BOILER BURST
MAY ANSWER
BLAST PROBE
WASHINGTON, Oct. L
Whether that familiar epitaph of
steamboat history — “the boiler
burst'—will be written again as the
official verdict on the cause of the
recent New York ferry boat blast
taking over 70 lives soon will be an
swered by the steamboat inspection
service.
Investigators have been at work
almost since the boom of the ex
plosion which tore apart the steam
er ,'Observation•, in the east liver.
But there is no inkling whether they
will confirm the report of survivors:
“The boiler burst."
Ominous Sound'
The words have an ominous sound
In steamboat history but the literal
expression generally was "the boil
er busted." So many of the high
decked stem or side wheelers went
up in smoke and steam that as earfy
as 1826 safety barges were devised.
But this arrangement, while safe
and comfortable. was slow and
steamboats, with boilers placed
where they could spray almost
everybody on board with live steam
in the event they gave way, gained
most of the business.
The passengers of that day were
taking chances on river cutthroats,
fire, snags, gamblers and a few other
things. The prospect of additional
hazards in the shape of boilers
which might turn suddenly Into
volcanoes didn't feaae them much. I
let ’Em Bast’
"Let ’em bust." was the attitude
and “bust" they did. The builders
learned their te lnique better but
there was :.o Insurance against reck
less captains wlv tied weights on
safety levers during frequent races
with other packets. Or if the race
were improptu and a weight wasn't •
handy, they sent a heftv darkey >
down to sit on the lever. That was
just as effective In conserving steam
to add speed or In causing an ex
plosion.
The Moselle’s boilers shattered
near Cincinnati In 1831. killing 230. i
The Investig' tion showed the safety
lever was anchored during a race
with another boat. There was a
great outcry about this but the boats
which made the best time generally
made the most money. The Moselle
wasn't the first, or the last, in a
long series of chronicles of death
and destruction.
WEATHER i
For East Texas: Partly cloudy
to cloudy Saturday night and Sun
day; local showers in west portion
and on the west coast.
Light to moderate easterly winds
on the coast.
RIVER FORECAST
Flood Present 24-Hr. 24-Hr. j
Stage Stage Chang. Rain
Eagle Pass 16 18.2 42-4 .04
Laredo 27 12.5 48.0 .28
Rio Grande 21 30.4 +0.7 .21
Hidalgo 22 24.2 42.5 .55
Mercedes 20 21.7 +0.1 .16
Brownsville 18 18.3 0.0 .85 j
TIDE TABLE
High and low tide at Pt. Isabel
Sunday, under normal meteor
ological conditions:
High. 3:38 a. m.; 6:24 p. m
Low .10:36 a. if*.; 11:46 p. m.
MISCELLANEOUS DATA
Sunset today . 6:17
8unn.se tomorrow . 6:23
FLOOD WARNINGS
Water in sight at Riogrande
City during the last 24 hours (Crest
310 feet about 11 p. m. last nighk;
will cause a flood from there down
during the next one to four days,
about equal in area and height
Nof stages to the flood early m
4 September, with levees and flood
K ,vays functioning similarly. CAU
^TION ADVISED to safeguard lives
and property in areas where levees
are known to be weak or might
give way.
There will also be a further
modi rate rise at Laredo to-day.
and the river will continue to rise
from there down during the next
24 to 48 hours, reaching Riogrande
Ciy late Sunday night or on Mon
day.
BULLETIN
(First figures, lowest tempera
ture last night; second, highest
yesterday; third, ? inr' v oclty a:
8 a m.; fourth, precipitation ir.
the last 24 hours.
Abilene . 60 70 .. .00
Amarillo . 52 56 .. .08
Atlanta . 56 72 .. .00
Austin . 60 82 .. .00
Boston . 46 56 .. .00
BROWNSVILLE... 75 88 .. .83
Brville Airport .... 76 87 .. .82
Calgary . 40 70 .. .00
Chicago . 54 72 14 .00
Cleveland . 56 68 20 .00
Corpus Christ! .... 70 80 .. .00
Dallas . 64 76 12 .00
Del R:o . 66 66 .. .08
Denver . 50 76 .. .00
Dodge City . 50 60 .. .06
Ei Paso . 58 62 .. .06
Fort Smith . 58 74 .. .04
Helena . 48 76 .. .00
Houston . 64 80 12 .00
Huron . 46 86 .. .00
Jacksonville . 66 78 14 .00
Kansas City . 54 74 12 .00
Los Angeles . 60 70 .. .00
Louisville . 48 70 .. .00
Memphis . 62 74 .. .00
Miami . 74 86 16 .08
New Orleans . 64 82 .. DO
North Platte . 44 SO .. .00
Oklahoma City .... 56 62 .. .10
Palestine . 58 78 .. .00
A nsacola . 66 80 12 .0?
Vhoenix . 66 84 .. .02
'won Arthur . 60 78 .. .00
Roswell . 54 58 .. .01
St. Lcuis . 54 70 12 .00
St. Paul . 56 84 .. .00
Salt Lake City .... 56 74 .. .0u
San Antonio . 66 78 .. DO
Santa Fe . 42 60 .. .00
Sheridan . 44 82 .. .00
Shreveport . 60 80 .. .00
Tampa . 66 86 10 .00
Vicksburg . 60 78 .. .00
W'a'hington . 48 68 .. .00
Williston . 42 82 \. .00
Wilmington . 52 72 .. .00
Wmnemucca ...... 46 80 .. .00
‘THE WHOOPEE CRUISE’ MYSTERY
- 4
BY ROBERT TALLEY
Between March 1 and Aug. 8.
1931, Hisashi Fujimura, 38, wealthy
Japanese silk Importer of New
York, withdrew from his account
in a New York hank the sum of
$335,412, leaving a balance of only
$102.
On Aug. 9 he sailed on the Red
Star liner Belgenland for a "whoo
pee cruise" to Halifax and return,
being accompanied on this trip by
Mary Dale von Reissner, blond
actress, who had been his friend
for months.
At 2:45 a. m. on Aug. 14. when
the steamer was within a few miles
of New York on Its return trip, a
ship's officer—making his custom
ary rounds—saw Fujimura, in eve
ning attire, talking to someone m
the shadows of '‘A'’ deck. He does
not know who that “someone" was.
At 7 a .m.. when a steward went
to Fujimira's stateroom to awaken
him, Jujlmura's bed was empty.
He has never been seen since.
A A A
What happened?
There are some who think the
wealthy Japanese v&s murdered
and thrown overboard by black
mailers who had been ‘'bleeding*
him for months and who had fol
lowed him on the ship.
There are others who believe that
his huge bank withdrawals went to
cover gambling losses and that
finally, in despair and disgrace, he
ended his life by Jumping Into the
sea.
There are still others who think
that In some way he got ashore
and is now living secretly, some
where, hiding away from the world
he once knew.
Beginning with PujlmIra's mys
terious disappearance on Aug. 14,
an investigation by federal authori
ties continued until Sept. 8, when
United States Attorney George Z
Medalie of New York announced
that he had found "no evidence to
prove that a murder or any other
crime had been committed on the
high seas."
Thus the Investigation ended, but
the mystery as to what actually
happened is as far from solution
as ever.
A few months ago Mrs. Fujimura.
the missing man’s wife, closed their
$150,000 50-acre estate near Wesi
Norwalk. Conn., took her four chil
dren and went back to Japan. She
never discussed the case with re
porters because she knew only one
word of English and that was
•Scram! "—a word she had learned
from a detective. She applied the
word to all questioners.
• • •
Nor could Mary Dale von Relss
ner, the beautiful 25-year-old ex
show girl who had been Pujimura’s
©TOOK PART IN
GAY PIETIES 'l Cr\>
ABOARD SHIP
® SAILED AVW ON *#H&OPEE O^DlSE*
WITH PRETTY ACTRESS
mm (3) Last seen
WEt' at 2 45 A M.
f TALKING With
I UNIDENTIFIED
PERSON
Hisashi Fujimusa
frequent companion, throw an?
light on the mystery.
She had sailed with Fujimura on
this "whoopee cruise." and occupied
an adjoining stateroom which was
separated from his only by a bath.
She was listed on the passenger
rolls as "Miss Dougins," and was
listed on the ship's i oil as making
the voyage as governess for Fujl
mura's seven-year-old daughter,
Toshika. Strangely enough. Fuji
mura took the child with him o*
this gay voyage. Tne child occu
pied her father's stateroom.
Mrs. Von Reissner (she is a di
vorcee with a chil'J of her own*
and Fujimura attended several gay
parties aboard the ship. At one of
these, a costume ball, the silk
prince appeared in. a livid butter
fly costume—symbolic of the source
of his riches.
On the night of Fujimura's dis
appearance. Mrs. Reissner left him
about midnight to attend a party
in the stateroom of Mildred Har
ris, first wife of Charlie Chaplin.
That night, it seems. Fujimura
preferred to hang around the ship’s
bar with the men.
Mrs. Von Reissner, who stayed at
the Mildred Harris party until
nearly dawn, went directly to bed
upon her return to her own state
room. When Informed next morn
ing that Fujlmura had vanished.
leaving his seven seven-year-old
daughter asleep in his stateroom.
she was at a loss to understand.
The rich, suave Japanese had
lavished gifts on the pretty blond
actress since their meeting when
she was a show girl in George
White's musical comedy. “Plying
High.” They were familiar figures
in Broadway night life.
• • *
Thus far the unidentified person
who was seen talking with Fuji
mura in the shadows of “A” deck
at 2:45 on the morning of his dis
appearance has never come for
ward to explain. Likewise, investi
gation has shown that two allegec
“notorious blackmailers” who
boarded the ship at Halifax and
whose appearance was reported to
have thrown Fijumura Into a panic
were nothing more than a couple
of small-time gamblers who had
no connection with the case.
Admittedly, Fujimura was a reck
less gambler. He played for a big
stakes; he had money, was willing
to bet It and did. Gamblers called
him a “sucker” for any game of
chance, crooked or straight. Mary
Rcissner testified she once saw the
little Japanese lose $20,000 on the
turn of a card—and smile.
Investigation disclosed that much
of the $300,000 that Fujimura had
withdrawn from the bank before
his departure had gone to pay
gambling debts, but that explains
little. Fujimura's business asso
ciates say that he was worth at 1
least £4.000,000—and in comparison
with that amount, $300,000 seems
small.
Another puzzling factor is that
shortly before Fujimura sailed he
changed the beneficiary of his
$200,000 life insurance policies from
his estate to his wife. Why did he
MASSIE TRIAL
ENTERS VOTING
HONOLULU, Oct. 1. (jP>—The,
polygot citizenry of Hawaii voted to- j
day in a primary election in which
the so-called "Massie assault case"
and the "Fortescue murder trial"
were political issues.
Into campaigns were Injected Is
sues over the criminal attack upon
Mrs. Thomas H. Massie, wife of a
naval lieutenant, and the subse
quent conviction of her mother,
Mrs. Granville Fortescue, the lieut
enant and two sailors for the killing
of one of her alleged attackers, a
Hawaiian of mixed blood.
As a direct outgrowth of discus
sion of this arose the question of
efficiency of Hawaiian home rule.
Discussion and criticism of oppos
ing parties of governmental reforms
which followed the assault on Mrs
Massie brought the criminal cases
into the campaign.
Victor S. K. Houston, republican
candidate for re-election as a con
gressional delegate, was attacked by
Lincoln L. McCandless. democratic
candidate, for recommending to
Gov. Lawrence M. Judd that he
pardon the quartet convicted of
manslaughter for slaying Joseph
Kahahawai, an alleged attacker of
Mrs. Massie. The governor commut
ed their sentences of 10 years im
prisonment to one hour.
Houston had declared congress
certainly would have taken away
home rule from Hawaii had the
Massie defendants not been freed.
McCandless charged the republi
cans were raising a smoke screen by
questioning whether the territorial
government was functioning well.
Adding to the cross currents of
unrest was the candidacy of three
officials whose powers were lessen
ed by legislative action as an out
growth of the Massie case and other
sex crimes. They are Patrick Glea
son. sheriff; John Lane. former
warden of the penitentiary’, an
James Gilliland, Honolulu city at
tomey.
SERVICES SET
FOR E.V. HUNT
(Special to The Herald)
SAN JUAN, Oct. 1. — Funeral
services will be held Sunday from
the Martin Nelson funeral home
at McAllen for E. V. Hunt. 52.
well-known Valley produce and
livestock dealer, who died at 8:10 !
a. m. Saturday at his residence
near San Juan.
He has been a resident of the
Valley for the past 17 years.
In adidtion to his widow' he Is
survived by one son. Kenneth, and
four brothers and three sisters.
Rev. J. N. Aanes of the Peo
ples' church of San Juan will of
ficiate at the funeral services.
Chief of Police Is
Slain By Deserter
LAREDO, Oct 1. (jp)—Advice i
from Zapata today told of the slay>
ing of Manuel Garza Villareal. «ta*ie
chief of police, in the Guerrero Jril
last night -y one of three deserters
from the Vc::ican army, who had
been captured by customs inspectors.
One of -he deserters drew a pis
tol from a bundle he was carry mg
and shot the police chief in the
back, killing him instantly. The de
serters then fled from the jalL
5,000 MILL
MEN CET JOBS
PITTSBURGH. Oct. 1.— {jP) —
Hundreds of d irk, dreary homes in
western Pennsylvania radiated with
happiness today as jobs were pro
vided for more than 5,000 persons
after months of idleness.
The national works pf the Ameri
can Sheet ar.d Tin Plate company
at Monessen will reopen Monday
on a thre» to four-day-a-week
basis, re-emnloying 1.200 men and
women. Other departments in the
mill are scheduled to resume op
eration in about 10 days, giving
work to 1.2CO more employes.
Nearly 4C3 men have returned to
work in four mills of the Lockhart
Iron and .‘Steel company in Pitts
burgh. The Pittsburgh and Lake
Erie railroad recalled 400 men in
its locomoMve and car shops. More
than 150 laborers were put back to
work in t he carrier’s freight car
shop.
WH/iTS A BLACK EYE
LONDON, Eng.—Sandy Daw gave
his wife a black eye—but she loves
him for it. The reason is that she
obtained the mourning orb while
Sandy was rescuing her from what
promised to be a watery grave.
When his wife lost her balance and
fell frern a boat, Sandy dove and
brought her up. Nearing the sur
face. h?r face bumped against a
boat bottom. But she was saved.
CAR LOADINGS
ON INCREASE
WASHINGTON. Oct. 1. —
The American Railway Association
today announced car loadings of
revenue freight for the week end
ing Sept. 24 as 295.746 cars, an in
crease of 8.444 cars over the pre
ceding week.
The total for the week was
142,290 cars under the same week
in 1931 and 354,917 under the
same week two years ago.
Miscellaneous freight loaded du
ring the week ended Sept. 24 to
taled 216.544 cars, a decrease or
57,751 under the corresponding
week 1931; less than car lot mer
chandise 179.054. decrease 37.757;
grain and grain products 36,060.
decrease 918; coal 113,140, decrease
15,575; forestproducts 18,606. ae
crease 6.919; ore 5.598. decrease
20.208; ccke 3.700. decrease 1,015.
and livestock 23,044, decrease
147.
Increases over the previous wee*
were shown by less than car lot
merchandise which rose 1,705 cars;
grain and grain products 195 cars,
coal 6.350; forest products .4170; coke
228. and livestock 1.342.
Miscellaneous freight loadings
showed a decrease of 1.086 cars
from the previous week and ore 960.
Largest Palace
The Escurial, royal palace of the
ex-king of Spain, near Madrid, is
the largest palace in Europe. It
is so large It requires four days to
go through.
Happy
Landings!
The man with a
steadily growing
savings account is
almost certain to
obtain his objec
tive. It takes only
a systematic sav
ings plan to accom
plish wonders.
3 % Interest
Compoun d e d
I Semi-Annually
Capital Stock
$250,000.00
Paid In
$100,000.00
From Earnings
$150,000.00
Surplus
(Earned)
$85,000.00
State
National Bank
I’r^nsville, Tc’.»s
I l
States Get Control
Of Aid to Farmers
CHICAGO. Oct. 1.-0PJ-A com
mittee sponsoring the voluntary
domestic allotment plan, which
aims to furnish aid to farmers
who agree to restrcted crops, has
changed the original scheme to re
nuv.e management from the fede
ral government to the various
states.
This change, announced today,
would obviate an increase In fe
deral bureaus, although the scheme
would be under supervision of some
existing national department, such
as agriculture.
CIIERCIIEZ LA FEMME
ISTANBUL. Turkey.—A group of
Turkish women may soon be call
ed a “snarem” instead of a “harem'1
because Turkey has just introduced
w'omen police. Only women under
3P years of age. and possessed of
public school education diplomas,
are eligible for the job. The police
women's wages start at approxim
ately $12 a month, and are never
likely to exceed *50 a month.
■tt
STEP
BEAUTY
The great fundamental atep ■
absolute cleaalinoal
C leanse
..the (Lia regularly, at laatt
every Bight, with the Classing
Creme. Deep-pore action remove*
even embedded dirt. Alstwyt re
movt the residue. Large 4-ounce
jar.
60c
Mrt. McCormick’i FOUR EAST
STEPS, if faithfully followed,
bring youthful beauty within the
reach of all women, because a
lawless completion is the baiia
of all beauty. The tecond step m
Nourhb. The third it Tour, and
the fourth ia ftwhb.
I I *
/tt'(prmicks
B£AUTY*CR£M£
AND &C O 5 M € T I C S
I _
“ J_ ..
Mary Dale von Rejssner,
do that?
And to cap the climax, while Fuji
mura was absent on the "whoopee
cruise” from which he never re- |
turned—at least, so far as anyone
can prove—his wife gave bi/th to
a baby and another child died.
All sorts of theories have follow
ed In the wake of the rich im
porter's mysterious disappearance.
One is that he was killed in a
brawl over a woman, which seems
improbable on a ship given to so
much night life where husky stew
ards are as th.ck as policemen; an
other is that he was slain by gam
blers or blackmailers ;another has
it that he ended his life by leaping
into the sea; still another that he
fled from the ship by swimming
ashore, or to a small boat -,-altlng
nearby to pick him up.
But all these are merely theories.
The only known facts are that
Fujlmura Is gone and his body
has never been found.
TORNADO’S TRACK
The average trauk of a tornado
is about one-fifth of a mile across
and twenty miles long, and is so
sharply defined that houses on one
side of a street may be completely
demolished while those on the
other are unharmed.
OPENING WEEK
OF FAIR WORK
SATISFACTORY
The opening week of the drive
for the $15,000 quota of the Texas
exhibit at the World's Pair next
year, was eminently satisfactory,
according to P. E. Montgomery,
Valley manager of the campaign.
“We have no trouble in selling
the idea,” stated the manager,
“because men with vision se* the
advertising value in the preten
tious dsplay of Valley products
at this big exposition. Of course,
money is less plentiful than in
former years, but the Texas com
mission has made terms which ar
easy to meet and the response
has been most gratifying.
“Success Assured”
"The several plans of raising
this rather large budget, assure
its complete success, though a
may take all of the alloted time in
which to do it. The dead line is 1
fixed as of February’ 1st. which is
four months off. It the comng 16
weeks prove as successful in point
of contributions as the first week,
we will go over the top with some
to spare.
“The Valley’s tropical garden
and miniature orchard, with grape
fruit, orange, tangerine and lemon
trees, gives promise of being one
of the most beautiful outdoor ex
hibits at the big fair. The digging
and balling of the trees, whicn
wUl be four years old. will be one
of the expensive details of the
exhibit.
“Surgeons in Charge”
“They must carry more than a
cubic yard of Valley soil clinging
to their root system. This will
make each tree when ready to load
on the cars, weigh mere than
4,000 pounds. Expert tree surgeons
will have charge of getting the
trees ready for the long trip to
Chicago next day. The trees will
be dug and balled, or rather,
boxed, in November or December.'
Several large groups of businesses
have indicated they would make
liberal contributions to the fund,
through assessing their members
certain amounts.
Try Installing some bright lights
outside and away from the screen
in front porch If you desire to *eep
Fridav. Saturday and Sunday
MUNOZ’ PLACE
have a special dinner and
are ready at all times to
serve the best Mexican dish
es in town. Chicken mole,
Cabrlto, different styles, en
chiladas, Aguacate salad.
chicken, meat and aauacate
Tacos and chicken tamales.
Phone 85-W, 8W St. Francis
Gandhi Threaten*
To Resume Fast
AHMEDABAD. India. Oct 1—
UP)—Mahatma Gandhi was under
stood today to have informed hla
followers here he would resume his
“fast to the deatiT If, after ill
months, the caste distinction of
untouchabUity has not been re
moved from the depressed cl awe*
HOOVERTOUR
PLANS SHAPED
M
_ a
WASHINGTON, Oct 1. (AV-Ptam
for Pres. Hoover* campa.»n swine
into the mid- est for an address At
Des Moines Oct. 4 today assumed
definite shape, with the tentative
schedule calling for rear platform
appearance* In Iowa by the presi
dent at Davenport, West Llterty,
Iowa City and Newton.
Gov. Turner, of Iowa, and his re
ception committee, probably ill
board the presidential special at.
Davenport. *
The chief executive, with Mrs.
Hoover and his party, intend to
leave the national capital In :nld
afternoon Monday, and arrive In
Des Moines In Imte afternoon next
day.
Arrangements are for the presi
dent to dine privately with Gov.
Turner at the executive mansion in
Des Moines, and to travel from
there directly to the auditorium la
which he will speak at 7:30 p. m.,
<CST>.
A reception at the Turner homt
may follow the president's address.
CUT RATE
DRUGS ,
Michel Pharmacy
San Benito
insurance
BONDS
W. B. CLINT
Phone €
■■MMMnMMHMHMMHHi
WOOD and DODD
INSURANCE
SURETY BONDS
Phones 100 - 101
Brownsville
Spivey - Kowalski Building
Dozier-Price Motor Co.
1026 - 30 LEVEE STREET — BROWNSVILLE
announce» that it triil noic offer
in addition to Uuick
THE PONTIAC 6 and PONTIAC V-8
chief ofjyalues
Pontiac offers these im
portant developments
at no extra eost
Syncro-Mesh
Quiet Second
Free Wheeling
Ride Control
Long Wheelbase
Increased Power and
High Speed
Greater Economy
New, Roomier Fisher Bodies
Rubber Cushioning at 47
Chassis Points
Inside Locks on All Doors
-- -. - - - —- - - - - ■ - ^ - - -- - - -
It is a pleasure to announce our appointment as repreeen
tative for Pontiac Six ami V-8 sales and service. Our fadl-*
ities, equipment and personnel are thus put at the aervfea
of both these two General Motors companies.
THE PONTIAC SIX, bringing the important develop-'
ment$ of the year to the low-price field, offers you genuine
riding comfort, splendid performance, modern styling—yet the
price is low and the running cost no higher than that of can
built for economy alone. A big, powerful new motor grree
you extra speed, pick-up and stamina—yet uses very little fueL
The transmission is Syncro-Mesh, providing effortless shift
ing, with no clashing. The new second gear is quiet. Then, you
have free wheeling . . . all three of these improvement* at no
extra cost.
THE PONTIAC V-8 offer* proved V-Eight brilliance and \
distinctive performance in the low-price field. And the
Pontiac V-8, with its hrilliant and reliable type of engine, also
gives you Syncro-Mesh, quiet second and Free Wheeling.
If you have owned smaller cars, the Pontiac V-8 will enable
you to advance all your motoring standards without greatly
increasing your expenditure.
EXPERT SERVICE Come in and see the new cars, which yon can purchase on
OX ALL CARS libera] G. M. A. C. monthly terms.
Our Mr. B. C. Price has been connected with Buick Sendee in Brownsville for
the past twelve years. With him is associated H. M. (Red) Dozier, for many
years in charge of Buick repair and reconstruction departments, who is our ser*
vice manager. Dozier-Price Motor Co. is known to many motorists for its abil
ity and desire to serve their interests.
i .. - — - ----- -————-—■———■ .^'anrslll