The Washington times. [volume], December 18, 1931, Image 1

About The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
THE WEATHER
Partly cloudy tonight and Saturday; not much
change in temperature; minimum temperature
tonight about 39 degrees; moderate southweet
wind*.
Temperature yeeterday — Highest, 55; lowest,
•O. (1930 —Highest, 28; lowest, 15.)
Full Weather Report on Page 17
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“LEGS” DIAMOND SLAIN BY TWO GANGSTERS
House Faces Night Session to Pass Moratorium Bill
HOOVER GIVEN
FAST ACTION
ON FLOOR
Jells Leaders at Breakfast
of Necessity That Bills
Pass Immediately
Over the protests of its op
ponents, who objected to
“rushing tactics,’’ a resolution
to ratify President Hoover’s
debt moratorium was called up
in the House soon after it
convened today and leaders
planned to hold the chamber
in session until midnight if
necessary to push it through.
Agreement to get it through
today was reached at a White
House breakfast conference at
tended by both Democratic and
Republican leaders.
Rankin Enters Protest
Representative Rankin (D.) of
Mississippi, when the ratification
measure was called up, ex
claimed:
“Why rush it? The hearings
have not been printed and
members shouM' nnit . bp - asked
to vote without full infotma
tion. ’ C'??' L’u.-■ K •
“WhyjW* ttf It can’t
possibly pM* the Senate before
-atiChristmas.”
TWter the White House break
fast conference, Representative
Rainey, - of Illinois, majority
leader, announced that the House
would be kept in session until
midnight if necessary to ratify
the one-year moratorium.
Promises Legislation
Tomorrow, Rainey said, the
House will enact the necessary
legislation to give the Federal
Lsind Banks $100,000,000 more
capital and after that it will
tackle Mr. Hoover’s recommenda
tion for the creation of a $500,-
, 000,000 “reconstruction corpora
tion” to ' alleviate credit condi
tions.
SENOSSFS
HOLIDAY BILL
The' Senate today voted to
make December 26 and January
3i the Saturdays following Christ
mas and New Year, respectively,
legal holidays in the District of
Columbia.
The bill will go this afternoon
to the House, where it is expected
to receive immediate action.
The bill was introduced by-
Senator Henry F. Ashurst (D.) of
Arizona and provided only that
December 26 be made a legal
holiday.
Commissioner L. H. Reichelder
fer suggested that January 2 also
be designated.
Laval Government
Beaten in Chamber
PARIS, Dec. 18 (I.N.S.).—The
government of Premier Pierre
'Laval sustainde an adverse vote
in the Chamber of Deputies to
day. The government had not
asked for an expression of confi
dence on the vote, so its resigna
tion was not necessary. A total
of 292 deputies voted against the
government’s 281 supporters.
A
“BOX’*
OF TIMELY
SUGGESTIONS
For those on your •
Christmas list who ap
preciate sensible pres
ents let this announce
ment direct you to a
“box” of timely sug
gestlons.. the “Christ
mas Gift Suggestions”
featured today in The
WASHUOPniES
Classified Section
Freed By Gang
■k a ■
■jtt Mht ■HfW
- A
Strnc«s P?»tnn Photo
MRS. NELL DONNELLY
THIS WEALTHY. Kansas City
dress manufacturer, was re
leased today after being held
captive 35 hours by kidnapers.
■ffITNS
SMITH LEGACY
- ; ■ ‘ ■■ jk* '
SAN, JOSE, Cal if-JDec. 1|
(1.N.5.) -Wirginia SmtUi 1 MiW
once the belle of a Georgia town,
a bride of a year, pampered,
pretty and happy, and who claims
the late Hoke Smith, Georgia
political leader, was her father,
today had denounced a $350 a
month .income to wear a Salva
tion Army bonnet..
When Smith, who twice was
governor of Georgia, a United
State Senator, and a member of
the Cabinet of Grover Cleveland,
died, he left $350 a month to
Mrs. Mills, if she would re
nounce the Salvation Army. Mrs.
Mills said:
“I wouldn’t quit as an envoy
in the Salvation Army for
$3,500 a month. I left home
,23 years ago and I’ve never
regretted it. I’m too happy.
Life is sweet.”
Term “Moratorium”
Displeases Hoover
President Hoover objects to
calling his debt agreement “ft
moratorium,” it was revealed to
members of Congress who sat
at a White House breakfast con
ference. The President told his
guests that it was “a postpone
ment” not a “moratorium.”
One ..lember consulted a dic
tionary and found:
“Moratorum: an emergency
act of legislation authorizing a
debtor or bank to suspend pay
ments for a given period.”
Suicide Staged
At ‘Spirit’ Seance
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.. Dec. 18
(IN.S.) .—Amid the paraphernalia
of spiritualistic seances, Arthur
S. Long, 52, today shot and
critically wounded Mrs. Bernice
Owens. 22, then killed himself.
Long had endeavored to force his
attentions upon Mrs. Owens, a
widow, and she had repulsed him.
Anti-Freezing Fluid Kills
2 On Drinking Bout
CHARLES TOWN, W. Va., Dec.
18.—Two men. members of promi
nent families of this city, are
dead and two others are critically
ill from drinking an anti-freezing
fluid made for use in automobile
radiators.
The dead are Lester Hough. 42,
son of Charles Town’s former
mayor; and Grover Young, 45,
son of the former chief of police.
The sick men, both 22 years old,
are George Johnson and Filmore
Davis.
10-Day Drinking Bout
According to Chief of Police
James Smith, the quartet staged
a drinking bout during the last
10 days at a camp they had
about one miie from this city.
The police chief said he learned
in his investigation that the men
drank alcohol allegedly stolen
from a gasoline filling station
WASHINfiTfINTIMES
Kntnrert Snond Clam Matter
Al Pontofflee of Waohlnrtan. D C.
NO. 15,727
KIDNAPED WIFE RELEASED UNHARMED
JOB BUNGLED,
ABDUCTORS
ASSERT
Mrs. Donnelly, Safe at Home,
Fails to Disclose If Ran
som Was Paid Thugs
KANSAS CITY, Dec. 18
(1.N.5.). — Held captive 35
hours by a gang of desperate
kidnapers, Mrs. Nell Donnelly,
wealthy dress manufacturer,
was 'released early today and
returned to her home un
harmed.
Mrs. Domjelly and her negro
chauffeur, George Blair, who was
kidnaped with her Wednesday
night, were "'Uhd by 'police in
front of a restaurtint in Kansas
City. Kan., following an anony :
mous telephone calk presumably
from a member of the kidnap
gang.
Held in Farm House
Both were ’ aken to police head
quarters here. After a brte f ques
tioning Mrs. Donnelly was taken
to' her home, ending hours of
grief and anxiety for friends and
relatives, who maintained a con
stant vigil since her disappear
ance. Blair was held for further
que tioning.
Mrs. Donnelly told police she
had been held captive in a farm
house southwest of Kansas Cityi
and had been driven in an auto
mobile for about 35 minutes be
fore being released.
Although blindfolded most of
the time since her abduction, Mrs.
Donnelly said she was not
harmed by the kidnap gang.
Whether a ransom of $75,000
had been paid could not be con
firmed by Mrs. Donnelly.
Bum Job, Say Kidnapers
M;_. Donnelly quoted her abduc
tors as saying just before they
shoved Blair and her from their
car:
“We did a bum job of kidnap
ing a woman—wait here and
you will be picked up in a
minute.”
A short time later a police
car drew up in front of where
she and Blair were standing, Mrs.
Donnelly said, and she thought
that the kidnapers had returned.
The police identified themselves
(Continued oh Page 14, Col. 1)
Christmas Heat Wave
Brings Out Pajamas
BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 18(1 JIS.)
Christmas heat beat down upon
the Argentine capital today with
such intensity that many, of the
male population appeared on the
streets strangely garbed with pa
jama tops in place of suit coats.
CONDITION OF TREASURY
Treasury balance as of Decem
ber 16, $735,110,843.87; expendi
tures, $50,986,876.27; customs re
ceipts, $14,325,302.43.
nearby during the first' days of
their fest.
He was told, he said, that
when the owner of the station
missed his alcohol he replaced it
with the chemical anti-freezing
fluid and the quartet took that
and drank it.
Falls Dead At Home
Hough made his way home late
yesterday afternoon and fell dead
shortly after he arrived there.
It was while that death was
being investigated that Young
was found dead in the tent at
the camp early, this momlng.
The sick men were semi-conscious
on the ground near the tent
when Chief Smith and his men
arrived. Coroner William C. Clipp
is also conducting an investiga
tion.
Hough, the only married man
in the quartet, is survived by his
wife and six children.
M’FADDEN
READ OUT
DFG.D.P.
Senators Reed and Davis Are
to Handle Patronage;
Rival Promised
Louis T. McFadden, of Can
ton, Pa., Republican Repre
sentative of the fifteenth con
gressional district, will be
read out of the Republican
party, Senator David A. Reed,
Keystone State Republican, de
clared today following a visit
at the White House.
McFadden is to be ostracised by
1 the G. O. P. for his attacks upon
President Hoover in connection
with the proposed moratorium to
European nations. McFadden in
k. House speech accused the Presi
dent of “selling out” his country.
Henceforth, said Reed, he and
Senator Davis would direct patron
age They
have ‘instructed Postmaster Gen
eral Brown to this effect.
Should McFadden move to re
capture his seat next year, an Ad-,
ministration Republican will be
placed in the field against him,
the senior Senator of Pennsylvania
threatened.
Hoover Asks Speedy
Action in Congress
Those present at the Hoover
breakfast were Speaker Jack
Garner, Representative Rainey of
Illinois, the Democratic leader;
Representative Snell of New
York, the Republican leader,
and the chairmen and ranking
members of the most important
committees, among them Collider
(D.) of Mississippi, Crisp (D.) of
Georgia, Strong (R.) of Kansas,
Hawley (R.) of Oregon, Brand
(D.) of Georgia, Steagall (D.) of
Alabama, Luce (R.) of Massa
chusetts, Treadway (R.) of Massa
chusetts, and Undersecretary of
the Treasury Ogden Mills.
The White House breakfast saw
the first “disciplining” of Repre
sentative McFadden (R.) of Penn
sylvania, chairman last session of
the important Banking and Cur
rency Committee and now rank
ing Republican members.
McFadden was excluded from
the invitation and the next two
Republican members below him
in rank were asked—Strong of
Kansas and Luce of Massachu
setts. r '
British Can’t Pay
In July, Says Paper
LONDON, England, Dec. 18
(I.N.S.).—The British government
will be unable to resume its war
debt payments to the United
States next July, moratorium or
no moratorium, declared the Fi
nancial News in an article today.
DEBTS HOLIDAY
HIT, PRAISED
President Hoover’s action in ne
gotiating a one-year moratorium
on payments due the United
States from European creditors
was praised and assailed in two
reports filed with the House to
day.
The majority report of the
Ways and Means Committee as
serted the moratorium averted a
catastrophe in Europe. The mi
nority said it was unjustified and
an unnecessary burden on Amer
ica.
Three members of the commit
tee who signed the minority re
port charged Mr. Hoover did not
have the Constitutional authority
to negotiate the moratorium. They
are Representatives Sanders (D.)
of -Texas, Eslick (D.) of Tennes
see, and Vinson (D.) of Georgia.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1931
“LEGS” DIAMOND’S LAST PICTURE
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JUDGE PRYOR MRS. DIAMOND JACK
THIS PHOTO was taken last night after Jack “Legs” Diamond, racketeer, had
been acquitted on a charge of kidnaping a Troy, N. Y., farmer. A few hours later
“Legs” was shot, down by gunmen during a party celebrating his acquittal. Judge
Daniel A. Pryor is shaking hands with Diamond’s wife. (OTHER PICTURES ON PAGE 3)
PHYSICIANS FINO
POLABETTER
SANTA MONICA, Cal.. Dec. 18
(I.N.S.).—Pola Negri, Polish film
actress, today neared the crisis
of her illness, following an emer
gency operation.
Responding satisfactorily after
a blood transfusion, Miss Negri
was slightly Improved, according
to Dr. Leo P. Madsen.
Dr. Madsen’s bulletin read:
“Miss Negri’s condition is
still critical. The crisis can be
expected within the next day
or two.”
Leon Baker, a 23-year-old medi
cal student, gave Miss Negri a
pint of blood and was prepared
to give more blood if physicians
order another transfusion.
Bertrand, Russell
Sailing sor 7 Home
NEW YORK. Dec. 18 (1.N.5.).
Among notables scheduled to
leave for Europe today were
Bertrand Russell, English philoso
pher, and John L. Baird, inven
tor of television.
Hungry Hiker Collapses
In Capitol Rotunda
Exhausted after a three-months
walk from Birmingham, Ala., and
famished because of a lack of
food for five days, Roland Davis,
35, collapsed in the rotunda of
the Capitol today after he had
vainly appealed for work.
Police said that Davis had been
around the Capitol for three days
and had told of walking from
Birmingham in search of work,
and of having made attempts to
THREE CENTS
Fruit, Egg, Ham
White House
Breakfast
The pancake-syrup breakfast
of the Coolidge regime has been
supplanted by a more elaborate
menu under President' Hoover.
■ Members of Congress who at
tended a breakfast at the
White House today faced this
menu.
Grapefruit, orange juice,
toast, poached egg, ham and
bacon, small butter pat, syrup,
coffee and cigars.
Miami Grid Coach
Injured in Crash
MIAMI, Dec. 18 <LN.S.).
Tommy McCann, football coach
of Miami University, was seriously
injured here today and 13 other
persons are recovering from
lesser hurts as the result of an
autobus crash. McCann was
feared to have suffered a broken
back when his automobile col
lided with the bus.
i find employment. But when he
1 was offered money with which to
’ purchase food they said he re
, fused, saying:
“I am looking for work, not
1 charity.”
This morning he entered the
• rotunda of the Capitol and col
i lapsed, falling heavily to the
, stone floor. He was revived by
dthe Capitol police.
ARSENIC FOUND
ON EDIBLES
Discovery of a quantity of
arsenic on green peppers being
sold in a local market today led
Health Officer William C. Fowler
to warn housewives tp thoroughly
wash all fresh vegetables.
Dr. Fowler aid one of his
inspectors was attracted by white
powder-like spots on peppers dur
ing a tour through a market.
The peppers were analyzed and
found to contain arsenic.
Dr. Fowler said one of his
placed on vegetables as a safe
guard -against insects.
DIG AUDITD RIUM
URCEDINO.C.
Need of an immense auditorium
here where political conventions
could be housed was stressed
today by Senator James Hamilton
Lewis (D.) of Illinois, who said:
“You have noticed that the
Republican national convention
will be held in Chicago. It is
needless to say that I will do
everything in my power to have
the Democratic national com
mittee also meet in Chicago.
But it is all wrong.
“Both these conventions and
all political conventions should
be held right here in the Na
tion’s Capital. It is regrettable
that we do not have a mag
nificent auditorium situated on
the banks of the Potomac
wherein they could be housed.”
FINAL 1
uhme
rl U rn| EZ
EDITION
GANGSTERS'
BULLETS
FINISH
'LEGS'
Pair Flee From Albany; Gun
Moll Hunted; Wife Denies
Part in Midnight Murder
ALBANY, N. Y., Dec. 18
(1.N.5.), — They got Jack
“Legs” Diamond, notorious
gangster, today —and his as
sassins'got away.
For years
been shooting at the ndtbrio®"
beer runner. And finally, to*
day,
a tawdi^ 1 y
men* crept into the second-floor
front and pumped three bullets
at close range into the unclad
Diamond.
In his underwear, the dark
prince of the underworld was
found sprawled across the bed..
Powder marks from the wounds
in his head, neck, and body
showed how close the killer had
stood when he fired.
Even the gangster’s hair was
singed.
Many Guests On Hand
Whether the two killers had at
tended the party given by Dia
mond in celebration of his acquit
tal on-a kidnaping charge was a
matter of conjecture.
Empty liquor bottles dotting the
chamber indicated there had been
many guests.
The two killers after doing their
job leaped downstairs and into a
waiting automobile —a large blue
sedcin
Mrs. Laura Wood, landlady,
said she did not obtain the license
number of the car. Mrs. Wood
said:
“One of the men shouted:
‘We got him this time.* ”
Mrs. Wood, Mrs.'Ethel Smith,
her sister: John Storey, sup
posedly a friend of Diamond, and
the racketeer’s wife, Mrs. Alice
Diamond, were held by police as
witnesses.
His Wife Grilled
Daniel H. Prior, counsel for
Diamond at his trial at Troy, N.
Y., for the kidnaping of James
Duncan, truckman, hastened to
the police station, where Mrs. Dia
mond was being grilled by detec
tives.
After a half-hour conference
with Mrs. Diamond, he stated
that she had not been at the
last party of her racketeer hus
band, nor did she know anything
about the killing. Prior said:
“Diamond stayed behind in
Troy alone after the jury ac
quitted him last night. That
was the last she or I saw of
him.’’
A story told by Patrick Dela
hanty, shoemaker, who was open
ing up his shop today a few doors
away from the Diamond rooming
house at 67 Dove St., indicated
that the murderers might have
been from New York.
Delahanty said he saw the sec-
(Continued on Page 2, Col. 1)
In The Times Today
Page
Comics 30, 31
Death Notices 38
Dramatics 28,29
Fashion News 25,31
Financial News 36, 37
Magasine Page 32
Odd Jobs 10
Radio 26
Seldes* "True to Type”.. 12
Society 24,25
Sports 33,34,35
What’s Doing 4