Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, December 26, 1922, Page 1

The Pioneer is' the only daily within 100 miles of Bemidjl and pas the largest ecirculation 1w Northern Minnesota. + . VOLUME XX. NO. 211 BEMIDJI DAILY PIONEE | A R, BEMIDJI, MINN., TUESDAY EVENING, DEC. 26, 1922 2 / Declares That Prison, Officials Sheuld Fix Duration, of . Pricon Con! Fjn ment H SAYS PRESENT LAWS DO NOT DEAL SANELY Would Keep Convicts:in Jail Untijl They are Cured; All Not Reédl Criminals By EDWARD THIERRY . NEA Service’ Staff Writer & lorrg for trat ¥ Troo, & For the first time in 600 years, southern Ireland s freo of British! _ 'troops. - Here is shown an English regiment tranegoitation to England. I rreié_nsl X unloading: its baggage from | ng, N. Y., Dee. 26.—Piist or juiies, should fix the duration Sf lwaprison- ment of convieted: eriming’s. 7 That is ‘the view “< of Lewis E. Lawes; warden ~ of Sing Sing- prison. ¢ “Preserit laws deal sancly people - who _commit crimes,” he“said in an inter- “vice. “until they do, yhime wid not be checked. “Eviy “convicted of ctrime ~should be sent to prison” with an_ in- i *determinate sen- tence," This should be an inflexible rule. Then we could determine’ when they ‘should be re- pexson’] LAWES °.. leased. 7+ » “More - than' 90 per_ cent of the persons in Sing Sing and other pris- ons are not of the real criminal type. The others;: ‘the “habitual criminals, are the kind - that should never be freed.” e &% VeI TEWESEHAE the ‘cuse vt a man’ just received at Sing. Sing to: begin' his eloventli prison term. His prison rev. gAn in- 1886 with a reformatory “sentence’ and” “he “has been committed = many times for grand larcen; urglary and forg- ery. This is fifth trip'to Sing Sing. e 5 “Thig man hag just been sensenced to two. yedrs and 'two. months—but he should, be* here’ for life,” said Lawes. 54 5 The warden believes prison is' no punishment for this'type of eriminal. He says there is no chance for re- form. - “People are: niistaken when they say most = ex-convicts return to (Continued- on Page 2) FOSSTON COUPLE WEDDED TWO-THRDS OF CENTURY On Sunday, December 17, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Stafford of Foss- ton celebrafed the §6th anniversary of their wedding day. .Bart Stafford of Bemidji is.a son of this aged cup- ple. i . it is probable that very few cou- ples in the state have enjoyed such a lengthy wedded life. Mr. Stafford is 90 years of age and Mfs. Stafford is 82. Sixty-one - years ago they came to Minnesota: from Wisconsin, first settling in Meeker county. In 1894 they moved from there to Foss- ton and have made their,home there continuously from. that time. ng members of the family Lewis Lohn of Fosston, Bartlett Stafford of Bemidji, Mrs. (May Redfield of the Dells, Oregon; John Stafford and Mrs. Ada Bjorhus of Harvey, N, D. They have 24 grandchildren and 25 great-grand- children. 77 ALUMKI AND STUDENTS PLAN DANCING PARTY Alumni of the Bemidji high school and present students of that organi- zation and their ladies and eéscorts are invited: to, “attend. ' an ‘alumni dance to _be staged ""at the New Moose hall Friday evening, Decem- ber 29. A alrge number of former students of the- Bemidji school are now home for the holiday period and this dancing party is sure to bring out practically all of the alumni whe can possibly attend. The annual meeting and election of officers for the Alumni associa- tion ®will also be held at this time. Good music for the dance is assured and a large atendance is urged. viewswith NEA Ser- |- Here’s One’ Instance “Where She Might .!:l;ayefi ’Gc_me‘ Wrong but Saved Herself ~ Another of the exceptional-cases when justice might have gone wrong was. brought to-light Saturday when Harry: Smith was: sentenced to 10 days in the county jail on a charge Lof finding lost property and attempt- ing to convert.it to his own use without making any-effort- to, ascer- tzin its owners, and-his partner Joe Thomas was released With no' charge against him. Thege -two. men. were. originally. Teld in the city jail, Smith- on. a charge of having picked waist wateh“from a locsl young lady and to sell the watch at several of the local jewelry 'stores and his arrest was the result < 2 When questioned by County:At- torney- G. M.:Torrance both ‘inen stuck: to the same story, that. they had bought the watch, for $5 at the Great Northern depot ‘and later de- sired to sell it to secure much need- ed money. This same story was_ told on- severzl occasions, but. ~the Imen, latér admitted they found it on the sidewalk on Third street, This proved to be true and the only charge that could be made against the supposed cffenders was that Smith was guilty of attempting to convert the watch to his own use without making any effort to. locate its owner.” Being foreigners, neither of -the: men prob- ably'knew anything about such a law having ‘undoubtedly heard some one sometime or other say that finding’s is keeping’s. However Smith was sentenced to (10 days in jail and Thomas was released. Here’s how justice might have gone wrong. The young lady who lost the watch remembered — that someone bumped into her on the street shortly before the loss was (Continued on Page 2) {POISGN CAKE DEATH IS STILL CALLED MYSTERY' Sterrett Poison Cake Mystery Goes Down in Pennsylvania Annals as “Unsolved” Philadelphi, Pa., Dec. 26— (Unit« ed Press).—The Sterett poison, cake mystery has gone down on the crime annals of Pennsylvania as ‘“unsolv- ed.” Two months ago today Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Sterrett of Devon, near lLiefe, received a neatly wrappéd par- cel-post package that contained’ two large slices of wedding cake. Shortly after eating the cake, Mr. and ‘Mrs. Sterrett became ill"‘dnd were rushed to Bryn Mawr hospital. Sterrett died from poison that' was secreted in the “devil’s food” and, after a long illness Mrs. Sterrett recovered. f Investigators and postal inspect- ors began a natioa-wide search for the -sender of the “de:th package’. The parcel bore no identification marks and the address was type- written, baffling authorities. Sterrett was o public accountant and search was instituted for a man who would have had A motive in tak- (Continued “on page” 2) " USTICEBLIND! Thomas as being an acomplice in the | alleged theft game. Smith latertried: {UNIGN SUNDAY SCHOOLS - TO MEET AT CARR LAKE The Union: Sunday school of the Carr Lake community is preparing to be the host of the Union Sunday ‘schools in the’ eighboring communi- ties ‘of Plantagunet and Rosby next Sunday. The usual ‘Sunday school session will be held in-the forenoon with a 'basket dinner at: nioon, with ‘various communities ~participating. The afternoon session will include |'a number of selections by members | of the different Sunday schools rep- [ resented. A Rev. George W. Kehoe of Bemidji will be the principal speaker and a ‘choir from Bemidji will also attend and render appropriate music. Sleigh loads’ from’ the different communi- ties are already being arranged for a large attendance and an interesting session is ‘expected. ~ 'AMERICAN SANTA AV lenz, Germany; Dec. 26 Unit- od Pr “Thie poor German kiddies iof Goblenz. Monday were happy be- chude an American Santa Clgus with af uniform heneath hisired and whi ds helped: to ‘make Christ- mag g:like it was before the war. Christmas in Coblenz: was turned into a real-holiday and cheer was spread: by the aid of the committee of the Rhineland Post No. 700 Vet- erans of Foreign Wars. and included all the fixings from “soup to nuts”. At least 250 poor children of the Coblenz district were madé to realize that’Santa Claus— this year at least—is not a fable. After the dinner Santa Claus ap- peared in pérson and distributed gifts to the needy ones. They -consisted mostly of children’s clothing, under- wear and shoes donated by the Amer- icam colony here. Following the ap- pearance of St. Nick, the kiddies were cntertained by a real vadue- ville. show, given by the best German | talent available. The Christmas menue was drafted | TRANSIENT RUN OVERBY TRAIN | WEST OF CITY Sunday Great Nogthern Train Kills Man Said| | to Have Been Lying on Track ey * INQUEST LISTED TO BE HELD HERE WEDNESDAY Victim Carried Credentials of I. W. W. Organizer; Said to Be Known Locally —_— ;i Ole Borreson, a transient about 40 vears of age, was ki'led Sunday after- noon abut ong: o‘clock by the Great Northern, passénger traim, east bound a short distance west of Bemidji. As near as ¢an be ascertained, he was first scen by tac crgine crew when the train was ab3ut {wo hundred feet or so from him, going at or near full speed. The afternoon being rather foggy, 'it is doubtful if he could have been seen clearly from a greater dis- tance. Effor:g ‘were made-to. stop the train as quickly as possible, it is understood, ‘but .~ when the engine came to a stop:te front wheels had ‘passed over the victims body, crush- 'ing one leg and mangling the body to ‘some extent. The train crew picked up the dead Iman and brought him: on the train to the Great Northern ‘depot. County /Coroner McKee was notified and the train was held until he could arrive %o receive the body. The train crew ‘has been called to return to Bemidji 'for the inquest to be held on Wednes- 'day. Borreson is said to bé known here, 'having been a visitor in Bemidji at 'times, and it is believed that he was on his way west on the Great North- ‘ern tracks when the aecident occur- ired. It is also reported that he was lying on the tracks, although it is be- ‘lieved by the engine trew that he 'made an effort to- geksup when'they ‘first saw him. - Details, however, are lacking . and -undoubtedly - .will ‘be forthcoming at the inquest tomorrow. ' The ‘dead man had beside him a \grip which contained his personal be- (Continued on page 2) THREE SHIPS BELIEVED ' —-~— Queenstown, Irelandy Dec. 26— Three vessels are believed to have gone: down' in storms sweeping the Atlantic, according to the captain of the "'New' Columbia, driven in here by storms ‘today. The - Celtic and 'Carmania with their' decks and.life boats slashed by waves, report the 'most terriffic gale in twenty years. | The New Columbia’y captain said fe received dispatch signals -from three vessels just before the storm reached -its height and afterwards 'was unable to get an answer from itheir radio, and he believes all three were lost. on to Mak e — 00y in northwest tonight and in we and north Wednesday. i PRICE 32 CALL ISSUED TERS CONINC YEAR PLAN merican Tree An)nfii‘tion is Urging Planting of Trees : To Honor Arbor Day Al Washington, Dee. 26 (United PPress).—Here’s a chance to cele- brate a centennial you may never sed, but you can celebrate it just the came, for the American = Tree | Asspeiaticn is sending out a call to all good citizens to plant a tree in 1923 in honor of the centenary of Arbor Day which comes in 1972. J. Sterling Morton inaugurated the first Arbor Day in Nebraska just fifty years ago. i The name of every tree planter who registers his tree with the asso- ciation will be placed on a national ‘honor roll to be read in 1972%nd an engraved certificate showingshe has planted a tree will be' sent: without charge. The planting of “a tree makes the planter a member of the association for there are no dues, says the announcement which is signed by Charles Lathrop Pack, the president. 3 “There will be thousands of tree planters ' who may never see their grown tree,” says Pack in the call to the tree planters, “but what a fine thing they will have done. “The banks of the country are joining us in the gigantic task of making this a country of tree plant- ers,” Pack’s statement says. “Another nation-wide tree,plant- ing is that of the Women's Relief Corps of the G. A. R. Each .post jn the -country will plant a memorial tree for Clara Barton in 1923. The first planting has already been- re- ported from San Francisco. Charles Sumner Young is directing this method. LA “Following adoption of a resolu- tion at the convention in Seattle, the Veterans of Foreign Wars will (Continued onspage 2) WATER-BOY TO HOODED MEN IS CHIEF WITNESS (By United Press) Mer Rouge, La., Dec. 26—A man forced to play watersboy for the band of hooded men while they var- ried on the work of flogging and murdering Watt Daniels and Thomas Richards last August, will be the 'state’s chief witness, officerg revealed today. Evidence of Berry Whet- stone, a farmer forced to accompany the masked mob, led to the arrest of his kinsman, T. S. Burnett, in connection with the murder He also furnished information on whith othzxy probably will be accused. Whetstone carried water from a nearby farm for the thirsty mob af- ter being terrorized. He sat on a log and made mental notes as the members of -the mob lifted their masks to drink from the bucket. After relating his experience to 'the Department .of Justice agents, ‘Whetstone wsa spirited away to pro- tect him from possible vengeance. Burnett is confined in a jall at Bas- trop, iglowing Whetstone’s account of the ferrible activities and the find- ings of the bodies of Danlels and Richards in a lake. His defense will be ‘based on an alibi. =4 i i)t W 5| 7 /) g Al A el D o) 1. \| PRINCE 0 ! e :'Germany Pay Premiers Diva’s Christmas. Galll-Curcl, celobrated opera star, &8 shown here preparing gifts to nake youngsters happy who would / 1therwise be forgotten b; Taus, ‘gotten by . Santa NEXT YEAR ONE OF CENTENARIES Unusually Large: Number of Americans to Have 100th Birthday Next Year B / New York, Dec. 2¢.—The year ubout to begin will includé the cen- tenary anniversaries of an unusually large number of Americans whose lives and achievements were of pro- found influence upon the social, moral and intellectual progresg of the age. The list of distinguished names includes those of authors, artists, statesmen, poets, clergymen, soldiers, editors scientists inventors and others. The year will bring the centenary of John Sherman, the great states- man, of Francis Parkman, the his- tory of Joseph Medill, the famous Chicago editor, of Schuyler Colfax, the Indiana stateman who became vite president, of Oliver Morton, United States senator and civil war governor of Indiana, of Thomas Wantworth Higginson, the well- known author, and of Generals Dan- iel E. Sickles and Earl Van Dorn, ‘the one prominent as a'Union Com- mander in the war between the States and the other equally noted as a military leader in the Confeder- acy. Others of note who first saw the light of day in the year 1823 are as follows: Robert Collyer, the blacksmith (Continued on Page 2) REGENT OPENS JAPANESE PARLIAMENT Hirohito’s Message Monday to Japanese Diet is Full of Real Optimism Tokyo, Dec. 26 (United Press.)— ‘men Prince Regent Hirohito Mon- ! day told the Japanese parliament that ilhe old “world is rocking along in | pretty good shape, that Japan's in- iternational relations are in splendid ! condition and that the prospect for far eastern trancuility is perfect. | That was the effect of the trans- tlation of the speech of the future Em- | peror of Japan, delivered Monday ithe imperial address which opened i the new session of the Diet. K As is customary here, the imperial address to parliament contained I nothing that could be interpreted as | “politics”; no specific platform or | program, or anything ‘of the sort to | be expected in the opening addre in a western legislative body. The Crown Prince Regent, escori-' ed by a picturesque squadron cf . and accomnanied by an in- rial frain. rode through brilliantly (Continued on page 2) New French Plan Will"‘ Be Made Public When- Meet Again Does Not Include Immediate Military Occupation: . of The Ruhr Valley TO RECOMMEND GENERAL ECONOMIC GUARDIANSHIP Harding Administration’ May Partly Reveal Its Role In Situation Tomorrow (By United Press) { Paris, Dec. 26—France is determ- ined upon drastic measures to make Germany pay, which will be announc- ed at the resumption of the confer- ence January 2nd, it was semi-offic. ially stated today. The French scheme is being work- od out in detail this week.. It does not involve immediate military oc- cupation or occupation of the Ruhr Valley, it was learned. Instead,. an extraordinary session of the minist- erial council will recommend gener. al public economic guardianship of the Rhine lands and the Ruhr Valley with a custom’s barrier between the valued lands and the mother country, Germany. France will collect the custonis on products of the Ruhr Valley passing into Germany and apply such col- lections to the reparations settle- ment. s (By, A, L. Bradford) ‘Washington, Dec. 26—The Hard- ing administration tomorrow may reveal the hand it is preparing to play in the critical European eco- nomic situation. The action of Senator Borah of Idaho in introducing an amendiment to the Naval Appropriations Bill, calling for an international econom. - ic conference, has resulted in a con- ference between Harding, Secretary bf State Hughes and leading sena- tors as to the administration’s; policy toward the move. As a resutl, it was indicated to- day, a substitute for Borah’s amend- ‘ment may be proposed in the senate tomorrow by administration sena- tors, which to a degree, will reflect the general plan of the president and Secretary of State for bringing 'about economic reconstruction in Eu- rope. The substitute may indicate ‘that the United States is willing. to join with the allies in some sort:of a commission to investigate the German reparations problem 'which this government regardg as the key to the whole situation. LOCAL FANS PLAN T0 SEE CROOKSTON GAME Bemidji is getting ready for the second-game of the season with the Company M. team at Crookston Wed- nesday night. The Firemen are to leave here early Wednesday morning to be there in plenty of time for the second big clash with the fast Cropks- ton outfit. Crookston,iit is under- stood, ig trying out several new play- ers to take the place of Raines, who was injured in the game here: last Wednesday and will be out of the game for several weeks. It is also reported locally that “Dutch” Hauser may play with Crookston Wednesday ‘night. A number of local enthusiasts are understood to be making arrange- ments for an extra coach from derc to Crookston on Wednesday .after- noon. In case about 50 fared can be secured for this trip, a rate lower than the regular fare will be charged. It is expected that quite a number of fans will take advantage of this op- portunity. SIX DEAD IN NEW YORK FROM POISONED BOOZE New York, Dec. 26—S8ix persons are dead and 12 are known to be in hospitals suffering from poiso hootch following New Yotk’s dryest Christmas. One of the dead was a woman found unconscious - in ‘the = street. Contrary to this alcohol to]l was a I police statement declaring that the “bright lights” was a “Sahara” on Christmas night, not a,single intoxi- cated person being brought into the West Side Police Court. Most of the drinking, formerly a art of the revelings in cafes and cabarets, was done in the homes.’ All the dead and ill persons were found bv pedestrians, police or friends in aileys, streets or apartments, Wild pariic. in apartments were blamed {er the toll, |