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EVENING FARMER - 2 CENTS THE CO?Y BEGINNING JAN. 1, 1913 THE WEATHER Fair, colder tonight 'and to morrow VOL. 49 NO. 28 BRIDGEPORT, CONN., SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1913 PRICE TWO CENTS City Boar ds Go, -White Declares Municipal Expert Asks important Changes in His Final Recommendations to Committee of Audit WANTS SINGLE-HEADED v' " COMMISSIONS IN CHARGE Urges Election of a President of Common Council and City Auditor By Popular Vote; Would Combine' Public Works Departments Under a Single Execu tive; Urges Many Sweeping Changes. ; : L - " The abolition of all the city boards, except Health, Education, Library, As Fessors and Relief, will be advocated ly Peter White in his final recommen dations which -will toe submitted to the Common Council, Monday night. Ac cording to folks at City Hall, the re jort of Mir. 'White will favor sweeping cianges In munsfcipal government here and nearly every department of the city will be hit by the proposed Mr. White proposes single-headed de tpartments to be under the Mayor and rhief city officers instead of the pres ent board system. . and his other rec ommendations will be as radical, it la caid. fiome of Tria recommendations, it is rtvrted will includer The adoption of the merit system to apply to all offices below that of chief executive. That company bonds be required of elty officers and that personal bonds tie no longer accepted. - That the Mayor be given summary power of removal over persons not A-cexrun table to some board. That boards shall hare power of fiimraary removal over subordinates vntil there is a merit system. That a consistent policy of tenure of office be adopted. The annual reports of departments te printed and bound sepssreutely. That the Mayor be relieved of duties irf presiding over the Common Council And that a president thereof be elect ed by popoJar vote. That city and town clerk offices e com blued. An improvement for listing prop erty, and a revaluation of property ev erv five years. . To abolish the board of appraisal and give that work to the clerk In the office of the director of public works. That tjie members o the present board of appraisal receive no salary, f That the collector of taxes be ap tH nrtavnv and deposit his collections daily. That the town clerk daily deposit his collections. That indexing tthe land records be BULGARS READY TO RESUME VAR Plan to Bombard Adriano ple Monday Evening at 7 O'clock Washington Gets Informa tion From Ambassador Rockhill Washington, Feb. 1. 'The Bulgarian commander-in-chief expects to resume hostilities against the Turks at 7 o'clock, Monday evening, according to Information transmitted to the Ameri ran ambassador at Constantinople, vF. W. Rockhill. and by him cabled the state department, today. London.Feb. 1. Advices from Sofia, this afternoon, said that the Bulgarian troops, under command of General Pavoff. were malting active prepara tions to resume the bombardment of Adnanople the first moment after the official expiration of the armistice, at jE p. m. Monday. , It is said here that Montenegro and Greece would demand the cities of Ecutarl and Janina on the same grounds that Bulgaria is holding out for Adrianople and should there be a resumption of peace negotiations either on the overtures of Turkey or the powers, the allies will insist on the demands of Montenegro and Greece, the same as they have backed Bulgaria- RYAN ORDERED RELEASED FROM PENITENTIARY Chicago, Feb. 1. The release from the penitentiary of Frank Ryan, presi ient of the Structural Ironworkers of America, convicted of dynamite con spiracy, was ordered by the circuit court of appeals, today. Ryan's bond rf $70,000 was approved by United States District Attorney C. W. Miller, of Indianapolis, and the court. Attorneys for Ryan will reach Leav enworth, Kas.. with the papers, to morrow, and Ryan will be released at noon. CONSOLIDATED BAXD CON'CKRT PROGRAM The sale of seats for the big concert tomorrow night has been most grat ifying and the Consolidated bands will fiay to capacity audience. The box office will reopen at 1 o'clock tomor row for the sale of seals. " The ro-n.-am is the greatest ever presented k., this city. Should ' done by a clerk in the office of the town clerk. That the board of apportionment adopt a classified budget. That all administrative officers have seats in the Common Council. 'That where officers have a fixed salary, they shall have no additional compensation. An exception is made for work done out of regular hours. That the city attorney say. whether present system of compensation is constitutional. Creation of. hew positions to be placed under a single body. That ordinance specify the officers who shall give full time to their work and their fiaily hours therefor. Election of city auditor by popular vote for a definite term. Chief accounting officer must not hold any office which handles public money. .. '-.' That toe city audttor shall keep the controlling record of appropriations and not the clerk of the Board of Contract and Supply. . That ttie ctly auditor shall require approval of all - payrolls and bills be fore payment. Periodical Inventories be made of city property. ' Creating of ' ordinance forolddiing-city employes to engage in business with One city. Dog warden to have full Jurisdiction over unlicensed dogs. Liquor and dog license agents to deal with licpior licenses only. , Petty cash fund be created for clerk of ; fire department. . Department- of buildings - to replace board of building CQmmisiiioneTS.same to be under an inspector responsible to the mayor. - The adoption of an adequate build ing code. - , Health ' commissioners to register vital statistics. , ; All branches charged with public works to be organized into a single department under a single head.. That the committee of lamps be re-: lieved of administrative duties and that these be given to the public works department. Committee on testing lights to be abolished. - (Continued from Page 2.) COLD WAVE HITS CHICAGO WITH BLINDING Chicago, Feb. 1. The promised cold wave made good, today, arid Chicago was experiencing winter for the first time since last February. A blinding snowstorm, early last night, was fol lowed by a steady drop in temperature to zero which was reached, early this morning. A gale made the cold more biting. Forecaster Cox's prediction, today, was that the wave would last at least two more days and that the mercury would not go far above zero until early next week. Misery among the poor was report ed, today, charities offices, police sta tions, county institutions being flood ed with appeals for coal and fo.od. EXPLOSION CAUSES DISASTROUS FIRE Trenton, Feb. 1. A red hat rod dropping into the oil pit of a belt, to day, caused an explosion which sent names in every direction and resulted in the complete destruction of the rolling mill of the John A. Robinson Co. by fire. About 250 employes will be thrown out of work. Weather Indications. New Haven, Feb. 1 Forecast: fair tonight and Sunday, colder with a cold wave. . Brisk, high, westerly winds. - The storm that .was ,-central over Michigan, yesterday morning, passed out the St. Lawrence valley, last night. It caused high winds with snow or rain in the lake region and along the Atlantic coast. Thunder storms were reported from Atlantic City, Mew Haven, Hartford and Block Island. The cold wave following the storm has advanced rapidly east ward and southward. . Zero tempera tures extend as far east as Indiana and freezing temperatures as far eouth as TennsBsee. Conditions favor for this vicinity generally fair weather with much lower temperature. CORNERSTONE OF NEW HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING LAID Meriden, Feb. 1. rWith fitting exer cises the cornerstone of the new hig-h school building was laid, this after noon. Am on ir the speakers were First Selectman George W. Miller, members of the board of education and Dr. David Gibbs, school superintendent. The building, which it is expected will be completed in September, will cost IZZ&.ooo and will ne up to aaie m every respect. It will be especially fitted for the mechanical and techni cal work of its pupils. WATCH TRIAL OF GISLSTRIKERS Daughters of Governor Wilson Interested , n Court Cases Fola LaFoHstie and Others Make Charges of Brutality Against Police New York, Feb. I Greatly interested by what they eaw in the woman's court, last night, regarding the condi tions faced by the girl garment work ers on strike, the Misses Eleanor and Jesse Wilson, daughters of the pres ident-elect, were expected, today, to carry their investigation farther and talk with some of the young, college women who have devoted' themselves to the cause of the strikers. , The governor's daughters, aeoompa ired by Mrs. J. Borden Hxrriman, eat for hours in the courtroom and watch ed the disposition of the cases of the girl strike pickets arrested and charg ed, with various degrees of .disorderly conduct. The Misses Wilson appear ed particularly pleased when the court discharged a number of the girls with reprimands. They also showed great interest in those cases where the court imposed fines' of to and $10 against the girls. Charges of brutality against tha ponce were made, today, by Fola La Follette, daughter of Senator LaFol lette, Gertrude Barnum, the Chicago settlement worker and strike leader, and a number of other women promi nent in social work. A deputation neaoea by Miss LaFollette and Miss Barnum with Attorneys Georee Gor don Battle and Walter L. McCorkJe as volunteer counsel, were expected to call on District Attorney Whit man, today, and lay before- him the evidence they have accummulated. CONVICTED OF BOND LARCENY I :- V New TOrk, Feb. 1. Frank J. Gard ner, of Warwick, N. T., was convicted, today, before Justice Goff. of the lar ceny of 13 bonds of the Union Wax'A Parchment Company, of Hamburg N. J., valued at $1,000 each. It was 'the second trial before the same court, the jury having disagreed in the first trial tour weeks ago. Sentence ' was de ferred until Friday. Gardner was selling agent for the Mew Jersey company in 1909 when it issued $600,000 worth' of bonds. He was accused of hypothecating $50,000 worth, tie was tried In Newburgh, N. Y., in 1910 for the larceny of $37 of the obnds but the jury disagreed. 185 AUTOS GO UP IN BIG BLAZE Cleveland, Feb. 1.- Six " hundred thousand dollars is the estimate of damage done by a fire here, last night, in the downtown district. Two build ings were destroyed and three others damaged.- Three persons were over come by the smoke and 185 automo biles were destroyed. .The- fire started from an explosion in a garage. Huntington. W. Va., Feb. 1. Fire which the police believe to have been of incendiary origin, early today, caused - $85,000 damage here. Two large buildings were destroyed. r- WOMEN DECIDE FOR SUFFRAGE AT TRIALPRIMARY Grinnell, Iowa, Feb. 1 By a vote 'of 8C3 to 75, women of this city at the 'trial primary for women decided '. for suffrage. Woment, from grayhaired grandmothers of SO . to fair co-eds of Iowa College, voted from 8 a. m. to 8 .p. m., land the result was a landslide for "votes for women. The trial election was s he3d under the auspices of the Commercial Club. On the second- proposition,, "will you exercise the right of voting at every opportunity whenever possible?" the vote was: Yes; 659; no, 40. TO COMPLY WITH SUPREME COURT'S MERGER DECISION ' Washington, Feb. 1. "We' are pro gressing splendidly toward an agree ment that's all I can say," was the statement made by Mortimer L. Schiff. the New York financier, following a two hour conference of Union and Southern Pacific stockholders held with Attorney General Wickersham, today, discussing compliance with the merger decision of the supreme court and a form of dissoluti6n. " In addition to Schiff. Judge R. S. Lovet and F. A. Vanderlip, of the Union Pacific, and Maxwell Evarts and R. S. DeForest, of the Southern Pacific, were at the conference. The "department ot justice made no announcement of final agreement al though it' waB believed the conferees had adopted a plan. WALL STREET TODAY Noixr Vnrk. TTeb. 1. Oaeninsr The stock market opened fir. 11 a. m. The market remained comparatively firm throughout the first hour. - , Closing The stock market closed firm. Shortly after 11 o'clock, a rally caused covering of shorts. Before the close there was a relapse into com parativity and prices eased off a lit 1 1 .i ft-, . hpQt Rharn advances occurred on Colorado Fuel, common Titt orefarreo. LOCAL POLICE DENYCHARGES Say Judson Has Not Been Told the Whole Truth Captain Arnold Gives Strong Statement Bearing Bn Judson's Letter ' IRef utation is today made by all of ficials connected, with the Bridgeport police department that as alleged in a letter from State's Attorney Siiles Judson directed to the Police Com missioners and made public at last night's meeting, jealousy and lack 'of co-operation exist between Jie local and State police departments. , This letter published. below specifically charges that instructions from State's attorney's office to notify State: Police man Frank Vlrejli of any murders or attempts at murder, have been ignored by the local detective department Supt. Eugene Blrmimgham, questioned by the Board of Police Commissioners, admitted that friction might have oc curred between inldividtuial dietectives, and referred the matter more directly to Capt. George Arnold' for explana tion. : The viewa of the head of the detective department could not be se cured last night as- he had already left the building; but it is believed he will be given an opportunity to appear be fore he board at a later 'meeting. In interviews with the local pftpers today , both Su.pt. Birmingham, and Captain Arnold. emphatically deny that jealousy on the part of the local force has existed or that they have failed to co-operate In all oases where the State police might have Interest. They assert as false the statements that in the Leon Gin case they failed to notify Officer "Virelli as charged, and in turn assert that their efforts to wards the deflection of crime have in some instances rather been hampered than aided by the intervention of the State policeman- cited in the State's attorney's, letter. Captain George Arnold, chief of the detective department, to a reporter for The Farmer said: "These charges are all poppy-cook. There is absolutely no basis for them unless they are in spired; by a personal feeling of enmity on the part of some': member" of the1 State police . force. "We have at ail times co-operated with the State police force, and par ticularly since Attorney Judson made a specific request that we notify Vir elli in the event of a murder or at tempt at .murder. "These Instructions were given after the shooting of Mr. Sullivan in his Main street restaurant. The first' af fair that took place after that was the Leon" . Gin' stabbing. Supt. Birmingham was then out of the building and in the presence of Sergeant Haiuc I call ed up the Virelli home and was- in formed by a woman, presumably his wife, that he was not In the cily. I was asked who had oalled and told her - 'Captain Arnold.' I was informed that Mr. Virelli would call me up on the telephone as- soon as he returned. That is; the last I heard of the matter until now. "I can state positively that this de tective department feels . no jealousy whatever towards the state depart ment, although there is great lack 'of confidence here in the; ability of De tective Virelli. This is not more than natural when it is considered that he was dropped from the special force un der charges of ' cowardice, which has been increased through subsequent ex periences on various- cases with which he has been associated with tis. "It has appeared as if work begun by us had to a certain extent been nul lified after his coming into the cases, We jhave always felt that from the preliminary investigation made by the local body - in the Martello case, on West avenue, December 19, a convic tion should have resulted, and in the murder of Jennie Ca.valleri of more recent date, the only conviction which resulted was made upon evedinece ac tually secured through the efforts of this department, later introduced into court m the form or a. confession. "Although we did this .work- and in vestigated many other- phases of the Cavalieri case we were never asked to give any testimony whatsoever at the trial. We have at ail times offer ed to work in harmony with the state police and I have on- several occa sions told Virelli not to mind me in the - least but to go right ahead on a case without any fear of stepping on my toes. But if, when requested to assist in investigations, they come to think we should beg them to take up the work, they are mistaken. The fault lies rather on their side than on ours, and in all fairness I invite any man on the state police force other than Virelli, to come forward and say that their relations with us have been anything but the most pleasant. "Much as I regret having to make this statement I believe that this at tack has been inspired ' by Detective Virelli who seems to have made a tool of Mr. Judson In this instance." Supt. Birmingham while reticent about the compiaint male by Attorney Judson to the Board of Police Com missioners, finally admitted that the allegations .made by Capt. Arnold with reference to Detective Virelli having been dropped from the local force were correct. He said: "We have always given the State department aid, and in fact have often called upon Chief Egan to assign men to assist the local force in ferreting out mysteries which the equipment of the department here lacked. There is absolutely no jealousy on the par of the detective force against the State department, although there is a feeling against a certain State detective caused by observation of his work in other murder cases investigat ed some time ago. "I 'thoroughly believe that Capt. Ar nold is a square man incapable of en tertaining any personal grievances where his official capacity is concern ed. "Mr. Judson notified me that in cer tain cases he wanted me to notify Of ficer Virelli, and I so instructed Cap tain Arnold. I am informed that this command has been carried out to the letter. "I do not care to discuss the per--! sonal phases of this matter other than to say that when an officer loses the confidence of his fellows in the depart ment it is his ow-n fault. Equivoca tion has no place in police affairs." Coiv"nued -n Pap BUILDING BOOM BEGINS EARLY Inspector Rowland Expects Biggest Year Ever January Permits Aggregate Four Times Value of Last Year's . Building InspectoB Daniel M. Row land believes that 1913 is going to be the biggest building year this city has ever seen. He bases his opinion -upon the first month of the year as com pared with January of last year. "She year' 1912 was, the second largest building year in the city's history and the ; aggregate value of the permits of the first month was$83, 440. This year the January permits aggregate $293,r 485,'- nearly a four fold gain. The inspector believes January is a very good indicator for the , present-! year. , - t There are a number o! costly build ing jobs in sight for which . no per mits have been issued as yet. The Gillette Construction Co. has the con tract to complete ah edifice for St. John the Bapist Greek Caetholic church society (Roman Rite) in Arctic street and a parochial residence adjoining the same. Both structures will cost from $50,000 to $60,000, and will be constructed from plans drawn by the late Joseph A. O'Brien. , The church basement has been in use for a -number of years. The J.a Resista . Corset Co. in order to take care of its increased business is planning to replace its -frame plant in Norman street with a larger struc ture of concrete blocks or brick. The Crane Valve Co. has' a new $175,000 foundry building under way, and the new plant of the Connecticut Electric Co. in Central avenue is be ing hurried to edmpletion. It Is settled that Samuel H. Wheeler is going to build some kind of a build ing that will be . a great improvement to the city, upon the big lot In Main street between Congress and Arch streets. Mr. Wheeler has been ap proached by theatrical magnates, de partment store magnates and all man ner - of promoters with plans to, use the floor space in any structure that he might build on this centrally lo cated property. So far as known Mr; Wheeler has not settled upon any thing more definite than he is going to build, and,a gang,-of -men is, at work now clearing the land and erect ing retaining walls on the site. - - It is also hinted , that Mr. Wheeler will put up another building this year on the southeast corner of Middle and Gold streets, and that part of the building may be occupied by the Re liable Machine company. The Salt's Textile Co. now has $29, 000 worth of new buildings going up at its plant in Kossuth street. Plans are now being figured for a public storehouse to be erected in Fast Washington avenue for Tracy B. "War ren at a cost of between $16,000 and $18,000. . ' ' The $60,000 school and civic center building of St. John's Nepomuk church at Pembroke and Jane streets is being hurried toward completion. Plans have been completed for a new brick block which, Nathan Engle man. the Fast : Main street dry goods merchant will build in East Main street for stores and tenements. The Blue Ribbon Auto & Carriage Co. is planning to build a handsome three story brick plant to take care of its growing business. The structure will be located at the junction of State street and Fairfield avenue. . , The new buildings of the Allyn Rub ber Co. and the Hawley Hardware Co. in Main street at the head of Elm stret are being hurried toward com pletition by the Torrington Building Co. r It certainly ) looks as though Build ing Inspector Rowland and his assist ant, C. Thomas Burns were going to be very busy after , the ground hog comes out tomorrow providing that he sees his shadow, and the indications are that he will. 2,000 GIRLS TO PICKET AT BOSTON STRIKE Boston, Feb. 1 Two thousand girl pickets will surround the garment fac tories of Boston at daybreak, Monday, when 5,000 operatives strike at 180 es tablishments. Union leaders , declar ed today that plans far the fight have been completed. The pickets, they declared, have been carefully selected and all have been doubly precau'tnoned against any violence or vialtions of the law. The employers have so far remained silent, although it was generally un derstood today that they were respon sible for the orders issued today from police headquarters for precinct cap tains in the factory districts to triple the number of roundsmen in' that sec tion, beginning Monday, all at 4 o'clock. ' It was generally believed that the employers will fight the strike by hiring strikebreakers. KING GEORGE'S LONG ILLNESS CAUSING ALARM Ijondon, Feb. 1 King George's health Is giving his physicians no little con cern. Despite -official denials both by the privat secretary and court offic ials, it was believed today that His Majesty has been suffering from a troublesome cold ever since hist Christ mas illness when Queen Mary sent him to bed regardless of the Bucking ham Palace holiday festivities. The most caref ul "treatment has failed tp eradicate the cold. King George has a weak constitution, very susceptible and he suffers from chest weakness- As prince of Wales he was able ' to comibat this by sea voyages. He es caped last winter by attending the Delhi Durbar. Fire Sweeps lack Rock Three Two Family Houses Burned to Ground in Strong, Easterly Gale, Many Imperiled in Rapid Progress of Flames VOLUNTEER SALVAGE CORPS z; j EFFECTS SAVING FROM BURNING HOMES Crippled Girl Carried From House In Arm Chair ' ' Black Rock Boy Scouts Take a Hand Firemen En dangered In Shower of Bricks From Falling CMpi- ney Woman Returns From Shopping to Find House In Flames and Boys Missing. Fire 'originating from child s play in a garage Be3ulted, this afternoon, in the total destruction of three ' two family houses, with most of their con tents, in Fairfield avenue, near David son street, property losses aggregating upwards of $25,000, the imperilling of a number of inmates of the houses, and. danger for some time of a gen eral conflagration in .the Black Hock section, " ... A strong east wind swept' the fire frpm house to (house and ' embers caught In the gale were carried tor hundreds of feet, dropping on the roofs of house after house and setting blazes that kept the firemen most vig ilant to '"prevent the sparks from spreading the fire throughout the sec tion. .-. ' 11 The houses destroyed are three two family houses, standing in close prox imity, fronting in Fairfield avenue, and running west from Davidson street. The- fire began in the garage to the rear of the house furthest west of the three. ' The houses were owned by Sven Swanson and August - Soderholm in partnership. They were occupied as follows, being given In the order in which- the blaze spread: Nos 3200-2 Fairfield avenue, upstairs, August A. Bickel; downstairs, August EcklundV Nos. 3190-3192 ' Fairfield . avenue,- up stairs, . 'en Swanson, downstairs, Wiiliam KAg . - - - Nos. 3180-3182 Fairfield avenue, up stairs, Ralph S. True; downstairs, C. J. Bjorklund. , Most of the contents of these houses is a total -loss. The fire was not under control un til about 2:30' though it broke out shortly af ter 1 o'clock. It was discovered by Bert Lapkins, of 7 Wooleey street, who passed the garage in the rear of the house oc cupied by Bickel and Ecklund and seeing a blaze inside", snatched out the two little Ecklund boys who were in -imminent danger of being inciner ated. , His shouts resulted in a still alarm,, FINAL APPEAL FOR THE ALLENS TO GOV. MANN Richmond, Va., Feb. 1. Final ap peals for commutation of , the death sentences passed on Fly'od Allen and Claud Allen for complicity in the Hillsville courtroom , murders were made to Gov. Mann, today. Unless he intervenes, father and son will die in the electric chair March 7. Lawyers who ; appeared before the governor brought with them the chair in which Judge Massie was killed. A bullet hole, they contend showed that the judge's death was not from a bul let fired by the Aliens but from - one fired by court officials. This, wit other evidence, has developed . since the state supreme, court refused to consider the Aliens case. Prominent among the petitioners, today, was Miss rtTellle Wesler, mountain sweetheart of Claud Allen. ' Ft UAL CHAPTER 111 MYSTIG SCANDAL Twelve-Year-Old Girl Sent to Industrial School Today Mystic, Feb. 1 The final chapter in the Mystic scandal cases was written today when 12-year-old Ida Barra clough was committed to the Indus trial School for Girls at Middletown. The girl is one of six daughters of Mrs. Russell Barraclough. Her father left home a year ago and since then she has not had proper care. Her committment to the industrial school was asked for just before the Christ mas holidays and when brought before the probate court her story of the life she had been leading gave the first inkling of the lives led by certain elderly business men of the town whose exposure shocked the old com munity. As a result of the 'girl's story told at that Itme and recently in the Superior court, four of the oldest and most re spected business men of the town are serving jail sentences. Two commit ted suicide when they found warrants were out for their arrest. Two left the State after being released on bonds for a higher court trial. .The life led .by the Barraclough girl led five other little girls and two 'boys in habits out of keeping with their years and they also figured in . the trials of the convicted men. TAFT SIGN MNCOIjIV MEMORIAL. BIIjIi WITH EAGLE QUILL. PEN Washington, Feb. 1. Using a great eagle quill pen. President Taft, today, signed the Lincoln Memorial resolu tio which provides a $2,000,000 marble Grecian temple memorial to the Civil war President. - Throiigh quickly followed by a bell alarm from box 237 which was sounded at 1:05. ' The firemen had an exceedingly hard task. Before lines could be laid the fire had spread from the garage to 'the house, and cinders caught in the strong wind and swirled through the lofty pine trees in the rear of the nouses maae mammom lorcnes w.uL-n sent brands in a perilous cloud down upon the roofs of all structures tc the east. . . : . , . . .... - The .second house ' was Well ablaze before a good stream could be put on rhe fire and the third house quickly followed. Many neighbors formed . a volunteer salvage corps. Mrs. Ecklund, mother of the two youngsters, had" left them at play while she had gone ,to the center of the city to shop. Her husband is now in Switzerland. When she alighted from a trolley car on her homeward journey she found her home in flames and the boys missing. She collapsed and was taken by neighbors to the home of . Mrs: tHarry A,,. . Iewls, ,3074 Fairfield avenue, where other neigh bors quickly, reassured her by bring ing the missing lada to her. -' While the flames were leaping from house to house, neighbors were striv ing to carry out such furniture as could be ... handled. Several pianos were destroyed. Swanson was among the most reck less of the tenants. He remained in his house until It was practically wrapped in flames, seeking his insur ance papers. . , . He was badly though not dangerously 'scorched. His son, SVen Swanson, a lad of 17, was so badly, cuf on the forearm while trying, to thrust open a window to toss out belongings, that the ambu lance corps was . summoned. Four stitches were needed at the emergency hospital, to close the' wound. Dr. Fleck attended- him. Mrs. King and her 15 months old baby, Margaret, were carried out by neighbors. Mrs. King, is in delicate health. Neighbors had to carry out Mrs. Truei who collapsed and needed medical attention. Dr. Healy resusci tated her at a neighboring house. tContinued on Page 2. CASTRO LIKE MOUSE' IN TRAP Exiled Venezuelan Head 'i Says He's Victim of , 'Conspiracy Now. Declares He'll Return at. OnfiA to Rurone Xew .. CoribrtFebrr 1-J-V am-p-like a mouse in a trap;'; declared General Cipriano Castro, exiled former' presi dent of "Venezuela under order of de portation from this country, today, as he looked, out at Fifth avenue from the window of his room in the Hotal Savoy. - . "I am the victim of conspirators who wish to obtain the natural rioties of my Country, and . rather than hav , j such charges made against me I shall -! return at once to Europe," he declar- i This decision on his part. It was re i a . l .j . . . ; . V. . . i cision of Secretary Na.gel, of the Te- panmenc oi commerce ana Jjh uur. Castro was under bond in habeas cor- pus proceedings and was at liberty to j go about the city at will. He r- i mained in his apartment, however, in- I dicating that 'he feared mysterious : enemies. He issued the following statement:' "I'could have answered all the ques tions that the board placed before me, but it was not necessary to set such a .precedent by what is equivalent to recognizing the United .States govern ment as an international court to deal ' with civil, political and' criminal ques tions of all the nations. In, this case we have only a question of principle. "All my trouble was due to my ad versaries .with, , certain, interests 'that desired to take "possession of mining and other properties in Venezuela and that has brought me all these persecu tions to which. I have been, subjected. It started five years ago and for this reason I will go back o Europe a soon as I can becausie I don't want to expose myself to new persecutions which make me appear as an ac com pile of revolutionary plotters or a par ticipant in other criminal acts, such as they accused me of on my, arrival here." HELD IN $1,000 ' ,'t FOR ASSAULT ON MAN IN D ANBURY" Danbury.Feb. 1. For an assault on . John Curtis, 41, Daniel Geberg, 65, was held in the city court, today, un der $1,000 bonds which he was un-- able to furnish. Curtis is in a -local h nKnitr. 1 with a fractured skull receiv ed when being knocked down by Geberg who says he only hit him with, the flat of his hand. The assault took plac3 Monday. Curtis was taken to the hospital, Tuesday, the police net ; knowing of the matter until last nif lit. J