Evening Star Newspaper, November 20, 1926, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair tonight and tomorrow; little chahge in temperature; lowest tonight about 32 degrees. Temperature—Highest, 43, at 2:30 P.m. yesterday: lowest, 83, at 7:3¢ -m. today. Full report on page 7. The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press news service. * Sfa WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION Yesterday’s Circulation, 102,324 Closing N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 28 Entered “a! post offic No. 30,133. nd class matter sect Washington, D. C. FIFTY MILES AWAY ON MURDER NIGHT, * STEVENS SWEARS | Henry Offers Fishing Trip and Evening at Home as Slaying Alibi. WITNESS IS UNSHAKEN ON CROSS-EXAMINATION 2 | Admits Knowledge of Weapons, But Says He Has Not Fired Pistol in 25 Years By the Associated Press. COURTHOUSE, SOMERVILLE, N. J., November 20.—Taking the witne: #tand on his birthday. Henry Stevens, charged, with his sister and brothe: with the murder of Mrs. Eleanor R. 2Mills, September 14, 1922, told a jury here today that he was at his home/| et Lavallette, N. J., more than 50 miles away, that dav and night. The witness =aid he spent the morning “downtown" and fished In the afterncon and evening. Mrs. EBtevens was in New York,-he said, but the cook was present when he had tha evening meal at home about 6 o'clock. During the early evening. he sald, he went to a neighbor's house to tell him that fish were biting and also weighed a six-pound blue fish for a friend. Famillar With Shotguns. Mr. Stevens said that he was thor- eughly familiar with shotguns and knew something of ecartridges for all erms. He declared that he had not owned or fired a piste! in 25 vears. | Btevens denied stories of State wit- nesses as to his movements. He was not in New Brunswick when Mrs. Mary Demarest told of seeing him the day after the killing, he sald, and was not near the scene of the slaying a Ltar later, as testified to by Mrs. Anna 0ag. | He said that at the time former| State Trooper Henrv L. Dickman toll of questioning him on a “fishing pier” | at Lavaliette, he was in Florida, and| that no such “fishing pier” was in ex-| {stence then or now i On cross-examination Special Prose. | cutor Simpeon emphasized the fact ! that the witness had not come to! Somerville when ha recefved the news | of his sister's arrest and 40-hour con- finement In jail, althongh he was in | Philadelphia at the time. He also | Questioned Stevens as to what the | prosecutor termed his fatlure to come | to see his brother in jafl until he him- | self was arrested. The reply to these questions was that he could not have done any material good. ~ Time for Drive Questioned. Bimpson also asked the witness in detall as to the time required to drive by automobile from Lavallette to New Brunswick. Stevens said that the| time required was about two hours and a quarter, and that he had never made it in less than two hours. The prosecutor asked if he had not told | 8 man that he could drive it in an| hour and a half by a “back road.” This Stevens denled, saving that there was a road other than the one sually used which was shorter, but { that such time could not be made on it “Stand up, Pete,” called Simpson. A man in the audience arose. “Didn't you tell this man that you Pould drive it in one hour and a haif?" 1 did not." “How old are you, Mr. Stevens>" asked Clarence E. Case of defense counsel. “Fifty-seven years: this happens to | be my birthday,” answered Stevens. 1s Slightly Deaf. I The witness epoke in an easy man- ner, but explained he was slightly hard of hearing. He told of having been born in New Brunswick, where he lived until 1890. Then he lived in Roselle Park, N. J.. for a few months, | where he was married. Later he | moved to Lavalette, N. J., where he | now resides. During the life of his father Stevens said he lived in an apartment in New York City during the Winter months. Upon his father's death in 1922, he began making his home in Lavalette the vear around The witness had some difficulty in yemembering the year he gave up his New York apartment. In previous statements he said he went from the | Hall home, after the funeral of the | Rev. Mr. Hall to New York to ar-| range for closing his apartment there | “What has been your business?” asked Mr. Case “T retired in 1920," maid Mr. Stevens “Previous to that I taught peaple the | art of trapshooting at Atiantic City. | Previous to that I was with the Rem ington Arma Co.’ | Explains His Work. | “What was ¥ work with the | ter company” “Demonstrating trapshooting, cal-| Ung on dealers, etc.” H “In your work with the Remington | Arms Co.. did you have to do with| shotguns? “Yes.' “Did_the Remington Arms Co. 1iake | plstols™” “No,” the witness answered then recalled that the compeny manufacture an ollfashion 1 pistol| which it had sold for about 100 years | in the South. “Have you any knowledge of pis " asked Case. 4 'Yes,” raplied the witness; ‘“our | company made cartridges for pisto and 1 had to know about them.” “Could you usé a pistol?” N “Did you ever own one?”’ I had ene ahout 25 vears ago, but gave it awa: before 101 “Have you owned any s since then”’ | “In 1924 I bought a .38.caliber auto- | matic for Mra. Srevens.” “Before that d:d you own any but | did | small fire-| re ver?"” i hfll had one in 1891 or 1892." ! “From 1915 to 1924 did vou have) Subject Probed Thoroughly. The defense was going thoroughly into the subject of small firearms, as| Mre. Mills was shot three times in! the head with a _32.caliber pistol. The witness said lie had not fired a pistol ! In 26 vears. “Your experience has been with, OFF FULNEW YORK Takes Whirlwind Journey Through Shenandoah Valley. Due This Afternoon. By the Aseociated Press. HARPERS FERRY, W. Va., Novem- ber 20—Queen Marfe's special train left here shortly after 8 o'clock this morning for New York. after she and her party had been whisked through the historic Shenandoah Valley in au- tomobiles. The Queen was due to reach New York late this afternoon on the last 1ap of her American tour. Her majes. ty plans to sail on the Berengaria November 24. Misses Waiting Crowd. MARTINSBURG, W. Va., Novem- ber 20 (#).—Queen Marie and her royal party arrived here at 7:15 o'clock this morning on the final lap of their jour- ney to New York. The party was transferred to auto- mobiles from the special train for a 40-mile sightseeing trip through the northern end of the Shenandoah Val- ley to Winchester, Va. Braving a raw wind, a large crowd, including official receiving bodies, gathered at the station to greet her, but was disappointed when told the Queen’s train reached here an hour and a quarter ahead of sachedule. However, a- handful of persons who knew of the change in train schedule got a glimpse of her as she stepped {x(;nm the train to take the automobile ur. Cheered by Message. Cheered by a reassuring message from home concerning the health of her husband, King Ferdinand, Queen Marie set out for a brief final sight- seeing trip. Distress and anxiety, which gripped Marie for three days and caused her to abandon her tour at Louisville, were greatly alleviated last night when she received this cablegram. “Papa better. Don't be anxious.” It was from her daughter, Queen Marie of Serbia, who is with the King in Bucharest. Lack of definite news from home in recent days caused Marie to cable to her daughter for in- formation. The reply came just as the Queen was joining members of her own party and the American group aboard the train in the dining car. Although she still showed the effects of her strenuous travels and the added worry over her husband's health, Marie was noticeably heartened by the good news. She read the cablegram to guests nearby and, as the news spread around the long dining table, it was greeted with smiles and mur- murings of understanding. Thanks Col. Carroll. As the dinner concluded Queen Marie remimded her companions, the guests of Col. John H. Carroll, her host in behalf of the railroads over which she has traveled, that “this is the last night we all will be together.” “I want to thank vou, she told Col. Carroll, “for this very happy trip we have had, even though our hearts are saddened by its unexpected end- ing. This train has come to be our home, and we have had a good time.” When the special train reaches New York, at 4:35 this afternoon, it will be disbanded, and Marie's tour, which took her into many States and Can- ada and’was marked by many inter- nal upheavals among the personnel, will be over. The factions and groups ahoard, among which. disputes waged virtually throughout the journey, will be dissolved completely when Marie <ails, since. under present plans, only her official party. the Rumanian group, will accompany her to Paris. While awaiting the sailing date Marie will stay at the Tuxedo (N. Y.) home of Chatles E. Mitchell. presi- dent of the National City Bank of New York. There she and Princess Tleana will be joined by Prince Nicolas. GREETED IN WINCHESTER. | Spectal Dispatch to The Star. WINCHESTER, Va.. November | 20.—Queen Marie of Rumania reached Winchester an hour earlier today than her schedule called for, arriving from Martinsburg, W. Va. shortly after sunrise, but a crowd of a thousand people swarmed about her majesty at the George Washington Hotel, where she stopped half an hour. Responding to a ciamor for a speech, the Queen ~ (Continued on Page 2, Column 4. @ | YIELDS BUT EIGHT . fCheck-Up by Vessel’s Cap- WASHINGTON MANTILLA BLAST OF 16 HELD KILLED tain Indicates Toll In- cludes 12 of Crew. FOUR MEN UNIDENTIFIED ARE BELIEVED SEAMEN Burning Oil-Generated Gas Is Re- puted Cause of Blast at Spar- rows Point, Md. . Br the Aseociated Press. BALTIMORE, November 20— | Search of the cooling ruin of the Nor- | weglan tanker Mantilla, rent apart by an explosion in its hold while in dry- dock at Sparrows Point, today had accounted for oniy eight of 16 men believed kilied. A check made by Capt. Nils Daniel- Fhering D. C, SATURDAY sen indicated that the death to!l in-| cluded 12 of the Mantilla’'s crew of | 35. Four unidentified bodies were ap- | parently those of seamen. The other bodies recovered were believed those of employes of a ship cleaning com- | pany. Of these, the body of Amiel Petersen of Baltimore was identifled. | Of the two score injured receiving hospital treatment several had siight | chances of recovery, physiciane said. Many injured who were treated a the Bethlehem Ship Bullding Corpora tion dispensary went to their homes. | Physicians and nurses were unable| to keep an accurate tally of those hurt. | Gas Is Blamed. Accidental ignition of gas Eenerated | from ofl that remained in a fuel tank when the Mantilla went into dry dock | was believed the cause of the blast which ripped the vessel's steel plates like tissue. Flames leaped from the fssures. searing workmen from the | | docks and drydock scaffolding. Rescue workers who penetrated billows of smoke which blanketed the | drydock after the explosion, found dis- abled men frantically attempting to escape from advancing streams of burning oil. Many were taken out with their clothing afire. Thorough search of the interior of eral hours after the explosion. At that time no trace of bodies could be found. Officials believed the missing men might have been hurled {into the water or consumed in the flames. i Mate Detalls Disaster. lars Larsen, ond mate of the Mantilla,who was abeard when the vessel blew up, gave a graphic ac- count of the disaster from his bed in Marine Hospital. He was seriously burned. “As second officer of the ship,” he sald, "it was more or less my duty to be foreman for the day of the repair jobs and the overhauling that was being done. I had come on duty at 8 o'clock in the morning. I had lost sight of the time, and do not know exactly what time it was when I was standing amidships about 15 feet from the slde, observing some laborers who | were crawling under the ship, testing | the rivets with a torch “But all of a sudden I heard a ter- rific crash and looking up I -saw a vivid flame that seemed to shoot out from the side of the ship. T knew im- mediately what had happened. I} turned around, and it seemed as if | the whole side of the ship was coming | down on me. i “During this time I heard continu- ous explosions. Not so loud as the | first, there was a crash and part of the | ehip seemed to give way. Protecting | my eves as much as I could with my hands T rushed out of the slip and was finally picked up by some labor- ! ers. 3 “I do remember looking ‘toward the | ship and seeing men climb down a | rope from the stern to the dock.” The Mantilla was owned by W. Wilhemson of Ponsherg. Norway. She was being reconditioned for urvl’ ice of the Mexican Petroleum Co. on | the Tamplco-Baltimore run. She was | of 5,670 gross tonnage. | Worst for Years. The explosion was the most serious harbor disaster here in 13 vears. It recalled the wrecking of the British tramp steamer Alum Chine on March 8, 1913, by three carloads of dynamite | in its hold. Thirty-three men were killed and 60 injured. Had the blast aboard the Mantilla been delayed 10 minutes, the toll would have been greatly lessened, officials sald, most of the workmen would have been away from the dock, | during the lunch period. i The force of the explosion was in- dicated by havoc created throughout the neighborhood. Factory windows steel weighing several tons crashed on the deck of the steamer Mount Clay, in an adjacent drydock. The Mount Clay had no one aboard. Bet Speeds Construction. CHICAGO, November 20 (#).—One way to induce workmen to speed up is to make it a sporting proposition. David Schetnitz was constructing a concrete buflding. He wagered $10,000 complete on schedule, nor beat a steel scraper construction crew across from them. Now the job is done, the bet's won, and the employes plan a fat Thanksgiving. W;rship Drops Shells on French Hospital As Gales Carry Them Far From Target Br the Associated Press PARIS. November 20.—Patients in the hospital on the Giens Peninsula, on the southern coast of France, had narrow escapes from ceath or injury when several 3-inch tracer shells from the battleship Patris dropped on the roof of the building and fell through all the floors to the cellar. No one was injured, but the damage was considerabie. The Patrie was at gunnery practice vesterday in the Hyeres Roads du- ing violent gales. whigh again are tguns?”’ "“P\‘:‘e’." answered the witness (Continued on Page 8, Column ) raging over the Mediterranean, doing much damage {n Southern France and Northern Morocco. The heavy winds deflected the shells from the battle- !hipl. and several of them hit the hos- pital. . The famous Riviera coast is strewn with wreckage from Marseille to Men- tone. Such vegetation as survived the wind was leveled by huge hallstones. Casablanca, on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, has suffered heavily from the high winds and seas. The goast road was washed away and the port warehouses were demolished. ! native dock workers were swept away and drowned. At Feshala 10 work- men were injured when huge waves tore down the sea wall, causing the collapse of part of a store- house. 3Budget Estimates the "vercel was impoesible nuntil sev- | 1 were crushed in and steel missiles; rained over the shipyard. A plece of | with his workmen that they could not | Five [ STES AB D GVEN TOARNY ANDNAYY Include $89,000,000 for Aviation in All Services. By the Associated Press. Appropriations for the Army and Navy for the flscal year 1928 have been estimated by the Budget Bureau at $354,345.000 for the War Depart- ment and $322,061.000 for the Navy, while provision has been made for approximately $89,000,000 for aviation in all services, the Army and Navy Journal savs today. For strictly military purpoges, it explains, the War Department is given $269,345,000, an increase over the current appropriation of approxi- mately $3,000,000, and for non-military use, including Panama Canal activi- $85,000,000 is provided. For the N the figure provided is estimated at $7.000,000 above the budget's “‘direct appropriations” and may include indirect appropriations and contract authorizations which annually raise the total, but is al- mest $5,000,000 less than this year's total. Aviation Forces Increase. The increase for the military estab- tishment {s necessary, the Journal says, largely to bear the expense of the five-vear aviation program author- ized but not yet appropriated for by Congress. This plan led to the ‘state- ment that for the first time it is definitely known that the administra- tlon is committed to a policy of ab- sorbing this additional cost in the | appropriations for the regular estab- \shment." The article further points out: That a million and a third dollars of | the increase will be needed to provide rations for the 8,000 men, which a but with each successive bang | gnortage this year made it impossible o carry. That the estimates for the Navy will force adoption of serious curtaliment of existing strength, the budget pro- viding for only 80.175 enlisted men against a recommended 83,000. That the Navy, in_event a_higher figure is not eventually provided for, is prepared to place out of commission five of the six older battleships of the ecouting fleet. leaving one to serve as flagship for the naval forces in the Atlantie. Naval Aeronautics Figure. That naval aeronautics will receive | about $1,500,000 less, but it is esti- mated that about three-fourthe of the planes scheduled for construction the second year under the five-year pro- gram can be bullt because of stand- {ardization of tvpes and quantity buy- | ing now in effect. | That while funds available for the Army Alr Corps will permit, in a large measure, new plane construction pro- vided for the second year, the increase {1n funds does not carry out to a great extent the material development and | other phases of the program. That the Marine Corps faces a cur- tailment of funds and a_subsequent | reduction of 1.000 men. Reserves are well provided for in both services. 'TREASURY CORNER | 1S LIGHT-CONTROLLED |New System Put in Operationm, With Officer in Booth Op- erating Signals. Fifteenth street and New York ave- nue became a modernized traffic-con- trolled intersection today with the turning on of the recently installed traffic’ lights. Simultaneous with the operation of the lights the intersec- tion was opened to the north and south bound traffic. The lights were turned on at 10 o'clock by Col. I, C. Moller, assistant director of traffic. Traffic Director M. O. Eldridge. Maj. Edwin B. Hesse, superintendent of police: Inspector E. W. Brown, in charge of the Traffic Bureau, and Capt. Bean of the first police precinct viewed the operation. A policeman stationed in a pagoda. like booth in the center of the inter- section operates the lights from an in- dependent control switch. The booth will be replaced later, according to traffic officials, with a more artistic stand. Under the light system, street cars and westbound vehicular traffic moves while Fifteenth street traffic s Lalted. The street cars and Avenue traffic is stopped while Fifteenth street traf- fic moves. . DOCTOR, FREED IN DEATH OF WIFE, RESUMES WORK Paul D. Moore of Washington State Was Accused of Poisoning Spouse in Hospital. By the Associated Prees. PORT ANGELES, Wash.,, Novem- ber 20.—Dr. Paul D, Moore, former major in the Army Medical Corps, re- turned to his practice at Sequim, north of here today, after having been acquitted of a charge of murdering his wife with poison. The prosecution sought to show that Moore administered poison to his wife the care of another physiclan. i defense presented evidence that Mrs. Moore died of a malignant disease. She had been an invalid for years. Dr. Moore is said to be a member of an old Kentucky familv. having been educated in the University of Kentucky and at Louisville. ~ He formerly resided at Nashville, Tenn., where he was arrested September 4 at the home of his brother, C. P. Moore, head of a high school com- mercial department. Dr. Moore re- turned to Washington voluntarily. ADMITS FORGERY OF SE00000 BONDS Young Advertising Man Con- fesses Jekyll-Hyde Life as Brokerage Head. By the Associated Press. DENVER, Colos, November 20.— Confronted by evidence collected by State and Federal authorities, Earl A Pivan, 28.year-old Denver advertis- ing man, has confessed to living a “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" existence here for five months as head of a brokerage firm that sold $240.000 worth of forged Denver municipal water works bonds. Much of the busi- ness was transacted with Eastern firms, he said. Pivan was arrested yesterday after several banks and brokerage houses reported that he had opened large ac- counts with them recently under the name of C. A. Coe of Coe & Co. He told District Attorney Foster Cline and Roy Nelson, chief district post of- fice inspector, that he forged $600,000 worth of the bonds and had traded $240,000 worth of good bonds for cash. He said he had burned the rest. Used Complete Disguise. Pivan told of purchasing a $1,000 water bond and sending it to a St. Louis_lithographing firm for duplica- tion. He then obtained a duplicate of the Denver City and County seal at Omaha and established an office un- Boston and New York bond houses or their local branches. Every morning he would leave his advertising offices and go to a hotel room, where he made up with an iron- gray wig and moustache. He then went to his brokerags office, where he was known by employes as an astute business man. Falls in Escape Attempt. He attempted to escape a short time after his arrest, while being taken to the city jail. Breaking from ap officer, he ran for two blocks and was cornered in a basement after po- lice had fired at him several times. Following his confession, Pivan saii he could account for all the bonds he had received from Eastern firms. Po- lice believe all the securities will be recovered without loss to his clients. His father. Jacob Pivan, a retired iron dealer, said he was astounded by the confession. - T N, FRANC HITS HIGH MARK. Opens at 26.91 to Dollar in Paris, Reflecting New York Rise. PARIS, November 20 (#).—The franc, reflecting the overnight im- provement in value in New York, opened at 26.91 to the dollar and 130.50 to the pound sterling. This is |the highest quotation in many months. Yesterday's closing price on the Bourse was 28.27 francs to the dollar. Ohio Gas Price Cut 1 Cent. CLEVELAND, November 20 (#).— The Standard Oil Co. today announced a drop of 1 cent a gallon in the price of gasoline in Ohio. new price is 21 cents from tank wagons and cents from flliing stations. & . while she was in a hospital and under NOVEMBER 20, 1926—THIRTY-EIGHT PAGES. . PRESIDENT IS FIRM ON TAX CUT STAND Remains Strong for Plan in Spite of Proposals Made by Congress Members. By the Associsted Press. Members of Congress who are re- turning from their constituencies with a varied assortment of plans for spend- ing the Treasury's surplus are being heard, but not encouraged, at the White House. Their arguments, they find, have had little or no effect on President Coolidge's position with respect to the plan he and Secretary Mellon have worked out to return the surplus, now estimated at $300,000,000, to income taxpayers. Not only {s the President presum- ably against the Democratic proposal for permanent downward revision of {tax rates .at-the approaching short session of Congress, a scheme which Secretary Mellon holds to be unwise pending a further testing of the opera- tion of the present tax law, but he is definitely opposed to the latest sugges- tion advanced on Capitol Hill—repeal of the $75,000,000 automobile tax. Holds Auto Tax Justified. With the Federal Government spending $90,000.000 a vear on high- ways, he feels this levy against auto- mobile users is justified, for the pres. ant at any rate. Although the automo- bile tax has been @ Democratic target for some time, its most recent oppo- nent is a Republican, Representative Hudson of Michigan, who also pro- poses reduction of the corporation in- come tax from 131 per cent to 10 per cent. This latter figure is 1 per cent lower than contemplated in the $325.- 000,000 permanent reduction plan an- nounced vesterday by Senator Sim- mons of North Carolina and Repre- sentative Garner of Texas, ranking Democrats on the committees which must consider any tax legislation. Meanwhile, the President is not los- ing sight of his economy policy. and intends that it shall be linked with the tax refund idea. No Difference With Mellon. Taking cognizance of talk of a dif- ference of opinion between him and Secretary Mellon over the tax ques- tion, his officlal spokesman aleo has taken occasion to declare that any im- pression that such a situation prevails is without foundation. Mr. Coolidge's announcement two weeks ago that he favored returning the surplus to the taxpayers directly, instead of employing it to retire the public debt as had previously been the intention of the Treasury, came as a surprise to the country, and was made while Mr. Mellon w: away from ‘Washingtdn. The ite House spokesman asserted vesterday, how- ever, that the two had discussed the plan before the President made pub- lic his position. SCIENCE AIDS AS CLOAK. Italian Deputies Deliver Speeches, Remaining Hidden. PARIE, November 20 (#).—How to be heard and not seen was the prob- lem confronting two Italian deputies, who had undertaken to address an anti-Fascist meeting here. With the ald of science the solution was easy. Installed in an anteroom, the depu- ties delivered their speeches, which were transmitted to the audience in the hall by a loud speaker. Then they quietly left the building by a side door without anybody having recognized them. S Mussolini's First Mes: Brace. 1 NN Donsld Ogden Stewart. = Leopold Is Taken From Prison to Testify at Trial By the Associated Press. JOLIET, Ill, November 20.— Nathan Leopold, who left behind a home of wealth when he and Rich- ard Loeb, slayers of Bobbie Franks, went to prizon two vears ago for lifs, was taken to the courthouse here today as a witness in the trial of six conviots for the murder of Deputy Warden Peter Klein. It was the only time, exoept when he was transferred from the old to the new prison, that lLeopold had been outside the prisor walls. —y 1.S. SHIP DRIVES LIBERALS BACK () Means Associated Pre: Vessel Carrying Revolution- ists to Guatemala Forced to Port, Reports Say. By the Associated Press. MANAGUA, Nicaragua, November 20.—Reports received here today state that a United States destroyer drove back to Cape Gracios the schooner H. S. Albert, which was carrying a com- mission of Liberal revolutionists to Guatemala. AMERICAN AID OFFERED. Vague Reports of Further Filibusters Are Received Here. By the Associated Press. American co-operation, to the extent possible toward restoration of peace in Nicamzua, has been offered. A response to that effect has been made by the State Department to the request of President Diaz for Ameri- can aid. The form of the communica- tion was not revealed, nor was any turther indication given of the nature of the co-operation contemplated. Good Offices Asked. The Diaz communication, however, was described at the White House yesterday as a request for good offices. and there is no doubt that a renewed tender of the offices of Lawrence Den- nis, American charge at Managua, in an effort to induce Nicaraguan Liber- als to accept peace proposals made by President Diaz, has been authorized. No commitment of the Washington Government to any further action is involved. Such additional advices as have been received regarding intentions of the Liberals are not encouraging. Vague reports of further unidentifled fli- bustering expeditions to Nicaragua continued to crop up. There has been some indication that Vice President Sacasa, credited with having negoti- ated in Mexico City for several arms shipments for the Liberal revolution- arfes in Nicaragua after his mission to the United States, that proved ua- fruitful, is planning to rejoin his col- leagues in Nicaragua at an early date. No official confirmation of this report was obtainable. g Move Is Gesture. The renewed offer of good offices to settle the Nicaraguan turmoil is more or less a gesture, since Mr. Dennis has been continuously exerting every effort to that end, having fostered the abortive peace conference at Co- rinto. The Washington Government has not elected to avail itself of the invitation for more forceful interven- tion as implied in the Diaz’ request and there is no indication that it is preparing to employ American naval forces for any other purpose than to protect American lives and property in Nicaragua. JUSTICE M’KENNA IS GRAVELY ILL Retired Member of Supreme Court Failing for Several Weeks. After several weeks of gradually failing health, former Associate Jus- tice Joseph McKenna of the United States Supreme Court was described as being “gravely 1ilI" at his home, in the Connecticut apartments, 1150 Connecticut avenue, today. He is being attended by Dr. Ster- ling Ruffin and the spiritual rites of the Catholic Church have been ad- ministered by Rev. Edward L. Buckey of St. Matthew's Church. His son, Maj. Frank B. McKenna, retired, and thres daughters are in Washington with their father. The daughters are Mrs. Edward Alsop, Mrs. Pitts Duf- fleld and Mrs. Davenport Brown. ‘The former justice resigned from the highest judicial bench in the land on January 5, 1925, after a long and active career in public life, in_the course of which he held State offices in California, served in the House of | Representatives for seven years and resigned from the House to become a United States circuit judge. H» was Attorney General in the cabiret of President McKinley, from which posi In the Magazine of Tomorrow’s Star “Great-Grandmother’s Counterpane”—By Mrs.. Calvin Coolidge. e to America. 7 Georgetoyn Customhouse and Washington’s Imports. “Treasured Recipes of the White House.” Fiction—By Alice Duer Miller, Franklin P. Adams and Blanche “Latest Fashions"—By Mary Marshall. Humor—By Ring W. Lardner, Stephen Leacock, Milt Gross and tion he was elevated to the Supreme Court. NN —— S S\ NS N NN NN In the Magazine of Tomorrow’s Star | % was purchased from a store in TWO CENTS. VETERAN PLUNGES 504 FEET TO DEATH FROM MONUMENT Soldiers’ Home Inmate, H. C. Anderson, 46, Drops Off Washington Shaft. CLIMBS OUT WINDOW UNSEEN BY GUARDS Nine Others at Top Unaware of Jump—Noise Like Pistol Shot Attracts Watchman. Leaping through an unguarded window at the summit of the Wash- ington Monument early today. Henry C. Anderson, 46 vears old, a resident of the United States Soldiers’ Home, plunged to his death on the concrete pavement 504 feet below. It was the second time that a man, suffering from {1l health, had sought death in the dizzy drop from the top of the the top of the Monument, and the third suicide of the kind there, & woman. in ill health, ending her life by the plunge. No one saw the man pull himself over the ledge of the window and drop into eternity. No one at the Monument saw his body hurtling to the concrete far below. The first intimation any one had of the tragedy was when a guard, standing by the door of the Monument below, heard what he thought was a pistol shot around on the north side. Run- ning to the epot, he found the bat- l'no_rsd form of a man lying before im, Guards noticed nothing unusual about the actions of Anderson when he entered the monument this morn- ing. He was the first to arrive and waited in the warm lobby until the first elevator would start for the ob- servation room above. August Cros- sant, a guard. said he recalled that the man seemed rather pale, but passed that incident after watching his actions for a minute and finding nothing to arouse suspicions. Nine Others at Top. The first elevator contained 10 pas- rengers and the first on board was Anderson. Mr. and Mrs. Willlam B. Glidden, tourists from California, said most of the passengers were making pleasant remarks to one another dur- ing the brief journey to the observa- tion room and that no one seemed to notice anything unusual about An- derson. Reaching the top, the guard watch- ed his charges for a minute to make sure none was nervous and then start- ed toward the hottom for another load. ‘There he learned that "Anderson had preceeded him by at least a minute. The guards and the sightseers who wére on the scene agreed that Ander- son must have reached the top and hurried immediately to the north win- dow. The tourists began wandering around almost immediately and none of them saw Anderson go near the window. The guards, too, said he must have determined before the ele. vator reached the top that he would make his death leap from the north window, where he would not be seen by the tourists, who would crowd al- most immediately to the window in front of the elevator entrance. Tourists Kept in Top. The minute the tragedy was dis- covered all guards centered their at- tention on getting help as quickly as possible, with the result that the tourists in the Monument were vir- tually kept prisoners for more than half an hour in their lofty perch, won- dering what had happened to delay the elevator so long. Some ventured to walk down and learned of the sui- cide early; those who waited for the elevator knew nothing of it until they reached the ground. © Anderson struck the pavement al- most head first. Apparently the wind caught his body and carried it away from the sloping side of the shaft, since there were no marks to indicate that he had struck any point om tragic plunge. The man’s hat was blown fully 75 feet from the spot where his body landed. A small gold wrist watch was torn from his arm by the impact and hurled across the wide roadway that surrounds the Monument to the grass. His clothing was cut and ripped to ribbons, as though rent by a large knife. Guard Gives Description. Crossant, the guard, gave the most thorough description of the suicide. “I was standing in the doorway, at- tending to some casual morning du- ties,”” he sald, “when I heard a loud report on the north side of the Monu- ment. I thought it was a large-caliber pistol, and immediately wondered if some one had been shot. I ran around the corner, thoroughly excited, the re- port was so loud.” It was then that he found the body of the dead man. Police are somswhat mystified over the speed with which Anderson work- ed to raise himself to the fatal win- dow, despite a crippled leg and in- jured back. Some years ago he suf- fered an injury to his spine which caused one leg to become shorter than the other, and he wore a special shoe. The windows are about chest high to a normal-sized man, and it would have required some display of strength for Anderson to pull himself up so quickly that none of the nine persons in the small chamber saw him. Belleved to Leave Widow. The first intimation of Anderson’s identity was obtained from his hat. It South- east Washington and bore the name, neatly written in ink along the leath- er band: “H. C. Anderson.” Police declined to permit a search of the man's clothes until the coroner ar- rived. When morgue officials arrived to remove the body, however, they |tound a number of papers in his | pocket, which seemed to confirm the identity, which later was definitely {tablished by an official from Soldlers ‘Home. One was a letter addressed to | “Henry L. Anderson, Ward C, Sol- jdiers’ Home Hospital, Washington.” It was maliled from St. Paul, Va., on November 15, and apparently was from the man's wife, although Wil- liam Shoenberger, the morgue master, said he could not permit the missive to be read until the coroner had first (Continued on Page;9, Column 3. Radio Programs—Page 38.