Evening Star Newspaper, February 3, 1922, Page 1

WEATHER. Fair tonight and tomorrow; some- what colder tonight; lowest tempera- ture about freezin Temperature for twenty-four hours ended at 2 p.m. today—Highest, 56, at 2:30 yesterday. Lowest, 37, at 7 a.m. today. Full report on page 17. Closing New York Stocks, Page-27. 28,404, PRESIDENT CITES EIGANTIC SAVING FOR GOVERNNENT $4,550,000,000 Scale of Ex- pense Is Chopped to $3,- 974,000,000, He Says. HOLDS BUDGET SYSTEM HAS JUSTIFIED ITSELF Organization Has Set Enmplel Which Has Tended to Make Thrift Fashionable. President Harding, afternoon the meeting of the govern- ment business organization, held at vontinental Memorial Hall, told repre- sentatives of all the departments and Independent establishments that it has veen possible to reduce the govern- wient's expenditures from a scale based ou §4,500,000,000, to a scale of $3,9 200,000, HI based true tha: this showing is on the accomplishments of only one-half of the fiscal year, but| 1 it demonstrates the possibility of keeping the government's expendi- tures measurably within the scale forecasted. in advance of the fiscal ~ear’s ovenirg, provided that new jegislaagon shall not be enacted to warcose the cxpenses,” the I'resi- dent said. Budget Is Justified. lHe stated that the report of the director of the budget, from which he had taken the above figures, “indi- cates thut even in its formative perivd the budget system has ju iled our most confident expecta- tions.” The end has been brought about as a result of higher syste- snatization and better co-ordination of business methods. ‘In accomplishing what has been achieved in the first six months of ihis organization’s operation,” said President Harding, “the director tells us that a staff has been engaged representing a scale of expenditure, | not new, but newly applied, of only $109,000; while the reports show di- rect’ savings of $32,000,000 that may be definitely emasured, und indirect savings of ¥104,000,000, in a period of somewhat more than four months.” President Harding declared that he could not but feel that the govern- ment has in the budg set an example of “care and tarift that has helped greatly to make sav- ing fashicnable.” The President's address at the meeting of the government busi ness organization today follows: Gen. Dawes, Ladies. and Gentle- men of the Government Business Organization: This gathering is the second in which have been brought together the heads of the varlous business departments of the governm:nts organization. Something more than six months ago_the first neeting of* M kind Whs held, to signalize the inauguration of the budgetary system of control over the detailed conduct of govern- ment business. It is now possible to survey the accomplidhments of this first half-year perfod, and I think we may well congratulate ourselves upon the showing. The report of the director of tie budget is in your hands. It indi- cates that even in its formative period the budget system has justi- fied our most Cufll\fl!né expecta- tions. As a result of the higher systematization and better co-or- dination of business methods the director notifies us that, at an al- most insignificant cost. it has been possib to reduce the govern- ment's expenditures from a_ scale based on $4,550,000.000, which was asked for the executive depart- ments and independent establish- ments for the current fiscal year, to a scale of $3,974.000,000. It is true that this showing is based on the accomplishments of only one- half of the fiscal year, but it dem- onstrates the possibility of keep- ing the government's expendi- tures measurably Within the scale forecasted in advance of the fiscal year's opening. provided that new legislation shail not be enacted to increase the expenses. Direct Saving of $32,000,000. This gathering has been sum- moned in pursuance of a policy of calling together the business heads of the government, precisely as would be done from time to time in any business organization. Here the “President of the business establishment can meet those who are in direct charge of the busi- ness machinery. In order to insure continuing contacts with them throughout the business year there has been created by execu- tive order the co-ordinating hoards whose reports are in your hands. In_accomplishing what has been achieved in the first six months of this organization’s operation, the director tells us that a staff has been engaged representing a scale of expendi- ture, not new, but newly applied, of only $109:000; while the reports show direct savings of $32,000,000 that may be definitely measured, and indirect savings of $104,000.000, in a period of somewhat more than four months. The various co-ordinating boards were created, on recommendation of Gen. Dawes, for the purpose of binding together in a common plan of unification the departments and independent establishments which formerly. in large measure, oper- ated independently of one another. Through these co-ordinating boards, agents representing the executive, working under the su- pervision of the director of the budget, it is possible to impose and execute the general policy of the executive, involving co-ordina- tion, economy and efficiency. If there were any misunderstandings in the beginning as to the-method and purposes in bringing about 1his co-operation, they have now happily been substantially all dis- sipated. It is now definitely un- derstood that in detailing, by exec- utive order, any officer or employe of the government to serve as a co-ordinator or as aid to the di- rector of the budget, it is the in- tention that there shall be created a primary responsibility to the President as the head of the busi- ness organization. That respon- sibility is now recognized not only by the detailed officer or employe, but by all the departments and in- dependent establishments. Sure of Loyal Support. In the beginnings of this govern- mental reorganization there were some who feared that if we detail- ed from each department or estab- lishment some person employed therein to serve with the director of the budget there would be cre- ated a sort of double responsibility and divided loyalty, which might (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) addressing this | t organization, ! , | i Entered an second-clacs matter Dost office Washington, D. C. INTERNATIONAL COURT CHOOSES DR. LODER AS ITS PRESIDENT By the Assoclated Press. THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Feb- ruary 3.—The international court of justice, meeting in private ses- sion here this forenoon, elected as president of the court Dr. B. T. C. Loder, a former member of the Dutch supreme court. The eclection of Dr. Loder was virtually unanimous. He will hold the ofiice of president for three years. Dr. Loder is an eminent au- thority on maritime law. He was a member of the Dutch delega- tion which visited Parls during the peace conference in 1919, while the treaty of Versailles was being . drafted. The time until the formal public opening of the court, on February 15, will be talken up with the elec- tion of the vice president and other officials and with framing the rules of procedure for the court. TWIGE TELL THAT * OPEISUNGADSEN First Two Efforts Prove Fruitless, Signal Tells Waiting Crowds. By the Associated Press. ROME, February 3.—The third and | fourth ballots were taken by the| conclave of the sacred college this ! evening in an effort to choose a suc- cesxor to Pope Bemedict. There was no cholee, however, on either ballot. ROME, February 3.—Voting for the election of a Pope to succeed Benedict XV was begun by the conclave of the sacred college today. Two ballots had been taken up to 1 o'clock this afternoon, on neither of which any cardinal received a sufficient numbe: of votes to be elected. llege assembled in the historic stine Chapel today to cast their first ballots in the elections of the new Pope. were closed yesterday with centuries-old ceremony. to remain shut until the next pontiff is chosen. Cardinal Marini, who has influenza. was taken into the Vatican before the doors were closed. It had been thought Le would be unable to attend. He did not participate in the opening ceremonlies, remaining in bed. Y Four ballots will be taken daily, Instead of two, as has been the rule, it s learned through the Irish Col- lege, and confirmed in other gquar- ters. The number and issue of the successive ballots will be evident to the people congregated outside of St. Peter's by the customary vote burning. & common iron stove hav- ing been installed just outslde the of cardinals “Pwo limits of the lo thrones. in-the: sacks of straw lie nearby. cating to the crowds watching the chimney that there Is still no elec: tion and 1ight vapor that a new Fope reigns. First Vote Merely Test. The first vote, it is thought. will be merely in the nature of a test of the drift of sentiment. Progress after that, however, is expected to be fairly rapid, Cardinal Gasparri and others having indicated their belief that the conclave will not be long-lived. There is much interest in Rome in the effort of Cardinal O'Connell, Arch- bishop of Boston. to reach here in time to participate in the voting. The steamship President Wilson, on which he is a passenger, is not expected in Naples before Monday, and it is feared that he may be disappointed, as he was in 1914, when Pope Bene- ! dict was elected while the cardinal was speeding toward Rome from the seaport in_an automobile, Prince Chigi, marshal of the con- clave, and Cardinal Gasparri, the camerlengo, or acting head of the church, have taken precautions to prevent the results of the various bal- lots from leaking out before the con- clave is over. Greatest care was inforcing the partitions which shiit the area of the conclave from the rest of the palace. All the attaches have heen impressed that discretfon shall be exercised in the cholce-of the per- sonnel of the staff so that no leak is possibie. Carry Out Ceremonial. The conclave's isolation from the outside world was carried out yester- day with full ceremonial. Shortly after lunch the cardinals met in the Pauline Chapel, where “Venl Creator” i | | | was sungi a procession then formed. led by Cardinal Vannutelli, dean of the Sacred College, passing through the Sala Regia to the Sistine Chapel, where the hymn was concluded. The cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel,|In 1915 and behind closed doors the oath was taken to maintain secrecy. The camerlengo, Cardinal Gasparri and Cardinal Risleti, the first deacon, surrounded by an escort of -®w guards and acolytes, marched to Con- sistorial Hall, where all the attaches of the conclave, Including the clerks of the household and those who &re to be in attendance on the cardinals, assembled. Again the oath of secrecy was administered, under pain of ex- | communication and any punishment which the future holy father might inflict. The masters of ceremony then pro- ceeded throughout the sacred palaces, DARK SMOKE PUFFS, Fifty-three members of the sacred | taken in securing the doors and re.«' The WASHINGTON HARDING PROPOSAL ORASSOCIATION OF NATIONS MAY DIE Washington Conference May Pass Without Action Being Taken. FARLEY HERE REGARDED TO BE GREAT SUCCESS | Plenary Meeting Tomorrow Morn- ing Will About Close Sessions. Treaties Yet to Be Signed. By the As: ated ¥ Plans were made today for the attendance of President Harding at a plenary sessfon of the arms conference next Monday to w t- uess (he signing of the tren 10 thank the delegntes for their work and to participaie generally In the activities murking the ad- Journment of the conference. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN, The Washington conference is about | to pass into history without any formal ! I attempt to bring about an “association of nations.” which was suggested by President Harding in his pre-election campalgn. - Unless there should be some eleventh-hour attempt to disauss this matter, the conference will ad- Jjourn without \naving done anything about ft. There has been no formal proposal made at the conference for the estab- lishment of such an associatton. 1If an assoclation of nations should develop later in line with the present status j &iven, it probably will come as an evo- lution. cess. How great a success probably has not yet been realized fully by the The doors of the Vatican D€ #n impellin; th people in this country and in the other nations participating. If the agreements entered into at the Wash- ington conference work well—and it is velieved they ;vfll—lhen there will & force to bring abo other conferences to deal willlil oth::' international subjects. . Plenary Session Tomorrow. The conference is to hold an open plenary session at 10:30 o'clock to- morrow morning in Memorial Conti- nental Hall. The doors will be closed at 10:15, and persons holding tickets must present themselves before that time. This session, it is belleved, will see the end of the conference, excepi for the signing of the naval limitatiop, far east and submarine and poison gas treaties. The signing of thesa treaties may be carried over until Mondgy. merely because of the im- possibility of having the documents ready . te " sign earlier. The last of the important subjeets relating to the far east to be dis- cussed at the conference, the called twenty-one demands of Ja upon China In 1915, will receive fi, consideration at a meeting of the east committee this afternoon. Dr. ‘Wang of the Chinese delegation, is expected to reply to the statement made yesterday aftrnoon by Baron Shidehara, the Japanese ambassador, regarding the twenty-one demands. Gratification Expressed. Dr. Wang will express the gratifica- tion of the Chinese delegation at the complete withdrawal of group five of the original demands, the most ob- noxious of all to China, as declared yesterday by Baron Shidehara, and also at the withdrawal by Japan of insistence upon preferential rights in regard to capital for use in south Manchuria and eastern inner Mongolia, and in regard to the engagement. by China of Japanese advisers in south Manchuria. > Dr. Wang will take issue, how- ever, with the argument made by Baron Shidehara upholding the valld- ity of the agreements of 1915, made under tké twenty-one demands. He will point out that these agreements were wrung from China by duress at time when she was at peace w Japan, and that they rest upon differ- ent grounds from other international agreements. He will say further 'that Baron Shidehara's argument to attack these agreements would be a dangerous precedent, opening the way to at- tack upon ather international agree- ments, i3 not well founded. Argu- ments of the Chinese delegation for the complete abrogation of all these agreements growing out of the twenty-one demands will be present- ed also. Dr. Wang will point out that those which remain in ex- istence only will cause ill feeling between the countries. TU. 8. Statement Expected. The United States delegation, it is expected, will also make a statement in regard to the twenty-one demands. this country protested to Japan against anything in the agree- ments forced upon China which might Infringe the rights of other na- tions in China and which conflicted ‘with the open door policy. ‘This discussion probably will bring the question of the twenty-one de- mands to a conclusion, so far as the ‘Washington conference is concerned. The concessions fnade in regard to these demands by the Japanese in the statement of Baron Shidehara were regarded as of much importance. They are in line with the gains made by China during the conference. A mem- ber of the Chinese delegation today declared that China had benefited (Continued on Page %, Column 2.) (Continued on Page 2, Column 3.) # The Knickerbocker Theater Disaster :_ . In Rotogravure Section of = | Next Sunday’s Star A full page of photographs vividly portraying the wrecked interior and scenes attending the work of rescue. Order your copy of The Sunday Star from newsdealer today, for the supply is limited. bering WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION D. C, 1 i | { { } ! i LEGISLATIVE BILL A SUGG {ON The Washington conrerence isasuc-| SUPPlY Measure Makes Cut! From Estimates, Giving $12,389,411 Total. i Carrying recommendations for ap- propriutions totaling $12.389,410.95. the supply bill for the legislative branch of the government was re- ported to thie House today. The sum | recommended was $627.125 less tha | the amount of the estimates and $75 1204.28 less than the current appro- priations. s This measure carries appropriations for the Senate, the House of Repre- sentatives, the Capitol police, the joint committee on printing, the legis- lative drafting service, the architect of the Capitol, the Botanic Gardens, the Library of Congress, and the gov. ernmerit printing office. No_increases In compensation arc carried In the bill. Beveral increases were submitted under the House of Representatives and the Library of Congress, but the requests were not complied with. Nine new employmént wre recommeénded, one undér the House of Representatives and eight under the Library of Congress. Four employments are omitted, two under the House of Representatives and two uader the architect of the Capitol. Printing Office Provision. For the government printing office a total of 23,973.20 is allowed, which is $372,830 less than the cur- rent appropriations and $221,540 less than the estimates submitted. Of this | office of the public printer, $2,000.000 gress and $218,993 for salarles under the superintendent of documents. These figures represent a salary de- crease of $71,430 in the office of the public printer and an intendent of documents. The report on this bill, submitted by Representative Joe Cannon, points out that the committee has not fol lowed the practice adhered to in con- nection with other bills, namely, not h|to exceed the budget estimates, be- cause the estimates have not passed through any revision or scrutiny and becauso the budget act clearly intended and specifically reserved to Congress the right to pass in any way it chose upon the sufficiency or insufficiency of the estimates of its own officers. ‘The committee has recommended appropriations in the bill in cxcess of the original estimates only in five instances. Three of these occur un- der the House of Representatives, one under the Capitol police and one I’lfldSI' the legislative drafting serv- ice. For the Botanic Garden an appro- priation of $20,000 is recommended to connect the bulldings of the Botanic Garden with the Capitol power plant. The appropriation for general ex- penses is reduced $6,500, representing the expenditure for cogl #nd light to be eliminated as a result of this con- nection. Increases for Library, For the Library of Congress in- creases in compensation approximat- ing $85,000 and distributed among 370 employes were requested. Thé com- mittee recognized the fact that a low standard of pay obtains in the library, but does not feel that an exception should be made to the policy adopted respecting increases in salary gen- erally, pending legislative action on the general subject. Thirtéen new positions were re- quested and the committee finds jus- tification for eight of those, with sal- aries totaling $9,960. An increase of $3,000 is recommended for employ- ment of temporary services in connec- tion with the distribution and sale of card indexes. An appropriftion of $12,000 is recommended to provide & suitable repository for the orginals of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, which have recently been transfeered to the library from the State Department. The totsl provision for the Capitol lice Is $59,650, of which $42,450 is gv salaries. The appropriation during the cur- rent fiscal year of $345,720 for the Lincoln memorial commission was eliminated. The total carried in the bill for the Botanic Garden is $90,016, of which $48,616 is for salaries. priation for maintenance of mobile for the Vice President 240, which is $760 less than the estimates. The item of $4,000 for an automobile for the Vice President, which was car- (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.). FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, REGEIVED IN HOUSE: amount $130,880 is for salaries in the| for printing and binding for Con- ¢ increase of | $3,600 for salaries under the super-| 1922 R. TO REPRESENTATIVE | [INDORSE WIDOW’S PLEA ! IN OYSTER ESTATE SUIT| | Mrs. Cecile Oyster, widow of George i1 er, jr., local dairyman, who is | attempting to have the udministration | ,0f her husband’s estate transferred to! ! the Equity Court, was joined today by | 1 D. William Oyster and Mrs. Marion U. Rutherford. brother and sister of the jdeceased. Mr. Oyster and Mrs. Ruther- | 1 7ord were named as defendants in Mrs. ! ; Oyster's bill, but in filing answers to- {day they adopt the allegations of her i complalnt and point out thut as Edwin |+, Brandenburg, the executor, also is named as trustee of the estate, the { Equity Court has complete jurisdiction |'to administer. | Arayed against the widow & | James F, Oyster. District Coramissioner, { jand Mrs¥ Anna I. Schulteis, brother and sister of the dead dairyman, who have filed motions to dismise the bill of com- plaint on the ground that the Probate | Court has full powers to administer the | ertate and, having taken jurisdiction, {should not’ be ousted by the Equity Court. Henry N. Brawner. jr. whose purchase of the dairy business is at- | tacked, and Edwin C. Brandenburg, the Capt. | i cxecutor and trustee, also seek thz dis- | 1mi=sal of the bill. i Hearing on the motions to dismiss | wus scheduled before Justice Bailey for { Monday. Attorney Juliug I. Peyser filed the answer of Mrs. Ruthertord and Attorney | Henry_ E. Davis appeared for * lam Oyster- ok e . 1S, PLANS BRIVE ON RUM RONNER |Concerted Campaign to Be | Carried on Along Coast of Florida. | Plans for a concerted drive on {liquor and drug smugglers along the {Florida coast were announced today ty L. G. Nutt, acting chief of the general prohibition agents. A special forge of experienced en- forcement agents, Mr. Nutt said, has been detailed for Florida for a thor- ough clean-up and will be in charge of General Prohibition Agent E. B.| Henson of Savannah, Ga. The spe<l cial smuggling squad, he declared, will operate along the entire Floria coast, with Miami as its headquarters. In addition to the agents available in Florida and those Mr. Henson will take with him from Georgia, a num- ber of expert enforcement officers will be detailed from the Washing- | ton office, Mr. Nutt said. ! “We are Eolng after smugglers | with a vengeance declared Mr. Nutt, “and with well laid plans, un- cder the best trained men in the serv- ice, are determined to get results.” Mr. Henson is the prohibition agent whose raid on a house in Savannah several months ago called forth a proteet by Mayor Stewart of Savan- nah to President Harding on the ground that a search for liquor was made without a warrant. His detail to Florida, however, Mr. Nutt said, was merely a temporary assignment for the special smuggling drive and not. an ‘outgTowtn of the Savannah raid. BRYAN HEADS PROTESTORS. } - i i By the Associated Press. MIAMI, Fla.. February 3.—Orders issued in Washipgton today for a con- certed drive against liquor and drug smugglers along the Florida coast are in conformity with a request made several weeks ago by a delegation of local prohibition workers, headed by ‘W. J. Bryan, who went to Washington and laid before the authorities there alleged facts as to conditions here. The island of Biminl, In the Baha. man group, is only forty miles from Miami, and shipments of whisky and other intoxicants from there are daily landed by schooners and airships at various points along the coast near this city, it is said. There are great stores of liquors at Bimini and on oth- er islands in the Bahamas, and local officials have been unable to do much toward stopping the increasing traf- fic in wines and liquors. HAD PETITION PREPARED. By the Associated Presr. L -JACKSONVILLE, Fla., February 3. —Backed by a letter of indorsement from Gov. Hardee, the Anti-Saloon League of Florida, it was learned to- day, after an announcement from Washington. that a special squad of prohibition agents wis coming to this state, had prepared to send 2 huge pe- tition addressed to President Harding and Prohibition Commissioner Haynes,. asking that such a step be taken. ‘The pastor of every church in the state has peen provided with blank petitions and the league has asked that he have each member of his con- xn.n:un sign. them - Sunday, Feb- vuary 6. i l | | WALTON —THIRTY-FOUR PAGES. MOORE. CASESMAYBECITED Meet Tomorrow — Legis- lative Hearing in Richmond. Special Dispateh to RICHMOND, by the house committee for co of justice ftor hearing the Hall | bill to amend the divorce laws and put an end to the evil wkich has become a disgrace in of the state. Delegate Hall that all who wanmt to be be om hand. Members of the bar of Alexan- dria and several ministers from t section have amnounced their lon fo be here in mdvocacy measure; Diselosures Expected. £rom StA¥ Correspondent. ALEXANDRIA. Va. Tzbruary Disclosurce suggesting irregularities In connection with the alleged divorce jevil here ar: looked for when fhe committee of the Alexandria Bar As- gociation appointed to investigate meets here tomorrow afternoon. At this meeting the subcommittee of three will advise the full commit- tee of what it has done during the |past weeks in the matter of tabulat- ing a brief higtory of each divorce case on the corporation court’s rec- ords from May, 1920. to the present time. It also will bring to the atten- tion of the committee cases which on their face are looked upon as being irregular. The members of the sub- committee are J. R. Caton, chairman; Keith Carlin and Commonwealth's Ac- torney Smith. Although the members of this sub- committee have given no hint as to any of their findings thus far, it is understood by persons who are keep- ing abreast with the investigation that there is not the slightest doubt about there existing some foundation of fact as to irregularities regarding the aivorce practice. At the corpora. tion court house it was learned that the subcommittee has been working: for several hours each afternoon and night on the court files in its tabula- tion of every divorce case handled during the period Judge Robinson Moncure has presided over the cor- poration court, which period s alleged to have witnessed the great growth in_the so-called divorce evil. Despite the fact that a thorough ex- amination of the papers and affidavits in each case in the files is being made by the members of the committee, it is understood that they have succeeded in tabulating approximately thirty-five per cent of all the cases in the flles for | the period already mentioned. ‘Wil Decide on Witnesses. Besides receiving the preliminary re- port from the subcommittee when. it meets _tomorrow, the full investigating committee will decide on those indi- viduals living here and elsewhere whom it will request to testify before it at a future meeting. During the period of the investiga- tion the court, members of the bar and officials of the city government have been requested by the commit- tee to do everything within their power to insure the protection of the state in the matter of divorces. There is a bill pending now iIn the state | legislature which amends the divorce law of the state at least to the extent of providing protection of the state interests and which provides a more stringent restriction regarding the |rlum|clle feature of the present law. “BRIGHTER LONDON SOCIETY”” PLANS : TO MAKE CITY “MAGNET OF WORLD” | —_—— Member of the Assoclated Press ‘The Associated Press is exelusively entitied to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or Al rights of publication of special dispatcises hereln are also reserved. Yesterday’s Net Circulation, 96,379 TWO CENTS. THEATER DISASTER INQUIRIES AWAIT BOMB KILLS FIVE PUPILS.! H Sought to Extract Powder With; | Nail With Fatal Results. | SAN ANTONIO, Tex., February 3.—’ Five children were killed while piay- ing in the Cruz de Galvez school yard | |in HMermosillo, Mexico, when one of| them attempted to extract the FOW-‘ der from a bomb left there when: IRREGULAR DIVORCE, Francisco Villa's force stormed the town, according to a dispatch re- ceived today in San Antunio by the newspaper La Prensa. The oildren found tne Srenade near tue powder house in which an explosion recently occurred. One of the children held the machine in .:~ hands while another drove a nail into it so they could get the powder. CIGARETTE STUBS - CLUES IN MURDER Figure in Mysteriofis Slaying of W. D. Taylor, Motion ! Picture Director. {Remnants of Smokes Regarded as Mute Evidence That Assassin Lay in Waiting. By the Associated Press. LOS ANGELES, Calif., February 3.— today the key to a mystery which for twenty-four hours has been deeper than any developed in his work by i William Desmond Taylor, noted mo- tion picture director, slain Wednes- day night at his home here. half-smoked remains, found near the I back door of his luxuriously appoint- | e residence. according to investiga- tors, give muie evidence that some {man apparen waited nervously { there on the evening of the murder. i | jAlexandria Investigators to ! ‘they nink with statements by Mrs. i Douglas MacLean, wife of a motion { picture actor. that on the evening of | the murder she heard a shot fired. . and looking from the window of her home. which overlooks that of Taylor, | she saw a man, stranger to he emerge from the front door of Tay lor's home, look hack through and aj parently speak, close the door and de- part. i Statement by Worlam | Another link is a statement by em- iployes at an vil service { that within an hour prior to that time a stranger, whom they describe simi- larly, asked them where W. D. Taylor jlived, and they directed him to the place where the shooting later occur- red. The crew of a street car added the information that at a time closely corresponding to that which Mrs. Mac- Lean gives as of the departure of the from Taylor's house a cl y, from whicn passengers rare. ly boarded a gar. .They described him similarly. These revelations only served to deepen the mystery, for Mrs. MacLean sald the stranger was not the former servant of Taylor, whom she knew and for whom the police are seeking. Taylor reported to the police some time ago this man had stolen property and money from him. The porch light of Taylor's home was on and Mrs. MacLean observed him in its full glow. Trace Stranger's Movements. The movements of this stranger | coincide with the visit of Mabel Nor- mand, motion picture actress, to Tay- lor's home on the evening of the mur- der. Taylor escorted Miss Normand to her motor car and talked a few minutes with her there. The front door of his home was open. Investi- gators suggest that the stranger, who had been nervously smoking cigar- ettes while waiting for an opportunity to get at Taylor. apparently entered the apartment while the door was open and Taylor was out talking to Miss Normand. The time Miss Normand fixed as_that of her departure closely corresponds to the time Mrs. MacLean fixes as i having heard the shot, an indication possibly, Investigators’ say, that the stranger shot Taylor immediately after Taylor returned to the house and seated himself before his desk to continue work on his income statement. Story of Movie Aetress. s Edna Purviance, motion picture actress, who occupies a two-story bungalow similar to that of Taylor in the same court or group of buildfngs, informed pelice that she returned home about midnight Wednesday and observed’ lights burning in Taylor's home. She said she thought nothing of -it as she knew Taylor to be a reader who often remained up late. She sald she was awakened the fol lowing merning by screams of Tay- lor's negro valet, who upon reporting for work at Taylor's house discovered the body of his employer and fled shrieking down the court. Search for Valet-Secretary. The search by police for Edward Sands, former _valet-secretary of Taylor, for whom warrants on charges of grand larceny were ob- falned by Taylor several weeks ago, xtends to Kresno and Sacramento, according to the police, although {Continued on Page 2, Column 1) By the Associated Press. LONDON, - February 3.—The “Brighter London Society,” which has just been formed, has under- taken what an American, who asked to join it, termed a “pretty tall order.” It is nothing less than to make London, to quote a phraso used by one of its founders, the “magnet of the world,” and there- by attract to it multitudes of people with plenty of money to spend, especially rich Americans. The soclety is the outgrowth of a Fecent discussion among promi- nent business men at the Savoy Hotel. They were deploring the fact that American tourists were not so numerous as they were be fore the war. Then they fell to contrasting London with New York—Oxford street with the Great White Way. - -with New York—even New York under prohibition—Lon- don's aspect was decidedly “drab’ and its *night life “dull” it was generally agreed. Everybody was of the opinion that London needed. brightening, and the result, the new organization .was born and christened. “The promoters of the new society,” writes one of them, “hope to help make London the most worthy and beautiful city in the world; dispel its drabness, abolish its smoke evil and dis- perse its too frequent fog: u- tify the river approaches and lengthen the Thames embank- ment; object to the erection of ugly buildings, but to assist in every way the overcoming of un- necessary _restrictions; help the theatcrs,” hotels and restaurants and- shops of the métropolis, ‘and ' thus attract the merchants and tourists of the world.” Among the vice presidents of the _soclety are the Bishop of Birmin, - ham, H. Gordon Selfridge, Sir Alfred Codrington, Viscount Curzon, Sir Woodman Burbidge and Sir Harry Brittain, M. P. T |STRANGER BEING SOUGHT A half dozen cigarette stubs offered ! These | station nearby | tax | GORONER SINQUEST {Imposing List of Witnesses | to Appear in Knickerbocker Case Next Tuesday. | |ENGINEERS COMPLETE THEIR INVESTIGATION | |Citizens Demand That There Be | No Let-Up Until Responsibility 1 Is Fully Fixed. Forecasting important testimony [ from every angle concerning the cause aud responsibllity of the Knickerbocker disaster, an imposing !list of wituesses for the coroner’s inquest Tuesday was nearing comple- ; tion today. | While the various agencics investi- gating the tragedy marked time jawaiting further developments, sum- |mons for the inquest were being | served on witnesses by the police de- | partment. The inquest, it is said | will reveal facts upon which to base jthe other investigations mow under vay, nited States Attorney Gordon was {awaitiug a compiete report of the preliminary investigation, made at his request by engineers of the Army | detalled by Secretary of War Weeks | Thes: engineers reported today their investigation was complete and a re- port is now being compiled Demand for Probe Grows. | Demands for & thorough and rigid | investigation of the cause of the | Knickerbocker accident continued to be made today by representative cit- izens. The geueral tone of thes®pio- tests was to the effect that there must be not let-up until the crash is explained to the satisfaction oi every citizen. | Inspector Daniel Sullivan. acting superintendent of Police, and spector Clifford L. Grant, chief of de- tectives, are taking a hand in tie investigation of the accident with « view to rfurnishing Coroner Nevit the names of zll available witnos:s (0 appear at the inquest Tuesdiv morning. Coroner Nevitt also has | taken an active part in the investiga- tion and it is thought witnesses | will be on hand to tell of every phusc of the affair. |~ Detective Charles Mullen today is | summoning the witnesses. His lis. | includes the names of Morris Hacker | building inspector at the time the | theater was erected; T. L. Costizan computing engineer; J. R. Dowman. iengineer and J. P. Healy, present | building inspector. A. K. Seldon, an | aseistant building inspector at th | time the theater was erected, is now & rvesident of Clearwater, Gordon has directed that he be brought here. E. G. Cuftis, another former assistant building {nspecto: is dead. | Other names on the list of wit- nesses being summoned today ure Reginald W. Geare, architect; P, | Wagner, general contractor: Richaru | G. Fletcher, Fletcher Fireproofing { Company: J. McDonald, ~ subcon- | tractor for the ironwork of the build- |ing; J. H. Ford, designer for steel | work and M. S. Rich, structural en- | gineer. | Eyewitnesses to Be Called. { In addition to the foregoing numes. | it 13 stated, Coroner Nevitt will sup- ply the names of several persons who were in the building the night of the | disaster, and expert witneesses will be examined to enligten the jury upon the conditions which were found to exist when the walis and beams were examined after the collapse of the roof. Coroner Nevitt today asked the po- lice to find some of the men, espe- | cially the steel and iron workers, who were employed on the Knickerbocker Theater building at the time it was | under construction. Word came to | the coroner thut one of the heavy | steel beams to the west of the screen | was approximately eight inches | shorter than the others. His infor- | mation was that it was used, how- ever, and that it rested only" four | inches on the wall. - ¥. T. McCord, 1711 Euclid street. who was in the theater with hix wife Iand child when the roof collapsed, the three members of the ‘family ‘being | saved, is expected to tell the jury | an inferesting story of when the sag- iginz of the roof was first noticed | He is reported to have said the sa ¢! i ging was about where it was re- i ported that the short beam was placed. Mr. McCord saw Coroner Nevitt last night and told of his experience i the building. Coroner Nevitt this afternoon said {ne was satisfied with the police in- { vestigation of the affair. He said he | felt certain that the police would have all the necessary testimony ‘o enable the jury to reach a correct verdict. The building department of the Dis- trict government opposed the use of hollow tile construction within the fire limits of the city for a number lof years and only permitted its use { generally after the board of fire un- derwriters sanctioned it in their model code. This statement was made today by Building Inspector Healy, who said that this type of construction, now used generally, was not allowed hera until the city of New York also had provided for it. Inspector Healy said that for » long time before he became head or the building department the wile in- terests endeavored to have hollow tile permitted within the fire limits Opposed Use of Tile. he present Inspector of buildings 4 it fell to his lot to meet the men (Continued on Page 2, Column 6.) An Explanation It is learned that in certain limited localities an exorbitant price was charged for The Star last Sunday morning and the Extra Star Sunday after- noon. These papers were sold to newsboys and dealers at no increase in the regular price and were to be sold at 5 cents in both instances. The boys have always been allowed to sell Star EXTRAS at 6 cents in order to insure quick ributlo: Anything in excess of this was totally unwarranted. Any profiteering ix deeply regretts d was witiiout the gnowhdg nd consent of The tar. £