Newspaper Page Text
2 REYNOLDS’ LOVE CABLES TO LIBBY HINTED SUICIDE COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT HIS'DUANGEL,’HE WROTETORCH SINGER (Continued from Page 1) now but that an indictment might again be brought at any time. Polikoff would not reveal Mrs. Reynolds’ whereabouts. She is understood to be living in seclu sion on an estate near Baltimore, where she is nurturing the ap proach of motherhood. Libby’s conversation with her attorney when she learned of the letter of W. N. Reynolds to So licitor Higgins, follows: Polikoff: “Can you stand some good news?’’ Mrs. Reynolds: “Yes. of course. It's about time I had some.” Poikoff: “Mr. Will Reynolds has asked Solicitor Higgins to drop the case because the Reynolds family doesn't think there is enough evidence to jus tify the indictment.” Mrs. Reynolds: “Oh, m,v God." Polikoff: “It seems they want Io nolle prosse the charge.” Mrs. Reynolds: “What does that mean?” Polikoff: “It means that the State may drop it now, but you might sometime again be in x dieted.” “I’M INNOCENT Mrs. Reynolds: “I don't want that. I won’t stand for it. I am innocent and they know it. ’ Polikoff: “Then you want me to demand a trial?” Mrs. Reynolds: “That's ex- Young Reynolds Endearing Messages To Libby Prompt Relatives’ New Move WINSTON-SALEM. N. C.. Oct. 19 <lNS).—Reserved and outwardly calm. W. N. Reynolds, tobacco magnate, failed today to give any signs of the turbulent mental conflict that confronted him when he suggested the drop ping of prosecution in connection with his nephew’s death. He asked the State to drop the murder charges against the widow. Libby Holman Reynolds, and Ab Walker, chum of the dead boy. Zachary Smith Rey nolds. only after letters and cables from Smith to his bride appeared to contradict his cher fshed belief that his nephew was too happy to think of suicide. “Suicide Preferable” The messages were sent to Libby Holman at various times when they were apart after their secret marriage. One, from Paris, sent to the Broadway torch singer while she was appearing in a show, read: "Why return now? Meet you later—but suicide is preferable. This is the last cable. Good bye. Love.” The cable, in the light, of other missives, was generally inter preted as meaning Smith pre ferred suicide to continued sepa- Smith’s Uncle Writes Family Would “Be Happy If Action Were Dropped” WINSTON-SALEM. N. C., Oct. 19 (I.N.S.).—Following is the text of the letter written by W. N. Reynolds, uncle of the late Zach ary Smith Reynolds, suggesting that the indictments of the widow; Libby Holman Reynolds, nnd Ab Walker, be nolle prossed: “Mr. Carlisle Higgins, “Winston Salem. N. C. “My Dear Mr. Higgins: “Ever since the death of my nephew. Smith Reynolds. I have been very much interested in and have given very carefnl and thoughtful attention to everything that I could learn about that tragic occurrence. Knowing Smith as I did. and realizing the many fine traits of character that he had, I am convinced that his attitude toward life was such that he would never have intentionally killed himself. Nothing that I have been able to learn about the case has been sufficient to change m.v mind in that re spect. Evidence Lacking “On the other hand, it is equally true, in my opinion, and in that of Smith's brother and sisters, that the evidence fails to prove conclusively that Smith was murdered. “I realize that the matter of handling these indictments is officially in your hands as the representative of the State and that no individual has or ought to have anything to do with the question of whether or not the cases are prosecuted or are dropped. But there has been a great deal of comment and speculation as to what the atti tude of Smith’s family is to ward these cases. * “With that fact in mind, I am taking the liberty of writing you this letter byway of dis closing that attitude and of saying to you that if in the dis charge of your further official duties with respect to these cases you come to the conclu sion that it is right and fair and in the public interest that the cases be dropped, then that action on your part will certainly have no criticism from me or !h>m the other members of actly what I want and nothing less. I am entitled to com plete exoneration.” Smith's uncle,* also co-guardian for his nephew, who was to in herit a $20,000,000 fortune in a few years, decided upon his latest move in the case after the family attorneys advised him they had been unable to find grounds for prosecution. Higgins Ponders Course The law firm. Manley, Hendren, and Womble, wrote Reynolds: “We have been unable to dis cover evidence which in our opinion would justify us in ad vising the family to join in the prosecution of the indict ment.” Higgins, after receiving the letter from Reynolds, said: “I'll take plenty of time to consider the matter. I shall consider the letter carefully, coming from the source that it dees. “After careful and deliberate consideration, I shall make up my mind regardless of who wants this or that done. That is my responsibility and I in tend to follow it.” In the letter to Higgins. Reyn olds made it plain he realized the case was officially In Higgins’ hands for disposition and that no individual ought to determine whether prosecuton should be pushed. ration from the alluring singer. On the same day, he wrote: “Darling Angel: “I would gladly come home if you were not going on with the show. I'll gladly give up this • trip or anything I have to devote all my time to be with you. If you would do the same for me. “If I get to the point where I simply cannot stand it with out you another minute, well, there’s the old Mauser with a few cartridges in it. “I guess I’ve had my inning. It’s time another team went to bat.” It was “the old Mauser with a few carridges in it” that snuffed cut Smith’s life last summer in his palatial home here, at the end of a party. “I’d Kill Myself” Again. Smith wrote Libby: • “If I thought we have to go through life being separated like this, I’d kill myself.” From London, just before he undertook a trans - continental flight to Hong Kong, he wrote: “I really have been ill with out you. 1 have really been sick in bed for two days. I don't know what's the matter, hut I never felt more like dying in a long time.” Smith’s family. In fact. I think that under the circum stances. all of us would be quite happy if it should be your de cision to drop the cases. Sends Judge Copy “Distressed as we all are over Smith's unfortunate death, none of us could find any pleasure in a prosecution that was not fully sustained by the circum stances of his death. “I am taking the liberty of sending a copy of this letter to Judge Stack for his information. “With personal regards and best wishes. I am “Yours very truly. “W. N. REYNOLDS.” Libby’s Father Has “Nothing to Say” ’ CINCINNATI, Ohio. Oct. 19 (T.N.S.). —Although “very much i interested" in the development.; Alfred Holman, father of Libby Holman Reynolds, had ’’nothing to say” today regarding the re port that the Reynolds family 1 would not join in any prosecution of his daughter for the death of i Smith Reynolds, young heir to i tobacco millions. “I have nothing to say, and I am sure Miss Holman will have nothing to say.” Smith’s Brother Concurs In Nolle Prosse Plea WINSTON-SALEM N. C.. Oct. 19 <I.N.S.i.—R. J. Reynolds, jr.. brother of 20-year-old Smith Rey nolds. who was found fatally shot at his estate here last summer, to day said he was a party to and concurred in the request of W. N. Reynolds, titulary head of the wealthy tobacco fa/uily, that mur der indictments against Mrs. Libby Holman Reynolds and Ab Walker be nolle prossed. He said: “I do not believe Smith coin-, mitted suicide, but at the same time, I do not believe there is sufficient evidence to show that Mrs. Reynolds or Walker was responsible. What happened that night probably wilt never be known.” THE WASHINGTON TIMES if— ——--a- 1 i A * B ’ I ; TAMMANY » ! W HALL ■ I vJI i • 'MS 1 i - mi ii ’ .a; I j| r i 1 I ii ' 1 ’ . *- - x r 1 V- ’ X IUkI * * t 5 i SBMI " hw,i .1- 1 r-, ? < . :j| ,:.» ~ -x k I 7- 1 KW ; J#®: "• ri Kn C Ffj'incs Synd><J»e -hr« reseX r d Gov. Roosevelt Lashes Hoover’s Tactics; Charges Campaign of Fear (Continued from Page 1) those countries which employ cheap labor or who operate under a standard of living which is lower than that of our great laboring groups.” He replied to President Hoov er’s declarations that the Demo cratic tariff policy would result in the further loss of American trade with foreign countries, by saying: "We now have a strangula tion of that very trade under the tariff system of unsystem atic and unscientific tariff bills set up by the log rolling that created the Grundy tariff.” DENIES FIGHT ON R. F. C. Roosevelt said that when the voters carefully consider the “complete inaction” of the Repub lican leadership at Washington for the last three years during the economic storm, their answer to the “spectre of fear” must be: “No, we are not afraid of a change.” He said things might have been worse had it not been for the Federal reserve system and the Reconstruction Finance Corpora tion. both of which he insisted “are the result of the constructive She Lectures ■ w - /WM’J HHk *' JM : Ml&ibL MRS. HETTIE DYHKENFCRTH WHO WAS "housewife” of a Himalayan-climbing expedition headed by her husband, a Zurich professor, will tell ah about mountaineering to audi ences in this country. She established base-quarters for the outfit on the Jongsong La at an altitude of 20.C80 feet. In ternational News Photographic Service. The Cat That Came Back—Too Late! ] foresight of the Democratic party and its leaders.” After insisting he never had criticized or objected to the estab- I lishment of the Reconstruction ; Finance Corporation, the governor added: “The point is that it is not that the Republican Administra tion established that agency— it is how it used that agency. The Reconstruction Finance Corporation has performed many excellent services in ex tending credit to banks and other institutions, but it is the fact, which I established last spring, and which the record of the subsequent months has dis closed. that I was right in say ing that only a small portion of the actual credits advanced by the Reconstruction Finance Cor poration has trickled down— seeped through—to the indi vidual, to the worker, and the farmer, and the man without a job—or, for that matter, to the small business man himself.” CHARGES MISCMANAGEMENT Roosevelt asserted that the fundamental purposes and prin ciples of the Reconstruction Fi nance Corporation have not been carried out by the Republican administration at Washington. He summed up his indictment of the Hoover administration with one word — “mismanage ment.” He said: "If this nation wants to know what is wrong with its national government, I will give them the answer in one word that word is ’mismanagement.’ ” The Democratic presidential nominee expressed conviction the American people are ready for a change of administrations—“a change that will put into prac tice the lessons which we have had to leam through our trials and troubles.” Driving home the point that the nation cannot endure "half booin and half broke." Roosevelt said: "The Hoover administration forgot these facts enouraged speculators, strangled foreign markets bv indefensible tariffs, and accomplished nothing for agricultural communities, de pressed already to the lowest point in modern history.” He said he had suggested a program for the rehabilitation of agriculture, for placing the rail roads on their feet that he pro posed to curb the exploitation of hard earned savings, and that he had a definite program for fair control of public utility and pub lic service. He said: “The Democratic program is practical and I pledge to you that it will be carried out with speed and dispatch.” Roosevelt said he holds to the , belief that the Government ex- | ists for Individual men and women and that its first objective ; should be to promote their hap piness. He added: "To me Government is not a machine driven by technicians, hut a human, svmnathetic, and responsive institution.” He said that unless everyone prospers “the nation falters,” and then he concluded: “I seek a sound admini.stra- The National Dailv tion, but I seek a humane ad ministration. lam on the side of courage, with a united and a liberal purpose, with a pro gram worthy of the task before us. I ask your support that America may have a chance to go forward. Os the result I hafre no fear.” As he stepped from his private train in Pittsburgh before coming here by motor he received assur ances of democratic leaders that he has an “excellent chance” of carrying the Keystone State. GAINS BY CANDIDATES IN PRESIDENTIAL POLL The tabulation that follows shows the total vote thus far re corded for President Hoover and Governor Roosevelt tn the nation wide Presidential poll of The Washington Times and other Hearst papers. It also shows the majority that each candidate has in each State in which he is leading. In addition it gives the gain of each candidate on the latest returns received from each State, as compared with the last pre ceding report from the State. These State reports are usually a week anart. The final feature of this table shows the net gain of each candi date in each State where he has improved his position, as com pared with the preceding report from that State. Total | Majority Latest Gain Net Gain Hoov. Roos. I Hoov. Roos. Hoov. Roos.lHoov. Roos Alabama .. 524 3.700 3,176 9 72. 63 Arkansas .J 604 2.928 2 324 45 305 260 Arizona ... 593 1.240 California.. 10.940 19.459' 8,519[ 726 1,115 389 Colorado .. 3.217 3,133 84 401 3971 4 Conn 4.820 2.790 2.030 168 93 75 Delaware .. 671 787' 116; 15 15 Florida ...' 1.083 3.106 2,023 i9O 249 159 Georgia ... 378 3.646 3.2681 21 310 289 Idaho 956 1.190 : 2341 55 58 3 Illinois .... 14.442 19.747’ 5.305| 2,638 2.689 51 Indiana ... 9.352 10.1081 7561 1.662 1.557, 105 lowa 5,022 6,141 1.1191 680 684 4 Kansas ... 4.660 4,128 532 1 466 356 110 Kentucky J 5,169 9,426 4,257| 223 507 284 Louisiana 538 2,823 2,285’ 56 343 287 Maine 2,699 1.612 1.087 1 447 277| 170 Maryland .| 2.215 5,218’ 3.003 420 036 516 Mass 11.615 5.238 6.377 1.728 735' 993 Michigan ..| 8.902 10.080 1,178 1,093 1.214 121 Minn I 4.774 6,170 1.396. 319 286; 33 Mississippi..! 183 2.596 2,413] 25 314’ 289 Missouri ~| 7,467 11.900 4.4331 1.021 1.415] 394 Montana .. | 1,538 1.751] 2131 137 126] 11 Nebraska..| 2.542 4.499 1,957] 285 332' 47 Nevada ...| 212 535’ 323 27 66 39 N. Hamp.. 2.050 1.055 995 ......] 93 35 58 N. Jersey.. 12.629 9.592 3.037 1.807 1,434 373 N. Mexico.. 768 1,027 259 34 54 20 New York.. 27.975 25.522 2.453 1 3.778 3.332 446 N. Carolina. 2.328 B.Blß' 6.490’ 318 1.2221 901 N. Dakota.! 1.116 1,611 495 67 116 49 Ohio I 13.696 13.234 462 1 2,254 1.9671 287 Oklahoma.. 1 2.419 5.519 3.100 376 585 209 Oregon ...J 1.175 1.593 418' 293 372' 79 Penna .... 17.307 M. 979 772] 3.450 3.154 296 R. Island..! 1,822 1.355 467 1 97 42 55 S. Carolina. 76 1.549’ 1,473' 5 48 43 S. Dakota.! 962 1.462 500] 52 49 3 Tennessee.. 1.832 3.94«| 2.1141 146 415] 269 Texas 1.762 10,331 8,569; 124 726' 602 Jtah| 984 1,5131 5291 17 251 8 Vermont .. 1.658 872,. 786 1 339 1211 218 Virginia... 1.481 4.427 2.946] 328 761 43:1 Wash| 2.851 4.907 2.0561 259 424 165 W. Virginia.] 4.672 6,609’ 1.937 ’ 629 796 167 Wisconsin .1 4.531 7.611 3,080 332 504 172 Wyoming .. 538 603 65 122 135 13 i 1 ; 1 Total ... 209.748 275.186 18,310 83.748 27,763 36,927! 3.237 6.401 Net majority and gain..l 65.438| ! 3,164 WEDNESDAY—OCTOBER 19—1932 HOOVER'S GAINS INPOLLTOOO HIMNOGOOO i Lot of Paper, Pencils Needed to Figure Out How He Can Be Re-elected By COLE E. MORGAN The gains that President Hoover has been showing of late in the debatable Eastern •and Central States, and even in spotted ■sections west of the Mississippi, still fail to show wherin he can acquire the 266 electoral votes necessary if he is to continue another term in the White House. Returns in the nation-wide postcard presidential poll of The Washington Times and other Hearst newspapers give the Re publican nominee a total of 145 potential electoral votes In States where he had obtained a ma jority of the Hoover-Roosevelt poll ballots. Still 121 Shy This 145 includes the 47 of New York and the 26 of Ohio and the 9 of Kansas and the 6 of Colorado that are not given to him in other straw votes. The Hearst newspapers’ poll, there fore, Is giving Hoover everything that the straw tests as a whole say he is entitled to. The 145 votes now to his credit still leave him 121 to go for a bare ma jority of the 531 total. The 145 include all New Eng land, New York, New* Jersey. Ohio. Kansas and Colorado. Add to that Delaware 3. Pennsyl vania's 36. Michigan's 19, In diana’s 4, Illinois’ 29. lowa’s 11, Montana's 4. Idaho's 4. Wyo ming’s 3. all States where he has shown some recent pickup, and it would give him 123 additional for a total of 268. TTrat would put him over. But wait a minute. Must Have Illinois Nothing has developed as yet to warrant even remotely the conceding of Illinois to Hoover. Without Illlinois. but with all of the other States mentioned, he would be 27 short. His home State of California could not even save him in that situation, for it has only 22. And despite the optimistic talk of Re publican leaders about the Cali fornia situation, the poll returns and other developments have failed thus far to indicate wherein the California revolt against Hoover has lost its momentum. It will take a lot of paper and pencils and head-scratching to work out the answer of where the electoral votes are coming from to put Hoover across. HIGH COURT ACT if HE BLOW • TO WETS Battle of Two Big Parties for House Control Seen Put in State Legislative Hands The battle of the major par ties for control of State«govern ments today assumed national importance as a result of the Supreme Court’s decision up holding the congressional re districting act of -Mississippi. The result is that the party which obtains control of the leg islatures in at least 10 States may be able to “gerrymander” congressional districts so that it can control the House two years from now. Dry Issue Affected The decision also has a bear ing on the wet and dry issue, for legislatures also will have power to alter congressional districts to favor either the wets or the drys. The high court, in effect, ruled that a private citizen cannot un der present law invoke the aid of courts to prevent State legisla tures from dividing States into congressional districts as they please. As a result of court action or failure of legislatures to act. the entire congresisonal delegations in Missouri. North Dakota, and Minnesota must be elected at large. One or more members of the House must be elected at large from New York. Florida, Illinois. Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Connecticut. Blow at Wets An example of the far-reaching ; effect of the decision is seen in the situations i nNew York, Illi-, nois, Ohio, and Missouri. Should either the Republicans or Democrats control the State government, they could shuffle congressional districts to the ad vantage of either party. By denying fair representation in the big cities, the legislatures could keep many wet Congress men out and put dry members in office. Under the general reapportion- j ment of members of the House among States, based on the 1930 | census, it was expected that the ’ wets would gain at least 20 mem-! bers. The legislatures, however, now will have power to nullify this gain. GDI ROOSEVELT THANKS LEAGUE Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt to day sent a message of thanks to lhe National Popular Government League, of Washington, which early this month announced its support of the New York gov ernor for the presidency, revers ing its 18-year precedent of non-> □artisanship. The message from the candi date announces that Roosevelt will continue his demands that the re maining power resources of the country be kept for the benefit of the people as a whole and “not, □e allowed to geth into the hands | jf those who would exploit them tor their own selfish benefit.” The league on October 7 in ’ormed the governor that by a 90 □er cent vote on referendum, it □ad decided to reverse tem □orarily its non-partisan position, md by an overwhelming majority ,'oted to actively support Roose-1 zelt on the issues of power, con- ■ ;ervation of natural resources and I orestry. Hub's Mayor Spurns Salvation Army Fund BOSTON. Oct.* 18 (1.N.5.). Sharp criticism by Mayor James M. Curley was to be answered in Mew York today by Miss Evange ine Booth, commander-in-chief of he Salvation Army in the United States. Boston's chief executive refused to contribute to the Salva tion Army’s maintenance ftlnd jiving as his reason that Miss Booth publicly appealed for the reelection of President Hoover. Phe mayor has been an ardent supporter of Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt for President. Hoover Is Assailed At Bladensburg Club Democratic and labor leaders, ast night joined in an attack I >n the Hoover administration at ' i rally staged by the Bladens-, >urg District Democratic Club in st. Luke’s Parish Hall, Bladens »urg. The speakers were Represents ive Stephen W. Gambrill an 1 State Senator Lansdale G. Sas cer and John P. Colpoys, edi or of the Trade Unionist. Dr. j tobert W. McCullough, club iresident, presided. WILL RECALL DEBS j Exercises in commemoration of $ he I'fe of Eugene V. Debs will S >e held at Typographical Tem >le tomorrow at 8 p. m. Wil iam A. Toole, of Baltimore, will peak and a speech by Norman 1 rhaaaas will be broadcast. 1 PEOPLE Who Interest You and What They Are Doing Alice Foote MacDougall Stages Rapid Comeback NEW YORK. Oct. 19.—Mrs Alice Foote MacDougall has re gained ownership of two of her coff?e shops which went into the hands of receivers last May. From now on she will have com plete control of the Little Coffee Shop, in the Grand Central Ter minal, and Co r tile. in West Forty third Street. On June 6, just out of a sanitarium and so weak It, it Ku ' w ■MB. « 4RS. MACOOI MU she could barely walk across a room. Mrs. MacDougall an nounced she was going to fight to recover the place she had lost a the owner of a $2,500,000 chain of coffee shops. . It took her exactly four months to get her feet again and become solvent, and her restaurants are now well packed for meals. Tw'enty-five years ago Mrs. MacDougall began her enter prise on a capital of S3B. Belmont Painting To Be Sold in N. Y. NEW YORK. Oct. 19.—Paint ings. furniture and objects of art frdm the home of Mr. and Mrs. Perry Belmont, at 1618 New Hamp shire Ave., Wash ington, D. C. with selec tions from Belcourt, their Newport place, have e e n placed on exhibition a t American Art Associa tion-Anderson Galleries. The collection < - ft PKKRV BELMONT will be sold at auction on Fri day and Saturday. Among the artists whose work is on exhibition are Nicholas Maes, Aelbert, Cuyp, Jan Mole naer, Hobbema. Van Ostade, Detaille and Paul Jean Clays. Included in the collection is the tapestry which hung over the great marble fireplace, carrying the eye up to the elabo rate ceiling, inset with paintings brought by Mr. Belmont from an old Venetian palace. Garbo Coming Back, Says Dorothy Jordan NEW YORK. Oct. 19.—News from the Hollywood front brought by that piquant cinema star. Dorothy Jordan, who is appearing on the stage here this week, has it that Greta Garbo is all signed up with the film makers to do at least one more Ameri can picture. Miss Jordan said: “I don’t know Miss Garbo person ally, but I know for a GRETA GARBO fact that she has a contract she signed just before she sailed for Sweden in which she prom ises to return and make at least one more picture in Hollywood.” Fannie Hurst Out For Gov. Roosevelt NEW YORK. Oct. 19 —Fan nie Hurst, the novelist, has announced that for the first time she will vote for the presidential nominee of one of the major parties by casting her ballot for Cover n,o r R.o o s e v elt She said: “Our pres ent disorders need imme diate atten tion or mean while the pa tient will die. A.: X FANNIE HIRST To one of these convictions the figure <4 Frankh'n Roosevelt looms with value and importance.” CONDITION OF TREASURY Treasury balance of October 7: $863.931 373.16: expenditures, 77.114.256.17; custom receipt". 13.671,214.72. STOC K SALES Five Leading Stocks 1 a. m >1,268,970 ’ noon. $2,782,800