The Detroit times. [volume], April 12, 1909, FIRST EDITION, Image 1

About The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920

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NINTH YEAR. NO. 166.
KILL TARIFF BILL,
SAYS LHOLLETTE
Wisconsin Senator Will Introduce
Bill To Create Commission To
Consider Tariff.
By QIBBON GARDNER.
WASHINGTON. D. C., April 12.
The defeat of the Payne’Aldrich tariff
bill — because It revise* tariff upward
Instead of downward — and the crea
tion of a tariff commission. is w hut
Senator Robt. M. LaFollette will try
to bring about.
“The entire linpoaaibllit) of having
Coy rational adjuatment of the tariff
y the methods which are now being
employed Is being clearly demonstrat
ed," said Seuator LaFollette. ’Busi
ness is held up while this tariff hid
is talked about, aud th Headers urge
that no one Interpose anything which
may appear like a dilatory action lest
business be unnecessarily halted. Vet
there is not time for any member of
either branch of congress to find out
.factually what this tariff bill contains.
Much less Is there time to find out the
principles In accordance with which
the tariff rates are or ought to be ad
justed
"The whole scheme Is wrong. And
there is every indication that congress
Is not acting in good faith. It would
he easy, for example, to obviate this
j.nsettleroent of business by providing
that the new tariff law would not take
effect for 12 months after Its passage, j
This would give the business of the
country ample time to adjust itself to
the new conditions.
"But the authors of thin bill are us- ;
ing every effort to cram the measure |
down the people's throats, aud the
less they know about It the better It
would seem the authors of the bill will
be pleased."
Will Introduce Bills.
Asa substitute for the Aldrich-
Pay ne bill. Senator La Toilette will
offer, at the proper time, a bill to
create a commission of nine tariff ex-'
perts to lie appointed by the presi
dent, subject to the approval of the
senate. The terms of this commission
would be from three to il years from
the date of their appointment and I
their successors would be appined 1
each for a term of ten years.
No senators of representatives
•would be eligible for appointment
No two commissioners could be resi- 1
dents of the same Judicial circuit.)
Not more than five could be members
of the same political party. One
would be required to have a practical
knowlfdge of the manufacturing In*
dudrry; one of agriculture; one of
Import business; one would be a rep
resentative of labor; one of special
-tariff BrwVer. one a student of domes
tic and foreign tariffs fffltT commercial
reciprocity; one an expert on cost of
production and accounting; one a
trained statistician; and one an emi
nent economist, who has made a spe
cial study of wages and cost of living.
Commissioners would draw salaries at
the rate of SIO,OOO a year.
This tariff commission provided for
by the LaFollette bill would bo
charged with the duty of revising
tariff schedules in accordlnance with
the principles act out in the Repub-1
liean national platform—a principle
likewise indorsed by the Democratic
organization. The difference between
the coat of production at home aid
abroad Is the difference which ought
to determine the tariff at cording to
the party declarations. This difference |
is merely a matter of fact which enn
be determined by Inquiry. Congress
is without these facts. To secure
them Is no small task. But It la a
task which only a body of experts
could possibly perform In this fash
ion all civilized nations solve the
problem. The LaFollette law would
give power to this commission to make
inquiries, to summon manufacturers
and importers and to copel the pro
duction of books and papers, it would
rftso have the power to make Inquiries
abroad.
President Would Have Power.
Wher the commission had determin
ed the difference in cost of produc
tion at home and abroad and had thus
determined what would be the proper
tariff on any particular manufactured
product the commission would be em
powered to report to the president
who would have powed to Immediately
•put this tariff into effect by proclama- 1
tlon.
The commission would j
be required to begin their inquiry with ■
Minority Leader Is Hard Job, But Champ Clark,
Os Missouri, Once Farm Hand, Is Leading Some
' WASHINGTON. April 12.—Mules
and tigers are never easy to lead,
and It Isn’t a cinch game to lead
Democrats In the national house of
representatives. But the best lob 3?
minority leading tn a good many years
la that now being done by Champ
I
W . *j
Hfer *|
* CHAMP CLARK.
riArk. of Missouri Some of Champ’s
steeds have jumped the lenros and
disappeared down Cannon pike, but
|9ciroif Qftmes
RICH WIDOW, SLATED FOR
NEXT PRESIDENT OF D.A.R.
MRS. MATTHEW SCOTT.
(.From latest Photograph.)
BLOOMINGTON, 111., April 12
Mrs. Matthew Scotr, wealthy Bloom
ington, ill., widow. 1* the administra
tlon candidate for the presidency gen
eral of the exclusive and highly polltl
cal Daughters of the American Revolu
tion at the coming congress of the or
ganization in Wash ngton, April 1J
She Is the choice cf Mrs. Donald Mc-
Lean, for several years president gen
the primary industries producing iruu
ore. coal, lumber and other raw ma
terial from the natural resources of
the country, and to proceed In con
secutive order as nearly as prac
ticable from the Industries producing
raw materlul to the industries produc
ing finished products.
Senator proposes to
n.ake a hard flgnt for his commission.
It goes without saying that he will be
opposed by Senator Aldrich and by all
the other representatives of the spe
cial Interests and trusts in congress.
The Wisconsin senator will make a
very effective attack, however, on the
Payne-Aldrich bill, exposing how It
increases (he duties on some $90,000,-
(.00 of Imports and decreases duties
on some $40,000,000 of Imports. He
will show also how the bill, while giv
ing special favors to special trust in
terests puts added burders on the
poor and increases the cost of neces
sities.
DRUGGIBT PAYB *875.
Woman Sued Him for Violation of
Local Option Law.
PAW PAW. Mich.. April 12— Mrs.
Carrie who sued Charles H.
Van Alstyne, a South Haven druggist,
for damages and received a verdict
for $750, under the provisions of the
cIvL damage law for violation of the
local rfptlon regulations, has won her
case In the supreme court and th“
judgrm nt with costs aud interes r
amounting to $875 has just been col*
lectedK by Under Sheriff Sirrine.
Van' Alstyne is not the only one
having troubles Mrs. Minnie Goo dr ode
recently brought suit against another
South Haven druggist, Charles E.
Abell, and his sureties, which has been
settled out of court. The terms of
settlement were not made known, but
It Is rumored that Abel paid some
thing like SSOO.
ICE FIELD HITS DOCK.
BAULT STB. MARIK, Mich., April
12. —The Canadian "Soo" ferry dock
was nearly carried away by a huge
Ice field which broke awya from the
Michigan shore and. backed by a
strong wind, came down the river In
the direction of the Canadian side.
All the large boats moored on the
Canadian side at the time escaped, but
some of the smaller boats were smash
ed. The steamer Algoma. of the In
ternational Transit Cos. was pushed
back Into shallow water and hnd som*s
difficulty In getting clear.
The Japanese diet Is considering a
bill authorizing the expenditure of
$575.000 on the Yokohama water
works, to he expended in allotments
covering 13 years.
Clark, in speech and action, has been
pretty good, all circumstances con
sidered.
In his style of debating. Champ
suggests the rough nnl roaoy stumper.
He has had a very extended experi
ence on the stump and plat
form, and if there is any criticism of
his work ns house lender, it is *hat his
style is rather reminiscent of the plat
form. He is inrlin.id to ramble. He
will tell a good story—or one not so
good—at any cost.
Hut that is a good fauß. He will
ha\e audiences when the statistics
monger talks to empty desks.
Champ Clarks name IS Champ.
That is no f a nickname. And that is
the whole of his nnn:e. Hi was born
in Kentucky March i, 1860, in \nder
son county. He was educoted in the
common schools, Bethany college
Kentucky college. th« Cincinnati I,aw
1 school and in 187 J was president o'
1 Marshall college, West Virgin! 1. Ho
1 fays In his biography in the congres
sional record that le for 2- years
held the record for he>ng the youngest
college president in the Bulled
States."
He has worked at a farm hand,
edited a country newspaper, practice*,
law and run for congress. He move*!
to Missouri in IS7I. lie Is in ills
j seventh congress' which mean** that
he has l>een in Washington for 1.
! years. Four years ng*» he was perma
jnent chairman of the con
\ention.
,« ral of the Daughters, who confidently
| predicts her election.
Insurgents, always present in the
ranks of the Daughters, have decided
l upon Mia. VN’ai. C. Story as thei- can
didate.
The battle In prospect this year will
rage over the completion of Conti
nental hall, the mil lion dollar marble
memorial the D. A. It. wants to build
In Washington, which has figured in
many stormy sceueh.
CLINTON MAN 18 112.
Frank McNally Appears on Streets in
Wheel Chair.
CLINTON, Mich., April 12.—Frank
McNally, of Clinton, was 112 years old
Saturday. He was born In Ireland
April 10, 1797. Hlb many friends saw
him on the street* of Clinton last
week in his wheeled chair, which he
propels with his hands. He Is de
prived of tbe use of his lower limbs
by rheumatism. When 16 years old
McNally visited many parts of tho
world on a merchantman, and, tiring
of life oil the briny deep, landed ia
New York. He hired out as a farm
hand at 50 cents a day, coming to
Michigan later and in 1854 was em
ployed as a mortar carrier on the
Union school building in Tecumseh.
SWALLOWS LAUDANUM-
Man Gazes at Photograph of Girl;
Will Recover.
SAGINAW, Mich., April 12.
Charles Beckmann. gazing at the
Photograph of a girl, which he helJ
in his hand, swallowed the contents of
a vial of laudanum yesterday. He
fell to the floor of his room In the
boarding house of Mrs. Augusta Trier,
623 Perr.v-st., with a thud. Mrs. Trier
went upstairs and found Beckmann in
a semi-conscious condition. A doctor
was summoned and used a stomach
pump w ith good cfTect. Beckman was
tawen to St. Mary’s hospital where
If was said he would recover. He is
34 years old
THIRD VICTIM DIES.
Erma Whitmarsh, 16. is Taken By
Typhoid Fever.
DEERFIELD, Mich., April 12.
Erma Whitmarsh, 16-years old, is dead
from typhoid fever, making the third
member of the Whitmarsh family to
die from the disease in a little over a
month. Lulu. 18. another daughter,
died five weeks ago. The six-year
old son is Hi and so is the nurse who
attended the sick family and her sla
ter. who lives a mile from the Whlt
n.arsh home.
NIGHT RIDERS BUSY.
Incendiary Fires and Destruction of
Tobacoc Beds Reported.
UNION CITY. Tenn.. April 12—In
cendiary fires and destruction of to
bacco beds by night riders have been
reported from the counties bordering
on Tennessee and Kentucky. Hum
phrey county officials hav appealed to
Gov. Patterson for the militia. They
say they cannot cope with the depre
dations of the night riders. The latest
outbreaks indicate that the rcent con
viction ot ulght ri'lers. w'ho were sen
tenced to he hanged, has not checked
the outlaws.
WETS FIGHT ELECTION.
MARSHALL. M»ch.. April 12.—Attor
neys H. E Stewart and D. C. Sallls
burvy. of Battle Creek, have been en
gaged by the liquor interests as coun
sel to contest the local option election
In this county. It Is claimed there
were net proper facilities In Battle
Creek for voting, as there were but
ten voting machines and that many
person'b were lost because there
was not sufficient time for them to
vote on the machines.
WHERE LIFE IS
WORTH LIVING
\lfrr*l K. Watson, a former member of
the Windsor council, riled, fctinria;, In
his home in Windsor, from typhoid
fever, from which he was ill for ten
weeks. tie hud been active In poli
tics. and ae\eral months ago was
elected the flrst president of the
Young Men s Liberal club.
While discussing locnl option with
three friends In his saloon. No. 41S
I’erry-st.. about 1 o'clock, Sunday af
ternoon. William A. Senftleberi sud
dcnlx threw up Ids hands and fell
to ilie tloor. dead. I’oroner Bennett
derided that heart disease was the
cause and Mill hold no Inquest. I»e
--«eased mms S3 seats old.
hMmurl fiolriherg. his wife aid three
children were rirlw-n from their heris
by a dre which |*artiall> destroyed
tioldle-rg s arm **r> at No. 3So llast
tngs-st.. about 12:30 o’clock. Monday
morning. The alarm was given by
on** of. the children, who was awak
ened by the smoke The fo«s Is shout
SI,OOO covered by Insure nee.
Rualeess-llke f’rlntlag. No fuss and
no f»athers. The p.sln, neat kind that
looks right. Times Printing Cs 4 No.
Ik John H.-at. Phono 1491.
MONDAY, APRIL 12, 1909.
POLICE SWEATBOX
IS POPULAR AAYTH
Prisoner* Questioned As To Crime,
But Stories of Torture Being
Resorted To Are Absurd.
Police sweatbox —A small room
surrounded by steam pipes, where
prisoners are tortured by heat
until they confess.
This Is the definition of the “sweat
box" once given on the witness stand
by a defendant In the recorder's court.
Nothing could be farther from the
truth, yet tt expresses quite accurately
the popular conception of that myster
ious and oft-quoted adjunct of the po
lice department. If it can be called an
adjunct. •
Asa matter of fact the "sweat box"
has no actual existence as far as the
Detroit police department Is concern
ed. It Is a myth. The term had its
origin In mariiie circles and Webster
defines It as "a small closet In which
refractory men are confined." The
newspapers probably are responsible,
In large measure, for its application to
the police department. Decades ago
some writer, more enterprising than
the rest, saw fit to apply the term to
the process of questioning suspected
prisoners. The phrase stuck, and,
though used only In a metaphorical
sense, locally, at least, It has been ac
cepted literally by many readers. Not
a few persons believe that prisoners
are actually and literally sweated Into
making confessions, and many an ac
cused person, whose guilt had been
established beyond all doubt, has been
given his liberty because the jury la
bored under a similar delusion. *
“It Is true that prisoners often sweat
when we are questioning them, but it’s
not due to the condition of the room,”
said Capt. James McDonnell, the vet
eran chief of the central detective bu
reau, who has been instrumental in
securing more confessions than aay
other man in the department. "If a
man is guilty it doesn’t require steam
pipes or any other artificial means to
make him perspire. His own con
science is sufficient.
“If a man is innocent he has nothing
to fear when questioned by the police.
A man wrongfully accused of crime
can almost invariably free himself by
a frank statement, while any state
ment made by a guilty mania bound
to go agulnst him on hia trial. If a
man la telling the truth hia state
ments, as a rule, can be readily veri
fied, and if I am satisfied a man is
telling a straight story I will not hesi
tate to discharge him. From my ex
perience with men I can usually tell
whether a prisoner la lying, and con
duct my examination accordingly.
“A medical student was brought in
here once, charged with a serious of
fense against a little girl, for which
the extreme penalty is life imprison
ment. Though he was a young maiv
of excellent family connections, things
looked pretty black for him when he
first came In. But he told a straight
forward story, which I verified, and
half an hour later he walked out of
the office a free man. A guilty man.
on the other hand, will drift from one
lie into another and the more he talka
the deeper he gets in the mire."
It has been charged against the po
lice department that coercion Is often
used In obtaining confessions. If that
were true it would show In the record
taken by the stenographer, who is al
ways present during so-called "sweat
box" examinations. Time anil again
these records have been Introduced in
court and they fall to substantiate the
charge.
The "sweatbox” fgured prominently
in the Percy Uowin murder trial and
Bowln's claim that the confession was
forced from him on a promise of leni
ency doubtless had a beating on the
verdict, but the transcript of the state
ments taken In police headquarters do
not bear out any such state of facts
Persons familiar with the case know
that Bowin confessed of his own ac
cord after he had been Identified by O.
Kersten. a Jeweler, as a young man
who bad shown a pair of earring'- In a
i.aloon the morning after Mrs. Welch's
murder. Bowin had told various
stories to the police previous to that,
all of which were proven to be tissues
of lies. After the Identification he
broke down and told freely of the mur
der. of his disposition of the property
be took from the old woman and his
movements after the crime, and all
his statements were easily corrobor
ated.
Confessions are usually taken in the
iarge room where the detectives of the
central bureau have their desks, and
always In the presence of several per
sons. There is no "torture box" re
served solely for sweating purposed
That exists only in fancy.
"I believe the police are justified in
securing a confession whenever they
can." says Judge Connolly. "In some
communities, no doul t, the presence of
•sweating’ prisoners, as it is known. is
undoubtedly abused, but not so in De
troit. Here prisoners are acrorded
‘every courtesy to which they are en
titled. and then some, to use a slang
expression."
Ass former secretary of |>olice
Judge Connolly has been present a*
more than ,one confession in police
headquarters and knows the practice
thoroughly.
LOU B. WINBOR DYING.
Thirty-Third Degree Mason Is Suffer
ing From Erysipelas.
GRAND RAPIDS. Mich., April 12.
I,ou B. Win but, a thirty-third degree
Mason and grand secretary of the
Michigan grand lodge, ia dying at his
home In Reed City John
past grand master of Michigan, went
10 Reed City on a special train last
night, taking Dr. Barth, u spe
clallat in erysipelas, from which dis
ease Mr. Wlnsor Is suffering Mr.
Winsor lias been ill for ten days, and
Sunday morning his condition became
alarming.
A French naturalist claims that man
could not exist nine years after th®
birds wore exterminated, as insects
ilestrdy all vegetation despite
the use of all the poisons that could
be made
Commercial Credit Ce. Collection*
THIS JACOB STARTS ON BTH
JOURNET FOR HIS RACHEL
£y~ AJASSACMSETTS IjP'C^
/ \,MIU»MMCr
Arthur Hurkr, front ■ snapshot. Hr Journeys to Montreal for the elichth time
to propose to M heart’s desire.** *
PROPOSES EIGHT
TIMESMIIN
Remarkable Love Story of Arthur
Burke Who Expects His Heart's
Desire To Say “Yes.”
MILLBURY, Mass, April 12.
Jacob nerved seven years for Rachel,
then seven years more. Then he got
her and served still another seven
yearn for good measure.
Now comes a raodorn Jacob—a
Massachusetts Jacob—who has cheer
fully served three limes seven years
without getting hia Rachel.
Every three years for 21 years. Ar
thur Burke of tbiß city has journeyed
to Montreal to ask the question:
"Will you marry me now?"
Everytlrne the answer haw been
“No." Sometimes there was a laugh
accompanying she word, sometimes a
sigh, sometimes she hesitated an
though reluctant to refuse the devo
tlou so liberally offered.
But in the end the answer has al
ways beeu “No."
Now Burke Is off on his eighth love
pilgrimage. He is as light-hearted
and confident as he was the first time.
"Somehow I think this is the time."
he told bis intimate friends before
he started. "I think this time she'll
say yen."
Burke wan a young man just turned
80 when the strange courtship began.
Now he is a middle-aged man of 61.
His hair Is turning gruy, his step in
ipcu iilflßtlr
Who the Rachel is. Burke won't
tell. He will describe her in glowing
terms, but the words he uses aren’t
the ones which would aid a Bertlllon
bureau to find her. To him nhe Is as
sweet and pretty as when a sober-eyed
slip of a girl in her teens, she listened
to the old love story.
She. too. in the lapse jf time, must
have rounded out to mature woman
hood, but you can’t make gallant, gray
haired Arthur Burke, who has loved
her for 21 years, believe this.
Burke carried his bridegrooms
clothes in his grip "There’s lots of
opportunities you lose by not being
ready for ’em." he argues. "If she
says the word, I won’t give her any
time to change her mind. We’ll hurry
right to the nearest church."
Before be left Millbury. Burke
sketched the history of his Marathon
wooing.
"I went up to Montreal on business
21 years ago.’’ he said/ There I met
her. I fell in love at sight. Within a
week I proposed. She turned mo
down, but so sweetly that I didn’t feel
discouraged. I told her I would come
back again. She laughed.
"Business afTalrs interfered with my
plans. I wasn’t able to return for
three vears Then I asked her again
Again she refused me. Right there I
told her I would come back and ask
her every three years unless she mar
ried someone else.
She laughed again. I guess she
didn't believe me. didn’t realize how
much I wanted her. She must know It
by this time.
"Now I’m going back again. This
time I thins I will win. The last time
she almost consented She is mors
beautiful in my eyes now than she
was 21 vears ago I’m going to tell
her so. She has stayed single all
this time. That's a good sign."
LAKE ENGINEERS WIN.
Four Package Freight Lines Sign
Agreements With Employes.
BUFFALO. N. Y., April 12.—The
Western Transit Cos., the Anchor line,
the Valley Transportation Cos.,
and the Rutland Transit Cos., package
freight lines, have signed agreement*
with their engineers
Under the terms of agreement tho
men are given their appointments
with the open shop clause eliminated
snd with the same wages and condi
tions of service that prevailed las:
year.
The four lines that hsv® settled with
their engineers are members of the
Lake Carriess’ association, which is
endeavoring to force th** openshop
leaders here are Jubilant and claim
boat owners' organization.
Krne«f Frederick. >•». M# Hwmboldi
• «e., broke « kneecap la a fall at
Fourteenth and Orsnd Hi' er-ave* .
Sunday afternoon He ass taken
home m (’eecdon's ambulance
AkiaaOr. labralla*. AS Mavtb
MATRICIDE IS
POTTO DEATH
Bernard Carlin Dies in Electric Chair
—“A Boy's Best Friend Is His
Mother,” He Says.
OSSINING. N. Y., April 12.—Ber
nard Carlin, a 20-ytar-old youth who
killed bis mother in Brooklyn on April
8 last year, was electrocuted In Sing
Sing prison a few, minutes after 3
o’clock today. Only one shock was
necessary. It was cue of the most
successful ever heid in the
iocal prlsor^
Carlin w„ e| rad with a Arm step to
the death , To the Rev. Fr. C. V.
Mahonay.u n „.<f>r of St. Augustine a
church, SL. *A&de the following state
ment to be (Wen out after his death:
"I was suffering from an hallucina
tion when I killed my mother, but 1
realize that this does not excuse me
Since my conviction I have come
under the influence of roligion and
I realize the enormity of my crime.
A boy’s best friend is his mother,
and knowing that I killed my best
friend, I am ready and anxious *o
die.”
Carlin's two sisters bade farewell to
their brother last evening and from
that time on he spent the hours until
summoned to walk to the chair In
prayer with the prison chaplain.
Most of Carlin's life was spent in
orphan asylums and reformatories.
He was discharged from ihe House of
Refuge a few hours before the crime.
He blamed his mother for his bad
eyes, which were very weak and while
In prison decided to kill her. He
bought a revolver enroute ro his home
and shot his mother the moment he
was let Into the house.
In sentencing him the presiding jus
tice said: “Your crime was one of the
moat abominable acts in the history
of humanity. You are a monster who
has no right to live.”
Countess Hecter made an unsuccess
ful effort to save his life, carrying an
appeal from the conviction to the
court of appeals and finally on Sunday
begging Gov. Hughes to commute the
sentence on the ground that the boy
was Insane and had been so from
birth.
Jah Prlitlu done right. Tlinoa Print
ing Cos.. 15 John Ft.-if Phon® 14#l.
MEDICINE Or LOVE CURED BRIDE WHO
WAS MARRIED ON HOSPITAL SICK BED
DEB MOINES. la.. April 12.—When
Bennet Dewey, well-known newspape r
man. married the girl of hi* choice
at midnight in Mercy hospital here, it
seemed to him that the future was all
black. »
Dewey was engaged to be married
to Mina Hazel Williams, daughter in
u well-known Des Moines family. 8b »
was taken ill with bronchial pneumnn
la. and, after seven days of the ill
ness. doctors said she couldn't live.
Her lover had been at her side througa
the illuesk The physicians told Dew
ey that the girl had confided to them
that she'd like to be married to him
before she died —that this had been
the fondeßt wish of her heart.
So Dewey hurried to get the license,
brought the rector of an Episcopal i
church, and atood and answered “Yes’
ihrcugh the ceremony, with the seem
of ether and other* drugs punctuating
the solemnity of the scene, while his
sweetheart lay on her sick bed. al- 1
most too weak to whisper the words
that made her a wife.
Nobody thought then that she would
live through the night, but on the fol
lowing day the young bride '■took a
sudden turn for the better. The merit- j
cine of love did for her the riootoi c
say. what drug* and the surgeon*
knife could not hope to do. and ah**
is now on t be rovi n recovery.
Ifngbr) JrnnliiH" <•»»•! «•»«»«• «f the otbrr
Tlgrra will br arrant 'lnraHay nltdit
at the *m<»k**i |o hi* given hv the
Knights c>f Columbus In tbvlr hall at
No 40 Mlchlgan-ave Jennings, who
la a member. Is rxprrlel to mak** a
speech and some or the other pieni
hers of the hall club ma> al*«» orate 1 *
a little. The Elks’ minstrels are th»*
big attraction, while a number of |
other entertaining features have
been arranged for that will make the
occasion an enjoyable and intere sting
1 one. I
FIRST EDITION
ONE CENT
SIX KILLED AND ]
3 HOJTJII FIRE
Four Business Blocks in immmt
Mass.. Are Destroyed—Dynamite
Explodes in Clifford Bnildinf.
LENOX. Mass., April 12.—Ponc*~
nien are today guarding the ruins of
four business block* which were do
st royed by Are early yesterday caus
ing an estimated property loss of $250,*
000. B|x persons lost their lives. They
are Edward C. Ventres, electrician;
Mrs. Edward C. Ventres. Miss Leslie
Ventres, 12, Miss Alice French, book
keeper; Miss Isabel Cook, housekeep
er. and Miss Mary Spurks, school
teacher.
Mrs. Katherine Root and her two
sons, George and Arthur, were severe
ly burned.
The Are was discovered i nthe Clif
ford building by George Root, who,
with his mother and brother, Jived in
that building.
The loss of life occurred in the
Clifford building and resulted primar
ily from a series of explosions among
the turpentine, paints, oils and dyna
mite stored in the cellar of the James
Clifford & Sons* company, hardware
dealers.
The Roots barely had crossed the
street after escaping from the build
ing before there was a terrific explo
sion. which shattered windows within
a wide radius and caused the fire
alarm to ring. In an instant the Clif
ford block was wrapped in flames.
Horace Perrlll and his wife, other
occupants of the top floor, aroused by
the shouts of the Roots, had got hat!
way down the front stairs when they
saw the Aames leaping up to bar
their exit.
Three women were below them try
ing to get out through the front door,
but Perrlll saw that the attempt by
that time was useless. He then
- his wife through a long corri
dor to the back stairs, where he got
out In safety. All the other occupants
of the Clifford block lost their Urea.
The death of Miss Alice French was
one of the pitiful tragedies of the
morning. While the fire in the Clif
ford block was at itß height a woman
was seen to climb out of a flame
filled room onto a veranda on the sec
ond story with her night clothes and
her hair ablaze. Staggering to the
railing the woman leaped to the side
walk beneath, landing in a heap with-
I in five or six feet of the blazing walla.
Some of the horrified onlookers at
tempted to rush in to drag her out,
but the intense heat drove them back,
and not until the flames had practical
ly died out, several hours later, was
the body recovered.
K. E. P. Announces Spring Program
The new K. E. P. hall, at Monroe
and Farrar-st., will be opened with a
special session Thursday evening.
April 29. The following Thursday
night, a country dance will be given
in the hall, and Thursday evening.
May 13, a session for out-of-town
members will be held. A baseball ses
sion. Tigers versus Athletics, will be
held a/ter the theaters. Thursday
evening, May 20, when Manager
Hughle Jennings will be the chief
snark; Capt. Harry Davis as first
vice, Eddie Plank as second vice. Capt.
Schaefer as M. D.; Cbas. O’Leary a*
assistant; “Wild** Bill Donovan as
captain of guards, and “Topsy” Hart
sell as lieutenant of guards. The
evening will conclude with a banquet.
Thursday, May 27, will be ladles’
night.
The Easter program in the
theater packed the house both after
noon and evening. Roberts and Rob
erts made a hit in their clever sketch
“The Dutchman and the iAdy,’’ as
did Allor and Barrington tn their new
comedy. May Floyd, monologutst,
singer and dancer was well received,
as were Savoy Glenn, the Spanish and
Indian singer and dancer; Harry Bes
try, singer and dancer, and Carl Ver
do. In his novelty musical act. The
eight big reelr of moving pictures,
which complete the entertainment
were all new to Detroit and the heat
of the kind. Two entirely different
programs were offered, one In the
evening, and the other in the after
noon. On Thursday the programs will
he reversed.
V j|| i
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Bennet 0«w«y and H»a Hospital irtdd.