Evening star. [volume], October 15, 1929, Image 1

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

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WEATHER.
(V. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.)
Partly cloudy; slightly cooler tonight;
tomorrow fair, slowly rising temperature.
Temperatures: Highest, 68. at 3:30
p.m. yesterday; lowest. 50. at 7:45 a.m.
today.
Pull report on page 9.
Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 14 and 15
V„ Q-t OIQ Entered as second class matter
jSO. 01,610. pos t office. Washington. D. C.
LOBBY PROBE 10LD
POTIERY INDUSTRY
SOUGHT TO REMOVE
EXPERT ONTARIFF
Frederick L. Koch Tells Com
mittee He Was Accused of
Being Biased in Favor of
Importers When Testifying.
CHINA MANUFACTURER’S
LETTER IS INTRODUCED
Chairman Marvin Questioned Re
garding His Activities While
Secretary of Home Market Club,
Advocate of Principle of Pro
tection.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
Charges that representatives of
the pottery industry had sought
to influence the Tariff Commis
sion in determining valuation of
pottery importation and had
sought the removal of Frederick
L. Koch, an expert with the com
mission, held the center of the
stage at the opening of the Senate
lobby investigation today.
The committee heard Mr. Koch
as its first witness. It learned
that protests had been made to
the Tariff Commission against
Koch, charging him with being
prejudiced and biased in favor of
Importers of pottery at the hear
ing before the Senate finance
committee on the pottery schedule
in the tariff bill. Mr. Koch said
this complaint was made by Wil
liam Burgess, Norristown, Pa., a
former Republican member of the
Tariff Commission, said now to
be working for the pottery in
terests.
The witness laid before the committee
a copy of a letter written by H. R.
Wyllie, china manufacturer in Hunting
ton, W. Va., written to President Hoover,
protesting against Koch’s activities and
testimony before the Senate finance
committee. Among the charges made
against Koch was that he waa a friend
of David Walker, representative of the
largest importers of Japanese pottery,
and that Koch’s testimony before the
finance committee had been biased in
favor of the importers.
Satisfactory to Senate.
Mr Koch insisted that his relations
with Walker had been only personal. He
said also that Senator Edge of New Jer
sey, chairman of the suocommittee in
charge of the pottery schedule had told
him that his testimony and work had
been entirely satisfactory.
Chairman Marvin of the Tariff Com
mission, also was a witness today in the
lobby investigation. He was questioned
at length by members of the committee
regarding the complaint filed against
Koch and said that so far no action had
been taken in regard to them.
The committee also asked Mr. Marvin
about his own activities as secretary of
the Home Market Club, an organization
devoted to the principle of protection.
Mr. Marvin was secretary of the club
for several years before he became a
member of the Tariff Commission.
William Burgess, former member of
the Tariff Commission, now an adviser
in the employ of the pottery industry,
who charged Koch with being preju
diced. took the stand after Mr. Marvin
had completed his testimony. Burgess
told the committee that he had been
employed by the pottery industry before
he became a tariff commissioner and
that within two weeks after he left the
commission he went back to his old
job with the pottery industry. Before
he became a tariff commissioner, he
said, his salary was $5,000 a year from
the pottery Industry. When he resumed
the work so rthe pottery industry, he
said, his salary had been increased
to $7,500. _
Senator Caraway wanted to know II
the increase was given because the pot
tery people believed that Burgess was
more valuable because of his personal
contact with the Tariff Commission.
The witness denied that such was the
much fencing and verbal
squabbling between the witness and
Senator Caraway, Mr. Burgess insisted
that he was not a lobbyist as he under
stood the term.
Senator Caraway wanted to know
what he could have done here in Wash
ington that he did not do if he had
been a lobbyist.
Mr. Burgess said that in a talk he
had with President Woodrow' Wilson
soon after Mr. Wilson entered the White
House Mr. Wilson had described a lob
byist as a man who went around but
tonholing members of Congress, trying
to put over something good or bad, and
being paid for that job. He said that
President Wilson was an old college
friend of his and that he had given him
(Burgess) a card bearing the initials
“W. W.” which Burgess had found an
open sesame to a number of Demo
cratic Senators whom he wished to in
terview at that time.
The lobby investigation, which prom
ises to go searchingly into the activi
ties of those who claim to influence
legislation in Washington, got underway
today with four members or the Sen
ate committee attending the hearing.
They were Senator Caraway of Arkan
sas, chairman; Senator Walsh of Mon
tant, Senator Robinson of Indiana and
Senator Blaine of Wisconsin. Senator
Borah of Idaho, the fifth member of
the committee, was not present at the
opening of the inquiry.
Tariff Expert Called.
Frederick L. Koch, expert employed
by the Tariff Commission, was the first
witness heard today. He was ques
tioned about a report of alleged at
tempts to Influence the Tariff Commis
sion in determining valuation of pottery
importations
Mr. Koch testified that he had ap
peared as a witness both before the
House ways and means committee and
the Senate finance committee during
the consideration of the pottery sched
ule and the tariff bill. He told the
committee he had been informed that
William Burgess of Norristown, Pa., a
former RrpubJ'cnn member of the
<ContT>" ’ ■>, column 5.)
Air Mail Flyer t
Travels 1,250,000
1 Miles in 16 Years
By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, October 15.—E.
• Hamilton Lee, air mail pilot, last
night completed his 1.250,000 th
mile in the air, officials of the
, Boeing Air Transport Co. said
today. They said Lee had estab
■ lished a record for aviators.
Since taking up flying. 16 years
ago. Lee has had 12,740 hours in
the air, 8,000 of which have been
spent flying the air mail. He has
never had a serious accident, the
company said.
; TEAPOT DOME CASE
ENTERS FALL TRIAL
, U. S. Rests After Using Sin
clair Lease Evidence
to Hit Defense.
i The defense of Albert B. Pall, charged
with bribery in the leasing of the Elks
Hill, Calif., oil reserves, sustained a se
vere blow' today just before the prosecu
tion rested its case, when Government
counsel, with permission of the court,
presented to the jury the story of the
former cabinet officer’s financial tran
■ sactions with Harry F. Sinclair, lessor
of Teapot Dome, now serving a sen
tence in the District Jail on a convic
tion for jury shadowing.
Overcoming by the court’s ruling the
vigorous objections of defense counsel,
the Government succeeded in producing
testimony from Fall’s son-in-law and
from M. T. Everhart, Pueblo. Colo.,
rancher, how. In 1922, he obtained
$233,000 from Sinclair for a third inter
est in Fall’s land and cattle company.
The Government’s motive in thus
opening the gates for testimony in the
Teapot Dome case was for the purpose
of strengthening its contention that
the receipt of SIOO,OOO by Fall from Ed
ward L. Doheny in connection with the
Elk Hills lease was more than a
loan. Everhart’s testimony served to
strengthen the Government’s claim
that Fall’s relations with Sinclair
showed the lease of the Teapot Dome
reserve to the latter was "coincidental”
with the payment of the $233,000 to his
son-in-law'.
Jury Is Excluded at Time.
With testimony bearing on these re
lations or transactions with Sinclair I
completed Government counsel rested
the prosecution’s case at noon.
Justice William Hitz had reserved
making a ruling on the admissibility of
such evidence until court reconvened
this morning. With the jury excluded,
he announced his ruling in favor of the
Government.
Attorney Frank J. Hogan, chief of
defense counsel, asked a directed verdict
of not guilty, which the court denied,
when the Government closed its case.
H<«a» noted objection to the admissi
bility of the evidence concerning Sin
clair. No part of these transactions are
charged in the indictment under which
Fall is standing trial, the defense lawyer 1
contended. Their introduction, he said,
placed the defendant and counsel In a
position to meet another and distinct
issue without opportunity for prepara
tion.
Aside from the fact that defense
counsel argued such testimony was not
admissible under the rule of evidence,
Hogan told the court It would tend to
becloud the issue to the prejudice of
the defense. After Hogan said he would
note exceptions he called the attention
of the court to reports of the Senate
proceedings bearing on the pending
trial which appeared in yesterday’s
afternoon papers and those of this
morning.
Does Not Call Heflin’s Name.
Without mentioning Senator Heflin
by name, the defense attorney claimed
that the former’s remarks on the floor
of the Senate were made clearly "with
the purpose of influencing this court
and jury.”
Hogan took the Senator to task for
his charge in the Senate speech that
Fall was trying to exaggerate his ill
ness in connection with the pending
trial. “Aside from being an obvious
tissue of lies, the report is vicious
in character,” Hogan said. He added
that it w'as known to the court to be
unfounded in view of the testimony
given by four reputable physicians re
garding Fall’s physical condition.
Because of such statements appear
ing in the papers, Hogan appealed to
the court to keep all newspapers away
from the jurors, who are locked up
in a downtown hotel while the court
Is in recess.
Justice Hitz said that the matter re
ferred to had been cut out of the only
paper sent to the jurors yesterday, and
’ also explained that sundry other refer
-1 ences to the case had been censored. In
this way the jury is unable to find any
■ thing in the paper bearing either direct
( ly or indirectly on the trial.
Roberts Reads Lease.
1 Explaining that he felt it best to let
the matter rest. Justice Hitz said he
would hesitate to take all newspapers
r from the jury, as the one paper they re
■ ceived in the afternoon constitutes their
1 only contact with the outside world.
After Owen J. Roberts of special Gov
■ emment counsel had introduced corre
i spondence from Fall bearing on the
! Teapot Dome matter and had called the
• former Secretary's son-in-law on the
• stand, he read to the jury the terms of
; the Sinclair contract and lease.
I Mr. Everhart told about his first
t meeting with Sinclair at Three Rivers,
? N. Mex., in the Winter of 1921, and later
i about a conference with Fall concern
s ing the proposed ranch consolidation
i when Sinclair was mentioned as a
■ prospective partner.
As a result, he came to Washington
in May, 1922, bringing with him the
• stock certificates. Fall told him then.
- he said, that the ranch proposition had
e been consummated. From Fall’s office
' (Continued on Page 2, Column 8.)
CRUDELY SEVERED FINGER LEADS
TO ARREST OF 2 IN SAFE-BLOWING
Bits of Flesh Clinging to Walls of Department Store
Reveal Failure of Undertaking.
By the Associated Press
ROSEBURG, Oreg., October 15.—Be
cause one of a band of safe-blowers left
behind him his own crudely amputated
finger, two men, one of whom is not
expected to live as the result of unex
plained injuries, were held today on
suspicion of being the robbers who at
tempted recently to blow a safe at
Grants Pass.
Bits of flesh clinging to blood-spat
She Iftimittn Sfctf.
WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 35, 1929-FIFTY-FOUR PAGES.
FRANCE AND ITALY
ACCEPT PARLEY BID;
JAPAN Ol’S REPLY
Whether Paris Has Drafted
Answer or Form It Will
Take Unknown.
OFFICIAL CIRCLES HERE
EXPRESS NEW OPTIMISM
Decision to Enter Naval Confer
ence Held Indication That All
Asked Will Take Part.
LONDON. October 15 (fP).— ltaly
has accepted the British Invitation
to a five-power naval conference.
By the Associated Press.
PARIS. October 15.—The French
cabinet today decided formally to ac
cept the British invitation to partici
pate in a five-power naval limitation
conference at London in January, j
Nothing was revealed, however, as to
whether the reply has been drafted as
yet or as to the form it will take.
French military circles today raised
the question in connection with the
forthcoming conference of Germany’s
right and intention to construct six 10,- i
000-ton heavily armored cruisers car
rying 11-inch guns. Some observers
predicted that the German vessels,
which will have a cruising radius of
20,000 miles, would be an important
factor in the London conclave.
It was averred that had Germany
had three such ships in the Mediter
ranean at one period of the World War
instead of one France might have been
delayed for a fortnight or more in
bringing colonial troops to Europe.
The French attitude is that naval
limitation and army limitation are in
seperably linked and that if any com
bination of events could prevent her
obtaining troops from Africa she would
be obliged to maintain a larger army in
France.
It was also pointed out Germany was
not bound by the Washington nor the
projected London accord, but by the
treaty of Versailles. By these two agree
ments the Great naval powers will be
restricted to 8-inch guns on cruisers.
Some naval experts thought the proj
ected German gun cruisers
would match the biggest French battle
ships, which are armed with cannon
13.4 inches in caliber.
JAPANESE APPROVE REPLY.
Will Go to Ambassador at Soon as
Emperor Sanctions It.
TOKIO, October 15 C4>).—The Jap
anese cabinet today approved the final
draft of the Japanese reply to the Brit
ish invitation to a naval disarmament
conference. The draft will be sent to
the Japanese Ambassador as soon as
the Emperor’s sanction is obtained.
Government officials were loath to
discuss the contents of the reply, but
newspapers professing to have reliable
Information said it would contain four
points, as follows:
(1) Emphasizing Japan's satisfaction
that Great’ Britain and the United
States already have reached a basic
agreement.
(2) Expressing Japanese willingness
to participate in the conference in ac
cordance with the spirit of the Kellogg-
Briand anti-war pact.
(3) Offering to do everything possible
byway of preliminary conversations to
clear the way for a successful confer
ence.
(4) Expessing a sincere desire that
the conference may aim at definite re
duction of naval armaments.
It was expected the note would be
dispatched to London tomorrow.
I. C. C. TO INVESTIGATE
EXTRA RAIL CHARGES
Higher Fares on Crack Trains to
Be Subject of Probe
by Commission.
By the Associated Press.
Investigation of the extra fare
charged by railroads on their crack
trains was decided upon today by the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
This fare is In addition to the regu
lar fares for train and Pullman tickets.
All railroads subject to the interstate
commerce act are to be included in the
inquiry.
The practice of charging extra fares
was brought to the attention of the
commission last Summer. At that time
carriers were notified by commission
representatives that they were believed
to be in violation of the interstate com
merce act, which provides the through
fare shall not be greater than the ag
gregate of the intermediate fares or
rates.
The railroads were advised to file ap
plication asking for what is technically
termed "fourth section relief,” which
if granted would permit the carriers to
deviate from the requirements in cer
tain instances.
It was contended by the railroads
that the better equipped trains and
faster time schedules justify the higher
rates.
Carrier revenues involved in the extra
fares have been estimated at approx
imately $10,000,000.
tered walls about a department store
safe bespoke the tragic failure of the
men to blow the office safe. A trail of
blood led to the offices of a nearby
physician. A door had been forced and
within the office was found a human
finger, apparently blown off or crudely
amputated. Opiates and surgical in
struments were missing.
Sheriff’s officers said the most seif
ously injured of the men held had re
cently lost a finger.
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“UNITED BY CAUSE OF PEACE,”- I
MACDONALD’S PARTING MESSAGE
Cordial Welcome Cheers Mission, Premier
Declares in Statement Before
Leaving for Canada.
BY JAMES L. WEST.
By the Associated Press.
NIAGARA FALLS, N Y„ October 15.—1 n a farewell message today to the
American people Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald said he left the United
States "rich with the proof that, while the Atlantic divides us, the cause of
peace unites us.”
The British statesman read his statement to a group of British and Ameri
can correspondents* just before he set out for a trip around the American side j
of the falls, which carried him across the international boundary and back on ;
British soil after 12 days in this country on a good will mission without precedent '
in the relations of the United States and Britain.
“I have spent 12 days among you,”
he said. "They have indeed gone
swiftly and have been very crowded.
From the moment of my arrival to this
moment, when I must say good-by, I
have met with nothing but hearty dem
onstrations of friendship and with a
hospitality, both public and private,
which has approached the overwhelming.
“It is impossible to mistake the mean
ing of you r cordiality, and I know that
in welcoming me you have hailed the
object of my visit and have cheered
the message of good will which I
brought to you from his majesty the
King and all sections in Great Britain.
"Your President and I have been
GRAND JURY TOLD
TO INDICT BUYERS
Federal Judge Gives Instruc
tion to Name Purchasers
Under Dry Law.
a the Associated Press.
LOUISVILLE, Ky„ October 15.—The
October grand jury of the United States
District Court here today was under
Instruction from Judge Charles I. Daw
son to indict, if the evidence warranted,
the buyer as well as the seller of liquor.
Attacking the “so-called good citizen”
who patronizes bootleggers, Judge Daw
son, former Kentucky attorney general,
declared the widespread impression that
it is not against the law to purchase
liquor is erroneous.
Referring to a recent decision of the
Circuit Court of Appeals of the second
district, at Philadelphia, Judge Dawson
said that he had not read that court’s
opinion, but it was his opinion “that
what that court really decided was that
one who purchases liquor is not such
an aider or abetter of the seller as to
make him guilty as a seller under the
Federal law.”
Judge's Opinion.
To that extent, Judge Dawson said
in his charge, “I agree with the opin
ion, but if that opinion holds that it is
not an offense against the national pro
hibition act for one to purchase liquor
without a permit and not on a prescrip
tion. then I cannot agree with it, be
cause I have no doubt whatever that
the Volstead act Intended to, and does,
in express terms, make it illegal for
individuals to purchase liquor for per
sonal consumption for beverage pur
poses.”
He cited section 6 of the national pro
hibition act, which, he said, among
other provisions declares:
“No one shall manufacture, sell, pur
chase, transport or prescribe any liquor
without first obtaining a permit from
the commissioner so to do, except that
a person may, without a permit, pur
chase and use liquor for medicinal pur
poses when prescribed by a physician.”
"If the language just read,” Judge
Dawson commented, “does not prohibit
the purchase of liquor by individuals
for personal consumption for beverage
purposes without a permit, then I am
incapable of understanding the mean
ing of language."
Penalties for Purchasing.
Secton 29 of the act, providing a fine
up to SSOO for the first conviction and
up to SI,OOO and imprisonment for not
more than 90 days for the second of
fense, applies to persons purchasing
liquor for beverage purposes, Judge
Dawson told the jurors.
"I know it is frequently urged,” Judge
Dawson concluded, “that if you make it
against the law to purchase, or if you
enforce the law against the purchaser,
you will hamstring the enforcement of
the law, because you then cannot get
evidence against the seller and the
manufacturer. Don’t let that worry you
for a minute. I have been on this
bench for a little better than four years
and in that length of time we have
handled between 6,000 and 7,000 liquor
cases, and not in a single one of them
has a citizen buyer even appeared as a
witness against a seller or a manufac
turer.”
’ privileged to express together in a spirit
. of democratic and informal frankness \
the relations of our two countries and
the promotion of world peace. I have
- particularly appreciated the warmth of
- the reception I had from both your
Senate and House of Representatives.
“To you all I have tried to make
, plain how earnestly the British com
. monwealth shares your prayers that war
shall cease, and your response has been
• a great inspiration.
"As I step across the border and
1 leave you for the moment I do so rich
: with the proof that, while the Atlantic
divides us, the cause of peace unites us.
That is the message from you which I
am taking home with me.”
FUEL PUMP MEN
MAY JOIN STRIKE
New York Station Attendants
to Vote Tonight—Three
Persons Injured.
By the Associated Press.
« NEW YORK, October 15.—A threat
s of filling station attendants to join the
• strike of tank truck drivers today in
. creksed the gravity of the motor fuel
, distribution situation, precipitated by
. the dispute between the oil companies
’ and their employes.
Three persons have been injured in
, disturbances attending the strike.
Police Commissioner Grover A.
i Whalen said 1,600 police have been as
signed to strike duty. He threatened
■ to withdraw police protection from
I trucks and property of companies em
i ploying “guerillas,” whom he blamed
i for the outbreaks of violence.
Oil company officials said they were
; delivering more than 80 per cent of the
i normal amount of gasoline with non
i union drivers. Leaders of the Brother
s hood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs and
Helpers claimed that less than 50 per
cent of daily deliveries were being made.
Thus far there has been no serious
l shortage of motor fuel.
Two mass meetings of filling station
i workers have been called tonight to con
■ sider the question of joining the strike.
’ The meetings are being arranged by
■ representatives of the American Federa
tion of Labor.
: BANK FRAUD’S PASSING
HAILED BY CONVENTION
' “Gold Brick” Promoters Decrease
Despite Excellent Chances in
| Last Four Years.
:
• By the Associated Press.
; QUEBEC, October 15.—The passing
of the “gold brick artist" was heralded
‘ today with the convening of the
: eighteenth annual convention of the
> Investment Bankers’ Association of
! America.
1 Arthur G. Davis of Chicago, field
' secretary of the association, said that
while the last four years presented more
opportunities for fraudulent investment
, promoters than any other period in the
; history of the United States and
Canada, fewer frauds were perpetrated.
He attributed this decline chiefly to
the campaign of the various bankers’
; associations in urging investors, “Before
you invest, investigate.”
, The convention, with more than 1,000
: delegates from the United States and
[ Canada in attendance, opens formally
today, with addresses by Premier
f Tascherau and Lieut. Gov. H. G. Car
[ roll.
1 French Troops Evacuate.
!
s COBLENZ, Germany, October 15
• uP). —Two French infantry regiments
r and one artillery regiment, the main
i body stationed here, evacuated the Cob
i lenz sector today. The movement was
. so quiet that it was hardly noticed by
the inhabitants.
SCRIVENER DATA
ASKED BY BYRD
!
Requests Pratt to Give Par
ents of Detective Any Fur
ther Information in Case.
With a Senate investigation impend
ing on the mysterious death, three
years ago of Arthur ‘ Mitt" Scrivener,
Gov. Harry F. Byrd of Virginia, today
; asked Maj. Henry G. Pratt, superin
i tendent of police, to give the parents
jof the late headquarters detective
sergeant any further information he
may have relative to the case.
In the meantime, tile recurring at
| tacks at the dapitol on the Police De
partment apparently had ceased, pend
ing the return of Senator Sackett of
Kentucky, chairman of the subcommit
tee delegated by the Senate District
committee to make a sweeping in
vestigation of police activities and
municipal affairs.
Aid Asked in Telegram.
Gov. Byrd became interested in the
Scrivener case through a telegram he
received from the father of the dead
detective. Turner A. Scrivener of Win
chester, Va., which urged him to use
his influence to have the investigation
of his son’s death renewed. In a letter
to Maj. Pratt, which inclosed a copy
of Scrivener’s message, the Virginia
governor said:
"If there is any further information
that you can give the parents in this
case, I will greatly appreciate it.”
Dispatches from Winchester quote
Scrivener as declaring he always has
held the belief that his son was slain.
The father, however, said that neither
he nor his wife had ever charged the
Washington police with “bungling" the
investigation of their son’s death, al
though he had often thought the police
could have continued their inquiry.
Maj. Pratt, who was in command
of the detective bureau at the time
of Scrivener’s death, indicated he had
no new information to give Scrivener’s
parents but pointed out that the Police
Department had never closed its in
vestigation of the case. The police, he
said, are repeatedly running down new
clues that develop, but thus far all of
them have been worthless.
Rover Has No Comment.
Leo A. Rover, United States attorney
for the District, had no comment to
make on the case, which was referred
to his office for investigation after the
coroner’s jury held that Scrivener was
the victim of a murderer. Asked
whether his office proposed to resume
the inquiry in view of recent develop
ments, Rover replied, “I don’t care to
discuss it."
Senator Cole Blease of South Caro
lina, who promised to name Scrivener’s
slayer, indicated today that he would
wait and furnish the investigating sub
committee with his information when
it meets. He also said he had a wit
ness who could give the subcommittee
light on that case.
In many of its details and develop
ments the Scrivener case closely paral
lels the strange death of Mrs. Virginia
McPherson, now the subject of an in
tensive investigation by the Department
of Justice as a result of the sensational
(Continued on Page 2, Column 1.)
SHIP RUNS ASHORE
OFF ALASKA COAST
Number of Passengers Is Unre
vealed in Radioed Plea
for Help.
By the Associated Press.
SEATTLE, Wash., October 15.—The
steamship Alameda went ashore early
today at the south end of Wrangell
Narrows. Alaska, according to a wire
less message intercepted by the radio
station at Everett, Wash.
The message apparently was a re
quest to the Coast Guard cutter Unalga
for assistance, and said the stem of the
vessel w%s ashore while the bow was
free. The message also said she was
unable to turn her propeller.
First reports gave no indication of
weather conditions, and nothing was
said as to immediate danger. The Ala
meda is a cargo and passenger boat of
3,100 tons, plying Alaska waters. It
was assumed she had passengers on
board, but the number was not known
here.
When the Alameda left Seattle Satur
day she carried 56 passengers and a
general merchandise cargo for South
eastern Alaska. Wrangell Narrows is
on the inside passage and it was not
believed here that weather conditions
would be such that the Alameda would
be In any immediate danger of breaking
up.
Radio Programs—Page 38
(JF) Means Associated Press.
McPherson autopsy
REVEALS NO EVIDENCE
OF FRACTURED SKULL
Traces of Poison or Drugs or
Illegal Operation Are Absent,
U. S. Probers Find.
EXAMINATION YIELDS NOTHING
OVERLOOKED BY CORONER
Microscopic Test of Tissues Yet Is In
complete, Delaying Formal Report
of Government Agents.
The second autopsy on the body of Mrs. Virginia McPherson,
conducted last night at Kannapolis, N. C., failed to disclose a fractured
skull or any evidences of violence other than those produced when
she was strangled to death by a pajama belt knotted around her
throat, The Star learned today.
Exhumation of the body had been undertaken for the definite
purpose of verifying a local physician’s opinion that the young nurse
might have suffered a fractured skull, in addition to strangulation.
Careful examination of the skull has satisfied the Government that
no fracture existed and further examination of the vital organs and
other portions of the body has disclosed no traces of poison or drugs,
or evidences of an illegal operation.
Body Is X-Rayed.
A microscopic examination of certain tissues has not been com
pleted, so that a formal report will not be received here untif later
The body was X-rayed and these prints, when developed, will be
brought to Washington.
It was learned here that the autopsy consumed more than four
hours last night. Reports that the casket was filled with water are
erroneous. The body was taken from its grave in Woodlawn ceme
tery, China Grove, N. C., yesterday afternoon, and removed in a
hearse to Kannapolis, five miles away, where the autopsy was con
ducted in the rooms of an undertaking establishment.
The exhumation was decided upon suddenly last week after De
partment of Justice agents had questioned Dr. Edward A. Gorman,
house physician of the Park Lane Apartments, where the girl’s body
was found a month ago yesterday.
Dr. Gorman was the first physician to view the woman’s body
after her husband, Robert A. McPherson, jr., reported finding it in
the bedroom of the McPherson apartment.
Fracture Story Laid to Gorman.
Dr. Gorman is understood to have told the Department of Justice
he believed there was evidence of a skull fracture when he examined
the body, although physicians of the coroner’s office, who performed
the original police autopsy, failed to report such a fracture. A coro
ner’s jury held that Mrs. McPherson had committed suicide by tying
the pajama belt around her neck and knotting it in two places.
Dr. Gorman was not asked to testify at the coroner’s inquest and
was not summoned before a grand jury which later reopened the
case until The Star disclosed that his name had been overlooked in
the list of witnesses. Dr. Gorman’s testimony before the grand jury
is held to have played an important part in the indictment of Mc-
Pherson for “willful and premeditated murder.”
Federal investigators attached so much importance to the pos
! sibility of a skull fracture that three Justice agents were dispatched
South at once to arrange for the exhumation of the body. A skull
fracture would have been a serious blow to the suicide theory ad
vanced by the local detective bureau and the coroner’s Jury at the
time of the original inquiry.
Blood Stains Mystify.
It was pointed out that if Mrs. McPherson’s skull was fractured
it would have cleared up several points puzzling investigators. One
of these points Whs the absence of signs of a struggle at the death
scene and another was the mystery of the blood stains on the floor
of the bathroom.
If the nurse had been struck over the head before she was
strangled it might have explained the blood outside the bedroom and
the comparative order in the room.
Failure of the new autopsy to disclose anything not already
shown in the original examination by the police officials does not
i mean abandonment by the Department of Justice of any theories
regarding murder or suicide it may entertain in connection with the
extraordinary case. J. Edgar Hoover, chief of the bureau of inves
tigation, and Thomas Cullen, in direct charge of the McPherson in
vestigation, are maintaining an “open mind” regarding all theories
which might lead them to a solution of the tragedy.
Findings to Guide Laskey.
The departmental probe was launched in connection with the
appointment by Attorney General Mitchell of John E. Laskey as a
special assistant to handle the prosecution of McPherson, now held
without bail at the District Jail. The findings of the department
agents will guide Prosecutor Laskey in his handling of the Govern
! ment side of the trial, the date for which has not been set.
Parts of Mrs. McPherson's Body *
Will Be Examined Further by Doctor
By a Staff Correspondent of The Star.
SALISBURY, N. C., October 15.
Engaged in supervising the autopsy
on the body of Mrs. Virginia McPherson
! for nearly five hours last night. Depart
ment of Justice agents expect to receive
a complete report on the findings, which
is to be compiled by Dr. James I. Bul
litt, pathologist of the University of
North Carolina, today. *
Despite the fact that a most minute
examination was made of the body at
Kannapolis, 22 miles from here, lasting
from 5:30 until 10:30, certain portions
of the body, including a section of the ,
skull and vital organs, were taken by
Dr. Bullitt today to Chapel Hill for
further investigation, according to the
report.
Dr. Bullitt, who was in charge of
the autopsy, is said to have made the
statement to agents last night that
the work would require probably five
days. His report of the findings at
the autopsy last night can be made in
two days, but additional time will be
required to complete the examinations
of the organs taken to Chapel Hill.
One of five physicians who was pres
ent revealed that a further examina
tion would be made. While he refused
to make any positive statement, the
doctor said that when minute examina
tions were made certain portions of the
body were given more thorough investi
gation than others, because without the
aid of microscopes and tests for traces
of poisons there was no positive proof
that certain conditions of that nature
did not exist. It would practically be
an impossibility for the physicians to
determine absolutely in their examina
tion last night that there were no traces
of poison, until further examination
was made, he declared.
The report by Dr. Bullitt will be sub
mitted to the Department of Justice at
Washington.
Every effort was made by agents last
night to keep the proceedings secret.
Five physicians, an undertaker and an
embalmer were the only ones allowed
to be present and they were pledged to
secrecy before the investigation began.
Reporters were excluded from rooms in
the vicinity of the morgue, where the
autopsy took place, for fear that they
might overhear conversations of the
doctors.
Those present at the autopsy were
Dr. Bullitt, Dr. C. W. Armstrong,
county health officer of Salisbury; Dr.
Frank Marsh of Salisbury. Dr. J. E.
Stokes, surgeon at the Salisbury Hos
“From Press to Homo
Within the Hour**
The Star’s carrier system covers
every city block and the regular edi
tion is delivered to Washington homes
aif fast as the papers are printed.
Yesterday’s Circulation, 113,995
pital: Dr. C. C. Phillips of Charlotte,
W. H. Whitley, the undertaker, and J.
N. Ritchie, embalmer.
PERMANENT AIfTmAIL
ROUTES ARE STUDIED
Revision of Rates Also Deliberated.
Administration Awaits
Report.
President Hoover revealed today that
the administration is giving careful
I study to the question of establishing
permanent air mail routes and also to
the question of revising the air mail
rates. The administration believes the
time has come when commercial avia
tion has been developed to the point
where there should be a different basis
established for fixing rates for carrying
mails and permanent national air
routes should be settled.
The administration also is endeavor
ing to determine the more essential
trade routes in the matter of mail
carrying by the Merchant Marine, so
as to establish a different basis for
ocean mail rates.
To assist in this study the President
has called on the Postmaster General,
the Secretary of Commerce, the Sec
retary of War and the Secretary of
the Navy, and a report will be made
by these department heads to the
President very shortly.
——■
NEW CODE DECREES LASH.
Flogging Is Reinstituted by War
Ministry of Hungary.
BUDAPEST, Hungary, October 15 OP)
—Flogging has been reinstituted by the
war ministry in the new military penal
code. The code is subject to Parlia
ment’s approval.
Heretofore, after three offenses the
civil courts might pronounce a death
sentence, but under the new code a
Hungarian military court, functioning
in times of disturbance, will decree the
lash.
Insubordination and neglected sentry
duty, hitherto punished by prison sen
tences, hereafter will draw death sen
tences.
TWO CENTOS.