Newspaper Page Text
PRACTITIONER DENIES GIRL'S STORY MEET DIXIE LEE, OF OHU- \ LA VISTA, IN MONDAY'S \ TIMES. You can spend every ; [ evening next week with her by : reading ■ ■ Bat Wing Bowles.'' I COME OFF, JUDGE! I One of 10 jurors fired from the superior court panel by Judge Clifford the other day says in a let ter to The Times that he considers the judge's act an insult, presumably to himself and his fellows. The Times would go considerably further. We consider Judge Clifford's act an insult to the com munity, an insult to the law, an insult to citizenship and intelligence. Judge Clifford is notorious among law yers for riding and overriding jurors. Every so often he sets aside the findings of some jury and sets up in its stead a decision of his own. The suit the discharged jurors heard bad been tried twice. Both times a verdict, of nearly the same amount, was found for the plaintiff. Just as the jury in the second bearing re ported, along comes the judge with the charge that the verdict is "manifestly unfair" and "fires" the whole 10 who voted for it. The Times does not pretend to know any thing about the merits of that case; we aren't discussing that ease. We are discussing Judge Clifford's atti tude toward juries. Does he believe in the jury system? Is he willing to work with jur ies? Does he propose to abide by laws that established and laid out procedure for jury trials? If not, he had better step off the bench. If he can answer "yes" to these ques tions, why should he arrogate to himself the overturning of so many jury verdicts? THE TIMES ADVISES JUDGE CLIFFORD TO COME DOWN OFF HIS HIGH HORSE. CITIES WIN BOUT IN 'HOME RULE' FIGHT (Siiocial to The Times.) OLYMIMA, Jan. 24.— 'Home rule" battle to give Tacoma and Seattle the right to extend their municipal utilities outside the city limits reached a climux in tiie sen ate today. After tho Iverson bill had been re. orted by the public utilities committee, badly mutilated, Nich ols offered nn amednment direct ly giving the cities the right to extend their utilities. In the fight that followed, How ard Hanson, home rule organizer and former president of the league of municipalities, was ushered frojji the floor of the senate by 'he sergeant at arms, on motion of Groff. Nichols' amendment was drawn by City Attorney Harmon of Ta coma. He said Tacoma needs to serve manufacturing interests on its tideflats with water and power and Seattle should be allowed to NOT THIS WAY IN OUR SCHOOL DAYS (United Preaa Leased Wire.) CHICAGO, Jan. 24.—Youth, beauty and "shape" are required and not brains to get a position in Chicago's high schools, according to Mrs. Florence Vosbrink. She charges principals select their teachers like a producer picks a chorus. FOUR MILLION FOR LINER MINNESOTA (United Preae l.raaed Wlrr.l BAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 24.— The big freighter Minnesota has b«en aold to the International Mercantile Marine for nearly $4, --000,000, it was reported today. The Minnesota has been lying idle in the bay here since December, 1915, when she put back Into the harbor after boiler trouble had stopped her trip to the Atlantic. furnish to its surrounding com munities. "Tacoma has a great industrial area right at its doors, with great new shipbuilding plants promised, yet is not allowed to serve them with needed utilities." Senator Jones opposed the amendment, saying he was against giving cities more powers. Nichols, Landon and Davis up held the right of cities to govern their own affairs. The Iverson bill, as originally reported out by the comm?rce committee, gave rights of exten sion. It was juggled back ftito the utilities committee, headed by Jones, and all reference to it us of the first class eliminated. Nichols" amendment passed the senate by a vote of 25 to 14. HEINRICH SPEAKS BEFORE BANKERS "A hunt for a forger is lust at thrilling as a hunt for any game animal," said E. O. Heinrich, a chemist and handwriting expert, speaking before Tacoma chapter of the American Bankers Institute that was held Tuesday night at the Commercial club.. A forger is generally a person of high in telligence, and is usually a victim of environment, said Mr. Hein rich. OUTCALT TOO D. D. A. Outoalt, president of th« Tacoma Automobile club, was one of the victims of the police raid on automobile owners who have been parking their machines In the wrong place. He cheerfully paid his fine Wednesday and said that lie hopes the police will keep up their good work of makliiK the automobile owners obey the traffic laws. The Tacoma Times 125 c A MONTH. THE ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER IN TACOMA. lc A COPY.j TArOMA. WASHINGTON WKDN' 'SI )AY, .lANIAKV L>4. 1!)1T. A federal judge, scarcely lees than omnip otent though he be, has no such power. The U. S. supreme court has made that very plain on the ground that it is contrary to the seventh amendment to the IT. S. constitution. The Times is aware that our state su preme court lias said that it does not consider the U. S. supreme court's view to be good law, but just the same we think Judge Clifford might with advantage study the higher tri bunal's reasoning. If he does want to root out the ancient Anglo-Saxon jury system bodily from our court procedure, we hope he will say so plain- Kly, that there may be no misunderstanding. But when he "fires" a batch of jurors who act according to their best judgment on the facts of a case, as they are supposed to do, he thereby makes an unfair attack on our jury institution. His czarish attitude is designed to coerce other juries and to make future jurors lean the way he leans for fear of incurring his auto cratic displeasure. To be "fired" as "mani festly unfair" by a superior court judge is not an experience the average citizen would relish. Darst Baby Is Taken Away From Tacoma "Mrs. Fletcher has Rone away and taken the child with her, and she told me be fore -lie went that she was going to take it somewhere where Mrs. U.-n-t could never find it. Mr. Fletcher is still here." This was the telephone message received about 9:30 this morning by Attorney H. H. Johnston, who has represented Mrs. Elizabeth Darst in her fight to regain pos session of her little girl, who was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. William Fletcher from the Washington Children's Home. The person telephoning was a woman, who said she was a neigh bor of the Fletchers, but.refused' REPORT BIG GERMAN LOSS United Presa 1 <■„,.-,| \\| r( -.> LONDON, Jan. 24. —Persistent reports from Holland were that from six to ten German destroyers had been sunk in Monday night's engagement between British and German sea forces. The admiralty had made no change early today in the official announcement, detailing the link ing of one German destroyer and destruction of a British craft of tho same type. Dispatches from Holland said the Dutch authorities were consid ering the Interment of the badly damaged German destroyer V-69, which arrived at Ymulden bai-sly afloat and with a score or more wounded German Bailors. DIDN'T LIKE FIFTH AVKNVR, NEW YORK, Jan. 24. —"Fifth avenue isn't so swell," is the ver dict of Miss Louise Sachen, "Queen of Alaska," but then, she's prejudiced. She mistook a demi tasse for a cocktail and a wine list for a prayer-book. to give her name. Johnston is trying to get further information. A telephone message from Mrs. T. J. Hamilton a few minutes lat er, corroborated the statement that Mrs. Fletcher has gone away. She left last Saturday, Mrs. Hamilton said. Mrs. Hamilton has been active In raising a fund for the expense of an appeal of the Darst cane. Still in Country. "Mr«. Fletcher has not left the country," said Kmil N. Stenberg, Mrs. Fletcher's attorney, today. "I can reach her by telephone in one minute." Friends of Mrs. Fletcher say she left town on account of the un friendly attitude of her neigh bors. NEW MILLS FOR COLUMBIA RIVER (I "li.-.l Prena l.caaed Wire.) PORTLAND, Jan. 24.—Fresh Impetus was given the lumber in dustry today by the announce ment that several mills would probably be built along the Co lumbia river, following David C. Rccles' purchase of 26,000 acres there for $4,000,000. The land bears 4,500,00(1,000 feet of Dour las fir, hemlock, cedar and spruce. BEAR EATS OLD HAT, AND DIES! EL PASO, Tex., Jan. 24. — "Big Tom," the 500 pound silver bear which amused thousands of chil dren and grownups in Wash ington park here for a year, is dead. Tom, the keepers say, got hold of an old black felt hat and ate it, dying of Indigestion. CREDITORS WANT AMELIA BINGHAM'S MANSION TO PAY FOR STOCK LOSSES Creditors of Mrs. Biii^linin, famous actress, lime .11 >| >11< <t in court for mi order evicting her from her Hivorsidc- Drive iiuiiision, X«'\v Voi'k, whicli tlicy say she- put up as xccurit.v by in<>rl(iiiyc fop Itodu she lost in Wall street. Mis. HiiiKliiini luis v sei-ond iu<ntnau<- on the property unit refuses to leuve her home. GLUB TJKESGITYTO BE THE LEAD INBEAUTJFIED RATE FIGHTNEW WAYS The Tacoma OMMMNU club today In fortuu'dinK to every MMMnU organi/a tloii in tlie state a report urfc in« concerted action toward winning the $17.n« tourist differential light for tlio norl Invest. Tlie report was adopted Tues-i 1 day on recommendation of the , traffic and transportation bureau. It recommends: 1. That the case lie prosecuted to a finish by the pulilic service commission. 2. That the entire expense lie borne by the state, and that the! legislature appropriate the neces sary money. 3. That all commercial organi zations in the state bring every pressure to bear to procure the ap propriation. "It should !«■ borne In mind." the report conchies, "that this matter demands Im mediate attention and quick jii lion If we are to expect any benefits to be secured on I In m'hmiii- iinii-i-i business*" The report, after reviewing the case fully, summarizes present i conditions us follows: "The situation then is this, the people of the state and the public service commission desire the case prosecuted. "Tlie attorney general has agreed to assume the incidental expenses, but no provision is made for a fee for the attorney when prosecuted the case. "The attorney general has not handled the case heretofore and is not able from the nature of the case to prosecute it on appeal, but this should be done by a man fam iliar with the case, with its history and with the manner in which it was won. "I'nder the circumstance* it fteeniM that the only logical thing to do In to allow the man who won the case origin ally to defend it on ap[ieul. "If he fails to ultimately sustain the decision no one can Ray that any mistakes in handling the case were made." Elsewhere the report pays C. A. Reynolds, who conducted the case from the beginning, a high compli ment for liis work, and states that he is willing to prosecute It to a final decision regardless of where that decision Is reached, for a fee of $5000. VOI . \IY NO. Tncoiiia is going to be further beautified. That much is certain, D. I>. A. Outcalt and steward and-precinct organization that helped fid out tlie big army j>ost rota met. at the Commercial club Tuesday ninht to devise the best MUM of bringing about the im provements. It all is not going to be done •| at once, and the committee is po i ing to tackle one thing at ■ time, but the program, as it was o'lt -1 lined at the conference, will in clude these steps: After Kvosores. Cleaning up vacant lots. A com mittee is to revive what legisla tion there may be on the subject 1 and get new legislation to meet, tlie problem. Simultaneously, a campaign of moral suasion will be carried on among non-resident • property-owners to the end that their lots be cleaned and cleared and made sightly. beautifying the bluffs along the waterfront. Decorating the chief drives with small trees and shrubbery. The I'oint Defiance-to-Utgney Hill road was designated as a holly drive, and will be so planted. The Sum ner road will be bordered with dwarf sour cherries, and Sixth avenue with Testout rose bushes. Window Ho\es, Too. Downtown merchants were crit icised for thoughtlessness in per mitting dirt from their stores to be swept into the streets, making the roadways dirty until about noon when a sweeper has had op portunity to remove the debris. Window boxes for downtown buildings is a matter that is to be given attention later. Clean-ui> and Paint-up week will be emphasized In UM spring, and the precinct captains will keep the subject before their neighbors at all times. So, get busy! Beautify your lot. END OF JITNEYS WARNS FISHBACK OLTMPIA, .lan. 24.—"The end of the jljtney bus is in sight," . ii• I State Insurance Commissioner II O. Fishback today. "When the Casualty Co. of America stopped selling bonds, the jitneys lost their last friend. The Hartford Co. has been selling bonds, but it 1b now refusing to bond the smaller driv en " TACOMA PUBLIC LIBRARY mhhuhMIGHT EDITION mmmm \ ■■ WEATHER i ; Tacoma: Unsettled, probably I 1 : rain tonight and Thursday. Washington: Same west portion, i : rain or snow flurries east. "GIRL'S DREAM," EXPLANATION OF MRS. ROBERTSO\ "It u:i- all a terrible • In.iin—a girl's <li<.iin. ami her mother's im.i jin.ui.n There is no truth in it what ever." This was the testimony of Mrs. Ortrudo Robertson, Christian . i irnce practitioner, recalled Wednesday morning in the trial of Mrs. Hose Albutt in Suporl-ir Judge Card's court for attacking Mrs. Robertson with a revolver as a result of a story told her l>y her daughter, of having been wronged in Mrs. Robertson's house. '•There is absolutely no truth in the story. I never stayed nt Mi*. HoberUon's house over ncni while Ma rie was there." This was the statement of Frank Hnyd. the young man whom the gill accused jointly with Mrs. Robertson. Mrs. Robertson's story of her acquaintance! with Mrs. Alliutt, of Marie's coming to stay with her,! ami of what followed, was in many details exactly contradic tory'or that told liy Mrs. Alhutt Tuesday afternoon. According to Mrs. Robertson, she was the one who made the ■MpulatloM that Marie should not! t?o t<i picture shows, Hliotild luiv(!j M boy frlemh, etr.; she did not; hehave in v threatening manner I toward Mrs Albutt a( the time of the iccMMtion; and it was she whn asked that Marie be takou I home. It».v on Stand. i "Marie was not interested in i her studies. She seemed to be in a dream most of the time," said Mrs. Robertson. She also said Mrs. Albutt had 1 told her Marie was not like her self; that lb< was very fond of a 1 boy in Sunnier, and that she. VMM not acting naturally. The prue i tltioner said she believed Marie; had got ionic notion from a book I sho was reading, which had made; her have such a dream. Frank Hoyd, young, slight, fair, II years old, testified that he is not a chauffeur but un auto mobile salesman for Jesse S. Jones. lie Htm at S2!i BMt r.lird street, and is the son of James T. Iloyd, I a foreman at the St. Paul ■klngla 'mill. He said Mrs. Robe.rtMin jbU been a friend of the family for three years, and that she ask ■ pd him to teach Marie how to run "Uhe car, instead of teaching her -1 jself. lie and Marie were only 1 alone in the car on two OCCMr. 1 Kions, he said —onoe when Marie| I insisted on |OtM with him when ' he wns taking the car to Mrs. Robertson's office, and once when • Mrs. Albutt had got out of the " car to walk from I'aciflc City to • her home, and left them to return " to Tacoma alone. Tight (Question. "When Mrs. Albutt told me, in Mrs. Robertson's office," he. said, ■ "what Marie had told her, the • accusation was no shocking to me that I didn't grasp it at first. I Usaid, 'There isn't a word of truth I 1 in it. Marie has had some hallu llcination.' 1 asked Marie. 'What -do you mean by this story?" and '■ Uhe just looked down and wouldn't I answer me." Boyd also admitted having I sworn out a complaint charging I Talk o' the Times] <Jr«-i't)n(js, have you beauti fied )«ur yard? Get ready to clean up, paint up and plant. I- the l»M«k roliik to become • blow-out? We are c 2 k what Judge Clif ford Is going to do to those jurors he fired who now say they regard his act as an Insult. Looks like leso majeste to us. 1t..-(on, sayn Rev. Bustard, John D.'n pastor, would have gone dry but for the fact that many people who would have voted dry lived in the suburb* and rould not vote in Bon ton. Thin rerullH an equally Interesting fn«-t —that Hughes would have rurricd Waahlng ton, but for the fact Uiat many people who were for him livi<l in New York and could not vote In Washing ton New York's proposed amphi theater to seat 38,000 people la also to be a convention hall. Hera Mrs. Allmtt with insanity, 10 days ago, and said it was not filed because lie "had been advised oth erwise." The defense has fought every question designed to show wheth er the girl's story was true or false. The point at issue, Attor ney Hodge has pointed out on each occasion, is not whether the Rlrl's story was true, but whether Mrs. Albutt believed It true and was thereby made mentally irre sponsible. Marie, a wholesome-looking little girl in Bhort dresses, with a pink ribbon bow perched atop her brown hair, has been in the courtroom during the entire trial, though much of the testimony has been unprintable. There has been talk of her be ing called to testify, hut Attorney Hodge said Wednesday morning he will not call her unless It be romes absolutely necessary, and If be does, will try to have the courtroom cleared. Mrs. Albutt was the first wlt (Continued on Page five.) NEVTPLftNT COMING 10 TUB CI1K! Another large new industry ii coming to Tacoma Immediately. Hacked by big eastern rubber merchants, Morton Gregory of Ta mnia will establish within a few weeks a large synthetic rubber plant on city property at 1143 Dock street. Details of the new business be came known Wednesday whoa Commissioner Atkins asked per mission of the council to rent the city property to the new concern. Rent was fixed nt $55 a month, and the city will erect a $1,000 addition to a large factory iiulld lng already erected on the site. Experiment* have shown that a synthetic rubber, exactly similar to other rubber but made from a Puget Sound product, can be put on the market at reasonable prices to compete with the steadily ad vancing rubber now in use., Oreg ory avers. The nature of the product from which this new rubber will be made has not been divulged. But according to Commissioner Atkins, who was let in on the secret, there is an "unlimited supply on Puget Sound and the cost 1b prac tically nothing." The city will begin work Im mediately on the addition to the Dock street plant. Gregory hat paid a year's rent In advance. TODAY'C < IJ-.AIUMJS Clearings $ 338,647.01 Balances 70.325.01 Transactions 1,062,190.57 would be a fine place for a con vention of: The original Florodora (sextet. The Thaw lawyers. The investigators of the high cost of living. The fortune tellers who pre dii-t.-ii the big war. And the men who didn't make n fortune in Wall street through ! the leak. KMAMi-TOWX HTUFF, WATSON ujiacttiiwr, la., Times.) Four deaf mutes were selling soap at Waverly last week. On* peculiar thing about them was that when a dog barked at them they jumped just as If they could hear. Some thought that thf might be fakirs. (From The Farmers' Review.) Boon Mr. Johnson also ar rived. As he appro#rhed the lied the other* made roosa for him. He felt first for that fallen man's purne and then for the heart, but only to shake hia head and turn away In mournful silence. How the ladles of the senate must love the Olympla correspostsV ents!