Casper Daily Tribune Newspaper, December 23, 1924, Page 1

The circulation of -The Tribune-is-greater than any other Wyoming newspaper. =|Che Casper Daily Crime MEMBER OF ASSOCIA . £2") wmwouny of OL. IX. Member of Audit Bureau | CASPER, WYOMING, TUESDAY, DECEMBER zo, BLACKMAILER OF MRS. VANDERBILT CAPTURED Weather Forecast Generally fair tonight and Wednes- day, preceded by snow; much colder tonight. Continued cold Wednes- acy.” Strong northerly winds. EDITION Publication Offices: Tribune Bidg., 216 E. Second St On Streets or at Newstand Delivered by Carrier 75 cents 5 cents month NO. 64 M’COY CASE iSWhite Xmas Seen NEARING JURY) As Storm Resumes CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT 10 BE PLAGED ON BUSINESS BASIS Changes Desired by Health Unit Executives And Others Approved by City Council Last Night in Resolution. Seeking a more business-like administration of the funds allotted by the city to the health unit, the city council last night adopted a resolution urging the advisory council of the health department to elect a treasurer who would be responsible under bond for the funds of the unit and would make a regular accounting subject to audit before the pay- AGUMENTS IN MURDER TRIAL ARE REAGHED IBreaks® Go to Former Pugilist in Fight for His Life. LOS ANGELES, Dec. 23— id McCoy, ladies’ man and erstwhile star of the prize ring, entered the superior court today to witness the last round of his fight for freedom; final arguments of his ‘counsel for the boxer who is charged with murdering Mrs. Theresa Mors, fivorced wife of a wealthy antique dealer, .in.her apartment here. ‘The “Kid" had what fighters call the “breake” in, the case. The renti- mental ‘advantage of having a jury deliberate as to his fate on Christ- mas eve was in prospect. His story that Mrs. Mors, his lover, commit- teed suicide in the apartment which they occupied was uncontradicted by evidence and his attorney was busy erasing ,the minds of the jur- Gab es jleazant picture left there yesterday by ‘the Prepress iy cent aeguiisals han Paina oe or a di- vided jury. Defense counsel H.-L. Geisler late yesterday began ‘a detailed presenta- tion of the suiicde'version of Mrs. Mors’ death, which McCoy had roughly sketched from the witness stand when he testified in his own defense last Friday. Geisler pictured the woman as & rife distraught over threats of death hurled at her by her divorced hus- ‘band, Albert A. Mors, worried over e jewel-smuggling tangle {n which federal investigation apparently had implicated her, remorseful and anx fous over her relations with McCoy, with whom=che had been living for several weeks in an apartment leased to “Mr. and Mrs. N. Shields.’ Such a state of mind might easily lead to suicide, he argued. The story told by McCoy of the woman's at- tempt to kil! herself with a bread knife despite his struggle to calm her and of her: successful effort with a pistol snatched from a table during which they wrestled for the knife, Getsler_argued,. was but the Icgical sequel, of the struggle which had been going on in Mrs. Mors mind for days. He derided the state's theory that McCoy killed Mrs. Mors because her attitude toward him had chang- ed and ‘the saw his meal ticket slip- ping away.” ILLNESS OF POPE DENIED ROME, Dec. 23. (By the Associat- ed. Press).—In response to queries Prompted by a report that he was ill with influenza, it’ was ‘stated this. forenoon that Pope Pius was perfectly well. An Exchange Telegraph dispatch received in London from Rome last night said the pope was suffering from a Ught form of influenza. | after Mother Wins Clemency for Store Thefts Her plea that she had stolen a few trinkets from the Metropolitan store in order to give her nine children some meager semblance of Christmas cheer won a Casper wo- mon the minimum sentence of $25 fine on her conviction of petit lar- ceny last night in pclice court. She was arrested by Patrolman Freel Monday afternoon when she was detected in the act of secreting a half dozen cheap © handkerchiefs and a ring. Dot Martin of Evansville, ar- rested Saturday when a Metropoll- tan clerk accused her of taking a pair of gloves, failed to appear in court and forfeited her $25 bond. F. E. Hicks paid a $50 fine for violating the city drug ordinance. Hicks and 32 pints of whisky were seized Saturday night at 136 ‘Wert Second street in a raid con- ducted by Officers Baker, Ideen and Zook. Thirty days in jail were allotted to two brothers booked originally as Gus and Wiliam Engler, but said by police to be known right- fully as Frank and William Blank. They were convicted of creating a disturbance on the complaint of Dan Bedard that they had attempt- ted to beat and rob him. The pair hafl from Omaha and are said to have been implicated. there in freight car of the Nepeaste 9 witness caused the to" dey ATO SHOW SHOW IN CASPER TO BE HELD IN MARCH According to Joe E, Mansfield, president of the Casper Automotive Dealers association, it is highly pro- bable that the 1925 Casper Automo- bile show will be opened on or about March 15. Definite dates for the dis- play of the new models will be set by the dealers” association in a Iun- cheon meeting to be held January 8 vat one of ‘the localhotels. It is expected /that every dealer. will be represented and voice his op’nion as to Just when the shinning beau- ties may be displayed to the Casper public to the greatest advantage, When word came to: loca! agencies that the Denver automobile «show will be conducted March 8, the esti mated date of our own presentation was advanced so as to follow as soon after the Colorado event as possible. This Is deemed necessary because of the large number of ‘novel exhibits which are loaned to Casper dealers they have had their sway at Denver. Whenever the, show ts called, Cas per people may rely upon the Tr’b- une to give them a complete cata- | logue of just what they will see in the form of a special automobile show edition, chuck full of live auto- mobile news, pictures,’and@ advertis- ing from the motor car. companies represented. CATTLE PLAUGE IN' BELGIUM BRUSSELS, Dec. 23.—The foot, and mouth disease among cattle is still spreading in Belgium, accord- ing to the latest reports. There are cases of the disease in 3,534 farm yards scattered in 983 villages. * yobberies. The death | ment of each quarterly installment. or Ley end Councilman 5S. K. Pelton, both members of the ad- visory health council, assured the city council that the proposed reor- ganization was in accord with their own wishes and would be readily enr dorsed by the health unit executiver,, “A complete inventory of equipment used by the health unit also is con- templated by the resolution. At pres- ent no central accounting of expen- ditures by ‘the health department is made, and the council felt that in the interests of efficiency and economy rome. one person should be charged with authority and responsibility for disburrements. the vehement protest of J. Mr. . Hemingway. ‘held that both the contractor and the city engineer of the original pavement to drain properly. He pointed out that the city might stand strictly on its rights and refuse to recognize the claim, since the contractor had failed to ly rigidly with the terms of the (Continued on Page Eight) Snow General Over Western Region in Last 24 Hours ;Mercury Rising at Montana Points Today Assurance of a white Christmas was brought to Casper and Wyoming last night with an addition to the snow blan- ket that has been accumulating since winter placed its icy seal on the state a week ago. Precipitation was light but general in its scope, the fall here amounting in the last 24 hours to only two inches. other sections af the state but to date there has been no serious trouble to transportation in _ cen- tral Wyoming. Continued cold ts forecast for this section. ‘With a minimum temperature of two degrees above zero last night and the mercury rising to five de- grees above during the forenoon hours, Casper was given pleasant weather today for last ‘minute Christ- mas shopping. DENVER, Colo., Dec, 23.—King Winter, who showed indications over the week-end of “tapering off” after a fiveday spree that sent super Some drifting is reported from chills into five gorm-racked states of the Rocky Mountain region, to- day apparently was preparing to launch-a fresh tear that would carry him along until the family rises on Christmas morning. The approach of his heayy, tcicled breath was heralded last night in Colorado by a heavy snow fall and a rapidly toboggoning mercury. Utah also had felt the effects of this second rampage and Wyoming, New Mexico and northern Arizona were on the calling lst for today. Montana, never off the list, was “tucking in” for a real bit of frigid (Continued on Page Eight) COMMUNITY TREE WILL SOON RADIATE CHEER HALF OF GREAT SPRUCE DOWN FROM MOUNTAIN Caspers community Chistes wi Saale The watgtity wri wants ay aiready ‘tying prone and nd aise te in: the little park by the Northwestern tracks. The other half was being bro’ it down from Casper mountain t under the supervision of Street “Commission- were partly to blame for the failure er Cullen. By the time the”big tree origt- najly ordered by the city ciuncil at the instance of the Rotary club Had Beén dragged tile down the mountain to the nearest point to which city trucks could be brought, it had been neatly pruned of most of its branches on one side, But Commissioner Cullen was qual to this dilemma. He sent back for a second tree, as nearly like the first as it was-possible to find one. This {s expected to sut- fer a similar fate during ita pre- * clpitous journey abaft a stout city team, If itetsn’t’ pruned sufficient- ly, axes will do the rest, and it will be lashed to. the. original spruce’ to make one symmetrical Pyramid of green. Workmen of the Natrona Power JAILBREAK IS BLOCKED ‘BY CANINE KANSAS CITY, Kans., Dec. 23. —An Airedale dog last night pre- vented the escape from the county jail here of Fred E. Poffenbarger and Keith Collins, principals in the $3,500,000 Council Bluffs, Ia., mail robbery in 1920. The dog's antics caused Sheriff Daniel Maher to make an: tnvest!- gation and he found the prisoners burrowed almost through the 14-inch brick wall which separt- ed their second floor cell from the Jail yard. ‘ Maher said he Investignted when the dog persisted in barking at the wall outside te cell. COOLIDGE HAS DECIDED UPON SUGAR TARIFF WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.—After months of study, President Coolidge has completed a statement announc- ing his decision on the question of Increasing the sugar tariff. Whito House officials would not say today whether the announce. ment would be made before Christ- mas, but safd it would not be much longer delayed. The tariff commission, after a two year study of the sugar rates, pre- sented a divided report, and it be- came necessary for the president to conduct his own his own inquiry. ANDIT HOLDS ‘UP MESSENGER DES MOINES, Ia., Dec. 23.—A bank messenger employed by the company will go promptly at the task of decorating and by dusk on Christmas Eve the giant tree will shimmer into radiant life. Home Savings bank here was robbed today of approximately $7,000 by several men who seized his money bag on a busy downtown street. HIGHT’S SANITY 1S TRIAL ISSUE Congressman Spring Sees the President as my crony, Ring me and the people had an election. I won. The other xuy should. of -been more careful an got his name on the ballot. When I had of been !n Washing: ton a coupla days I thot I'd stroll around an*have a cheerful chat with Silent Cal and give him a few ideas on how to. run. the government. The Missus she called up C. Bas- con for me. He is all the T. Basco ‘| down at the execution chambers at the White House, (here I had a hearty laff) to make an appointment an {it bein Safurday Cal was out— keeping all jlet_on the Potomac and cool on the Mayflower in No- vember. (That's purty good’ too “if you get me). Well, Slim Slemp he'll’ put. me down, meanin on his schedule of course, for Monday at 11:55 a. m. Knockin off work with the whistle at twelve wouldn't of gave me much time. I figgered out he didn* know who it was and so I had ene Missus say: T MAIL RECORD HERE BROKEN THIS YEAR Volume Handled by Casper Postoffice Sets New Pace; Package Shipments Out of City Are Enormous A card of Christmas grectings intended for someone “back home” on the old farm in Iowa, shot through the electric cancelling machine at the local postoffice yester- day. That card was one of 45,700 pieces of first class mail tee Zipped through the machine—the record in the his- of Casper’s postoffice, accord- ne to Edwin M. Bean, postmaster. dd to the 45,700 peotiiee number Pproximating 1,500, to cover the end stamped envelopes, and there Cu have a recordrecord. The tots! nearest to it was marked up Jan- uary 1 of this year when the mail- ometer showed 40,162. The peak for the Christmas season of 1923 was on December 21, with 31,234 letters and cards sent out of town. More than 600 big bags bulging with outbound Christmas packages went to the trains Saturday. Again yesterday the number of bags destined for other places, was very nearly the same. And today the average will be maintained, Such a mountain of mail has never before been known here. Tho greatest number of outgoing bags handled any day last year at this time was over 400, or 150 bags behind tha records for the present season, This morning a full Haggage car- load of incoming Christmas bags was recelyed» here. Here again a high point was reached, Increased by 44, the postoffice force néw totals 78. Supplementing facilities for normal business are four sub-stations and the new add!- tion to the main bujiding, (Crmtinued og Page Ten.) {not so bad) suddenly realizen who it .was willin to make an appoint- 1!’ make {t ten minutes on I had of promised Public Service commissioner Claude Draper from.my state (yes, his name is too Claude) to make an argument on a coal rate case before the Inter State Comers commission house on Mon- day and Tuesday against dislocat- ing rates which had of been located for twenty years, I says: “That suits me fine!” An bein invited for 11:15 a. m., T arrive at 11 a. m. so that there wouldn't be too big a jam: Its funny how people finds out when us big publi¢ men is a goin to come to @ certain place at a certain time. The scheme worked. I didn't have to wade through’ no crowd around me. Well, Slemp,, he, invited me in cordial (no drinks) to his waiting saying: “Yes, yes, yes, come a few folks in there and I gave em the once over just to let em know they didn't have nothing on me. They didnt have the nerve to look at me, pretending they didn't see me come in. I seen Mr. Hoover among these waitin. He was pacin up and down the room, swishing his feet along like they was a coupla his carpet sweepers; and when ‘the Presidents door open- ed, it bein a Iittle after 11:15 I starts to walk in when Slump says, sharp like: “Mr. Hoover.” An Hoover knowin no better, walks in ahead of me. I didn’t want to tell Slamp outloud in front of the other gueste that he had of forgot- ten my, time and.call him down just for a slip of the memory. His face looked lIfke it elipped too but I couldn’t tell for sure. Of course it wasn't Hoovers fault.-I could see that he hesitated about precedin’ me tho, when I-gave him a jook. He really didn’t see my keenest look because. when ho looked: at me I was Icokin’ out of the window by that time #0 as not be, too severe on him. My gaze is sure penetratin when I level it right at a man. I guess that's why a guy once called me a gazaboo, Me and Cal is a whole lot alike that way, Anyway Hoover wention in wearin and expression of At work | near east relief, Purty soon @ big man come in be- hind a broad smile. It was Chief Jus- tice Taft. I recognized him before he did me. Me an him walted to- gether, in separate rooms. I guess they never told Hoover who I was because he stayed in the president's room along time. I heard Slomp tellin’ someone on the telephone that the schedule was off an he couldn't set any definite time bécause Hoover was in there an Slamp says: “I can't take him out.” But finally he came out nad Boss- com (good) says: ‘Mr. Spring.” I cou'd tell by his tone when he said by name that he was disgusted and mad, at Hoover for stayin in so long ahead of me. Well, I went in trailin' Slimp feeling sorry for Mr. Taft havin’ to wait some more. Sea Bass (better) says: . Presi- dent, Congressman Spring.” Me and the president shook hands enthusiastically, I shook moren he aid. I says: “Mr. Pre— — — “Mrs. Spring was in to see me be- for the election Yer,” says I,.‘Mr. Pres — — — “and she gave me. very interesting information about her trip through ten states. “I seen it in the Denver paper— Mr. President I — — — “which I found exceedingly entertaining ‘We've had an‘elec — — — “and illuminating as she had talk- ed with a great many people, “T would like — — — “and evidently she judged the sit- uation very accurately." On account of Cal bela’ so silent and opposed to talkin’ himself I thot I'd lead out on the main con- versation after my introductory re- marks as outlined above. I had a lot of things I had of thot out to talk about an about five minutes of my time had already went by veason of my preliminary remarks which I seen now had been to grace- ful and long. You can’t say nothing really good tho in a short time unlesg you're President an a candi- date, So I spoke right up: “Mr. President in my state you got a majority of- “How is Mrs, Spring?" the Prest- dent asks, “Wine,” 1 says, “but I get a ma— (Continued on Page Seven) Alienists and Others Differ on Mental Soundness of Pastor Slayer; Pair May Know Fate by Christmas MOUNT VERNON, IIl., Dec. 28.—Judge J. C. Kern announced at the opening of court today that every effort would be made to conclude the trial of Lawrence M. Hight and Mrs. Elsie Sweetin, charged with the poison murder of her husband, Wilford Sweetin, and give the case to the jury tonight. Rebuttal testimony was offered by the state today to controvert the contention of the defense that Hight is of low mentality and not respon sible for his conduct at all times. Dr. Frank Fry, St. Louis allenist, who testified that he had examined Hight,.and found his nervous sys- tem norma] in every way, was cross examined. He was questioned by Attorney Nelson Layman, represent- ing Hight, as to the nature of the examination which he gave Hight when he pronounced him entirely sane. Several other doctors were ready to testify for the state before it closed its rebuttal testimony. Dr. C. H. Anderson, superintend- ent of the state hospital for’ the insane at Anna, Iil., defense alienist, said yesterday that Hight had the mentality of a ten ar-old boy. Dr. Fry sald he found the former preacher to be intelligent and with- out physical defects. Insanity, Dr. Fry said, was not hereditary when asked about the alleged feeble mindedness in Hight's family. Hight's reputed belief that he had seen deceased relatives near his bed was merely an apparition. Dr. Fry added “they are frequently han overs from the dream state,” Dr. Anderson's testimony indicated Hight was mentally unsound. The state demanded that questions Dr. Anderson asked the defendant be made public and the physician sald he bad asked Hight if he saw any. thing incongruous or unreasonable about this sentence: “The body of 4 young woman cut into 18 or 15 pieces was found in a park; it was believed she committed suictdi at was his answer?” was asked. “He sald he could see nothing unreasonable in it?’ Dr. Anderson replied. Previous to Dr. Anderson's appear- ance, dozens of Hight's friend for- mer neighbors testified that Hight was a sane man when he preached in the village of Ina last summer. MOUNT VERNON, Ill., Dec. 23 Hearing of evidencé in the joint trial of Lawrénce M. Hight, former clergyman and Mrs. Elsie Sweetin, for the poison murder of her hus- band, Wilford Sweetin, was con- cluded at noon today. Each side was given four hours for arguments, and a night.session was ordered so the case might go to the jury to- night. 2 EES SS, STOCK BROKER FOUND GUILTY NEW YORK, Dec. 23.—Louis Montgomery .Kardos, Jr., former stock broker in the firm of Kardos and Burke, which failed two years ago for $5,000,000, was convicted by @ jury today of trading against the account of a customer. The jury was out 12 minutes. Sentence will be imposed tomorrow. DETECTIVES IN LOAFERS GUISE SEIZE YOUTH IN NEW YORK PARK $70,000 Demanded in Threatening Letters Sent Wealthy People Of Gotham, Report. NEW YORK, Dec. 23.— Bern Sirro, 20, may spend Christmas in jail instead of with his parents in Fresno, California, with $70,000 to spend, as he had anticipated. In consequence of his failure to recognize a group of “loafers” in Battery park as disguised detectives, Sirro today faces charges of at- tempted blackmail and extortion, Having written letters to Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt and Philip Rhinelander threatening to “take action accordifigly" if money was not delivered as directed, it is al- leged, Sirro tried to blackmail the former out of $50,000 and the latter out of $20,000. One of the letters containing Sirro’s threats was re- ceived by Henry A, Keexan, Mrs. Vanderbilt's secretary, and the ether by Francis Valk, Mr. Rhine- lander's secretary. rro is safM to have warned his intended’ victims not to put explo- sives in the packages of money they were’ commanded to surrender: ‘to him. It is reported he ‘told them “some form of violence would be used against each unless his de- mands were met. NEW YORK, Dec. 23.—Bern Sirro, 20-year-old’ seaman, arrested last night for writing threatening let- ters to. Mrs. Willlam K. Vanderbilt Il, demanding $50,000, and to Philip Rhinelander demanding $20,000, pleaded guilty to blackmail and ex- tortion today when arraigned in police court. He was held in $5,000 bail for the grand jury. Sirro confessed having made threats of violence and bodily harm against Mrs. Vanderbilt if she failed to forward him the $50,000 demand- ed, according to the complaint filed in police court. WOMEN OF KU KLUX IN CITY Articles of incorporation for the Women of the Ku Klux Klan were filed with the county clerk of Na- trona county this afternoon. The filling was made by mail, in the name of James A. Cromer, attorney of Little Rock, Ark. Inclosed in Cromer’s letter were copies of the constitution and by-laws of the women’s auxiliary of the hooded order, and a copy of the petition under whicn the original in- corporation was effected in Pulaski county, Arkansas. A check to cover the “Riing fee accompanied the papers, | and all Elks are requested to celebration, fpective schools promptly at 8:20 include children who attend the fol-| lowing schools: Washington (East), Grant. The second group, who should be | at their respective schools, promptly | at 10:80 o'clock inc'ude children who attend the following schools: | “Wiaza GeikBtreet), (Central), McKinley (West), Jefferson Park and Lincoln | ELKS TO PACK HALL TWICE AT HOLIDAY PARTY Children of City Divided Into Two ‘Groups for Fete’Christmas Morning; Final Directions are Issued Casper school children will be divided into two groups for the Elks Christmas tree celebration Christmas morning be at the club at 8:30 in the morning with their cars to help transport the kids to the The first group of children, who should be at their re- (North), Garfield (North), json (Bucknum Park), Evansville. Children from Midwest Heights and Mountain View should meet at the Mil's school at 10:30 o'clock. The ‘asper Motor Bus line, through the courtesy of Wallace England, will transport children to the Elks club toy the celebration free of charge. Day Roosevelt Mil's and