Evening Star Newspaper, November 2, 1926, Page 20

HOLDS HOUDINIHAD STRONG MENTALITY Dr. Hrdlicka Says Magician Achieved Fame Only by Study and Practice. Although the secrets of Harry Houdini's necromancy will go to the grave with thiz greatest of modern | magicians, his uncanny ability to per- | form the seemingly impossible was not the result of any physical ab. normality. Last Spring Houdini underwent_an examination at the New National Mu- seum bv Dr. Ales Hrdlicka, head of the Department of Physical Anthro- pology, the records of which prove conclusively that such tricks as stip- | ing out of handcuffs, escaping from locked caskets and similar feats were the results purely of a superior men tality and untiring practice. Houdini submitted to the test at the request of Dr. Hrdlicka, who pre- wviously had e ined another ma- gician whose tricks were in much the same category. He had found this man more or less abnormal physically and he expected to find these ab- normaltiies even more marked in the case of Houndini. During this visit he became deeply interested in the work of the museum, particularly that of Dr. Hrdlicka's department. Leaves Data to Museum. Shortly afterward he made his | will, leaving to the museum his in- | comparable library of magic and his icollection of magic paraphernalia. » This has been described as the finest tcollection in the world. It was col- \lected by the magician at great ex- all over the world. The will be kept at the Smith- division of the Library of Con- while the paraphernalia, it is expected, will be housed at the Mu- seum because of its great educational ussing his work with Dr. Houdini gave a different ac- count of the origin of his intercst than has been reported in connection h. He said at that time that he first sensed his talent in this direction when his father locked him a4 room as punishment for some bovhood mischief. He was able to pick the lock with a bit of wire found in the room. Just before he expected his father would come to release him he slipped back into the room and locked the door again. Houdini, said Dr. Hrdlicka, was a man of exceptional mental develop- meut, who concentrated on one thing, magie, for which he had a natural talent. Every move of his life was devoted to perfection in this one ac- tivity, and had the same ability and hard work been devoted to some other line Houdini wolld doubtless have made an equally high mark in life. Had Powerful Muscles. His head, and presumably his brain, decidedly above the aver- age for his stature khich was medium, Hrdlicka's examination showed. had particularly strong muscles in the arms, hands, legs and back, with an exceptional elasticity, the re- sult of constant practice, which enabled him to expand and contract these muscles to a remarkable de- gree. The examination also showed that he had an unusually rapld pulse and respiration, showing active metabol- nd nervous disposition. He was 52 vears old at the time of his death and apparently in perfect health. His death, Dr. Hrdlicka said, undoubted- 1y was hastened by the nerve-wrack- ln;:l.'md exhaustive nature of his work. ———— STOCK-SELLING PLAN HELD NEAR SWINDLE Court Continues Receivership for Jersey Finance Company—$3,000,- 000 Assets Declared Worthless. 2 By the Associated Press. ¢ NEWARK, N. J, November 2.— % Characterizing a_stock-selling scheme f the Barnes Finance Co., Inc., as close to a swindle,” Federal k made permanent a_ tem- receivership granted October 8. flton, prosecutor of Hudson v, as temporary recelver, alleged at the concern had fleeced at least 50 would-be investors of about $2, 000,000 by selling to them its own i the securities of its sub- s, and that its boasted assets of 000 were found to be worthless. company was organized in 1922 : ed in Delaware to finance Western rm lands. Its principal place of business was In Newark and a branch office was maintained in Minneapolis, Minn. The concern was holding company for the Montana Mineral Agricultural Corporation, the Barnes Bros.' Cor- poration, the Utah Western Petroleum Co., the Northwest Farming Corpora- tion and the South Idaho Land De- velopment Ct atives of the company were in_cou H. A. Barnés and his son Philip, who were said to have been its heads, were reported to be in Minneapoli MOZART OPERA OFFERED FIRST TIME IN AMERICA “Abduction of the Seraglio,” Pre- sented at Rochester in English, Held Close to Composer’s Life. By the Associated Press ROCHESTER, N. Y., November 2.— The “Abduction of the Seraglio,” an opera by Mozart, was given its first presentation in America by the Roch- ester American Opera Co. here last night. It was produced in Kilbourn Hall at the man School of Musie and was sung in English. = The story concerns the love of Bel- monte for Constanza, a Spanish maiden held captive by the Turkish Pasha, Selim. The opera first was presented at Vienna in 1782 at the command of Joseph II, shortly after it had been written by Mozarf, from a libretto by Bretzner. It was written at a time when Mozart had aroused the ire of his father because of his love for Constanza Webber. Mozart married the girl, and a short time later compieted the opera, reason for the belief that it was inspired by his love for his bride. —_— TALKS OF MODERN LIFE. ‘Yale School Dean Sees Sound Mind Needed for Health. NEW_HAVEN, Conn., November 2 (#).—Pointing out that great num- bers of nervous women “fly off the handle, lose self-control and wind up with mental' collapse,” Dean Charles R. Brown of the Yale Divinity School, speaking here yesterday on “Religion and Health,” expressed doubt as to whether people of today have the necessary nervous fiber and mental stability to stand up under the straln and speed of modern life. The sound mind and the Christian heart con-*. & ot tribute ateadily to betfer health, he sald. & Y CAPITAL FACES FREAK WINTER IF ALL PROPHETS TELL TRUTH eason Guessers Read Greatest Variety of Weather Yet From Actions of Squir- rels, Birds and Animals. The open season for long-range weather forecasting being at hand, a reporter for The Star went a-hunt- ing today for facts, signs or other things, bearing on what sort of a ‘Wiater is in store for Washington. The consensus of opinion of such weather prognosticators as farmers, | squirrels, migratory birds and mete- orologists—both official and unoffi- cial—may be summed up, briefly, as follows: 1. It will be a nice day tomorrow if it doesn’t rain. * 2. We are going to have a long, hard Winter, if it starts early enough and doesn’t end too soon. In other words, there seems to be a diversity of ideas about this sub- ject, providing a wide field of fore- casts, from which the interested householder may take his choice. Squirrels and Nuts. Much of the confusion that exists among rural forecasters is directly traceable to the squirrels and the Fall crop of nuts, the survey dis- closed. The squirrels this year can- not be depended on at all, it has been found, and the nuts are not doing their full duty, either. Down at Center Market, for ex- ample, some tarmers will tell you of great nut-gathering activity among «he squirrels in certain sections of nearby Maryland and Virgi fore- telling of a long siege of bitter weather; but others come back with the statement that out their way the nut harvest among the animals has been noticeably stack. The latter group, on the other wand, are faced with the assertions of the opposing "school that maybe the squirrels whereof they. speak have been derelict because of the cact that the nuts are scarcer this vear than before. They claim the equirrels are worried over the out- 160k, more than ever. George L. Schord, a farmer from Suitland, Md., Injected an idea of his own into the controversy in stating his reasons for thinking the Winter would be a light one. He claims that the hurricanes in Florida ha of exhausted the elements for s time to come; that, as a result, they will be rather easy on the remainder of the country, Besides, he declared, winters aren’t what they used to be, anyway. “I can remember when I was a boy I used to cut ice off the Potomac River over six feet thick,” he pointed out. “We even rode down the river on sleighs. The boys these days don't enjoy such sport as that!” Sees Tough Session. Herbert Janvrin Browne, conductor of a local long-range forecasting serv- ice, announces “one of the severest ‘Winters ever known on the North American continent.” He has issued a_ bulletin forecasting *a Winter which will begin early in the Fall and | end late in the Spring, and which will be characterized by heavy snowfalls and in the great plains and western plauteau by severe blizzards.” He bases his predictions on solar radiation and ocean currents, he says. Browne denies that he ever pre- dicted that this was to bé a “Summer- less year.” What he did say, he e: plains, was that “one great volcanic explosion in 1926—like that of Tom- boro, in the Dutch East Indles, in 1815 —will n fill the upper air. with clouds of volcanic "dust, further to shut off the sun’s heat and become the final blow In insuring a recurrence of 1816—'the year without «a_Summer.’ " This volcanic explosion has not vet: occurred, he says, but ‘its absence “will not avert the consequénces of. other adverse elements already dis- coverable, and which will be bound to have a pronounced effect. on’ the weather of the world during the next 12 menths.” i Amusing to Officials. Weather Bureau officials smile at all these attempts to foretell what the Winter will be. IT the birds fly South early in the season, Forecaster Mitch- ell states, it is an indication not of what sort of weather lies ahead, but what sort lles behind. The birdg are wWarmer duarters: to where 1 avold uncomfortable conditions they | . = g’ehhr do the Government experts countenance such “signs” as the in- dustriousness of the squirrels or the thickness of fur or feathers on beast or_fowl. In short, the burgay puts no faith whatevér in long-range forecasting of | any sort—be it predicated on squir- | rels, ocean currerits, volcanic explo- | sions or what have you. “You've just got to take what comes,” Mr, Mitchell declared today. | “Nobody knows definitely what "Old! Mother Nature 1 going to do very| long. before -she does it. And when she_does you will always hear the ‘I told you sos' of those who happened to guess correctly. AIR TREATY' SIGNED. Spain and Latin American Nntion‘l Agree on Development. MADRID, November 2 (#).—An agreement covering the legal and tschnical phases of aerfal navigation, elaborated at a congress here attend- ed by representatives of Spain and the prineipal Latin American coun- tries, was ‘signed at the foreign office yesterday. Among the provisions-is the estab- lishment of an office to handle all correspondence relating to the devel- opment of aerial communication. It was decided to hold a further meet- ing at Barcelona to discuss aerial reg- ulatfons. . November 1st, 2d, To Cover Advances Note: C. G. SLOAN & CO., Inc., Aucts: 715 13th Street Importer’s Sale ' of a Magnificent Collection of 465 Oriental Rugs and Carpets In all sizes and weaves, including some : extra large pieces At Public Auction Within Our Galleries , 715 13th Street Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday At 2 P. M. Each Day On View Up to Hour of Sale Each Day The sise and variety of the above collaction offers an unusual opportunity to the Washington publie to obtain high- grade merchandise at their own figures. Terms, cash. ©. G. SLOAN & 00, INC.,, Aucts. 3d and 4th, 1926 and Other Charges A Featuring All This Week An Interesting Display of Good-Looking Dining Suites s at'Temptingly Low Prices The Orinway Suite Suite illustrated is a Berkey & Gay de- . sign with French- *<Colonial influence. Ten pieces, with 68- inch buffet and 8-ft. Shesion $495 Other Dining Suites From $195 1o $2,500 IN plenty of time for Thanksgiving comes this remarkable showing of fine dining room suites at un- usually interesting prices. ! You will find suites to fit all types of homes—all types of and all types of incomes. personalities The variety will amaze you: We'll be very glad to show you, even though you may only re- motely interested now. MAYER & CO. Seventh Street Between D & E % NOVEMBER ‘Woodward &Lothrop Down Stairs Store 2, 1926. You Are Invited to See‘ the Newly Enlarged and e-arranged Store We List a Few of the OQutstanding Features of this High-Grade Lesser-Priced Store A Down Stairs Store of Greater Service 1. Floor space in the Down Stairs Store, originally 10,000 square feet, has been more than trebled (31,320 square feet) in the cofnparatively short period of five and one-half years. 2. The unusual width of our spacious new aisles affords great ease and comfort in shopping. 3. 10 speedy, eficient elevators of latest type aud 3 stairways make the Down Stairs Store much quicker of access thaa.the original 3 elevators and 2 stairways. 4. The Down Stairs Store affords quick, satisfactory time-saving shopping. there is no reserve stock. Every item in full view— 5. The Down Stairs Store maintains regular and complete stocks of many nationally known com- modities, in addition to handling several lines— exclusively in Washington—at Lesser Prices. 6. Every article, without exception, in the Down Stairs Store i8 priced for quick sale—always at Lesser Prices. The firat prices here are so low that goods sell quickly, and q&xid& turnover, the ou. : result, means Lower Prices to Get Acquainted with the Lesser-Priced Down Stairs Store Briefly Stated, Our Ideals and Principles Dominated by What Best Serves Our Patrons All merchandise for the Down Stairs Store is selected especially for this section by competent buyers. A separate and distinct buying organization with its merchandise manager and corps of experienced and well trained buyers. The Down Stairs Store sells only dependable merchandise, and this is offered at Lesser Prices. No stocks held in reservé; evel’ytliing openly displayed for easy and quick selection. The same privileges of service and satisfaction as in the Upstairs Store. N 23 Specials for the Opening Week Women’s Sports Oxfords, $4.75 Crestwood Chiffon Hose, $1.35 40-inch Charmeuse, $135 yard Boudoir Lamps, complete, $1.95 81x90 Seamless Sheets, $1 Marquisette Curtains, pair 85¢ 83x10.6 Axminster Rugs, $28.50 Silk Dresses, 2 styles, $6.95 e Fur Coats, this week only, $95 to $350 New Felt Hats, special, $2.95 French Spun Jersey Dresses, $3.95 Women’s and Misses’ Dresses, $12.95 Combed Yarn Knit Union Suits, 45¢. Women’s Crepe Gowns, special, §1 Senorita Crepe Dresses, $16,50. -Men's Imported Overcoats, $19.75 . Men’s Flannelette Pajamas, $1.15 Boys’ Two-trousers Suits, $7.95 New Leather Handbags, $1.95 Junior s’ Winter Coats, $8.95 Woman’s and Misses’ Fur Coats, $95 Children’s Oxfords, special, $2.50 Women’s New Winter Coats, $49.50 There are now 90 Different Stocks in the Down Stairs Store of Lesser Prices ‘Women's Coats Misses’ Coats .Large Women's Coats Evening Slipers—Buckles H D ouse Dresses Negligees—Bath Robes Maids’ Uniforms mocks—S; Infants’ Shoes Infants’ Apparel Infants’ Furnishings Children’s Rubbers Children’s House Slippers Blankets—Sheets Towels—Toweling Beddi: Ing Table Linens ancy Goods Yard Goods Draperies—Curtains Silks Wool and Fiber Rugs Rag Rugs Oriental Rugs irrors Home Needs