Evening star. [volume], March 18, 1929, Image 1

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
T| ..
WEATHER.
(t T . S. Weather Bureau Forecast)
Fair and warmer tonight and to
morrow; lowest temperature tonight
about 40 degrees.
Temperatures: Highest. 51, at noon
today. Lowest, 33, at 6:30 am. today.
Full report on page 9.
Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 14 and 15
‘ll 00‘? Kntereff as second class matter
post office, Washington. ]>. O.
REBELS EVACUATE
TORREON, FLEEING
IN PANIC. RAN
BULLETIN ASSERTS
Federal Armies Are Con
verging on City From Four
Directions —Battle Fought
at San Pedro.
INSURGENTS REPORT 200
KILLED; CLAIM VICTORY!
i
Four Are Known Dead as Govern
ment Planes Make Raid on In-
I
surrecto Stronghold—Attack by ;
Loyal Troops in Sonora Antici
pated—Defense Steps Taken.
MEXICO CITY. March 18 W.
—The government announces
that the rebels are panic
stricken and have evacuated
Torreon in full flight.
i
JUAREZ, Mexico, March 18
(A s ).—Confirmation of Mexico
City reports that federal con
tingents operating in the rear
of the army of Gen. Jose Gon
zalo Escobar had cut the rail
line by which the rfcbel forces
at Torreon kept in contact with
Juarez was received at revolu
tionary headquarters here to
day.
By the Associated Press.
Stiff rebel opposition and heavy
fighting were in prospect today as
powerful federal armies converged
from four directions on the insur
gent stronghold of Torreon.
Gen. Calles, federal commander
in chief, notified the government
that he was moving to attack Tor
reon in force and expected to oc
cupy the city by Tuesday night.
Gen. Escobar, insurgent leader,
was showing no disposition to re
treat, however, and instead re
ported a victory in the first skir
mish with the advancing federals.
Taking the initiative, the rebels at
tacked two federal columns at San
Pedro on Sunday and claimed to have
inflicted heavy casualties and taken
numerous prisoners. Several thousand
men took part in the engagement in
which more than •TWO men were re- :
ported killed. The rebels claimed the
capture of 1,200 federals.
Federal Planes Raid Torreon.
Saturday and Sunday in Torreon
were marked by federal air raids which
left four known dead and many wound
ed In their wake. The first aerial
combat in the history of Mexican
revolutions followed the raids, an in
surgent plane taking the air against
the invaders, but finally being driven
off. One federal flyer was brought
down by rebel guns.
Insurgent, troop movements indicated
that the long-expected battle probably
would not be in Torreon itself, but in
the suburb of Gomez Palacio, three
miles out, which provides an even
better natural defense fhan Torreon.
Retreat by Rail Blocked.
A decisive clash was expected by
the government as a federal detach
ment reported the destruction of an
important bridge on the railroad from
Torreon north to Chihuahua, cutting
off the only avenue of escape by rail
for the rebels should they meet defeat.
Troop activity in Northern Sonora
indicated that the rebels are taking
precautions against an anticipated
federal attack from Baja California,
which is loyal to the government.
BATTLE AT SAN 1 PEDRO.
TORREON, Coahuila, Mexico, March
18 (A 3 ).—Victorious in the first skirmish
with Federal troops advancing on the
city, but fearing air raids, which al
ready have taken their toll, revolution
ary forces prepared today ; to defend
the city on all sides.
Troops, which rebels claimed routed
two federal columns at San Pedro, less
than 50 miles east of here, yesterday,
were being massed on two railroad lines
to stop the government forces. One line
(Continued on Page 4, Column 2.)
THREE BYRD AIDES
IN ANTARCTIC LOST
No Word Received From Gould,
Geologist ; Balchen and June
for Three Days.
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. March 18.—No word has
been received for three days from Larry
Gould, geologist, and his two compan
ions, Bernt Balchen and Harold June,
aviation pilots and members of the
Bvrd Antarctic expedition, who have j
been engaged in an aerial geological trip j
to the Rockfeller Mountains, according !
to a radio message from the South Pole i
expedition, copyrighted by the New
York Times and St. Louis Post-Dis-1
patch.
Commander Richard E. Byrd is pre- ]
paring to fly in search of his comrades j
as soon as favorable weather obtains,
the message stated.
Crew of Six Die in Shipwreck.
ST. JOHN S Newfoundland, March 18
(A). —The six members of the crew of
the schooner Russell Lake lost their
lives when the vessel was wrecked last
night near Burgeo on the Southwest
Coast. The schooner was owned by
Clyde Lake, minister of fisheries in the
Newfoundland government.
'•Flu’ Kills 1,000 at Scutari.
TIRANA, Albania. March 18 (A 3 ).—
Reports of 1,000 deaths at Scutari from
• mysterious form of influenza accom
panied by symptoms of cholera, ap
parently similar to what is known in *he
United States as intestinal influenza,
*re causing alarm here.
14 KILLED IN THIS CRASH
Picture shows how 14 sightseers were killed yesterday when the plane in
which they were riding fell on top of a freight train a mile north of the Newark
airport. The pilot was the only one aboard to escape death. •—P. &A. Photo.
il II jMU »■ A m |MM>V *l4lO IIIV WMNJ will, I*
14 SIGHTSEERS DIE
AS PLANE CRASHES
Motors Fail, Craft Dives Into
Freight Car Loaded
With Sand.
By the Associated Press.
NEWARK, N. J., March 18—Fourteen
sightseers were killed yesterday in the
worst airplane wreck there ever has
been in the United States. The pilot,
the only person aboard to escape death,
was injured severely.
A huge Ford all-metal tri-motored
monoplane, operated by the Colonial
Airways, crashed into a freight car
loaded with sand while attempting a
forced landing a mile from the Newark
Airport after its motors had stopped.
Lou Foote, the pilot, and Delmont
Parsons, a friend, riding in the cockpit
beside him, were hurled 50 feet from
the plane by the impact. Parsons was
injured fatally. He died today in a
Newark hospital.
Those in the cabin were flung into a
heap in the forward end of the fusel
age. Many were impaled on pieces of
tom metal. All were dead when found.
Witnesses said the plane appeared to
be in trouble from the time it took off
from the airport with its load of pas
sengers for a trip over New York City.
Only 200 Feet in Air.
It rose sluggishly. Persons who saw
the ship just before the crash said the
propellors were turning over slowly as
though the motors were dead. The
plane was not more than 200 feet above
the ground.
Foote apparently was attempting to
bring the ship down on a clear space
between two railroad lines, but the
plane, buffeted by a high, gusty wind,
lost altitude too rapidly to clear a
string of cars on a siding of the Central
Railroad of New Jersey.
Betrothed Couple Perish.
The victims included an engaged
couple. Miss Gertrude Steever of Bloom
field, N. J.. and Reginald Woodward, a
law student who lived in Brooklyn. The
girl’s brother also was killed, as were
two brothers, Andrew and Stephen
Hagmasi of Stamford, Conn.
The dead;
Bauer, Joseph, Stamford, Conn.
Boole, Anton, West New York. N. J.
Hagmasi, Andrew, Stamford, Conn.
Hagmasi, Stephen, brother of Andrew.
Helmstetter, Raymond. Irvington, N. J.
Henderson, Thomas, Weehawken, N. J.
Hentschel. Walter, jr.. Jersey City.
Januzzi, Patrick. Jersey City.
Margarreten, William, Perth Amboy,
N. J.
Steever, Gertrude, Bloomfield, N. J.
Stgever, W. Clifton, brother of Miss
Steever.
Woodward, Reginald, of Brooklyn,
fiance of Miss Steever.
Ziser, William, Irvington, N. J.
Parsons Delmont, 25, of Brooklyn.
Rivals World's Worst Crash.
The crash has been rivaled in the
number of victims only by one other
accident in the history of heavier-than
air operation. That was the wreck of
the Dornier-Wal plane at Rio Janeiro
last December, in which 14 persons were
killed while on their way to welcome
Santos Dumont, the famous aviator.
A motor cycle policeman and railroad
employes saw the plane struggling to
stay in the air, swoop down as though
(Continued on Page 2, Column 6.)
400 LOOK ON*AS CHICAGO
OFFICER BATTLES BANDIT
Robber Slain in Duel at Busy
Street Corner as Nine Shots
Are Exchanged.
By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, March 18. —Four hundred
persons looked on last night at Police
\ man George Schert and an unidenti-
I lied robber shot it out at a busy North
i Clark street intersection. Nine shots
| had been fired before the bandit fell
dead.
The man had been caught after rob
i bing a restaurant and the officer was
; attempting to disarm him when the
shooting started.
; Youth, 19, "Unable to Live Proudly"
But Getting "Kick" From Life, Kills Self
L
V
NEW YORK, March 18—Unable to
live proudly, although he got a kick out
of life, as he explained, Allan McLane
Mowry, 19 years old and a member of a
prominent family, committed suicide
i yesterday.
His explanation for his act was found
i | in a note addressed to his sister, Mrs.
• : Hamilton Adler, in whose apartment he
■ i was found with a bullet wound in his
> head and a pistol beside him.
, | "This is Nietzsche's philosophy.” the
note read in part, "When it is no longer
me fhcnina
WASHINGTON. I). C., MONDAY, MARCH IsTTfEO-TI II RTY-EfGHT PAGES. *
! “
Plane in Newark
Crash Christened
By Mrs. Coolidge
By the Associated Press. j
NEWARK, N. J.. March 18
The ill-starred Colonial Airways
transport plane, which crashed
yesterday, causing 14 deaths, was
the same one which was chris
tened by Mrs. Calvin Coolidge, in
Washington, last November, as
proxy for another ship that in
augurated regular air service to
the West Indies.
A tri-motored Fokker, named
Christopher Columbus, was sched
uled to be christened by the First
Lady, but it was damaged a day
before, and officials of the new
line hastily chartered the Ford
plane from Colonial Airways. The
name Christopher Columbus was
painted on its side before the
flight to Washington and re
moved on its return to Newark.
U.S. COURT ENTRY
PROTOCOL 0.0
Text for American Adhesion
Is Unanimously Approved
by Jurists.
GENEVA, March 18—The text of
a protocol for the adhesion of the
United States to the World Court was
unanimously approved in final reading
at this afternoon’s session of the jur
ists’ commission and will be transmitted
to the United States immediately.
The protocol will be communicated
to the Council of the League of Na
tions, Sir Cecil Hurst of Great Britain
being designated to make a covering
report at the June session in Madrid.
The Council will forward the protocol
to all countries signatory of the court
statutes for their ratification.
The stipulation that the League of
Nations would notify some person to be
designated by the United States of the
Council’s intention to request an ad
visory opinion was changed, presumably
to avoid any idea that the United States
has a permanent representative with the
League. Under the present arrange
ment the League is authorized to notify
the United States through diplomatic
channels.
Article IV Remodeled.
The first part of the new article IV,
which deals with the American reser
vation on advisory opinions, has been
remodeled so that it is about the same
as the original phraseology used by*
Elihu Root, who presented the project.
Arnold Raestad, Norwegian jurist,
presented a memorandum calling at
tention to the great importance which
the smaller countries attach to advisory
opinions. If the acceptance of a spe
cial protocol for American adhesion
had the effect of crippling this valued
attribute of the court, it would be un
desirable, he said. He was convinced,
however, that the United States had
no intention of crippling it. but merely
wanted the right to safeguard its inter
ests in connection with political dis
putes and certainly would not inter
iere when the council submitted ques
tions touching the internal organiza
tion of the League.
Appeals Court Suggested.
A resolution that the World Court be
created a court of appeals for cases
not settled by special arbitral tribunals
was submitted by M. Roundstein, the
Polish delegate, and will be forwarded
to the Council for consideration. Inas
much as arbitration sometimes fails
even when special machinery for it is
created, the Polish idea is that coun
tries should be permitted to recognize
the special competence of the World
Court as a court of final appeal.
FIRE IN BOWERY THEATER.
Revival of Augustin Daly's Melo
drama Had Been Planned There.
NEW YORK, March 18 (A 3 ). —The
historic Miner’s old Bowery Theater,
165 the Bowery, where a revival of Au
gustin Daly’s melodrama, "Under the
Gaslight,” was to open soon, was rav
aged by fire early today.
The fire, starting apparently in the
balcony, spread with great rapidity
| through the entire five-story structure,
i The firemen worked more than an
hour before the blaze was controlled.
i possible to live proudly, one can at least
die with a semblance of pride.”
Mowry was found by Mrs. Adler and
! guests when they returned to the apart
i ment after having been away.
. Inclosed with the note was a receipt
for a burial plot in Greenwich, Conn.
I "God Almighty cannot imagine how
I hate and loathe doing this,” his letter
> continued, "because I do get a kick out
; of life.”
■ -•— -
i Radio Programs— Page 27
TROOPS GUARDING
FLOOD-HIT TOWNS
TO CHECK LOOTING
Military Law Is Established
at Elba and Geneva, in
Stricken Alabama.
20 DEAD AS DISEASE
IS BATTLED IN CAMPS
Northwest Florida in Critical Con
dition as High Water Sweeps
Toward Gulf.
By the Associated Press.
MONTGOMERY, Ala., March 18.
—Maj. W. R. Weaver, commandant
of the 4th Corps Area Army flying
field at Maxwell Field here, reported
to Gov. Graves today after an air
plane flight down the Alabama River
that “people were hanging to tree
tops" in Lowndes County.
By the Associated Press.
ATLANTA, Ga , March 18—Known
deaths from floods that have overrun
portions of Alabama. Georgia and Flori
da reached 20 today, with fear expressed
that additional fatalities would be dis
closed by receding waters.
The deluge that submerged villages in
Southeastern Alabama, hardest hit of
all the flooded areas, was receding to
day. and the waters were moving down
on Northwestern Florida.
Sixteen of the known deaths were in
Aabama, three were dead in Georgia
and one in Florida. Elba had the great
est toll with 10 deaths listed. Two were
dead in Geneva, two at Flomaton and
two at Pollard. All three of those
drowned in Georgia were swept from a
highway bridge, while the Florida casu
alty was an aged man who died of ex
posure.
Relief Army Toils.
Meanwhile, an army of relief workers,
made up of the Red Cross, Alabama
National Guardsmen and many private
citizens, concentrated their efforts on
holding down diseases in the refuge
camps established when residents of
Elba. Geneva and other Alabama com
munities fled from their homes.
Sixteen cases of pneumonia were re-
I ported at the Elba refuge camp. Measles
and smallpox were noted, and physi
cians were carrying on a relentless cam
paign of inoculation against smallpox.
From Andalusia, Ala., came reports
that River Camp, a small town on the
Conecuh River, had been swept away by
the floods and a case of smallpox was
reported there.
In the higher residential district of
Geneva a few returning citizens began
to make their homes habitable again,
and some merchants were reported to
have moved their stock to the roofs of
their stores to dry them out.
Food Situation Acute.
The food situation also was acute.
Army airmen from Maxwell Field, at
Montgomery, have dropped tons of food,
clothing and other supplies to thousands
of marooned persons still awaiting res
cue.
Reports of looting at Elba and Geneva
brought a declaration of military law by
Col. W. E. Persons of the Alabama Na
tional Guard. The governor has been
asked for permission to force the evacu
ation of residents who refuse to leave
the flooded towns.
Col. Milton Stone of Gov. Graves’ per
sonal staff, returning to Montgomery
from Elba, declared there were insuf
ficient guardsmen there to adequately
protect the place.
Conditions in Northwest Florida were
critical today, with Caryville and Milli
gan bearing the brunt of the waters.
Damage at Caryville alone was esti
mated at more than $500,000. Most of
the 1,200 residents were safe in refugee
camps. Citizens of Milligan moved to
high ground before the waters entered
their village.
The Choctawhatchee, Chattahoochee
and Yellow rivers have risen to record
heights in Florida, with refugees at
(Continued on Page 2, Column 2.)
BOATS, FREED BY ICE,
CRASH DOWN DANUBE
Five Sunk as 32 Vessels Batter
Piers and Bridges in Wild
Voyages.
By the Associated Press.
BELGRADE, March 18. —Five ships
and barges lay at the bottom of the
Danube here today, after an experience
■ yesterday which frightened many of
i the oldest river-front residents in Bel
; grade.
( Thirty-two huge barges and other
[ ships, suddenly released by the Spring
thaw from their ice-bound mooring,
i crashed pellmell down the river, col
; liding with other boats and catapulting
themselves against stone piers and
i bridges with such force that five of
1 them sank.
The crews jumped to safety on huge
blocks of floating ice. A passenger
steamer between Belgrade and Zeoilin,
, caught suddenly in the grip of the
great flow, was carried helplessly down
the river and crashed into a concrete
' bridge. It sank within a few minutes,
all passengers, however, being saved.
Tugs risked collision in the center of
; the stream to save some of the boats.
; SPY LAW CHANGE SEEN.
, Belgium Expected to Dissolve Mili
tary Intelligence Service.
I BRUSSELS, March 18 C4>) An
nouncement of dissolution of the
• military intelligence service is forecast,
to take place during interpellation of
the government by the Socialists to
morrow in the Chamber of Deputies.
. It is said the general staff henee
■ forth will have but one officer to link
■ up the army with existing civilian and
political police, and that laws regulating
foreign spying in Belgium are to be
t reinforced. They are regarded at pre-
I sent as insufficient.
i
• Maryland and
< Virginia News
j Pages 10 and 11.
U - ~
~ j|,~^=^£ __—*£-- ~
; .—— -
DEBT SETTLEMENT
OPTIMISM GROWS
i
Preliminary Work of Formu
lating Base for Payments
Nears Completion.
:l
' By the Associated Press.
PARIS, March 18.—Optimism as to
: the outcome of the reparations confer
ence prevailed today as the committee
of experts entered the sixth week of
their labors.
! The preliminary work of formulating
a base for payments or transfers and
the projected international reparations
; I bank appeared nearly complete,
j Thee scheme to divide the payments
■ into two parts, one variable and the j
. ! other stable, was said today to involve ;
sacrifices to both sides, but to oiler ad- |
vantages which could not be ignored, j
! It was said few details of the interna- j
tional bank remained to be worked j
out; among these was the problem of
directorate personnel.
A special effort is to t>e made to take
action of some sort this week, inasmuch
as adjournment from March 28 to April
8 over the Easter holidays is likely.
Earlier termination of the conference
than had seemed possible a week ago is
now forecast. Although a definite com
promise on figures is yet to be obtained
it is thought possible that a solution will
be found before Easter. The apparent
dragging out of negotiations has caused
the impression among “the public here
that little has been accomplished, but
once these figures have been agreed
upon the end may come with surprising
rapidity.
The plan for the international bank
has been somewhat handicapped by ex
travagant talk about the functions to be
confided to it.
Its first and foremost mission would
be trusteeship for reparations. Every
thing else would be subsidiary. The best
authorities here maintain that there is
no idea among the experts of making
this bank into a super-bank to comer
the gold supply of the world or to ex
| ercise any other predominant role in
world banking.
GERMAN VIEW OUTLINED.
Newspaper Declares Ability to Pay is
Prime Factor.
BERLIN, March 18 UP).—' The Diplo
matische Politische Korrespondenz, which
reflects the German foreign office view
point, today says that neither the ques
tion of Germany’s paying the equivalent
costs for the reconstruction of the war
areas nor of an adequate sum to cover
the war debts of the allies among each
other and to America is in any way
conformable with the reiterated German
standpoint on reparations.
The paper declares that definite set
tlement of German liabilities is depend
ent upon Germany’s ability to pay and
not upon the requirements by the allied
powers resulting from their own foreign
debts.
PALERMO, Sicily, March 18 UP).—
: Finance Minister Mosconi, alluding to
the experts’ conference at Paris, in the
course of a meeting today said that the
; Italian government’s viewpoint had not
1 changed, namely, that Italy was always
disposed to adhere to any reasonable
solution, but could not consent that
Germany’s payments would be affected
in any way that might cause difficulties
with Italy's payments abroad on her^
1 war dept.
HOOVER WILL SPEAK.
President to Deliver Address at
Arlington Memorial Day.
President Hoover will deliver the
principal oration at the Memorial day
exercises at Arlington National Ceme
| tery May 30.
This was announced at the White
' House today following a call made by
a small delegation representing the
Grand Army of the Republic. In this
group were S. G. Mawson, department
' | commander for the District of Colum
' j bia; Maj. Gen, John C. Clem, U. S. A.,
retired; Col. John T. Ryan and F. J.
' i Young.
; i The Memorial day exercises will be
1 ! held under auspices of the Grand Army
•of the Republic, with the assistance of
; the Spanish War Veterans and the
American Legion.
Bank Statements
Washington clearing house, $5,425,-
418.53.
Treasury balance, $13,619,296 09.
New York clearing house exchange,
$789,000,000.
New York clearing house balance,
$234,000,000.
Alligators Swarm
Ship When Liquor
Raider Opens Crate
Coast Guard Officer Who
Suspected Vessel From
Florida Has Awakening
Special Dispatch to The Star.
WILDWOOD. N. J., March 18 —War
rant Officer Frederick W. Swimme;
commander of Coast Guard patrol boat
No. 183. was waiting at Cold Spring
Harbor for Capt. Josh Shivers today
when Capt. Shivers, just up from
Florida, laid his fishing boat, the Nau
tilus, alongside the pier. Warrant Offi
cer Swimme had heard reports that
Capt. Shivers hadn’t had a very pros
perous season at Long Key and sus
pected that he might be carrying a little
: liquor to even things up.
Warrant Officer Swimme poked about
| the Nautilus pretty thoroughly, and
I was somewhat vexed on coming on deck
| to see a big packing case being hoisted
j overside.
"Hey.” called Warrant Officer Swim
me, "what you got there?”
"Alligators,” replied Harry Countess,
mate of the Nautilus, with a testiness
which Warrant Officer Swimme re
garded as suspicious.
"Alligators,” repeated Warrant Officer
(Continued on Page 4, Column 1.)
MILLTOWN BLAST
WRECKS BUILDING
Explosion in Store Near Mc-
Keesport, Pa., Laid to
Leaking Gas.
By the Associated Press.
PITTSBURGH, March 18. —One
building was destroyed and several
others damaged early today when a
terrific explosion occurred in the busi
ness district of Clairton, a mill town
near McKeesport. Occupants of houses
in the district escaped, and police re
ported that no one was killed or
Injured.
The ruins of the building next door
to the Clairton Bank caught fire, but j
the flames were extinguished quickly. I
Windows in a wide area were shattered, j
Bomb Blamed by Police. . !
When reported that
shortly before the explosion an auto
mobile carrying half a dozen men
paused before the bank, police ex
pressed the belief that the blast was
caused by a dynamite bomb, thrown in
an effort to wreck the bank.
A check-up disclosed that Steve
Billy's grocery store building, a two
story frame, was wrecked, and that six
other buildings, including the Jaskol
department store across the street, were
damaged. The total damage was esti
mated at between $15,000 and $20,000.
After an investigation today, police
said they had established definitely that
the explosion was caused by a gas leak
in the Billy store.
Harry Jaskol, owner of the depart
ment store, said that the blast was ter
rific. Members of his family were
thrown from their beds, but were
uninjured.
Constance Bennett Seriously 111.
PARIS, March 18 (A 3 ).—Constance
Bennett, American actress and wife of
Philip M. Plant, was reported in a
serious condition today after an emer
gency operation. Miss Bennett is a
daughter of Richard Bennett, the actor.
I
I
Burden of Caring for Crippled Wife
13 Years Leads Man to Try to End It All
By the Associated Press. * and travel books, of which his wife was
CHICAGO, March 18 —We who have £> n <i, and then prepared her for bed.
. . . . . . Twice a month he had a holiday.
health, homes and happiness what do 'j-h ose were the times for scrubbing: the :
we know of such tragedy as has come to floor and doing the hundred odd things
the Edwin McDwires? necessary to keep the place clean and J
McDwire, 34 years old. is an elevated i homey,
train guard. Fifteen years he has been Last night McDwire cut his wife’s
married, and during 13 of those years throat with a razor, then he used the
his wife, Mabel, has been crippled by weapon on himself,
rheumatism. ‘’He did it.” Mabel McDwire told po-
Eaeh day before leaving for work lice. “But it was a kindness. He want-
McDwire has bathed and dressed his ed me out of my suffering. He has al
wife, prepared their breakfast, fixed ways been so devoted, so very good to
something for her lunch, and in the me.”
evening got the dinner, tidied the Mrs. McDwire will recover. Her hus
small flat, read aloud the newspapers band probably will not,
i I ——
“From Prest to Homo
Within the Hour 9 *
The Star’s carrier system covers
every city block and the regular edi
tion is delivered to Washington homes
as fast as the papers are printed.
Saturday's Circulation, 1 #8.593
Sunday's Circulation. 116,925
(A>) Mean* Associated Press.
WALKER MAY NAME
OLVANY SUCCESSOR
Tammany Hall Leaders Admit
Mayor’s Power on Eve
j
of Campaign.
j Special Dispatch .to The Star.
; NEW YORK, March 18.—Mayor
! .James J. Walker appeared yesterday
: as the probable Moses to lead Tammany
Hall out of the wilderness into which
it was plunged by the resignation of
George W. Olvany.
District clubhouses were filled with
planners for the promotion of individ
ual district leaders to the head of the
; Hall, and there was scarcely a leader
I who was not willing to enter the lists
j for the highest office. But back of
j these embryonic ambitions was recog
nized the fact that the immediate fate
• of Tammany's power rests completely
; with the outcome of the imminent
I mayoralty campaign and that Walker,
| despite criticism that he has accom
j plished more play than work, has in
j the last fortnight emerged as the most
logical and utile prospect to succeed
himself. When the showdown comes
it is expected that Walker will demand
a leader to his liking and get it.
It seemed that this situation might
entail a short-lived clash between the
mayor and the various groups of dis
trict leaders and possibly an under
j cover battle with former Gov. Alfred
;E. Smith or his proxies. The comment
lof leaders yesterday was that inter
j ference from the former governor would
I weld the fealty of the district heads to
j the mayor more quickly than any
j maneuver Mr. Walker himself could
j devise.
Foley Is Dominant Figure.
The one other dominant figure cal
culated to exercise a decisive influence
upon the selection of the next boss of
Tammany was Surrogate James A.
Foley.
Os all the persons suggested to sue- |
ceed Mr. Olvany, Judge Foley is the
only one who would meet with virtually,
unanimous approval, according to the j
comment of district leaders. There ap- '
peared no doubt he could have the lead- :
ership of the Hall by a nod of his head.
There were few, however, who believed !
that he would accept it. He refused it
upon the death of his father-in-law.
Charles P. Murphy, which led to the
(Continued on Page 2, Column 8.)
FENDER SCRATCH LEADS
TO CAPTURE OF BANDIT
Suspect Admits Helping Loot Mail
Truck at Chicago, Naming
Confederates.
By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO. March 18— A fender
scratch hardly worth noticing has
trapped one of the three men who
robbed a mail truck of 17 pouches of
mail Friday night. James Horton of
Waukegan, who was arrested, confessed
and named his confederates.
1 There was approximately $1,900 In
cash in the 17 pouches. The robbers
j used a rented automobile for their es-
I cape. In returning the machine to the
| garage it scraped against another car,
and Horton, who had rented it under
an assumed name, offered to pay the
small cost for repairs.
Policeman Edward Schwimmel, who i
happened to be in the garage, insisted
that Horton give a more complete
identification than he had supplied
when renting the car, and it was thus
that Horton's real name and address
were learned. Later, when Schwimmel
heard of the robbery, his suspicions j
were aroused and he notified Federal!
officers.
TWO CENTS.
'STATE DEPARTMENT
STARTS PROBE OF
DIPLOMATIC LIQUOR
Investigation of Siamese Le
gation Incident Is Begun
by U. S. Officials.
SUGGESTION IS OFFERED
TO CLARIFY SITUATION
Seizure of Shipment Will Not Be
Protested—Whole Question
Will Be Studied.
With the diplomatic liquor situation
still apparently as confused as ever, the
State Department today started an in
vestigation of the Siamese legation case.
Meantime it was said at the legation
that no representations would be made
to the State Department protesting
against seizure by police of the legation
liquor and arrest of the American driver
and his helper.
Edward H. Loftus, the counselor, re
ceived from Luang Debavadi and Luang
Chara, secretaries of the legation, a
complete report of the incident, includ
ing the lact that Chara, who was riding
j in the truck with his diplomatic creden-
I tials, went with the truck, liquor and
! policeman to the police precinct, and
• stayed there for more than two hours,
i later accompanying. the liquor to the
i embassy, where it w r as delivered.
Step May Clarify Situation.
! Treasury officials were known to be
considering a step to give added protec
tion to shipments of diplomatic liquor
on suggestion of Dr. James M. Doran,
prohibition commissioner. It would pro
; vide that the diplomatic representative
in charge of the liquor shipment receive
from the collector of customs giving the
shipment diplomatic immunity, a copy
of the letter from the Assistant Secre
| tary of the Treasury describing the
i shipment, and authorizing it to enter
! this country duty free, and with diplo
matic status.
| Some officials feel that this might
| be a step in the direction of clearing
| up the matter.
I Meantime, it is believed full consid
i oration will be given to the whole ques
| tion of the entry of diplomatic liquor
1 by officials of all departments concern
! ed, the State, Treasury and Justice De
j partments. United States Attorney
| Rover is expecting to go into the mat
ter thoroughly before the cases of the
j driver and helper of the truck com *
! up in Police Court in two weeks for
i arraignment on charges of transporta
tion of liquor.
| Status Is Explained.
' j The peculiar status of diplomatic
• j liquor and its shipment into the coun
| try, causing a series of incidents of
! more or less embarrassment to both
• i the foreign representatives and the
■ J American Government, has been * ques-
L j tion of difficulty for years, and was
j taken up in a comprehensive decision
I by Attorney General Palmer to Sec-
I I retary of State Lansing.
Laws prohibiting importation are en
| forced by criminal prosecution and by
I seizure and forfeiture of goods, the At-
J torney General ruled, but, he added.
| "they cannot be enforced against a
diplomatic representative, who is im
i mune from arrest and whose goods and
I chattels are not subject to seizure."
“It follows.” the Attorney General
j concluded, "that a shipment of liquors
I from abroad, addressed to a diplomatic
! representative in the District of Colum
bia. cannot be seized or molested, and
hence its entry must be permitted. Hav
ing thus entered the country, its trans
portation from the seaport to its
destination is an incident of foreign
i and not interstate commerce, and hence
I not prohibited.”
j The Attorney General, however, went
j further into the matter of transporta
j tion of the liquor, v
i "While the importing into this coun
try or the bringing into the District of
Columbia in interstate commerce of in
, toxicating liquors is an offense against
j the laws referred to. no diplomatic rep
! resentative of any foreign country, re
j ceived by the President and residing in
j the District of Columbia, nor any do
i me.stic servant of such representative
whose name has been duly registered,
is subject to arrest for such an offense.
Intoxicating liquors belonging to such
a diplomatic representative are a part
of his goods and chattels, and as such
are not subject to seizure and detention.
Applies Only to Proper Persons.
“This immunity,” the Attorney Gen
eral warned, "does not extend, how
ever, to persons other than the repre
sentative himself and his registered do
mestic servant, who may be found
transporting liquors from any point
within tlie United States into the Dis
trict of Columbia, although such liquors
may be the property of a foreign dip
lomatic representative and are being
transported for delivery to him.
"It is unlawful to cause intoxicating
liquors to be transported from Baltic
more, for instance, to Washington. An I
I apprehend that one could not success!
| fully defend against an indictment fol
j such transportation by showing that
| the liquors transported w r ere the goods
1 and chattels of a foreign diplomatic
j representative.”
MOTHER QUITS ILL
SON TO RUSH TO GIRL
Charters Plane From New York to
Florida—Finds Daughter
Only Slightly Sick.
j By the Associated Press.
TAMPA, Fla., March 18.—Mrs. H. L.
Underhill, Binghamton. N. Y„ who left
the bedside of a small son in New York
City to fly by plane to Tampa, because
she feared a small daughter here was
seriously ill, arrived early today to find
nothing more serious than a sore throat.
Ruth Underhill, 6. was taken to
Clearwater a month ago to recuperate
from an attack of influenza. Her
brother was in a Binghamton hospital
with the same malady. Yesterday Ruth's
father, vice president of the People's
i Trust Co. of Binghamton, with Ruth,
{ telephoned his wife that the gill's
j throat was swollen and that he was
1 taking her to it children's hospital in
Tampa.
Becoming frightened, Mrs. Underhill
chartered a plane, piloted by Harold E.
McMahon, and left Curtiss Field at 2:30
p.m. for the 1,800-mile flight. She ar
rived in Jacksonville and telephoned
that her plane reached there at 11 p.m.
and was assured that Ruth was Id aa
danger.