The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, May 15, 1931, Page 1

THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” VOL. XXXVIIL, NO.5720. JUNEAU, ALASKA, FRIDAY, MA715, 1931. HOME OF SEATTLE DETE SHOOTS THREE |Curtain Run Down on ‘ David Belasco, Dean of ! Theatrical Producers THEN SUICIDES, LOGEING CAMP Tragedy Committed This Forenoon in Washing- ton—Girl Wounded | SHELTON, Wash., May 15.—W.! A. Renfroe, aged 31, shot and killed' his wife and daughter, Mary Louise, aged 7, and Joe Grisdale, aged 23 years, then suicided. His daughter Wanda, aged 6 years, was wounded | NEW YORK, May 15—David Belasco, Dean of American The- ‘atrical producers, died yesterday afternoon at 4:15 o'clock. No life has been more truly de- voted to the advancement of the American theatre than that ol David Belasco. His inherent love for his work and his infinite capacity for pains- taking in every detail made him one of the most successful men in the theatrical world. To achieve that distinction, how- and is expected to die. The tragedy |ever, was not an easy task and in- happened at the Simpson Wflm‘volved on the part of Mr. Belasco Camp No. 3. {active participation in every phase Grisdale was a son of T. W.lof work connected with the stage. Grisdale, general camp foreman, S, devoted was he to the Theatre who told the officers that Renfroe that not once during his long ca- had been drinking for several days reer did he ever consider retiring. and he apparently went out of his| Tnat subject brought a vigorous head this ‘morning and started out'gutburst from him when it was to destroy the entire family. Renfroe met Grisdale’s son after he shot his family. Grisdale asked if he was going to work. Renfroe replied tha the felt ill. Grisdale replied that maybe “work will do you good.” Renfroe then shet Grisdale and returned to his house and shot himsel. A year ago Renfroe shot and killed Herman Arnold in a dance hall in Montesano. Grisdale was a cousin of Sol Reed, son of Mark Reed, veteran state legislator and lumberman, killed a year ago by Arnold George. CELEBRATING ANNIVERSARY Ten Thousand Pilgrims Gathered at Meet- ing in Rome mentioned on the occasion of his |75th birthday anniversary. | “I shall retire when I -am carxied feet first out of the theatre,” he said. “I expect to be working hard and producing plays when those who say I should retire have passed away. Why, I've been on and off !the stage ever since I was eight months old. My first appearance was with my mother in a mother- and-infant part.” 4 Major Honors | Mr. Belasco's major honors came !from the artistic detarls with which |his dramatic productions were em- ]belushed. Constantly he was in pur- | suit of every item that would make |his plays realistic to the highest degree, especially from the scenic viewpoint. The attractions with which he was connected as pro- 1ducer, author, collaborator, adapter lor manager, numbered more than 1400 and included many successes of ,this and previous generations of ! theatre-goers. ‘While building his reputation |along these lines, Mr. Belasco at i the same time was equaily success- ROME,- May 15—Ten thousand ful as a leader of a school of real- pilgrims from all parts of the istic acting, many of whose pupils world are meeting here in observ- became stars of their own account ance of the Fortieth Anniversary Among them were Mrs. Leslie Car- of the encylical Rerum novarum on ter, David Warfield, Blanche Bates, labor written by Pope Leo XIIT, The encyclical was tinged with modern socialism. It was described as “the social Magna Carta of Catholicism,” and it won for Leo the name of “the workingman'’s pope.” Bishop Edwin O'Hara, of Great Falls, Montana, heads the Ameri- can delegation which includes doz- ens of representatives of Yabor or- ganizations. ——e——— EXPLORER IS NOT LOGATED Prof. Weger:r's Sled, Skiis Are However Found in Greenland Berlin, May 15.—Word from the |Lilian Gish, Milton Sills, Ina Claire and Jeanne Eagles. | " Of ancient Portuguese extraction, Mr. Belasco was born at San Fran- cisco, July 25, 1854¢. In his later life there was a questlon as to the year of his birth, nearly all biog- i raphical works giving the year 1859. It wasn't that Belasco was sensi- | tive about his age—he never paid | attention to it—but was rather .proud of his ability to continue at {the pace he followed in his work for one of his years. On each recurring anniversary of his birth, he would jocularly an- nounce upon entering his office: “Today I am 21,” an indication of how old he felt. A few weeks be- fore that anniversary in 1929, some old friends insisted that he clear lup the matter and Belasco asked his sister. She said he would be 75 on July 25 of that year. Born in San Francisco The early ancestors of Mr. Belas- co were forced to flee to England 'before the Moors. His father was Prof. Alfred Wegener Relief Expe- among those who later went to dition in Greenland said the ex- Vancouver, B. C., where he accumu- plorer's sled and skiis have been lated some wealth and was elected found but no trace of the explor- mayor. Later, when he met with er has been discovered. |reverses, he moved his family to Prof. Wegener headed a German San Francisco about the time of Expedition into Greenland last year the California gold rush and that and he has not been heard from city became the birthplace of David. since last November 1. The latter was educated at Lin- {coln College /California, and about 15 Tons of Food |{the time he was graduated mar- Aboard Polar Sub YONKERS, N. Y., May lS.—l“lf—' teen tons of food—enough to feed twenty men for eighteen months—,i will be aboard the trans-Arctic submarine Nautilus when Sir Hu- bert Wilkins and his gallant com- panions disappear beneath the pol- ar ice crust next July. The last, and possibly the most ried Cecilia Loverish. Mrs., Belasco died several years ago. Their daughter, Reina Victoria, was mar- ried to Motris Gest, the theatrical producer, in 1911. Mr. Belasco's predilection for the theatre asserted itself when he was only 14 years old. At that age he became author of his first play, “Jim Black, or the Regulator's Revenge.” He fitted up an empty coal bin at his home for a studio and shortly after obtained his first theatrical job—call boy at the Baldwin Theatre, 8an Francisco. He eventually became stage manager at vital, item of food was disposed of when Armour and Company noti- fied Sir Hubert they would fur- nish 3,000 pounds of pemmican. Reno’s Divorce Mill Grinds So Fast Profits Falling Off RENO, Nevada, May 15—Resi-[people say, the divorce mill is so dents have begun to take stock and | highly geared that they are not there were many who concluded |able to make a profit in six weeks. the six weeks divorce law is not so | ' As for the lawyers, many of them marvelous after all, at least as far | have establishments worthy of suc- as they are concerned. cessful New York attorneys, it was Tradespeople declared that the |pointed ‘out. ~The bar association ones to profit are the lawyers. In"|has a minimum fee of $250 for a the old days, when those desiring |divorce case, but the youngsters are divorces were required to live here | trying to “muscle in,” it is charged, for three months before applying |and aré taking cases for what they gor a decree, the revenue derived can get. from rentals for houses and apart- | However, fees of $10,000 are said mments was extensive. Now, trades- |to be frequent in contested cases. | ASSOCIATED Press (STRAUSS -PRYTONE) DAVID BELASCO ‘hat theatre and later held simi- lar positions at the Grand Opers House and the Metropolitan The- ater in San Francisco. ‘Was Stage Manager During those years Mr. Belasco came in contact with such stars a: Edwin Booth, John McCullough, E A. Sothern, Edwin Adams, Ade- aide Nielson and others. Mean- while, he had been spending all his Jpare time dramatizing novels adapting foreign plays and doing original work. From his position as stage manager, he went with Dion Boucicault, whom he served as pri- vate secretary for a time. ‘The play, “La Belle Russe,” writ- ten by Mr. Belasco in 1879, gained recognition for him in New York when it was successfully produced at Wallack’s Theatre. Three years later he was induced to go to New York by the Mallory brothers, who engaged him as stage manager and stock dramatist for their Madison Square Theatre. There he began his real climb to fame, continued it as stage manager for Daniel Frohman at the Old Lyceum The- ater and eventually struck out to attain his greatest achievement on his own account. Early Stage Successes One of his early successes was “May Blossom,” of which he was author and which was produced in 1884. Three years later he pre- sented E. H, Sothern in “Lord Chumley,” of which Mr. Belasco and Henry C. DeMille were co- authors. Mrs, Leslle Carter reach- ed stardom in his “The Heart of Maryland,” and continued her suc- cess In the Belasco version of “Za- za” He collaborated with John Luther Long in “Madame Butter- fly” and “The Darling of the Gods,” the latter being the vehicle which brought fame to Blanche Bates. It was in 1904 that Mr. Belasco pre- sented David Warfield in “The Music Master,” which established a record for continuous verform- ances to that time. Other Belasco plays which® still are familiar to theatre patrons include “Andrea,” a classical trag- edy of the Byzantife period; “The Girl of the Golden West,” “Rose of the Rancho.” “The Grand Army Man,” and “The Return of Peter Grimm.” In recent years the successes ~hich Mr. Belasco staged included- Ina Claire in “The Gold Diggers;” Fay Bainter in “The Other Rose;” Robert Loraine in “Tiger Cats;” Lenore Ulric in “The Harem;” Hol- brook Blinn and Judith Anderson in “The Dowe;” Willard Mack in “Canary Dutch,” and E. H. Sothern in “Accused.” Stages 400 Plays On the 75th anniversary of his birthday, Mr. Belasco was at At- lantic City directing the production of a new play preliminary to put- ting it on Broadway. Up to that time it was estimated that he had staged about 400 plays, of which he had written or helped to write 150. He announced then that his production schedule had been plan- ned for the ensuing eight years with 37 plays listed for presentation. Tt was not until 1902 that Mr. Belasco acquired a theatre of his own.. He spent six years and near- 1y $1,000,000 in litigation with Klaw and Erlandeer and other theatrical syndicate managers to establish his independence. Later he acquired interests in theatres in many of the principal cities. At his studio over the Belasco Theatre in New York, he maintained for several years a bureau of playwrighting, which was said tc have cost him $20,000 a year. Thousands of aspir- ing playwrights submitted manu- seripts, none of which was found BE DISPATCHED T0. YOSHIHARA |NEW PLANE TO [ALASKA JUNEAU STOCK GOES UP, STOCK EXCHANCE N(r)ir”z'-Politric';ll Cbnferencé Urged by American Legion to Solve Depression Cause; Petition to Be Sent Hoover Flier, Forced Down in Fog,|General Trend of Market Is Will Continue Flight Down to Bottom of to United States Bear Pit TOKYO, Japan, May 15. — The| NEW YORK, May 15.—The stock Hochi Shimbun, daily newspaper,|market slid down from a genera' backing the flight of Seiji Yoshi- |level to the bottom of a b2ar mar- hara, announced a new plane Will | ket in the most active trading of e sent to the aviator. He has|the week. It recovered substantially seen advised to remain at Nemfiro{in the final dealings as the bears mtil the replacement plane arrives|took the profits in preparation for INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, May 15.—The National Executive Committee of the American Legion has directed Ralph T. O'Neil, National Com- mander, to petition President Hoover to call a non-political conference to solve the causes of the present economic Jdepression. The committee also urged that “such a commission shou!l analyze the charges, as have been freely made in the press, that financial and business leaders failed to recognize the warning signs fully a year ahead | of depression and failed to sound a warning that might in some 'meas- | ure minimized the depression that followed.” STRIKES ONLY AS A LAST RESORT IF ‘here. Yoshihara was forced down yes- the week-end. Extreme losses of two to five OTHER METHODS FAIL TO RESIST WAGE CUT WASHINGTON, D. C, May 15—William Green, President of the swrday in a dense fog and ted | points of several prominent issues ‘or four hours off the coast of | were cancelled or cut in half by the Shithushiru Island. His plane was|late short covering wave. The mar- Jamaged. The flier and his plane | ket closed moderately lower for the were picked up by a steamer and |sixth successive session. ceturned to Nemuro. The decline embraced several is- American Federation of Labor, approved strikes to prevent wage cuts if all other means prove unsatisfactory. The statement of Green followed the appeal by the Federation's Executive Council that organized and unorganized labor resist to ihe “fullest extent” the tendencies toward less pay and a lower .iving Yoshihara is attempting a good- vill flight from Tokyo to San Francisco via Alaska. CHURCH WILL MAKE PROTEST, SPANISH GOVT. Reparationsn_\—V—iII Also Be Asked for Recent Destruction VATICAN CITY, May 15.—Fred- erico Tedeschini, Papal Nuncio at Madrid, it is announced here, has been instructed to file a formal protest with the Spanish Republi- can Government in which he will make strong representations re- garding the burning of .Catholic churches and . eonvents in Spain during the past week. The protest will also state lack of protection was responsible. The Catholic Cheéirch assumes, in view of the great property damage suffered, that reparation should ke made. RUSTGARD HIRES RODEN AND KERR FOR CODE WORK Lawyer and Court Report- er Start to Compile, Annotate Laws Henry Roden, Juneau lawyer, and Lawrence Kerr, experienced court reporter and clerk of the House of Representatives at the recent ses- sion of the Legislature, were en- gaged late yesterday by John Rust- gard, Attorney General of the Ter- | ritory, to compile and annotate un- der his direction the laws of Alas- ka. The work has been started. Mr. Roden will occupy by himself a room in the Capitol, and Mr. Kerr will have quarters in the suite oc- cupled by the Attorney General. Toward the. expenses of the task, the recent Legislaturé appropriat- ed $12,000. ) “Mr. Roden will compile and an- notate the civil code and Mr. Kerr the criminal code,” explained the Attorney General. “I do not think the time Intervening between now and the next Legislature or the appropriation of $12,000 will suffice for compiling and annotating th2 laws and making a gist of cited cases, but we shall go as far as possible. “I have competent helpers. Mr. Roden is a capable lawyer of long practice before Alaska courts. Mr. Kerr's experience in courts of the Territory extends over a period of more than 30 years. He has beea court reporter and clerk in the of- fice of United States attorney. He has had valuable clerical experi- ence with Legislatures of Alaska Both are eminently qualified for their tasks.” ————— MRS. H. KATAINEN BACK FROM SOUTH Mrs. H. Katainen recently re- turned to her home in Juneau from the south, greatly improved in health. 8he spent about six weeks in the Dr. Coffey Clinic, in Port- land, Oregon. — An ardinance still on the books in Belleville, IIL, prohibits park- ing any vehicle without a horse or beast of burden attached to it. sues recently resisting the pressure. General motors was off more than two points and then regained about half of the loss. Steel lost four or five and then recovered half. Ala‘ka Juneau mine stock wen! up to 16. TODAY’ STOCK QUOTATIONS NEW YORK, May 15.—Closing quotation of Alaska Juneau mine stock today was 16, American Can 102%, Anaconda Copper 26%, Beth- lehem Steel 43%, Fox Films 16%, General Motors 40%, Granby Con- solidated 13%, International Har- vester 46%, Kennecott 20%, Pack- ard Motors 7%, Standard Brands 18%, Standard Oil of California 35%, Standard Oil of New Jersey 35%, United Alrcraft 25%, U. 8. Steel 103%, Curtiss-Wright 3%, Hudson Bay 4%, Checker Cab 11, 10%, 11, California Packing 24%s. - e TILDEN WINS 3RD STRAIGHT TENNIS MATCH Professionai - Championship Is Clinched Against Richards PHILAPDELPHIA, Penn., May 15 —Willlam T. Tilden, of Philadel- phia, defeated Vincent Richards last night in the third of their se- ries to decide the professional in- door tennis championship. The win was Tilden’s third straight victory thus clinching the series. Tilden last night won three of the four sets and 5,000 fans at- tended. ‘The fourth match will be played in Chicago soon although it will have no bearing on the champion- ship. GANDHI WILL 60 T0 LONDON SIMLA, India, May 15.—Gandhi, who boycotted the first Round Table Conference, has formally agreed to go to London to parti- cipate in the second Round Table Conference. This conference has been set for November. KING'S PALACE SEIZED, SPAIN MADRID, Spain, May 15.—The summer palace at San Sebastian, former King Alfonso's property valued at $75,000, has been seized. ‘The people gave the palace to the late Queen Mother Marla Christina, L. A. Elks Ask Police Escort to Seattle LO8 ANGELES, Cal, May 15— Application of Casey E. Brain, chairman of the California Elks caravan, for an escort of Los An- geles motorcycle officers to Scattle, was submitted to Chief Roy E Steckel by the police board. The caravan will motor to Seattle for the Elks’ national convention there July 1. ————— Dally receipts under Kansas' new cigaret tax law have increased $1,000, standard. PAN-AMERICAN FEDERATION IS NOW DISGUSSED Economic Depression Most Serious Threat Against It, Says Briand ‘GENEVA, May 15.—The economic depression is the most serious threat against European accord, Aristide Briand, of France, declared today at the opening of the ses- sion of the Commission to study his project for a Pan-European Feder- ation. The crisis 1s especially serious, Briand said, in the agricultural countries in Southeastern Burope and to those countries the Commis- sion is to try and give prompt re- lief by preferential rates on cercals and also long term agricultural credits. . TOURIST SEASON BEGINS WITH 9 ABOARD ROGERS “One swallow doesn't make a spring, but a flock of them does, and while an occasional round-trip passenger is not indicative of the approach of the tourist season, a party of nine is a sure harbinger of the period of pleasure travel,” de- clared R. V. Harris, purser of the steamship Admiral Rogers, in port today, as he checked off the names of nine of the ship's company that have voyaged North for relaxation and enjoyment. “They are,” he added, from wide- ly distant places, which proves thaty their urge to wander is a general manifestation of that age-old rest- less trait in human nature that in- pels it to move to new scenes and to seek new environments when the sun mounts higher in the heavens, and the soft, south winds caress the world. Had to Move to Improve “If early humanity hadn't culti- vated the spark of intelligence that prompted departyre from old habi- tations and customs, we would still be swinging by our tals from the limbs of trees in Asiatic forests. “But enough! I haven't the time or the inclination now for a dis- course on the Darwinlan doctrine. The names and homes of the round trip passengers, who are enjoying this wonderful day in Juneau, are Miss Katherine Schultz of We- natchee, D. C. Spoor of Spokane, H. C. Olson and E. Heyman of Portland, Mrs. A. Richards, Mrs. V. Gleen and W. W. Glandon, Los Angeles.” Brings Ten Passengers The Admiral Rogers arrived in Juneau from Sitka, Skagway and | Haines at 10 o'clock this forenoon. She will depart for Seattle at 8 tonight. Ten passengers came here from ports on the Triangle run, as follows: H. L. Faulkner, A. Van Mavern, Lockie MacKinnon, Hugo Freder- ickson, William C. Dick, Miss da Quick, Mrs. Charley Daniels, C. J. Sullivan, T. J. Ragan and Charles Ward. ——— e — REGISTERED AT ZYNDA Hugo W. Frederickson, of Sitka; C. J. Sullivan and T. J. Regan of Haifles are registered at the Zynda. THENTY GRAND, MATE, FAVORED - IN BIG DERBY {Racing Fued Promised Be- tween Two Great Horses Tomorrow LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, May 15. —Mrs. Payne Whitney’s Twenty Grand and Albert Bostwick's Mate are favored to renew the racing feud In the tight for the Kentucky Derby and the winner's wreath Jf roses and the $60,000 prize money tomorrow, . A foréasbils made for fair weather tomorrow and the crowd will perhaps be 50,000 including Vice-President Curtis. There are 15 entries: Don Leon, Up, Pittsburgher, Mate, Twenty Grand, Boy Showdy, Anchoraweigh, Surfboard, Prince Damour, Equi- | poise, The Mongol, Spanish Plant, Sweep-All, Ladder and Insco. ——————— PLANS REMAIN UNCHANGED FOR LEAGUE OPENING President Karl Theile An- nounces Assignments of Four Players Plans of officers of the Gastineau Channel Baseball League are for the opening of the season next Sunday afternoon with a game be- ‘tween the Moose and the E'ks, Preparations that were made for the initial game last Sunday have undergone no change for next Sun- day. Gov. George A. Parks will ditch the first ball; Chief of Police George Getchell will be the batter, Innd Mayor Thomas B. Judson, the | catcher. There will be a flag-raising cere- mony and the Juneau Band will be present. Today Karl Theile, president of the League, announced the follow- ing assignments of players: Edward Hedges to Legion, H Scruby and Gordon Colton to Elks, Hardy Gregory to Moose. ‘These players have been request- ed to report to the managers of the teams to which they are assigned. s e (PRIEST UNDERGOES OPERATION HERE Father Prange, 8. J., missionary priest who has been stationed at Nulato, successfully underwent a surgical operation for appendicitis at St. Ann's Hospital in this city this forenoon. Father Prange has been in poor health since last fall. He left Nu- lato almost two months ago in- tending to go direct to the States. On reaching Fairbanks he became so ill that he had to enter St. Jos- ©oph’s Hospital. He remained a pa- tient there several weeks. His health was bad when he became able to travel. He arrived here last week. o e LOUISVILLE, Ky, May 15— Nick Cullop met Nick Cullop here for the first time at a baseball game. One Nick was a member of the Concinnati Reds .and the ;other a former member of the Louisville Colonels. They met at an exhibition game. ATTEMPT MADE TO MURDER GITY POLICE OFFICER Giles Humphrey's Life Is Threatened When Blast Wrecks House 'TWO THROWN FROM BEDS BY EXPLOSION |Can Wreckage Indicates Dynamite or Gunpow- der Composed Bomb SEATTLE, May 15—A bombing attempt was made last night on the life of City Detective Giles Humphrey, member of the police force for th2 past 30 years. The blast damaged the Humphrey home. It threw both the detective and his wife from their beds but they escaped injuries. The front porch of the residence and one side of the house were torn away. Windows in nearby houses were broken. Humphrey was awakened by the barking of dogs just before the blast. On the previous night a similar barking of dogs leads to the belief the perpetrators were frightened away on the first visit. The police said fragments of a can wreckage indicated the bomb was made ©of dynamite or gun- powder. Detective Humphrey said he had no known enemies. ——————— SCIENTISTS ON WAY TO ALASKA, SPECIFIC WORK Herbert Mason Expects to Fine Proof that Land Bridge Existed SEATTLE, May 15.—The cutter Northland has sailed for Alaska with a party of scientists aboard including the following: James Ford and W. B. Chambers, Smithsonian Institute. Dr. Lester Furnas, Western Re= serve University of Cleveland. § Herbert Mason, Carnegie Insti tute. R. M. Gllmore, University of Cal= ifornia, Ford and Chambers are going to the St. Lawrence Island to excavate ancient village sites. Mason expects to find fossils demonstrating a land-bridge con- nected Asia and America. Gilmore seeks a species of birds. Furnas is to study the health of the Eskimo. - e — INDIAN SCHOOL CHIEFS CHARTER PLANE T0 SITKA Charles Hawkesworth and Mrs. K. M. Cook Will Be Back Today To inspect the government school at Haines, Charles Hawkesworth, acting chief of the Alaska Division of the Bureau of Indian Affairs headquarters in Juneau, and Mrs Katherine M. Cook, cnjef of the special problems division of the Office of Education, Department of Interior, headquarters in Wash- ington, D. C., left here this morn- ing in the seaplane Petersburg for the Lynn Canal town. They are scheduled to return in the aircraft to this city late today. ‘The plane, whose pilot is Robert Ellis and whose mechanic is Brian arland, came back to Juneau late yesterday afternoon from Sitka where it went yesterday morning. John W. Jones, manager of the Juneau-Young Hardware, made the round trip. R A commissary opened by a church in Amarillo, Tex., gave aid to 2,492 familles in six months. e One of the oldest radio stations of the army, at Fort Sam Houston, Tex., is being dismantled. Tt was established in 1909.