wings sprout
ing from their backs.
psrchsd on a billowing cloud,
each explains the way he gained
entrance 10 his heavenly home.
And. Of course, each commits
ted an unsafe walking practice.
One ,ays. II was in hurry"
Another didn't wait for the sig
nal" A third didn't look both
ways" while the fourth tried
TO cross in mid-block"
Perhaps these angelic figures
were among the l52 pedestrians
killed in Detroit during l948.
That pedestrian toll amounted to
70 per cent Of the 208 persons
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1949-03-05

HaRdbIlls. Placards, Pro-
grams, Invitations. all types Of
printing done In our Job work
department Detroit TIL.
BUNE. 2l4s 81. Antoine. CT.
1924.
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1949-03-05
10 DETROIT TRIBUNE SAT, MARCH S, ls4s
talk Of the town..

while VERA MUTHLEB borrowed note from the colon.
al south with blue taffea, off the shoulder and with
borffant skirt In the print Marguerite Nc
David. with vivid flowers on background: VUNICE
BARROW. with pastel stripes and figures; HELEN LEW
Is who chartreuse with black and gold flowers and
ESSEL SAULSBERRY.
SPEAKING OF FASHIONS /. {. would know It's al
most Spring if there isn't single Robin in sight .
In the Of fashion shows scheduled to show the
wares Of leading sepia designers and modelling skill of
prominent maid and matrons In March. FRANCES
NORFLEET is presenting her Revue des Chapeaux'
Hawkins Apparel Shop with styles for the well groomed
femme FROM six TO sixty at the Art Institute MILDRED
WADE, who tells the Spring Hat Story" March 81
49, Then there is Barber College show in April and
the ZONIAS mammoth venture scheduled for May ! at
the Latin Quarters On that same eve LOU CLEMONS
and club members holding forth at the Club FL Sine
There VIII be for Mrs and Miss Detroit not
being properly groomed at all times they will show
what TO wear and tell where to get it now, who
knows-how2
PRETTY BRIDE !. is MRS KENNETH DUNGHILL,
VINO not permitted by her many friends get too lone
some while hubby completing his in DENTISTRY
~ Howard university Since the couple were wed on
December 80 several persons have entertained Vivian with
showers On Sunday she was guest at q miscellaneous
shower at the home of MRS. PERCY NOVEL; Join
ing In the event mothers Of the happy couple Mrs
Floyd Dunghll ard Mrs. Percy Novel; -. Hostess was
Mrs. Dewey Novel; Earlier in the month EDNA De-
BRO summoned friends to personal shower in honor of
VIVIAN at the Kappa house In to greet her Eileen
sennst Betty Bennett Corrne and Dorothy DeBro La
Miriam Hill and other friends of the WAYNE L. coed and
friends from the Ro-Ka-Wi group
FOUR HUNDRED STUDY CLUB . met with MRS.
EMMADORA STRINGER on East Ferry on last week and
mapped plans for their activities for the year . The
charming hostess had as special guests MRS MARIAN
LlGHTFOOTE Of Chicago. Illinois: MISS TAMEILA
ROBINSON. designer and MRS FIORINF NELLY If
MRS LILLIAN CARTER Of this city MRS SADIE
LINDSAY PALMER is the president Of this very large
group.
INTERESTING TTD-BITs It was interesting to see
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1949-03-05
Mrs. Bertha McKenSie Is Hostess at
Party Honoring 2Oth Anniversary
OF Hospitaland ConUaleScent Home

The twentieth anniversary of the Good Samaritan
Hospital and Convaescent Home observed on last
week at formal dinner party with Mrs Bertha B. Nc
Kenzie R. NJ founder and Superintendent. as hostess
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1949-03-05
Church Women
To Hold World
Prayer Meeting

The central district meeting
for the World Day Of Prayer
annually observed by the De-
troit Council of Church Women.
will be held at Central Methodist
Church on Friday. March 4th,
beginning at 1905 p. m The
first session will be held in con-
junction with the MONDAY Len
ten Services Of the Detroit Coun-
Gil Of Churches. DR.. James w.
Clarke of the Second Presby-
terrain CHURCH, ST. Louis. will be
the speaker. At the close of the
MONDAY Lenten Service, the
second session OF the World Day
If Prayer program will begin.
LEADER
Mrs. Burton L. Fralick. pres
ident of the Detroit Council of
Church Women, will be the
leader. Julia Sturgis will sing
and Paul w. w. Green will serve
as organist. This service will be
one in five held in various dis
tricts of the day. Other World
Day OF Prayer services will be
held in Calvary Evangelical
United Brethren Church, l5050
Hubbell avenue: Crosse Pointe
Woods Presbyterian Church
1880 Mack avenue; St. PaulS
Methodist Church, 1924 JosNyn
avenue. Highland Park; and
Knox Presbyterian Church, Dick
erson at Mack.
PROGRAM
Mrs. J. Z. Stahler will present
the call for the offering. Money
received in the offering will be
used for Migrant Work, Educa-
ton and religious training of
American Indians; Christian lit
erature. Oriental colleges and
for the committee on friendly
relations with foreign students.
The program TO be used is pre-
The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1949-03-05
old Timers To
Get Together At
annual Party

The second annual "Old Tim
ers' party will be held on Sat-
urday. March S. at the Crafts
mems Club. 275 East Ferry. 1t
IS given in interest of the peo-
pie Of Detroit who enjoy the
pleasure of renewing acqusint-
snces each year
Many interesting forms Of en-
tertainment have been planned
by the chairman. Charles Camp
bell and his committee, Fred
Hart Williams. Pete Barnes, Lee
Roy Smith, Bud Webster, and
Harry Harding. Bridge, whist and
dancing will also be features
Music is by Bonnie Morton.