WEATHER.
Rain tills afternoon and tonight; tem
perature near freezing tonight; tomor
row fair.
Temperature for twenty-four hours
ended at 2 p.m. today: Highest. >4, at
2 p.m. today: lowest. 26, at 2:15 am.
today. Full report on page 7.
Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 22
XT OQ Entered as second-class matter
i>o. wO, I (Jo. post o in ce Washington. D. C.
GERMAN LEADERS FINED;
RUHR TO BE ISOLATED;
ITALIAN OFFER SPURNED
Thy ssen Given
Smallest of
Penalties.
COURT-MARTIAL
ACTS QUICKLY
Court Competency
Is Upheld by
the French.
By the Associated Press.
MAYENCE. January 24.—Fritz
Thyssen and the five other German
industrialists, charged by the French
with refusing to co-operate -with the
French plans for delivery of repara
tions coal from the Ruhr valley, were
all found guilty by a court-martial
here today. Fines were inflicted.
Herr Thyssen was fined 5,100 francs.
Herr Olfe, 224.300 francs, and Herr
Spindler. 47,752 francs.
Herr Kesten was fined 15,632 francs,
Herr Wuestenhoeffer of the Essen
Mine Association 8,640 francs and
Herr Tengelmann of the Essen An
thracite Coal Company 6.020 francs.
The prosecutor suggested he was
inclined to leneiency because of the
patriotic motives of the Germans.
Dr. Frederick Grimm, the Essen
lawyer retained by Herr Thyssen.
was assisted by Counselors Wallack
«if Essen, Alfred Friedmann and Herr
Neumann of Mayence. and M. Le Clerc
of Nancy, the French attorney as
signed by the French army as tech
nical adviser to the Germans.
Col. Debeugni, the ranking provost
marshal of the French Rhine army,
in opening court, cautioned the spec
tators to refrain from demonstrations.
Court Competency Attacked.
The trial began immediately upon
the arrival of Herren Thyssen, Kes
ten. tVuestenhoefer. Tengelmann, Olfe
and Spindlcr. When the defendants
had stated their ages, their business
and answered other specifications the
charge was read and Dr. Grimm be
pan his argument to establish the
illegality of the arrests and the trial.
He concluded with a demand that the
court declare itself Incompetent, bas
ing his argument on The Hague con
■ventlon of 1899 and 1917, as well as
the Rhineland convention,
Capt. Bodin, the prosecutor, replied
and the court, after consulting in
private for fifteen minutes, declared
i's competency and ordered the trial
to proceed.
Thjssen, under questioning, ad
mitted having refused on January
is, at Bredeny. to obey an order given
by the occupation authorities for the
delivery of coal.
"I am a German and my duty com
pels me to obey the orders of my
country and to serve my country,”
be said. ‘‘The entry of troops into
the Ruhr was not Justified by any
thing. That is why I will remain
faithful to my fatherland.”
'■ Obey Own Government.
Thyssen told how the Industrial
leaders Informed M. Coele, head of the
French inspector general of mines,
that they would supply coal if paid
for it, provided the German govern
ment did not order otherwise. He
said orders were given afterward to
the mines to continue delivering coal,
but that the Berlin government tele
graphed instructions forbidding de
livery and the industrialists then in
formed M. Coste that they must obey
their government.
The other prisoners gave their as
sent to Thyssen’s statement.
The prosecution called Lieut.-Pories
of the gendarmerie, who testified to
the refusal to obey orders to deliver
coal.
The thirty-year-old son of Herr
tVuestcnhoefer testified that his
father was ill and anked permission
to take his father’s place as a de
fendant. The testimony submitted for
the father showed that his mines had
sent twenty tons of coal to France
and Belgium on January 15 and the
son added that he had sent 242 V 4 tons
to the same consignees.
Five other witnesses supported the
testimony that the industrialists had
really delivered some coal until the
morning of January IS.
Prosecutor Sums l‘p.
Prosecutor Bodin then summed up
for the prosecution. He referred to
article 42 of the annex to The Hague
convention of 1907, which says: “Ter
ritory is considered occupied when
it is actually placed under the au
thority of the hostile army.” He
contended such a condition existed
in the present case.
Oapt. Bodin also cited article 43 of
the same convention, reading; ‘‘The
authority of the legitimate power
having in fact passed into the hands
of the occupant, the latter shall take
ail the measures in his power to re
store and Insure, as far o.s possible
public order and safety, while respect
ing. unless absolutely prevented, the
laws In force in the country.”
The prosecutor contended the
Franco-Belglan forces had complied
•with this article.
Captain Bodin likewise cited ar
ticles 2 and 9 of Gen. Degoutte's
regulations of January II and pro
visions of the French penal code and
military code. He demanded that the
court Impose sentence, but said he
appreciated the defendants’ motives
and was inclined to leniency.
The chamber of (he court of Justice,
whore the trial was held, was packed
to overflowing. Journalists repre
senting newspapers in all parts of
the world took up most of the room.
French troops stood guard inside and
outside the court.
LIFE TERM FOR CRAZED
MAN WHO RAN AMUCK
» . ■ , .
CLEVELAND, Ohio, January 24.
Carl Harris, booze-crared ex-convict
who terrsrlzed a score of east side
families during three days that he
ran amuck recently with gjuU and
knife, was sentenced to a. lire term
in the penitentiary by Common Pleas
Judge Walther in criminal court to
day. .•
The specific charge on which Judge
W’alther administered the limit
penalty against Harris was house
breaking or an inhabited dwelling at
night, though there were eighteen
other Charges of shooting and knifing
of men and women against Harris.
Harris insisted on acting as his
own attorney. “Poison booze was
ihe cause of my acts,” he argued.
“T wouldn’t hare done those things
had I hesala my right mind,”
German Troop
Movement On,
French Claim
BV A. R. DECKER,
By Cable to The Star and Chicago Pnllj
News. Copyright. 1923.)
ESSEN, January S4.—The
French report military prepara
tions la Germany and troop
movement) of German troops.
They also say that the move
ments of French troops In the
Ruhr valley have no other
significance than the changing
of camps. It is not thought
that this means the formation
of fronts, but It may be a pre
lude to more energetic meas
ures on the part of the French.
There was some nervousness
in Essen when a crowd of
earioaa persons surged around
the occupied postal and tele
graph building where a ma
chine gun was Installed. Fi
nally the Ikrman security police
cleared the square before the
post office.
Helglnn troops occupied the
signal towers along n stretch
between Melderleh and Obcr
hausen. whereupon the rail
road employes left the towers.
The Germans still say that
no coal is leaving the Ruhr for
France. They claim that only
trains and boats which left be
fore the occupation succeeded
In reaching France. Two trains
that reached the frontier of
Germany were brought back hy
the (krain crews.
GERMANY REJECTS
ITALIAN OFFER TO
MEDIATEON RUHR
“We Shall Not Negotiate Till
Last French Soldier
' Leaves,” Says Berlin.
BY GEORGE WITTE.
By Wirel.o to The Btsr and Chicago Dally
News. Copyright. 1923^
BERLIN, January 24. —The derman
government politely but firmly ha*
declined the Italian offer of mediation
between Germany and Franco in the
Ruhr situation. Wnen Count Boetari,
the new Italian ambassador visited
the foreign offic on instructions from
Premier Mussolini to offer Italy's
services if Germany should be willing
to accept suggestions as to how the
present differences could be arbitrat
ed he had a cool reception.
Romp dispatches had already hint
ed at Mussolini's move. M. Bostarl
was told that the time had not yet
come when Wllhelmstrasse felt In
clined to get into direct or indirect
communication with the Quay d'Orsay
regarding the Ruhr question. “We
shall not negotiate with France until
the last .French soldier has been
withdrawn from the Ruhr district,”
the Italian ambassador was told.
Mussolini la Thanked.
The reason given for Germany's re
fusal to encourage intervention on the
part of any allied power is that this
country only stands to lose by such out
side Interference instead of gaining its
point of showing the allies and the rest
of the world that the French occupa
tion of the Ruhr area was an open
breach of the treaty of peace and that
it would eventually prove a failure, as
even by military force France could not
gel more out of Germany than Chan
cellor Cuno offered in his proposals to
the Paris conference. M. Bostari, how
ever. was instructed to convey the Ger
man government's ‘‘moat sincere thanks”
to Premier Mussolini for offering his
good offices.
Chancellor Cuno has promised labor
leaders here that the Ruhr working
men will receive the government’s
full support, financially and other
wise. in their opposition to the
French occupation. At the same time
it is pointed out here that the govern
ment, which has been hard up for
funds for several years, Is shaking
billions of marks—paper marks, of
course—out of Us sleeves as if It were
nothing.
The socialista, who are not repre
sented In the present cabinet, are
most bitter toward the government's
sudden liberality after their many
futile appeals for increases In the
pensions granted war invalids and
veterans who are still getting what
they received when the mark was
still worth a few American cents,
whereas now a few thousand marks
will buy very little in the way of food.
RENUNCIATION IS SOUGHT.
By the Associated Press.
BERLIN, January 24.—Renuncia
tion of the policy of sanctions and
pledges by Germany’s creditors Is
essential to any successful repara
tions negotiations. In the opinion of
the German government, as set forth
in a semi-official statement Germany
should also be allowed to develop
freely her own.plans for solving the
problem and should be permitted to
discuss them on an equal footing with
her opponents, the statement asserts.
Taking note of what are termed
various external attempts to*end the
Ruhr occupation, the statement de
clares;
“All these quarters are informed
that Germany, as ever, is ready to
negotiate for a reasonable solution of
the reparations question. For technics'
reasons, however, such negotiations a.
Impossible while Franco-Belgian troo;
are Illegally occupying a vital eco
nomic center of Germany.
“Nobody knows what a heap of
ruins Germany will be when the
French enterprise is terminated, and
it is therefore impossible to estimate
what will then remain of Germany's
capacity.”
Negotiations proceeding under mili
tary pressure, it is added, can never
lead to results economically sound
and acceptable to Germany or cal
culated to bring appeasement to Eu
rope. t
W)c lEbeniita
j / WITH SUNDAY HORNING EDITION fa? ' *
WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1923-THIRTY PAGES. **
Part of Strikers
Back, Berlin
Reports.
ESSEN FIGURES
200,000 ARE IDLE
j Sentence of Chiefs
May Call Out
Half Million.
Bj the Associated Preaa.
ESSEN, January 24,—1t is
stated on French authority that
the occupied territory of the
Ruhr will be completely isolated
from unoccupied Germany to
morrow.
By the Associated Press.
BERLIN, January 24.—After a
twenty-four-hour protest strike the
workers in the Thyssen and Stinnes
mines in the Ruhr resumed work to
day “in order to continue the produc
tion of coal for unoccupied Germany,”
it was announced.
200,000 on Strike.
By the Associtted Press.
ESSEN, January 24.—1 t was stated
here today that the number of indus
trial workers and miners now on
■strike approximated 200.000. in addl-
I tlon to the personnel at the railroad
stations which are occupied by troops.
If the French court-martial passes
sentence on Fritz Tryssen and other
mine directors It is declared that 550,-
000 miners will consider strike action.
The workers who left their jobs in
cluded. it is said. 100.000 miners from
the Stinnes pits and 65.000 steel work
ers from the Thyssen plants.'
The mines owned by the Thyssen
Interests, employing 50.000 men. have
not yet ceased to operate. All the
state mines are working as well.
The French authorities have given
an Essen priest 15.000.000 marks with
which to buy food fop poor children.
It is announced that 500 cases of food,
valued at 75,000,000 marke, are being
shipped her. from the central relief
committee in New York city.
The Ruhr Echo, published in Essen,
has been suspended for three week*
by the Berlin government because of
a recent article declaring that toe
Cuno cabinet “had recourse to sabo
tage and provocation in order to
shield Us incompetency and incapac
ity.”.
The Ruhr coal miners today re
ceived a wage increase of about SO
[per cent over the January scale, ef
fective February 1. The extra allow
ance for the Increased cost of living
will be almost doubled.
The first news of the court-martial
verdict will bo awaited with keen
anxiety: on It may hang the imme
diate fate of Germany’s richest In
dustrial and mining section, an area
of about 2,500 square kilometers,
which last year produced approx
imately 100,000.000 tons of anthracite
coal, besides supporting inestimable
wealth In Industrial plants.
It Is widely believed in German
quarter? that if the mine directors
are sentenced to imprisonment the
mining Implements In the Ruhr’s two
hundred or more mines will be imme
diately dropped and hundreds of thou
sands of miners will swarm out of the
pits in a protest strike.
People Unified.
One prominent civic leader in Essen
went so far as to say that France
had actually done Germany a service
by occupying the Ruhr, adding that
it would never before have been be
lieved that such unity could be achieved
among the people.
Political competition had vanished,
he said, and the Ruhrians were co
operating virtually to a man in ob
structing the “common enemy.” He
cited a manifesto Issued today by
representatives of all the mines in
the Ruhr—private, as well as state
owned—in which hearty indorsement
was expressed for the staoid taken
by the arrested dlrectora
The statement declared the signa
tories hold the same loyalty to the
federal government's orders as do the
Accused magnates and that, even if
further arrests were made. It would
not change their attitude or “Induce
us to negotiate against the father
land."
"Even if all the present heads of
the Ruhr mines are robbed of their
liberty," continues the manifesto, “we
know the individuals who will then
take their places will not negotiate
other than wo have done.
“If the occupational authorities be
lieve we can be made amenable
u r< ?. u £ h attempted Intimidation they
snail find they are biting on granite.”
HOPE IN BAIL STRIKE.
By the Associated Pres*.
DUESSELDORF, January 24.—The
Germans are making every effort to
enforce the railroad strike, for they
believe its success will mean the
fi 081 ?.*, ? own of aII the mines in
the district within five days.
■ thing they are considering
is the possibility of making the
strike effective only In the Cologne
bridgehead, thus cutting off French
communication between the Ruhr and
byway of the railroads and
the Rhine. The functioning of the Im
mense railroad yards at Cologne In
which practically all the lines from
(Continued on Page 2. Column J.)
NEWPORT COUPLE SLAIN
BY MANIAC, IS BELIEF
By the Associated Press.
NEWPORT, R. 1., January 24.—Inves
tigators of the killing of James a. Fraser
McLelsh and his wife, 'Madeline, In
their cottage on the estate of Paul Fitz
simmons last Sunday were working to
day on the theory that the murder and
’ater burning of the home might have
jeen done by a maniac.
A possible connection was seen be
tween this case and the unexplained In
jury sustained by Isabel Latimer, a
maid employed by Mr. and Mrs. Marlon
Eppley of New York at their Beacon
Rook estate here last fall. The Fltz*
stmons and Eppley estates adjoin.
The maid’s skull was fractured
while she was In her bedroom.
Members of the Eppley family ex
pressed the belief that she had fal
len and struck her head on some ob
ject while sleepwalking, and at the
time no report of the matter was
made to the police.
w .
OLD GLORY HAULED
DOWNINGERMANY
Gen. Allen and Four Ser
geants Officiate at *
Last Retreat.
FOREIGN OFFICIALS CALL
Rhine Troops Will Sail From Ant
werp Tomorrow on Traniport
St. Miliiel.
By the AstacUted Frees.
EHRENBREITSTEIN. January 24.
The American troops were withdrawn
from the Rhine today, ending Amer
ican military participation in the oc
cupational area.
The withdrawal was signalised by
the hauling down at noon of the Stars
and Stripes from the castle of Ehreu
breltsteln, which has been the Amer
ican military headquarters since the
beginning of the occupation. Mean
while the first trains of the expedi
tionary force were leaving Coblenz
for Antwerp to board the traneport
St Mlhlel, which will take them back
to the United States.
The flag came floating gently down
from the staff on the picturesque cas
tle walls overlooking the Rhine aa
the signal was given for striking the
colors. Not a shot was fired In salute,
for It was not a martial occasion.
There were many moist eyes among
the Americans who watched the spec
tacle and their long-time associates
among the allied forces in the region.
The British and Belgian high commis
sioners for the Rhineland kept their
word and remained away, because
they could not bear to witness the
lowering flag that meant the break
ing of so many close ties.
Remove Washington's Portrait.
Inside the fort at the same time
there was taken from the white
washed walls the portrait of Wash
ington. the Americans had hung there
on their coming.
The dawning of the day that saw
the American garrison march down
the steop slope of Ehrenbreit
steln, across the Rhine Into Coblenz
and thenoe, In company with the
other units of the Bth Infantry, to
the Antwerp trains, found the Stars
and Stripes hoisted to its accustomed
place at reveille, while doughboy
sentinels still mounted guard at the
sally porta Their packs were as
ready as at any moment during the
great war, but today the final “fall
In” meant home—the place where, as
many a private put It—a dollar Is
one hundred cents and not several
thousand marks.
Day of Simple Ceremony.
It was a day of simple ceremony.
Four sergeants, picked from among
the veterans of the 7th Machine Oun
Battalion, Jd Division, who fought at
the last battle of the Marne, were
accorded the honor of assisting Maj.
Oen. Henry T. Allen In lowering the
colors at the last retreat this noon.
These non-commissioned officers wore
Sergts. De Wey Kttner, Lester Kel
baugh, Charles Long and Frank
Ehley. Together with their comrades
of Company D and M, tho veteran
sergeants waited with full pack be
side the halyards for the moment
(Continued on Page 2. Column 3.)
PRESIDENT MUCH BETTER,
BUT IS KEPT FROM DESK
Sen. Sawyer Says Executive Has
Practically Becovered
From Grip.
. t
President Harding would have been
at his desk at the White House to
day had the weather been clear, ac
cording to Brig. Gen. Charles B. Saw
yer, the White House physician.
In describing tho Executive’s con
dition today. Gen. Sawyer said he had
virtually recovered from the attack
of grip which he contracted more
than a week ago, and that he fully
Intended to have his patient at his
office today, but thought it advisable
to keep him In hfs room Tor another
day because of the inclement weath
er.
It was necessary to call off the
usual cabinet meeting yesterday as
well as the bl-weekly conference with
newspaper correspondents, and. al
though It Is expected that the Presi
dent will be at his desk tomorrow,
no engagements have been made for
him. ■ ■ irt
U. S. TO CHECK VP
ON DRY AGENTS ,
TOO PROSPEROUS
By th» AsstyUted Press.
NEW YORK, January 24^—De
partment of Justice agents have
begun an Investigation of the pri
vate lives of prohibition enforce
ment officers to determine whether
they are spending more money
than their government salaries.
The inquiry, directed by Assistant
United States District Attorney
John Holley Clark, jr., is one re
sult of the discovery recently of a
"shakedown ring," which since Oc
tober has fleeced hundreds of
saloon men out* of thousands of
dollars for promised protection.
o. c. eTecTroate
CASEISOELAYED
Doubt Exists As to jurisdic
tion of Supreme Court
in Matter.
Serious doubt as to the Jurisdiction
of the United States Supreme Court
over the rate case of the Public
Utilities Commission against the Po
tomac Electric Power Company led
Chief Justice Taft to announce today
that the case would be passed at
present.
On February 19, he announced, the
court will hear counsel on the ques
tion of jurisdiction and whether Con
gress has power to vest in the Court
of Appeals and the United States
Supreme Court what seems to be an
administrative valuation of the power
company’s property.
Chief Justice Taft's announcement
followed opening arguments this
morning before court.
After the hearing on the 19th, If the
question of jurisdiction is settled, the
case would be heard later In the term
upon its merits.
This action halted all proceedings
In the case and the counsel withdrew.
foreiglmtlll
GIVEN COMMITTEE 0. K.
The bill of Senator Norbeck, re
publican. North Dakota, proposing an
appropriation of 1250,000,000 to fur
nish credits in Europe for purchase
of American agricultural products.was
reported favorably today by the Sen
ate agricultural committee.
The committee vote was unanimous
and Senator Norbeck was authorized
to offer his bill as a rider to any
measure before the Senate upon
which it appeared action might be
secured. It was expected that the
bill would be offered to the adminis
tration shipping bill.
Under the Norbeck bill, which sev
eral farm organisations have In
dorsed, the government would provide
the War Finance Corporation with
a revolving fund of $260,000,000 to
loan to European buyers, »upon se
curity to be accepted by the corpora
tion to enable it to buy American
agricultural products. The object.
Chairman Norris said, was the same
as his bill which recently was re
jected as a rider to the shipping bill.
Scandal vs. News
Now that scandalous news is temporarily slack
in the newspapers and important news is breaking .
every day, The Stars circulation is naturally on the
uP grade. •
When The Star goes to Press every afternoon
it is 8 o'clock in London and Parrs, and all of today s
foreign news is in today s Star.
Yesterday's Net Circulation. .94,638
Same day last year .91,973
GAIN 2.665
„ * . . . w;}. -f _ ..... .V'.'v. ;.. t %
128 ITS ARE FILED
AGAINSTTHEATER
Knickerbocker, Crandall,
Architect, Steel Company
and D. C. Are Defendants.
$280,000 SUM ASKED
Other Claims Will Be Filed Before
Time Limit Expires
Saturday.
Legal representatives of twenty
eight persons who lost their lives as
tho result of the collapse of the roof
of the Knickerbocker Theater Janu
ary 28 last today filed suits in the
Supreme CoujjL.,of. the District of Co
lumbia {g recover TTaffiages aggregat
ing 1110,600. Each plaintiff asks the
maximum damage of SIO,OOO fixed by
the District code for an Injury re
sulting in death.
Named as defendants In all the suits
are the Knickerbocker Theater Com
pany, owner of the property at the
time of the disaster; Harry M. Cran
dall, president of the company, and Its
controlling stockholder; Reginald W.
Gears. • architect who planned the
building; John H. Ford and the Union
Iron Works, which he represented, by
whom the steel and Iron work of the
building was fabricated and designed
and the District of Columbia, which
Is alleged to have negligently and
carelessly supervised and inspected
the plans for the structure and to
have permitted it to be erected so
that it was unsafe and insecure.
First Civil Proceedings.
Then© are the Aral civil proceedings
by which It is sought to hold any one
outside the theater company and its
officials responsible In damages for
the loss of life resulting from the
catastrophe. Mr. Geare and Mr.
Ford were held by the coroner’s Jury
and indicted by the grand Jury as
responsible, but have not been before
mentioned In tho damage suits. While
Julian R- Down man, an employe and
Inspector of the building department
of the local government was Joined
in tho Indictment, no attempt had
been made to hold the District of
Columbia, his employer, legally re
sponsible for alleged careless Inspec
17le n , ajne of the Union Iron
Works Is also mentioned as a de
fendant for the first time.
Attorneys Charles A
Douglas, Joseph W. Cox and Conrad
H. Syme. the plaintiffs In their dec
larations set forth the duties which
they claim were improperly per
formed by each of the defendants
and as a result of which alleged neg
ligence, the roof of the building
collapsed. It Is alleged that Mr
Crandall should have seen that the
building was constructed safely, and
should have maintained It so that
patrons would not be injured Mr
Geare was negligent, it is alleged in
designing the building and in super
vising its construction. Mr. Ford
failed in his duty. It is claimed, to
so design, fabricate and construct the
steel and Iron work connected with
the supports of the roof that they
would not fall.
List of Plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs are; Medford P. Can
by, administrator of William M. Can
(Continued on Pago 2, Column 1.)
Coast Guard Has
Admiral; He Is
Capt. Reynolds
The United States Coast Gu/srd
now has a rear admiral.
Capt. William E. Reynolds, com
mandant of the guard and cUpcov
erer of Wrangel Island, today was
handed his commission as ;i roar
admiral by Assistant Secretary
Clifford of the Treasury, wlio act
ed under the provisions of the re
cently enacted law creating the
new title for the guard command
ant. .
Hear Admiral Reynolds has
served with the Coast Otoird since
1878, when he was appointed from
Maryl^id.
CUBANIEGAIN
PROMISES PROBE
OF RUMCHARGES
Charge d’Affaires Calls at
State Department Over
Published Reports.
A thorough investigation of print
ed reports that liquor for sale was
being obtained through the Cuban
legation was promised today by Dr.
Arturo Padro y Almeida, charge d'af
faires of Cuba.
Dr. Almeida called at the State De- j
partment today and conferred with |
Undersecretary of State Phillips, fol- j
lowing which- he issued this formal ‘
statement;
“The charge went this morning to the j
State Department and had an inter- 1
view with Undersecretary Phillips in j
reference to the publication in the
papers of the story of alleged selling of
liquor at the Cuban legation. The
charge expressed surprise at the news,
of which he has entire ignorance, but he
is proceeding to make a thorough in
vestigation of the matter. He does not
suspect any one at the legation."
The first formal protest to the State
Department from the prohibition unit
lin connection with alleged liquor
I leaks from diplomatic channels into
bootleg circles in Washington may
go forward within a few days.
This action may be taken, it was
indicated today at prohibition head
quarters. as a result of evidence in
the form of an affidavit in the hands
of the government, obtained in con
nection with the arrest by police and
prohibition agents of John J. Lynch,
about forty-five years old. at the
Vivian apartments, 1723 G street
northwest.
Further investigation into the mat
ter, which presents an International
problem of some delicacy, must be
made, it wee said, arid more evident
collected if the case is to be present
ed in tha form of an official commu
nication through the State Depart
ment. • •
The affidavit of Lynch, which is ad
mittedly being held by the prohibition
enforcement officials, implicates em
ployes of the Cuban legation with al
lowing imported liquor to leak into
illicit channels of Washington.
So important and “ticklish" has the
case become, inasmuch as it Involves
international procedure, that a quietus
has been clamped upon both the police
and the prohibition agents. The affi
davit and papers In the case axe locked
up in a safe. Scarcely one of the men
on the job will admit or deny anything.
Servants Suspected.
If booze Is leaking from some le
gation in Washington, prohibition of
ficials said, u. is expected in official
quarters that the persons found to be
Involved, will not be any one with
diplomatic status, but rather a minor
attache or servant.
It was further explained as the atti
tude of prohibition officials that if
such a charge Were established, it
would in all probability be found
that the diplomatic officials were Ig
norant of the bootlegging from their I
official stocks.
In the case of a person being
charged with theft of diplomatic
liquor, it was pointed out that pro
hibition agents of the American gov
ernment.have no authority to proceed
into a legation or embassy to arrest
an alleged guilty person. Such prop
erty is, under the law, considered
foreign territory, over which the
American government exercises no
authority. Protests against any i
liquor leaks. If the proof of such }
leaks should be established, would ;
necessarily, therefore, have to go 1
through the State Department.
At the apartment of Lynch, accord- <
ing to the police, there was located j
a choice amount of wines and |
whiskies, as well as champagne. The '
raid was conducted - by Lieut. Davis, I
in charge of the vice squad; Sert. •
McQuade and Revenue Agents Ruby, I
Packard and Fowler*
Tnxedo Raid Recalled.
Some weeks ago. In a raid on the I
Tuxedo apartments, it is believed, the
first hint and definite track of embassy
or legation liquor finding its way into
bootleg channels was uncovered. The
finest Scotch liquor was found then,
and a man who gave his engraved card,
with the legend “minister plenipoten
tiary” of a South American republic on
it. was arrested in connection with an- j
other angle of the case. He was found !
In the apartment which was raided.
Since that time the prohibition I
agents and the police have worked ;
to find the trickle from embassies or I
legations. But It's ticklish work, as .
they say, and precedents undoubtedly !
will be set by activities In the case, ,
wherefore they don’t want to tell too I
much to the public until a clean-up i
is made. And the clean-up in one i
case may come late this afternoon. j
LIST OF AX ASSAULTS
IN BIRMINGHAM GROWS :
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.. January 24. j
Birmingham’s long list of ax mur- !
ders and assaults was added to this
morning when Luigi Gitellaro and
his wife were found with skulls
crushed and in an unconscious con
dition in their little shop. It was
stated they probably would not re
cover. An ax was the weapon used,
according to investigating officers.
The ax assault list roaohed twenty
four with the attack upon Oltellaro
and his wife, police stated. Nine of
the twenty-four died from effects
from injuries. These crimes, so simi
lar In nature as to be classed by au
thorities as "ax murders” and "ax
assaults,” cover a period since the
summer of 1921, with the exception
that two persons were slain in 1919.
In 1921 there were assaults and
three deaths. In 1922 there were re
corded eight attacks and three deaths,
while so far this year there have been
four assaults and one death.
In all but three cases the victims
have been foreigners or persons ot
foreign extraction.
t —— ———,
i "From Press to Home
Within the Hour"
The Start carrier system covers every
i city block and the regular edition is
delivered to> Washington homes as fast
as the papeqs are printed.
Yesterday Net Circulation, 94,638
SENATE ACCEPTS
AMENDMENTS TO
D. C.JSCAL BILL
New Ones Involving $2,200,-
000 To Be Taken Up as
Offered From Floor.
MT. PLEASANT BRANCH
LIBRARY SUM AGREED TO
($500,000 for Fireproof Addition
to Courthouse Adopted; School
Building 1 Considered.
I
The Senate this afternoon com
pleted consideration of the committee
amendments reported In the District
'appropriation bill, agreeing to them
ail.
The Senate then began consldera
j tion of the amendments recommended
|by the appropriations committee,
i which Senator Phipps Is authorised to
| offer from the floor. These amend
ments total approximately 12,200,000.
„.^r.. ame e ndn, * at P r °P os 'lng the ac
?ihlJ t or i a branch of the public
. y ° Pleasa rit, at a cost
not to exceed $25,000, was adopted
Senator Phipps then called up the
ft? 1 ™" IT 1 nn°;' zin * the expendi
ture of 1500,000 for the erection of
a fireproof addition to the courthouse
of the District for the use of the
rs, C wT der deeds such other ac
as thtVnLJ;?® t Dlßtrlct government
as tne commissioners may designate.
Senator Phipps explained that it
S.'^n d to , house «n this new
building not only the office of the
recorder of deeds, but the Municipal
Court and the Juvenile Court.
t ot UUth suggested
that It should be possible to house
the recorder of deeds in the building
.i . i ourt of Appeals of the Dis
trict. Senator Phipps replied, how
ever. that the committee had looked
into that proposition carefully and
found there was not available space
m the Court of Appeals building.
Recorder of Deed* Building.
The Senate finally adopted the
amendment for the erection of a new
building for the recorder of deeds.
The next amendment offered by
Senator Phipps on behalf of the com
mittee was for the purchase of two
new playgrounds sites, one occupied
.f. * he Hoover playground, to cost
$17,000, and the other a site at 27th
and O streets northwest, for SB,OOO
This amendment also was adopted.
The Senate then took up the com
mittee amendments providing $760,000
for the purchase of sites and erection
of new school buildings.
Earlier consideration of tbs District
appropriation bill in th* Senate today
brought out an attack on the street
car fares charged her*. Senator Me-
Kellar of Tennessee, declared that
the Public Utilities Comission and
Congress, too. had been lax In the
matter of compelling the street rail
way companies to live up to their
contract to provide transportation
for a 5-cent fare.
Senator McKellar declared that as a
war measure the street car companies
had been authorized to increase their
fares. He said that he had examined
the reports of the companies showing
their earnings, and that it was time
that the District Commissioners and
Congress should Insist that the pre
war fares be again charged. He said
that he hoped the District committee
would report out a bill to force the
street oar companies to live up to
their old contracts.
King Criticises Rallvari.
Senator King of Utah, a member o*
the District committee, also criticized
the street railways and declared that he
thought the District committee had not
been as diligent as it should be in
dealing with the transportation question
here.
The hope of Senator Phipps, in charge
of the District bill, when the Senate
assembled today, was that it would be
possible to complete the consideration of
the bill before the adjournment this
evening.
Police Items Approved.
The bill was taken up for considera
tion Immediately after the Senate met
today. Amendments offered by the com
mittee relating to the metropolitan po
lice were quickly adopted, one in
creasing the item for fuel from $7,000
to SIO,OOO, and another increasing the
item for maintenance of motor ve
hicles from $25,000 to $35,000. SUI*
another amendment adopted provides
$2,500 for marking traffic lines for
cross walks at street intersections.
The item for fuel for the harbor pa
trol was Increased from $3,000 to
$3,500.
The minor amendments for the fire
department and the health office re
ported by the commltte were adopted
without discussion.
Under the head of charities and
correction, committee amendments
were adopted as follows;
For maintenance, custody, clothing
and care of inmates of the reforma
tory, the appropriation was increased
from $52,000 to $60,000.
The item for the Casualty Hospital
was increased from $5,000 to $15,000.
The item for repairs to buildings at
the Oallinger Municipal Hospital was
increased from $3,000 to $5,000.
When the provisions for child-car
ing institutions were taken up com
mittee amendments increasing the
number of employes for the board of
children's guardians by two additional
investigating officers at SI,OOO each
were adopted.
Public Buildings.
An amendment offered by the com
mittee increasing the amount for the
erection of a cottage for boys at the
Industrial Home School for Colored
Children from $5,000 to $7,000 was
agreed to. Under another amendment
adopted an additional assistant cook
was provided for the Home for the
Aged and Infirm.
Committee amendments for the na
tional library for the blind, $5,000,
and for the Columbia Polytechnic In
stitute for the Blind, $1,500, were
adopted.
The Senate committee in reporting
the District bill lumped together In
one Item a number of appropriations
contained in the House bill In sepa
rate Items for the office of public
buildings and grounds. This led to
some debate between Senator Phipps.
In charge of the bill, and Senators
Caraway of Arkansas and McKellar
of Tennessee, who were opposed to
lumping these items.
Senator McKellar declared that for
a number of years Congress has been
trying to get away from lump sum
appropriations. He asked therefore
for a record vote on the prUTiosal of
the committee to strike out many pf
the House provisions for public
buildings and grounds and to lump
them together. Senator McKellar”*
motion was defeated 43 to 19.
TWO CENTS.