Perth Amboy evening news. [volume], February 27, 1922, FINAL EDITION, Page 6, Image 6

About Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959

Image provided by: Rutgers University Libraries

                
PERTH AMBOY EVENING NEWS
published Dally except Sunday et Jdffvrwon Street corner of Madlaon Avenue, Perth
Amboy. N. J.. by the
t FIRTH AMBOY EVENING NEWS COMPANY
lY Telephone [phone]
| J. LOGAN CLEVENGER Editor
D. P. OLMSTEAD General Manager .
Subscription Frlce by mall. Includlna postage and war tax, 1 month. ctnia, 1
.t po.t Office at Perth Aroht.j. N. J.. a; »«""« mail m.lt.r.
Branch Offict.—New lork. F. It. Norlhrup. 10» Filth A.anua; Chlcaio. Suita
111# Association Build Inc. __ __ _
Communications
Th. Xrc.ilfl. New. I. mlw.r. gla<1 to rec.lv. communication. from It. r,.d.r.
An» lair t rm inter tied for publication must be reaaonabla in length and muat be ■igr**-]
K th. r.m- and.drtrJM of ". writer. If r.quc.t.d th. nam. will not b. publiah.d
tin lean pereonalltlea are Indulged In.__
-—:' —-==:— —-—~ r
Member of The Associated Press
The Associated Treaa (a exclusively entitled to the use for publication Of sit nee*
despatches credited to It or not o'herwlae credited In this paper and Also tha local
The Evening N«we le also a member cf the American Nawapapara Publishers’
Aaeoclatlon and the Audit Bureau of
a Bible Thought For Today
j’lli: FIRST COMMANDMENT:—Thou shalt have
no oilier gods before me.—Exodus ~0:3.
— . ---- ■'■--.■■I 1 ~ "■■■ - - "*"**’*!
WILL THIS OPPORTUNITY BE LOST TOO?
The utter helplessness of the city officials to know
which way to turn or what to do was never more clearly
demonstrated than tlie present quandary over the purchase
.of the gas works property. There is the same doulit, hesi
tancy and delay that lias characterized the city’s attitude to
ward the elimination of the grade crossings. And so it will
always be whenever any really big problem nilecling the
.tuturo welfare of the city comes up until a comprehensive
jcify plan is adopted.
One of the most important questions to be decided in con
nect ion with the gas works site is whether that particular
section of the waterfront is to he developed commercially or
industrially or is to he reserved for the people as a park.
That there must be some part of Hie shore set aside for parks
all will agree. It is inconveivable that the city will allow
all ils shore 1o he built up without regard for the people. A
place from which to view the beautiful hay, enjoy the cool
ing breezes oil' the water and bathe is just as essential for
the comfort and happiness of the inhabitants of the city as
wharves, warehouses and industries are for the city’s growth
-v _:i_. Va«1.- PIli* «e nri»nnf ic fho. rlf»
CAI1U -v 7-O
manii there for shipping, still boasts of her Battery Pork.
And now is the lime for Perth Amboy to decide whether she
is to have a Battery Park of her own.
Granting that adequate space must be reserved on the
waterfront for park purposes, what more appropriate site
could be chosen than that section between High street and
Catalpa avenue? In the first place, the city already has a
nucleus for a recreation center there in what is known as
Caledonia park. And the very name of this little park sug
gests ample reason for preserving that section for all time
as a park. Caledonia park is named for the first Scotch set
tlers who founded the city of Perth Amboy.
The first houses were erected on the site of Caledonia
park and where the gas works now stand. From that partic
ular spot the present city of Perth Amboy began to grow.
U. Would be altogether fitting, therefore to have this loca
V tion set aside for all time for the use of the people in com
memoration of the city’s historic beginning. I
Mention has been made of the development of the river
front for shipping purposes. But supposing the tract the
(ity now owns on the river front extending from the rail
i oad eastward to Catalpa avenue is developed for commercial
purposes—and expert engineers who have viewed that sec
lion say it is ideal for such use—that is no reason why the
rest of the shore front from Catalpa avenue to High street
should not be reserved for a park. Battery park in New
York is bounded on all sides by ferry terminals, steamship
piers and towering office buildings. But that does not pre
vent thousands of people from enjoying the view of the bay
and the cooling breezes off the water, as well as the munici
pal baths that make the spot so attractive.
Twice before the Evening News has advoealed the pur
chase of historic sites for park purposes. When the West
minster in Kearny avenue was abandoned as a home for
aged Presbyterian ministers and roverted back to heirs of the
previous owner, who at once offered the properly for sale,
the Evening News urged that the city buy the entire tract,
which then extended all the way from High street through
to Slate street, for a park. The tract not only contained the
historic old governor’s mansion standing in the midst of a
grove of handsome trees, but there were winding paths,
liuuu >>iui ijiu same nmu ui iruca emu a wuuucnui tiurucigu
fhat today would be one of the greatest assets of the city.
Bat there were few who were interested; the city did nothing
and so this historic landmark was lost. The building as is
stands today loses much of its significance with the original
surroundings gone.
A few years ago the so-called Johonson property on the
Bluff was put on the market. Here was another site rich in
historic associations, the old house having been the home
of some of flie colonial governors even before the West
minster was built. It is on this site that the giant trees
brought over hv the colonists stand, which trees arc as
'sound today—those of them dial are left—as they were 200
years ago. But still the officials were indifferent. Today this
tract has met the fate of the Westminster. The old building
still stands but the land is being rapidly built up and only
within the past few days the monarch of the great group of
frees came crashing to the ground. Another opportunity to
make a park of one of Perth Amboy’s historic landmarks
has been lost.
Now if. is the site of the original settlers that is at
stake. The aldermen cannot quibble much longer. To re
fuse to buy the gas works site means the extension of the
gas plant at its present location. Caledonia park might then
us well bo abandoned as far ns a park is concerned and the
entire shore front in that locality given over to industry and
commerce.
But where is to be the city’s waterfront park? Surely
the men now in charge of the municipal government are not
going to be so short-sighted as to ignore this mailer until- it
is too late. And if there is to he a waterfront park, why not
this historio location? The property can never be secured
at any cheaper price than now. And if this opportunity is
. lost what will the future generations of Perth Amboyans
say of the present city officials?
It is, indeed, a grave responsibility that rests upon
Jhose who are now directing the city's destiny.
THE TOONERVILLE TROLLEY THAT MEETS ALL THE TRAINS—BY FONTAINE FOX
» '
A^R THE S£ GETS iH THE.
CAR IS USUALLY So LOADED DovHM
That those on the rear platform
HAVE To HELP GET HER .STARTED
WiTH LONG POLES in much the.
SAME WAY YoU POSH OFF A SoAT.
KILLING CRIMINALS BY GAS
DESCRIBED BY MR. HASKIN
Dally Letter by Frederic J. Haskln „
WASHINGTON. D. C.—The use
of lethal gas as a means of execut
ing prisoners does not appear to be
a progressive step in dealing with
criminals, in the opinion of Dr. Earl
Dudding, head of the Prisoners’ Be
lief Society.
Dr. Dudding Is opposed to the
death penalty in any form on the
ground that it is inefficient—that it
does not prevent crime nor reform
criminals. Minnesota, without cap
ital punishment, has less crime than
any other state, he says. But there
are only a few states where the
death penalty is abolished, and un
til it is generally abolished, says Dr.
Dudding, we should use methods of
execution which will least discredit
our civilization.
Details of executions by the state
are mipleasant and, therefore, it
seems people know comparatively
little about them. They assume that
electrocution is swift and painless.
It has a modern, efficient sound and
It has supplanted death by hanging
In a number of states.
Dr. Dudding ha3 personally made
tests at prison executions, and he
finds that contrary to general opin
ion the most humane method of ex
ecution in use is hanging. That is,
hanging is less painful to the con
demned man than electrocution, and
til things considered, would proba
bly he far less of an ordeal than
the gas method which one state ta
to try out in April.
“Death by hanging,” Dr. Dudding
explained, "is usually instantaneous.
Where death does pot take place at
or.ee, the shock of the drop causes
unconsciousness. The preparations
at the scaffold take about a minute.
Several men are there, each ready
for the signal. When it is given,
one man straps together the hands
of the condemned man. another ties
his knees, and a third his ankles. It
Is done swiftly, and there is singing
going on or the sheriff or some one
else talks to the man to lessen the
strain. Often he does not realize he
is being tied.
Springing tlic Trap
“Then the black eap is quickly
slipped over his head and the trap
is sprung—perhaps six men press
six buttons. One of these buttons—
none of the six men knows which
one—starts a motor to whirling.
This instantly pulls out the pins
which hold the trap, and It drops
with a crash.
“On one occasion I got hold of
the man's pulse about three seconds
after the drop and there was only a
little flutter.
“Electrocution, on the other hand,
is not so awiftly certain as hanging
even when the most efficient equip
ment is used. I saw a man electro
Lion that he could not stand the
suspense, lie pulled the lever and
killed the man before the signal was
given*
"The hanging was held publicly
with the Idea that it would be a
warning against crime. The effect
that it had was to-arouse a county
wide antipathy toward the death
penalty. They have never been able
to get a jury to agree to the death
penalty in any case in that county
since then.”
Ur. Duddlng's Own Experience
Later, Pr. Pudding was on trial
in this same county for killing a
man in self defense. Candidates for
the jury were asked as usual if
they had any objection to capital
punishment in proper cases, and out
of ISO men fully 100 were told to
step a-ide after answering that they
did object. Those who were chosen
would probably have refused to con
sider any specific case “proper” for
capital punishment.
“The death penalty continues,”
Dr. Pudding . explains. “because
people do not know much about it
and because of the belief that it is
a deterrent of crime. It is safe to
say that no criminal thinks of the
death penalty when he commits a
crime. And there is just as much
law breaking in states where the
death penalty Is ofen pronounced as
In slates where there is a strong
sentiment against It.
‘■Violence is no curative. What
we should substitute for violence Is
educa'jon, and progressive methods
of dealing with prisoners. No one
benefits by the execution of a slayer.
His family is loft disgraced, per
haps dependent. Often some other
family—that of the victim of the
crime—is left dependent. Perhaps
if the man were allowed to work in
the penitentiary at a reasonable
wage and the money sent to sup
port those he had wronged some
good might come of the sentence
rather than only Suffering to the
I innocent families involved.”
• > *
cuted in Ohio. It takes about as
long to prepare for an electrocution
as for a hanging. The man is strap
ped into the chair tightly. His
wrists are wet. and generally a wet
vug is placed under his feet to in
sure the contact.
"I made an arrangement with this
condemned man, confidentially, that
he would move his finger as long
as he could. They turned on enough
current to kill him, supposedly. In
spite of the straps the body twisted
and was horribly contorted by the
force. In about half a minute they
turned on a second current and he
was still moving his finger. This is
not instantaneous death."
Dr. Dudding explained that the
gas method is a new idea and that
people can merely conjecture re
garding it. After talking with a
number of persons Interested in
penology he found that the consen
sus of opinion was that they would
prefer a swift death by hanging to a
lesa violent one which would take
place at an unspecified moment.
The actual experience of being gass
ed might or might not be so uncom
fortable as being hung. But it is
the uncertainty, the fact that a week
is to be set aside for the execution,
and that the prisoner Is put into
the specially constructed death cell
knowing that during the week, un
known to him the gas is to be intro
duced into the cell, that strikes
many people as repulsive.
Agonies of Suspense
The last few hours before facing
the gallows or the chair are an or
deal. It is often necessary to give
the sentenced man some stimulant.
Whiskey used to be given for this
purpose; now strychnine is generally
administered.
But imagine the suspense of
knowing that with each dragging
minute of the week before you death
may come. Imagine being keyed
up "to that fear and expectation for
a week or part of one, and you have
something like the situation In
Poe's famous "Pit and the Pendu
lum.”
There is, of course, no intention
on the part of the state officials to>
make death more difficult. The ex
periment is being tried asra humane
measure, and the actual gassing
may be such. That depends on the
kind of gas used and the swiftness
UL uin uvawia jjuu hid ^inuuai wp
proacli, through a possible week, is
very reminiscent of the woman who
felt so sorry for the poor lobsters
she had to boil that she put them in
cold water and heated them up
slowly.
In the experiment with gas four
Chinese tongmen are to be used as [
subjects. For this reason it is pos
sible that the test may not ho as
Illuminating as it would be if rneu
of the western world were to be
execitfed. The Chinese were, ex
perts in mental ordeals when
Europe was dealing with crude
physical torture. The Orient some
times forced a man to confess by
preventing him from getting any
sleep—a third degree method which
few prisoners could stand for many
days.
Whether the Chinese tongman of
today would show more stolid poise
than an occidental in the face of
uncertain but inevitable death re
mains to bo seen. It is possible that
he might. In any event, the test
might be repeated on Americans
with entirely different results.
Has Move Has Significance
That a state is attempting, suc
cessfully or not, to humanize the
execution of criminals is significant.
It means that there is strong senti
ment against the violence of hang
ing and electrocution. It is an in
teresting fact that when the public
used to be invited to executions, and
even now when prison inmates are
sometimes forced to look on at such
scenes, the results are far from sal
utary. Prisoners become enraged
and embittered at the state doing
what it condemns.—taking life.
Perhaps the man was not convicted
beyond doubt. Men have been exe
cuted and later exonerated of the
blame for the crime for which they
died.
The public, too. revolted at hang
ings. Dr. Duddiug tells of a public
hanging that was held in one county
of West Virginia. Crowds came to
the sight. The man sentenced to
die had killed his sweetheart. He
walked to the gallows with a red
rose in his buttonhole and his
mother and sister came with him
to tell him goodbye.
“The militia was called out.” says
Dr. Dudding, "and being a member
I was there. It was the most im
pressive sight I ever witnessed. The
sheriff was so overcome with emo
THE AMBOY” HAT
We have h*3 made for us
a hat of the finest quality in
all the popular shapes and
colors with finest silk trim
mings, leather sweat band of
the finest quality and priced
at the tow figure.$5.00
Many of the advertised
hats retailing at $7.50 are
not equal in quality to the
“AMBOY.”
Gannon & Sheehy
92 SMITH ST.
-T—
MILE
OMSIMS
March 13—last day to pay income
tax. Beware the ldcs of March.
One sign of spring is' when a
neighbor brings back our coal scut
tles and borrows our lawn mower.
Belter change Hollywood to Holly
did.
“Give up and marry” is advice of
fered bachelors. Then they marry
and give up.
Foreigners swindled in Chicago
can become regular citizens now.
One fellow calls the weatherman
a whetherman—he doesn’t know
whether it will or won’t.
On the railroads a hitch in time
kills nine. ,
Man who said "Out of sight is out
of mini” wasn't speaking of prices.
"We can hear the footsteps of a fly
like thunder,” say scientists. Like
thunder, you can!
Never was. never will be a kitchen
big enough for a man to loaf in.
Chicago refuses to save daylight
this year. They need all the night
they can get in Chicago.
About time for country photog
raphers to unpack their wooden fish
for the spring trade.
The man caught with imitation
books containing liquor picked his
library from the best cellers.
Kansas has so many gubernatorial
candidates a man has to announce it
only when he isn't running.
The boss doesn't always work at
being boss at home.
When the Prince of Wales was
thrown from his pony some by
stander probably remarked "The
prince of wails.”
Not knowing where we are going
is no excuse for not being on our
way.
I YOU AND I 1
Receivership courts work over
time, Business failures continue at
a heavy rate. That was to be ex
pected. Too many went into business
for themselves during the boom.
Old law is at work—The survival
of the fittest. The strong will dodge
the sheriff. The weak arc being
weeded out.
Some of the big companies that
conducted affairs on a pipe-organ
basis are in difficulties, which tin
whistle small companies are riding
the storm.
During the 1919 boom the country
had 289.768 manufacturing com
panies. employing 9,103,200 wage
earners.
That was one plant for each 31
employes. One-to-lOO would be a
better average for this ago of quan
tity production. Balance is being
restored by Old Man Bankruptcy.
Mistake
Thirteen years ago a man was
hanged. Ho had been convicted of
murdering a game warden near
New Castle. Pa.
Now it Is believed that the wrong
man went to the gallows. New evi
dence has led to swearing out of a
warrant charging another man with
the murder.
You have often wondered if such
things ever really happen. The New
Castle case, is Exhibit A for people
who believe in life imprisonment in
stead of the death penalty.
Coal
Non-union mines can furnish
the country with 6,000,000 tons of
coal a week in event the union min
ers walk out April 1.
This is the estimate by J. P. A.
Morrow, official of the leading asso
ciation of coal operators.
Morrow says a coal strike could
last several months without serious
ly inconveniencing consumers. This
isn't so. Country is burning coal
now at the rate of 7,500,000 tons a
week. By April consumption will
require at least 9,000,000 tons.
Even if the shortage were only
50,000 tons a week, buyers would bid
against each other. A runaway
market would result.
Idle
Goa! .miners put forth a new idea
!n the matter of pay. They say, what
they get a day doesn’t count— that
they are idle part of the time, so
their compensation should be on a
basis to insure them a fair income
for the whole year.
Since 1899, coal miners have
worked an average of about 220
days a year. Sundays and holidays
must be added. This leaves, roughly.
three months during which the av
erage miner isidle.
I The solution of this 225 per cent
labor surplus? Some think theye
are too many miners. There would
be, if mines could! be kept running
constantly.
But the public buys by fits and
starts. Miners have to be on hand,
like firemen waiting for an alarm.
That is the real mine-labor problem.
Luck
Poverty and the impending ar
rival of a baby induced a young
married man in Los Angeles to
forge a $5 note.
From behind the bars, he learns
that he inherits a $500,000 legacy
from an aunt in London.
If he had only held out a few days
longer against hard luck!
The night Is blackest Just before
dawn. When discouragement gets
so bitter it seems it can't be endured
any longer, that's usually a sure
sign luck Is about to change.
Lost
Livestock on farms and ranges
in our country slumped in value
53,385,237,000 during 1921, says
Department of Agriculture. This is
due to a drop of nearly 42 per cent
in market price.
The balloon has been pricked but
farmers still have the balloon. From
the livestock slump they learn that
all value is imaginary until It's
cashed in/
FRANK P. W0GL0M
STATIONER
NOW LOCATED AT
197 SMITH STREET
NEAR M’CLELLAN ST.
4
Deposits Made In Our Special
Interest Department On Or
Before March 3rd Will Draw
Interest From March 1st At
v _ -...
4%
Perth Amboy Trust Company
A Good Bank to Be With
Smith and Hobart Street
, \
■ ————»p—1
Questions-Answers
Any reader can get the answer io '
any question by writing The rank
Amboy Evening News Information !
Bureau, Frederic J. Hnskiu, Director,
Washington. D. C. This offer, ap
plies strictly to Information. The
bureau cannot give advice on legal,
medicinal and financial roubles it
does not attempt to «ettlo domestic
troubles nor to undertake enhaus
tlv* reaearcb on any aubect. Write
your question plainly and bristly.
Give full name adn address and en
close two cents In stamps for return
postags All replies aie sent direct
to tbs Inquirer. |
/ Q. When was pairing first re
sorted to in congress?—E. M.
A. Tne first known instance of
pairing in the Congress of the Unit
ed States was in 1840 John Quincy
Adams prepared a resolution declar
ing that it violated the Constitution, \
an express rule of the House, and the l
duties of both parties. The resolu- v g
lion wan never voted upon, and the
practise became very common.
Q. D.d John L>. Rockefeller give
the tract of ground on which the
University of Chicago was built?—T.
T.
A Marshr.lj Field donated the
iginal site for the University.
Q. Hew long does it take to go
from England to India?—C. H. A. ™
•A. The overland route is the
shortest from G-eat Britain to India.
The itinerary is b? way of Paris,
Lyons, the Mont Cenis Tunnel, Mo
dena, Brindisi, then by steamer to
Port Said, through the Suez Canal
and the Bel Sea to Bombay. This
trip takes about threo weeks.
Q. IIow old's W. J. Bryan: where
was he born? How old is the ex
ka'sev ard where is he living?—S. J.
A. William Jennings Bryan is 61
years ol age. He was born at Salem,
Illinois. The former kaiser is 63 ’
years old and he is residing in
Doom, Holland.
Q. What Is a pagoda?—N. M. I.
A. In the architecture of eastern
Asia, any tower-like structure con
nected with a temple or serving as a
shrine i.; called a pagoda.
Q. Wbac is the significance of
the term ‘original package?”—Ci.
U. 1.
A. In American constitutional
law, this means tip* package in which
goods are shipped from ono state to
another. The Un'ted States courts
held that where an article is import
ed into one state from another, it
docs not lore the protection of the
interstate commerce clause while Un
original package remains unbroken <
and )s the property of the importer.
Interpretation of these decision*
made it possible to evade state lav*
by selling direct to the customers in
"original packages.” The imporu
ance of thi3 is in its bearing on t^^fc
sale of cigarettes and other comn'W
dities about which state laws differ
Q. V.’hat country did oranges
come from?—P. K. H.
A. The orange is a native of In
dia or southern China, but has been
distributed to all parts of the sub
tropical and warm temperature re
gions.
Q. fa t, e spot marked where
John Howard Payne was buried in
Tunis?—R. G.
A. The tody of John Howard
Payne was distinterred and removed
to America in 1883, but a monument
has been placed on the spot where he
lay in Tunis 31 years similar to that
erected over his new tomb in Wash
ington,
Q. What is the national debt of
the Philippines9 How many inhab
itants of the Islands are illiterate?—
S. S. H
A. The bonded debt of the Philip
pine Islands government is $32,000 -
000. The debt Of the City of Manila
is SG,7i0.00Q. According to 1018 .
statistics, 30 per cent of the popula
tion over ten years of ago was illit
erate. t
Q. Who invented skis? When was
the first ski tournament held?— H.
C,
V The ski was invented by tb<
Aryans in the sixth century for tra
versing the vast plains of Centrs
Asia. The first ski tourney was hem
in Norway in 1879.
ARE YOUR CHIMKNYS
AND FIREPLACES SAFE? JB
Of the mistakes commonly ma(^p
in homo building none is more f»o
qunt than faulty design ami con
struction of chimneys and fireplace*
Although the uso of the fireplace u
is one of the oldest methods of house
heating there are few who under- ,
stand the principles of its action.
Even experienced masons frequently ;
fall into errors in building which ;
seriously detract from the efficiency ,
of the installation. I “*■
Bad chimney design is also th'
cause of much avoidable expense in
heating the house.
| The Government has prepared p
[ booklet designed to give the house
holder and prospective builder a
working knowledge of the principles .
to be observed in planning and build
ing these important parts of the ;
house which, ir they are observed ,
will go a long way toward promot- ■
ing comfort and safety.
Our Washington Information Bu
reau will secure a copy of this for
any of our redaers who ask for it.
The booklet ie free. Simply fill out
and mail the coupon below, enclosing
two cents in stamps for return post
age. Be sure to write your nam* ^
and address clearly on the lines of
the coupon.
Frederic J. Haskio. Director.
The Perth Amboy Evening News,
Information Bureau.
Washington, D. C.
I enclose herewith two cents tn
stamps for return postage on a free j
copy of the booklet on Chimneys and
■fireplaces as offered by The Perth j
Amboy Evening News.
Name ... l(
0
Stra.t ....
.*s
St.ta .
■ —
If YOU Lave some specie
want to be satisfied — call tlir
EVENING NEWS and ask for
an ad taker.
The C. & S. Co. |
Carl C. Christensen A Sons ,
SEAMAN STREET 1 '
Wholesale/and retail dealers •
in all kinds of Mason’s
Materials
Sheetrock Wall Boards
Anty-Hydro Waterproofing j
Metal Lath, Roofing, Sewer J
Pipe j
COAL At
Price* Right, Prompt Fg
Service
TeL 1440 1|
■ ' j