Evening Star Newspaper, August 13, 1923, Page 2

* 2 SHIALL REFINERS FACE BANKRUPTCY Gasoline Price War Forces Charge as Low as 11 Cents in Middle West. By the Associated Prexs, CHICAGO, August 13.—Many of the small refineries are threatened with failure unless they are protected and obtain a price that will equal the cost | of production, according to state- ments brought out by the gasoline price war started by South Dakota and which has spread to several other states in the middle west, with redue- tions which have brought the price of gasoline down to a range of 11 cents 225 cents a gallon at various places. In South Dakota, where Gov. W. H McMaster declared the former price of 26.6 cents a gallon was “no less than highway robbery” and obtained & large quantity of gasoline to be sold by the state at 18 cents a_gallon. gasoline sold yesterday for 15.5 cents a gallon, the lowest price in ten vears. Drivers adopted the slogan, | her up,” and sales woere reported trebled Independent dealers in South Da- kota said they saw only bankruptcy ahead. and at Milwaukee, where three-cent reduction predicted, George F. O'Neil. pr of tee O'Neil Oi1 and v, de- elared that unless the Oklahoma pro- ducers can be protected they will be forced out of busines: In Texas yesterda from 11 cents in Dallas to 19 cents in Houston cbraska _wot into the fight whe v. C. W. Bryan sent telegrams a1l principal oil com- panies requesting a reduction in price to 22.5 #asoline sold As'a result of the agitation in the | central west, Gov. Len Smal ot Jilinois announced he was investigu'- ing the situation with a view of tak- ing action Cut in Kentucky. Officials of the Standard Old Com- pany in Kentucky intimated there soon would be a reduction made in Kentucky. Gov. E. P. Morrow of that state xaid he had no public funds available for the purchase and sale of gasoline Reports from St. Paul. Minn., state that the two refining companies there have announced they will sell gaso- lne from trucks at 19%; cents a gal- lon Some Minneapolis independent oil companies said last night they could obtain gasoline laid down there for 11 cents a gallon. ot s, however, declared that was an unusually low price. a Twelve-Cent Offer Made. According to G, Roy Hill, secretary of the Minneapolis Automabile Club, he has been quoted an offer of 1% cents a gallon for gasoline in car- load lots. Due to the influx of California oil and gasollne in large shipments through the Panama canal to Atlantic ports, the refineries east of the Rock- ies have been forced to sell below cost of production, and are, in con- sequence, in danger of moing out of busine Aubrey G. Maguire, presi- dent of the Bartles-Maguire Oll Com- pany, declared at Milwaukee. Goorge F. O'Neil, president of the O'Neil Oil and Paint Company, in a statement said that “at present many refineries in Oklahoma are closing down for thirty days, and a large number of smaller refineries are on the verge of bankuptcy. Unless they can be protected and can Secure a price that will equal the cost of pro- ducing oil, an important source of the nation’s supply will be closed. It i8 the elaborate equipment for serv- ing public that gasoline companies must maintain in order to compete, that is responsible for the apparent high cost of gasoline. Statistics show that over the entire country service stations average 300 gallons a day the year round in sales. Estimating ex- Dense of maintenance of each of these stations at $25 a day, there is an ex- pense of § cents a gallon which must be paid by the consumer. GASOLINE DEALERS HELD. 19 of 75 Stations Tested in Cleve- land Found Selling Short. By the Associated Press. CLEVELAND, Ohio, August 13.— Warrants were issued today by Police Prosecutor Lee Skeel for nineteen gasoline dealers, cahrging the with glving short measure. According to Fred Caley, secretary of the Cleve- 1and Automobile Club, motorlsts here are being robbed of approximately $150,000 annually by this means. The warrants were drawn after a three-day tour of the city by auto- moblle club and city officials, during which seventy-five stations were visited. Shortages in the nineteen in- stances which are to be prosecuted ran from a quart to one gallon iIn five gallons. Eleven other dealers sold short a pint in five gallons or less and were given warnings. CUT IN PITTSBURGH. oline Prices Reduced 1 Cent a Gallon Today. PITTSBURGH, Pa, August 13.— The Atlantic Refining Company today announced a cut of 1 cent a gallon on motor gasoline and the 68-70 ade, making the retail price of the rst 22 cents and the second 25 cents. Prices to dealers were 3 cents under these quotations, BUDGET OFFICIALS TOURD. C. FOR DATA Capt. Stephens, With Ex- ‘perts, Seeks Information Prior to Study of Estimates. Capt, Redmond D. Stephens of the bureau of the budget, and a corps of experts are studying the District of Columbia preliminary 1925 estimates in detail to determine what recom- mendations the bureau shall make in returning the preliminary figures to the Commissioners. Capt. Stephens personally had ac- companied District officials in tours of inspection of the police and fire departments, streets, schools, sewers, and all proposed public improve- ments, in order to get absolute first- Hend knowledge of the local situa. tion for his study. The figure of $32,500,000, submitted 22 a preliminary estimate for the year ending June 50, 1925, is higher by several millions than the appro- priations for the present year, and the prospects are that the bureau will ask the Commissioners to pare down their first figures. | The final estimates are due Sep- tember 15. It Is expected that with- in ten days, perhaps, the preliminary astimates will be returned to the Commissioners with recommendation ak to the maximum the District iy ex- pected to reach. No intimation -could be had today &s to what this maximum may be. af New German Leader. DR. GUSTAVE STRESEMANN. TRAINMEN UNIONS T0 ASK PAY RAE Engineers Only Group Not Planning to Seek Increase. Leaders to Meet. { By the Associnted Press. f ey ELAND, August 13.—Approxi- {mately 350 general chairmen of the |eastern, western, southeastern and { Canadian assoclations of general com- {mittees, Brotherhood of Locomotive | Firemen and Enginemen, have been {called to convene in special session {at Chicazo, September 6, “for the purpose of giving consideration to the {question of inaugurating a wage movement,” according to the official |circular mailed to all members of 1 associations of general committees, D. | B. Robertson, president of the broth- erhood, announced today. Mr. Robertson said he understood {T. C. Cashen, pre convene all his general chairmen in Chicago at the same time, t> in- augurate a nmiovement for increased wages. Warren H. Stone, president of the Brotherhood of Engineers, when join the firemen a joint for increased wages, said that the laws of his organization did not call for convening of general chairmen to inaugurate a wage movement, as did the rules of the other brother- | hoods, and that no similar action was contemplated at present i Firemen Cut In 1921 in The amount of the pay increase to be asked of the railroads would be determined by the general chairmen, Mr. Robertson said. The firemen were given a cut of approximately 121 per cent by the United States Railroad Labor Board on July 1, 1921, he said. Whether this would be the amount of the increase to be requested, Mr. Robertson would not say. = Mr. Robertson has engaged the arill hall of Masonic Temple for September 6 and 7, for the two-day meeting. After the general chairmen decide on the amount of the increase to be requested, the proposition will be sub- mitted to a referendum vote of the 118,000 members of the firemen's I brotherhood. ~This will take about thirty days. If they approve the pro- posal it will be submitted by the general chairmen and _brotherhood officials to railroads whose agree- |ments expire about October 31 With the meeting of the firemen and switchmen in Chicago, September 6, all of the five transportation brotherhoods, with the exception of the engineers, have inaugurated movements for increased wages. Ask Old Wage Again. The tralnmen and conductors met here last week in the last of three jolnt association meetings and rati- fied the actlon of two previous con- ferences which requested a restora- tion of the 8 cents an hour, or 64 cents a_day, wage reduction ordered by the United States Labor Board on July 1, 1921, in effect since then. The trainmen and conductors In addition requested an unnamed ad- ditional increase. The proposal will be submitted to the membership of {the two organizations within a few days and later presented to the car- riers by the general chairmen. Switchmen to Meet. CHICAGO, August 13. — General chalrmen of the Switchmen’'s Union of North America have been sum- moned to meet here on September 6 known here today. A letter issued by T. C. Cashen, international pres- ident of the organization, fixed the date. - W. L. YAEGER, JR., DIES AFTER LONG BEING ILL Accountant Served in Army and for Banking Firm in Foreign Countries. ‘William Leonard Yaeger, jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Willlam Leonard Yaeger of 2955 Newark street, died yester- day morning at his father's residence after a long iliness. He was thirty- three years old. Born in_Pennsylvania, Mr. Yaeger came to Washington when a child and attended the elementary schools of this city. He attended George Washington University, he entered the International Banking Corporation of New York and for- merly of Washington. As an ac- countant for that _institution, Mr. Yaeger traveled in England and at tended Kings College, London, win- ning high honors in. the banking course. His duties also took him to Panama and the Philippine Islands Returning to Washington from {Manila in 1914, he became associaied with his father and brother in ac- countancy work here. During the world war he served as a lieutenant in_the Quartermaster Corps. Mr. Yaeger was a member of the Epsilon Chapter, Sigma Chi Frater- nity. Besides his parents, he is sur- vived by two sisters, Miss Mildred and Miss Dorothy Yaeger. BADGES DENIED SAILORS. SPEZIA, Italy, August 13.—The n: val commander here hi ued or- ders forbidding all sailors to wear fascisti badges. He holds that the navy must belong to no political party. FRENCH TO STUDY ECLIPSE. HAVRE, August 13.—A scientific expedition. en route to Point Loma, Calif., sailed today aboard the stea: er France to witness the total eclipse of the sun September 10. The party fcomprises Chdrles "Le Sorvan, - tie astronomer, and Veillet Lavallee. men's Union of North America, would | asked if his general chairmen would ! request | to consider wage questions, it became | from which | THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, Two Army Doctors Face Trial What is helieved to be the largest {and most important court-martial held in Washington in recent years 1wil be convened in the Munitions building in a few weeks to determine the fate of Maj. George Cook. Madlcal Corps, U. 8. A, and Capt. Samuel C. Grynn, Medical Corps, retired, charg- ed with malpractice. A meeting of Ithe principals in the prosecution and laetense will be called some time this week to decide on a definite date of trial | Witnesses numbering thirty-five or | forty for both sides of the cas eill {be called In from Panama. Texas and | {elsewhere to tell why they helieve {the oflicers can or cannot be punished {for the loss of Private Guy Pendle- {ton's legs. The soldier now is at Walter Rced Hespital. where he has Deen u patient for the past nine months. Injured On Motor Cyele. go. while on Exactly one year duty at Camp Eustis, Va. near Nor- |folk, Private Pendleton suffered in-| jury to both legs in a collision be- tween an automobile and motor cycle. {He was taken to the hospital at the !eamp in charge of Maj. Cook. for treatment. Capt. Gwynn was in charge of the surgical department of the hospital. The soldier did not prove and was congiderably worse at ithe end of threc months, according to | the charges, with the result that am- {putati ne necessary. | The case brought to the atten- | Ition of the pector general of the { Army. Maj. Gen. Ely A. Helmick and | !Surgeon General Ireland. with the jresult® that court-martial was | ordered n last August Capt.| HARRIS T0 RENEW SINGLE-TERM FIGHT ! Georgia Senator Will Intro- i duce Bill Limiting Presi- : dent to Six Years. ident of the Switch- ! Among the lezislative cures which will be proposed at the next session of {Congress for relieving the President {of some of his burdens, which. in late have grown so oppressive. is a amendment which Sen- ator Harris, democrat, Georgia, will, it | was announced today, introduce as soon las Congress meets, limiting the Chief { Executive to one term of six years and | making him ineligible for re-election. | | Senator Harris offered such an amend- {ment during the last Concress, but it ! failed to make any progress. | Congress since 1326 repeatedly has | been urged to impose constitutional re- | strictions prohilbiting the President from serving a second term. The ef- fort was constant in each Congress up | to 1846, but no progress was made dur- ing that period. It was revived in 1864 after a lapse of eighteen vears, when | Congress for the first time acted, re- { jecting the amendment. Since then it has H with each Congress, progressing in 1912 to the point of a favorable re- port from the House committee on !judiciary, which stated that “the {limitations of a single term will in | the opini of your committee tend [to improve the administration of the {laws gencrally and to increase the non-partisan and business ef- ficiency of the executive department “It will take away from the Presi- dent any inducement to build up a political machine instead of attending to his duties as Chief Magistrate of | the republic. Such a limitation will prevent the too frequent practice of making appointments for mere per- { sonal “or selfish political purposes. but will make the President the! Chief Executive of the whole people | and not the will of a mere faction or_the chief of a political party” No action was taken by the House upon the report. COOLIDGE WORKS AT WHITE HOUSE (Continued from First year: { constitutional been renewed s 1 Page.) and to do everything within the pow- | er of his oflice to bring about an ami- cable working understanding between the miners and the operators and to, so far as is possible, avert a strike. | Mr. Smith said he gave the President a resume of the operations of the| commission since its creation, nearly a year ago, and supplied him with a| copy of thc more important facts col- | lected by the commission. He also discussed with the President the coal situation in New England, where a {shortage in anthracite is 'feared at this time and where, Mr. Smith said, it is hoped bituminous coal will be accepted as a substitute. James C. Davis, director general of !the United States Railroad Adminis- tration, whose tenure of office expired {with the death of President Harding, was reappointed today bv President {Coolidge, the date of appointment {being set as August 3. Others who were recelved by the President were Secretary of War Weeks, who discussed a variety of matters of pressing importance to the overnment_in general; Secrctary of Commerce Hoover, Speaker of the | House Gillett and Surgeon General Cumming of the United States public health service and Brig. Gen. Lord, director of the budget. PRINTERS IN ATLANTA FOR ANNUAL CONVENTION By tha Associnted Press. ATLANTA, Ga., August 13.—The annual convention of the Interna. tlonal Typographical Union will open here today. Gov. Clifford Walker and ! Mayor W. A. Simms are among lhej speakers who will make welcoming addresses at the opening session. The large civic auditorium, where the business sessions of the convention are to be held, is decorated with American and Canadian flags. A move to establish a home for aged and Indigent printers on the! east coast of Florida, which was in- augurated at the convention held in Atlantic City last year, will be pre- sented to the convention in the form of a motion by delegates represent- ing the West Palm Beach union. KILLS DISPUTANT AT FIRE. DEQUINCY, La., August 13.—Two biocks in the business district were de- stroyed by fire early today. The los: was estimated at $75,000. During a dispute_as to the cause of the fire Jacob Royer, sixty-seven years old, ¢ity tax collector, was killed by a blow from Jesse Landry. FILES BANKRUPTCY PLEA. Graham Hume, describing himself as a clerk, today flled a petition in voluntary bankruptcy. He lists his debts at $4,154.21 and estimates his assets at 200, He is represented by atloiues Leonard A, Block. | Lieut. Col. | cuting the ¢ | day ‘his drivers as follows: Charged With Malpractice Maj. George Cook and Capt. S. C. Gwynn to Appear Before Court-Martial--Loss of Soldier’s Legs Questioned. Gwynn has been retired from the service and Is now living in Wash- ington Col Henry Bonnycastle, Quarter- er Corps, is president of the the other members being: Karle W. Tanner, infantry; Col. Matthew A. DeLanes Medical Corps;_ Lieut. Col. Peter Fiold, Medical Corps: Lieut. Col. Her- bert L. Evans, Quartermaster COTDS: John G. Winter, cavalry: Maj. Charles L. Scott, Quartermaster Corps; Maj. Jonathan M. Wainwright, cavalry; Maj. Willlam H. Garrison. air sorvice, and Maj. Ernest G. Cul- len, Quarteérmaster Corps. Capt. Biddle to Be Judge. . Capt. Humphrey Biddle of the Fo advochte general's office has been detajled. as trial judge cate. and his ans'stant will be Courtney Whitney, air service. Capt. Gilbert 'S. Woolworth of the judge advocate general's office will be the law member of the court, his duties to include rulings on admissibility of evidence. In addition, Capt. Bld- dle will have Maj. Albert W. Kenner. Maodical Corps, to assiet him in prose- a m court, Col Lieut Lieut counsel for the de- Clearton H. Rey- nalds, air Lieut. Howard R. Perry. jr. infantry, assistant, and Chaplain John Hall ' It is understood the defense also will employ civilian coursc The maximum penalty may {mpose Iz dishonorable dismissal the serv and forfelture of The fenso w Owing to the technical and other complications of the case and the large number of witnesses to be ex- amined. it is expected the trial will cover a period of four weeks or more. DR ILLER IS HELD ON MURDER CHARGE Coroner’s Jury Finds Physi-| cian Killed Wife in Home August 5. Dr. Clinton David Miller, sixty-five vears old. a chiropractor, was or- dered held for the action of grand jury on a charge of murdering his wite, E: Miller, by the coroner jury, following inquest today the District The cor- jury held that Mrs. Miller to her death by two gunshot wounds inflicied by her husband Mrs. Miller was shot and killed in her 138 B street northeast, on the morning of August 5—2 sequel to a quarrel with her hvsband. Dr. Miller subscquently fired a bullet into his head, inflicting a wound from which he has not fully recovered. With his head bandaged Dr. Miller sat between two policemen during the inquest, virtually stolcal ané display ing little interest Upon the advice of his counsel he did not testif Daughter Is Witness. thel Hostetter of Lancaster, ma an it morgue. oner's came home, a Mrs. 1., dauzhter of the chiropractor by a | ze, testified that shortly | former marria before the shots were fired that ended Mrs. Miiler's life the latter had been quarreling with her husband regarding his mother. A little later Mrs. Hostetter de. clared she heard Dr. Miller exclaim I'll end it all” Then a hand holding revolver protruded through the door. she said, and four shots were fired and Mrs. Miller dropped on the hall floor. hortly afterward an- other shot was fired, she aid. This was the shot that Dr. Miller had fired into his head Charles D. Townsend, a roomer in the Miller home, testificd that on the preceding the crime Mrs. Miller told him that her hushand had struck her on the head and that she believed him to be insane. Policeman Charles E. Kelly of the first precinct, in his testimony safd that “when he entered the Miller home he found the chiropractor lying on a table in his office with his arms folded across his chest. Headquarters Detective Vermillion said that Dr. Miller confessed to him that he shot his wife because she “had nagged him about money.™ Dr. C. H. Rosson. who performed tha autopsy; Headquarters Detective Darnall 'and Raymond E. Robey, an- other roomer in the Miller home, also gave testimony. MOONEY CAUTIONS POSTAL TRUCK MEN Reckless Driving of Mail Autos Must Cease, Says Postmaster. Postmaster Mooney today scored chauffeurs of the Washington eity post office who have been Involved in automobile accidents recently. Calling attention to the increase in street accidents, due largely to the disregard of traflic laws, the local postmaster declared: “A considerable number of these accidents have been caused by wag- ons and trucks bearing the insignia of the United States mail. A great many complaint, both verbal and written, have been received by me on account of speeding, reckless driv- ing, collisions and other forms of violations of the traffic regulations. “Such a splendid record was made by the chauffeurs and chauffeur- carriers during the Shrine conven- tion under unusual and trying condi- tlons tuat it is conclusive evidence that it should be easy to maintain such a standard under ordinary con- ditions. “It must be understood by the drivers that carrying the United States mail does nbt accord then any special privi- leges,” Postmaster Mooney warned. “An automobile in the hands of a reckless driver is the most dangerous thing on Wheels.", The postmaster ended an appeal to ‘Boys, please remember and keep alive the phrase ‘You are making Washington a safe i place to live & Laws Apply to Drivers, Mr. Mooney sald that he is deter- mined to stamp out the practice of careless driving on the part of drivers of postal trucks and wagons here. Some of the drivers are young men, he said, who have grown a bit careless, evi- dently depending upon the!r postal serv- ice badge. Such & badge, the postmaster point- ed out, does not confer any immunity upon those ‘wea: lni it, drivers of postal automoblil ing subject to the same traffic laws and regulations s other persons driving automubiles i the District of Cotuinois, ir., | advo- | the court ! the ! i in the proceedings. , 'STAMP COLLECTORS HERE FOR MEETING Annual Convention - Being Held at Shoreham—Pro- gram for Sessions. The American Stamp Dealers' As- | sociation s holding its annual con- { vention today at the Shoreham Hotel | Prior to the opening of the thirty- |eighth annual convention of the jAmerican Philatelic Socicty at the hotel tomorrow. Many of the dealers’ ociation members are members of the Amer- ican Philatelic Society and have come to Washington to attend both centions. The morning scssion (day was taken up with discussion of i the plans of a campaign to eliminate con- to | Etamps and to stop practices of fraud, C. E. Severn, president of the associa- tion, presided. The United States Post office exhibition that recently won the prize at a stamp exhibition in London, England, has been placed on exhibit at the hotel. 200 Expected at Meeting. Tomorrow will begin the conven- tion of the American Philatelic ety and it is expected 200 stamp dealers and collectors from all p: of the country will attend. M. Washington stamp enthusiasts will be among the assembly. which will convene tomorrow and continue un- til Friday. Tomorrow the convention called to order by the president, C | Frederic Heyerman of Detroit, at 10 o'clock. Latir the membe | ciety will visit Uncle | factory—the bureau of « | In the evening a con s auction will be conducted by Harry B. Mason, general chairman of the committee representing the Washing- ton philatelists. Five hundred lots of valuable stamps will be on hand for the members to look over. The officers of the American Phila- telic Sodiety are President. C. Frederle He { Detroit; vice presidents, W. W. Mac- laren, Otto F. Moses and_J. A. Har- ris, secretary, Dr. Holland A avis, Denver; treasurer, Howard H. ilfott, Winchendon, Mass.; interna- onal secre Zugene Kiein, Phila- Iphia o t_ large, H. B. : Calif.. and . Chittenden,” New York city. The convention committees composed of Representing the telic Society rd C. Beck will be , and amp erman, ars American Phila- Arrangements, How- chairman; credentials P. M. Wolsieffer, chairman Representing Washington Phila- telists—General chairman, Harry B. Mason: secretary, Jumes F. Duhamel treasurer, Henry Hammelman; sub: committea airmen—Finance, How- ard C. Beck: registration, H. F. Col- man; publicity, James F. Duhamel; {badges and tickets. Harry F. Dunk: {horst; reception, Willlam A. Johnson, rman: Maj. Gen. John A. Clem, 5. A, ‘retired, and James F. Du- chairm entertalnment, adden: ladies, Mrs. H. F { Dunkhorst; Mount Vernon trip, Capt. {Julius I Peyser. | Representing Baltimore Philatelists— { Annapoils trip—Michael Miller. 2 A i {KEPNER, AS WITRESS, [ BARES STORY OF LIFE ‘ S (Continued from First Page.) ing scraped, Kepner said, and when he returned to Frederick about 1:20 o'clock he was suffering great pain. i His voice dropped almost to a_whis- {per as he told of stopping at Ridge- {ville on the way back and buying flowers. ately upon reaching Fred- he continued, “I went to |Cramer's for lunch. 1 took the flowers {1 had bought at Ridgeville and placed |them on a desk near an ice cooler, where Miss Ricketts usually sat. I had promised my wife to call her up as soon as I returned. It was about 11:35 that I called the house and | spoke to Grace. She asked me how I | felt, and when T told her 1 had been considerably relieved she was very {happy—very, very happy, indeed. | Given Right of Way. |, “Then 1 sat down and had my {lunch. My face was €0 sore, however, that 1 was obliged to order only { warm. liquid food. After lunch I went [to my office and started home at the jusual hour—ahout 3:46 o'clock. My | wife had asked me to try to get home {early, and I left as soon as I could |get away from business. On my way jhome I saw Herbert Hahn. He was on the right. driving his own car, and {had the right of way. He, however, |waved me ahead, and that is why leaned out and waved my hand in | thank ! “It was just five minutes of 4 that I reached "home. My father-in-law Mr. Houck, was sitting in the ba: { window and T asked him where Grace was. He said that she was taking a nap. so I went inside and up to my | | room. The blinds of the room were pulled down, the white curtains at one window were partly drawn aside and the shutters of several were partly closed. T Iying on the bed.” “Grace' " T said. a rather long nap. “When she failed e ou are taking to answer I dead. The pistol lay in her lap, just about an inch from her right hand. “On the floor, as though it had trickled down the sideboard of the spot of blood. The cartridge from the pistol lay about a foot from the foot- ! board of the bed. I saw that she was dead.” Told Father of Death. “You can understand how I felt. T could not holler, so 1 rushed down- stairs_and told Father Ilouck, ‘My God, Grace has shot herself!’ He went up stairs with me and held up his hands In horror as I opened the blinds and the light re- vealed the spectacle of Mrs, Kepner's Dbody stretched partly across the bed, one foot dangling down. There was no shoe on that foot. There was a small hole in the toe of the stocking. 1 saw no blood on her arm, but there were a few spots—very small spots —on the back of her right hand.” Kepner broke down completely for a brief moment and sobbed out loud as he told of going around to the right-hand side of the bed, after Mr. Hoyck had gone downstairs, and gently touching the face of his dead wife with his hand. At this point, also, a quarrel between Mr. Weinberg and Assistant State's Attorney Gen- eral Lindsay C. Spencer interrupted the proceeding when the latter ac- cused the former of asking “leading questions.” interrogations so put that the witness would understand what answers the attorney desired. t was about five minutes after four,” the witness finally continued, “that T went down stairs again and called up Dr. Hendrix. When he ar- {rived I_met him and said: ‘My God, | Doc, Grace has shot herself. He | 1ookea at her, felt her pulse and said, “Poor, poor girl. It is all over for her now.” T asked him how long she had been dead and he replied from two to ltwo and a_half hours, he offered to attend to the details of summoning Coroner Wood.” ‘When Mr. Weinberg asked the wit- ness i his wife had ever told him of attempting to commit sulcide before, the state interposed strenuous objec: tion on the ground that it was hear- say evidence and a conversation that ensued with a person now dead and therefore not subject to absolute proof. i Asked Him to Pray. Mr. Spencer, however, later with- drew his _objection and Kepner con- tinued: “It was early last April, about three weeks before I was to take a trip. to Harrisbuzg, Mrs. Kepner and I were Iying in bed one evening. she lon her side and T on mine. Suddenly isus mv.ch Ueer, PUC hied wons scouhd the werk of questionable dealers fn | 3 holdin, aw the form of my wife: lcoked closer and saw that she was | bed and dripped in a pool, was a large | MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 1923, P | | Must Give Up All He Ouwns to Satisfy Creditors. Piggly Founder Confiden He Can Succeed. ! Special Dispateh to The Star. | MEMPHIS, Tenn., August 13.—Clar: {ence Saunders, the man who set out {to “beat Wall treet” only a few sho; months ago. when he had millions iz |his possession. acknowledged toda¥ {that he was beaten and broke bui not discouraged. H “I have my hands and my head and | I will come back,” he declared smil: ingly as he stroked his bushy squirre gray hair, Saunders stands today where he stood fifteen years ago before he achieved his spectacular success asg founder and head of the Pizgly Wiggly stores. He is confronted with {the loss of his_ entire fortune, his ¢in the Piggly Wiggly stores: incorporated, and the Piggly Wiggl corporation, which is soon to be de- livered into the hands of his credi to Today he tendered his resignas tion as a director in the stores. He already had resigned as president. : Confident of Future. 3 no fears for the future, | continued Mr. Saunders. “ wi take care of itself. I have no re grets. Do you see this one-hundred ldollar bill,” That will go, too. T di not intend to withhold one cent, my Ihome or my automobiles. I can star i.\l the bottom again I am young and money, as such, does not inters “I have s, Wall street has wreaked its vengeance on me, but I am nct through with it. It will hear further from me. I have lost my money and TOWARD coounat tepublican National Committeeman James A. Harris of Oklahoma is in Washington attending to some da- partmental business, after having a2- tended the funeral of Mr. Harding at Marion. H “I believe the sentiment among Oklahoma republicans.” said Mr. Har ris “Is to go along with Presideat Coolidge if he ‘makes good.' X must remember that Oklahoma rep licans are progressives. But, in m opinion, they do not clags Presidey lidge with the extreme stand-pat- of the party. They do not br- lieve that he will slap the progr sives in the face." : Discussing democratic possibilitie: the republican committeeman predici- ed that Henry Ford now has the best chance of securing the nomination of the democratic party. He thinks that Ford will go Into the democratic na tional convention with enough vot to prevent the nomination of an else and that his adherents w threaten the convention with a thin party with Ford at its head and force the convention to take their man. . “And with Henry Ford as the can- didate of the regular party.” he added. will have to sit up and take notice. me and said, ‘Let us pray to our God.?” Then she tucked her head under m arm, as she loved to do, and prayed long and fervently; when she had fin: ished she held ma tight and sobbed: Oh, T would give anything if I i¢ attempted to do!” *“What's that? T demanded : Never mind.” she said, stroking my: ‘if you love me you will never tion me about this again.’ " ‘Al right,’ 1 replied, ‘If that is the way you fecl about it. me you will never try anything like that again’ She never answered.” Under the direct examination of Mr. Weinberg, Mr. Kepner testified that the suit he wore today is the same one he had on the day he found his wife dead. He admitted he had changed to another suit the night of Mrs. Kepner's death. He said he had asked a_woman friend of the family to stand by the door of his room while he changed because the body of his wife lay on its cooling board in the same chamber and he felt very nervous as a result of the day's har- rowing ordeal. H Gifts to Waltress. Referring to_his friendship with Miss Ricketts, Kepner said it was the girl, not he, who made the first ad- vances, although he later admitted {that he had begged her several times face, qu {finally consented. Asked the largest {amount of money he ever gave her ¥ one time, Kepner sald it was :about $50.” Enumerating the gifts other than money, he named a wrist Natch, ® string of pearls, lingerie, and added sk hose when Mr. Wein: berg reminded him of them. I first went to the place where Miss Ricketts works,” he said, “when some friends told me it was a cheap Dlace to get @ light lunch. For sev- Pral months I did not know there Miss Ricketts. Then one day she came to my table and spoke to me. Five months had clapsed before I stopped by the soda fountain where Ishe sat and said: “What do you do {evenings.” She replied: “Nothing in particular,” and I said, “What do you Say to an_automobile ride some her but she put me off. Finally she did go and during the last four or five monthe we took rides more fre- quently, sometimes once a week, sometimes twice and occasionally three or four times. Often she would make sandwiches and would fill up my thermos bottle with near-be {and we would stop for a little lunch. Took Liquor Along. .Later Mr. Kepner, his whole man- ner suddenly quieter, told of taking whisky and wine along, but added, Under the examination of his coun- ol, that he was in the habit of Keeping liquor in his car because his mother-in-law had asked him not { to bring any into the house. Both he and his wife, before her death, were acoustomed to drink, he said. Retorring to Miss Eleanor Houck, his malden sister-in-law, Kepner saii soon after his wife's death she had acoused him and sworn she would Jbreak him,” declaring she would get the very clubs and fraternities, of Which he was a member, to help he process. Rer i (old me. the witness testi- fied, “that 1 was no good and rotten.” Dentes Touching Pistol. fully guided by his counsel, Mr(?al?e;ne); told of keeping the death pistol room, always wrapped in a piece of cloth. He said it was fully loaded, “and ready to shoot”” The witness sald he carried 1t on his last trip to Harrisburg and brought it back again in the condition—'"ready to shoo “On Monday, June 18, did you have it in your hands?" asked Mr. Wein- berg. 'r%h' sir,” replied the nearly ex- ted witness. ‘Never even touched it?” suddenly thundered Judge Edward C. Peter, one of the trial judges. *No, sir,” replied Kepner in a weak volce, and promptly sat down, appar- ently too weak to stand longer. He had been on the stand for three and a half hours, and the court adjourned whiis Aoy o cluck tor lunch. 'Saunders, Millions Gone, Ready To Fight for New Fortune OKLAHOMA FRIENDLY | democratic | “the republicans ( take back some awful things I have| But promise § {to take a ride with him before she, was such a person in the store as | She shook her head and it | on the mantelpiece of his bed- | | | CLARENCE SAUNDERS. my business as a direct result of the treachery practiced upon me by the New York Stock Exchange, but I am not sorry for the experience, because | knowledge is what 1 am always see ing and this I shall use in such & manner as will allow me to build another fortune and another busi- ness which I shall immediately pro- ceed to do Plans Mr. Saunde nature of I posed to embark. None of the Piggly Wiggly man's old-time buoyancy of spirit was gone. His sprightliness was “unaffected, even w talked of th his $8 “pink palace,” which never has n completed, with its lakes, its golf ¢ourse, its swimming pools’ and its long, winding walks. Iie is not saddenied by his reverses becau: he believes he can “come back.” SEARCH FOR BODY New Business. % did not indicate the | ss in which he pro loss of Police Go to Arlingfon Coun- ty With Negro Said to Admit Slaying. Arrangements to exhume the body of a colored woman in Arlington county were made today by Common- wealth’s Attorney Frank Ball and Sherlff A. C. Clements, following the ‘arrival this morning from Florida of Edward Alston, twenty-five-year-old colored man, who is alleged to have confessed to police in Miami the l:nurder of a woman near Arlington |and the theft of her automobile, selling in Loulsville. A Florida sheriff brought the man to headquarters and Mr. Ball and Sherift Clements took him at noon to point out the spot where he is al ilezed to have admitted that he buried {the woman. Arrangements for laborers for the body have been completed, | {and the search is expected to be completed this afternoon. More than a week ago, |Grant, at headquarters, received a letter’ from a man signing himself Alston, declaring that a murder was to dig Inspector | preving on his conscience, and that he wanted to tell all about it. The inspector immediately notified the Virginia authorities, and after a con- ference with Mr. Ball wired Miami to arrest the writer of the missive. NISSING BANKRUPT . at First Withheld, Sur- By the Associated Press. EW YORK, August 13.—Missing lo4g have provided one of the chief | fature, were reported today to have | fedbral authorities on the eve of | projnised new indictments of “higher- ups)’ in an alleged bucket shop ring. The documents were reported to havi been malled from Chicago. They arriyed, it was said, while the grand | jury was in session today hearing evidbnce in the new serics of cases the (United States attorney's office | last ‘week by Edward M. Fuller and | William F. McGeo, Dartners in the bank¥upt house. Fuller and McGee were expected to be: brought before the grand jury this 4fternoon to tell the story of a | and_political backing, lawyers have promised would “rock Wall street.” Indictments were ex- these have been returned, Mr. Hay- ward has promised to make pubilc the confessions. A few weeks ago Fedeal Judge Goddard received, anonyomously, a ‘package containing some of the miss- ing records, and Fuller and McGeo followed this up with a plea for their dismissal from for contempt. Judge Goddard, after inspecting the papers and finding that some of the most important were missing; denled their request. EXPRESSES SYMPATHY, Forestess Send Condolences to Mrs. Hardiing at Marion. Heartfelt sympathy with Mrs. Hard- ing and the late President's father, Dr. George T. Harding, in their be- reavement and sorrow at the death of their fellow member and Presi- dent, Warren G. Harding, was ex- pressed {a a resolution adopted at a meeting pf the National Court, No. 4321, Independent Order of Foresters, in the District of Columbia, at the Pythian Tomple last Friday. Tribute was paid o the character of the late President,'and a copy of the resolu- tion was Gedered sent to Mrs. Harding and Dr. George T. Harding. D. W, Gall, a member of the organization, niad ‘eulogized the late President. Several new members were admitted to the ordér, and it was decided that another initiation be held September {14, Willian 5. Wright, chlef - ranger. ioresided, - OF WOMAN BEGUN which he is alleged to have admitted | { sion, ana Mr. Vought is here to look RECORDS OBTAINED, {departure for New York, when beén surrendered anonymously to the | has built up on_ the confessions made | bucketing ring with strong financial | which their ( pocted late today or tomorrow. After | further punishment | ! were on business and { Alvan {Orville Wright, i Fuller Bucket Shop Papers, l " rendered to Jury. | | has Jost one of its fines [he sal reords of the bankrupt stock bucket- |dull right ing firm of E. M. Fuller & Co., which | €xceedin ; { said sogrces of interest in the sensational ! usually follows that in America digclosures that followed the firm’s|cept when some great speculation | Pathe |every President stnce Roosevelt on TALKS and TALES With and About CAPITAL’S GUESTS Despite the continued hot exceptionally long- spell and the usual quiet that follows adjournment Congress, a pronounced around the lobbies of been noticeable for the three weeks, Th2 funeral ceremonies late President, of course, countable for the presence of many of the activity al hotels has past two or for were in town visitors during the the {last ten days, scores of high public { officlals {pay their last respects to the d having journeyed here t Executive, of the gues plea; natural nd bustle yet many re bent, to expect will of is and as it is only thut much hustle sult because of head of the gove likely that the list o city will incry minish from At the New the it most tors to t than ¢ vis Willard Hotel, President .Coolidge has made temporary headquarters since taki up the reins of leadership, crow continue to promenade through lobby and “peacock alley.” Many these are only anxious for a glimps of the new Executive, but the Wil- lard, like other hotel unusuall crowded for August whera his ds the A tall, well preserved man sat alone in the | inspiring beauties of the I morial, his first visit to wr made the day before. It S. Hobart of the Avenue Baptist Church N. Y., who delivered address the ing" ot clergyman said press his apprec of the beautiful structy Dr. Hobart is no stranger tc ington, he friend ‘and ¢ beloved Dr. Samuel Harriso Who up to the time of his death served for years tor of C ! Baptist Church, at one period had Greene during the mon It was for this reason bart was invited to dress last weelk Dr. Hobart 1 were products of Vt.. both atte in the class of the ministry after Dr. Hobart t Yonkers Church, in 1885, serv there until 1900, when he retired accept a professorship at Croz ological Seminary, where he for twenty years. He rel duties at the seminar. return to_his first love, on War Yonkers, where he that Dr. Ho- deliver the ad- Dr. Greene both Franklin county, d ¢ te Cc and both entered their graduation took charge the o Hobart an_enth mirer of President Coolidge he felt confident the American ple would soon understand his guict manner and learn to love him as they did hiyv predecessor. “He is a man of few words, but a deep thinker. and will unquestionably prove his ability s a leader,” said the clergyman Hobart will leave for his home New York today peo- interesting guest Vought « Vought ners Another at La Fayette is Chance York, head of the Corporation, naval aircraft desi and constructors. is busy bullding aircraft equipm for the Navy's battleships and new scout cruisers just coming into commis- Chance The concern over the new design equipment of | the 1925 program. There is little about aircraft equip- ment with which Mr. Vought i= not amiliar, he having been one of the pioneer airmen of America, and, with Glen Curtiss d a few others, forms the last connecting link between the old and new schools which have made the heavier-than- air machine what it is today. He made his first flight in 19 Asked America’s ai in general, Mr. Vought said th: country had nothing to fear. are European countries ahead of us {in some special equipment,” he said, “but for general aircraft development we are more than holding our own Mrs. Vought. herself an e aviatrix and secretary- the corporation, is with They will remain in day: tow Dressed in sensible hot-weather fabrics so usual in the far east, Judge M. G. Van Horne of the inter- natfonal court at Alexandria, Pt tanned himself in the lobby of the Hotel Washington, prepa v to his nce ho vy retur: will sail for his post 1 way of France and Judge Van Horne n Washington to witness the funeral of President Harding, after a viiit to his family in Columbus, o. He was a warm personal { the late President and was distressed over his d : it L stopped off in ricnd of Teatly Americs In reply to a quest eral conditions in Eg: Horne said that things now. “Cotton prices y lpw at present. w be taken as a barometer.” “The price of cotton in Egypt ex- is attempted and then evervthing goes crazy.” may Completely fagged out ticipating in ome of the motion-picture feats ever plished, Karl K. Fasold of New York, expert pnotographer of the News, who nas accompanied greatest accom- all of their tours, registered at the Raleigh Saturday, arsiving in the city on the special presidential train from Marion, Ohlo. Mr. Fasold was personally in charge of pictures taken of Presi- dent_Harding while cn hjs trip o Alaska and return, and by herculean effort managed to ship scenes of the funeral in San Francisco to the east- ern newspapers two days before the train carrying the body arrived at Washington. The feat, which marks a new record in such work, was accom- plished by the ald of alrplanes, the films from which plates were struck being carried by aviators to Omaha, where relief fiyers took them on to Chicago. Fresh planes were used be- tween Chicago and New York, and scenes of the funeral used in many jof the eastern papers, including Tha Star, were struck from these origi- nals. With a choke in his throat, Mr. Fasold recalled many little incidents that occurred on the memorable trip to Alaska, and said that up to the time of the President's illness it was one of the most pieasant he had ex- nced. pe'q’ereslden! Harding was the kind- est man I ever knew,” said the pho- tographer. “We all learned to lovs him, and when I think of his con- sideration at all times it breaks Mo up to think he has gone forever.” Contrary to the idea most people have of Alaska, Mr. Fasold said that on certain days during the trip the heat was almost unbearable, “Tho farthest point north reached by the party was Falrbanks, which is only 110 miles south of the arctic circie, and on the day President Harding addressed the inhabitants the ther- mometer registered 94 degrees. Threa people were overcome by the heat. We traveled 14,000 miles by train alone, and it took a-strong man to endure it,” Fasold said. The photographer seemed most solicitous for the health of Mrs. Harding, saying that never in his lits had he se’n a woman bear up so wonderfully under. such trying cons G THE Mgk - iuks. after par-. '