Evening Star Newspaper, December 20, 1926, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Rain probably row; slightly warmer tonight minimum temperature 36 degrees. Temperature—} pm. p.m. ¥ Closing N. ¥. Stocks and Bonds, Page 14 Entered as se post office, W No. 30,183, yesterday; lowest, Full report on page 9. Bure; Forecast.) tonight and tomor- fighest, 36, 20, at at 10:30 @h WASHINGTON, ¢ Foeni WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION D. C, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, ny Star. 1926—FORTY-FOUR PAGES. FERDIMND WANS TOSTEPOUN A GVECARDL THRONE King Issues “Ultimatum” at Secret Council and Sends Emissary to Paris. e i PRINCE DEMANDS DIVORCE ! | AND A NEW GOVERNMENT| Makes National-Peasant Cabinet| Condition of Return—Fight X Over Regency Goes On. By the Associated Pr PARIS, December 20.—King Ferdi- nand of Rumania wishes to abdicate the throne and restore former Crown Prince Carol to the rights he re- nounced on January 4 last. The King made this known to his ministers at a secret council held in Bucharest last week, it is learned an political source in Paris. As a result of the King's “ultima- tum” to his ministers, Gen. Coanda was sent to Paris and already has ad- vised Ferdinand that Carol is willing to comply with his father's wishes, but under certain conditions. Carol Demands Divorce. These are first that King Ferdinand must acquiesce to Carol's divorcing Princess Helen—that if possible she must leave the country before his re- turn—and second, that before he as- cends the throne, the present govern- ment must be thrown out and a demo- cratic cabinet, headed by Prof. Jorga, and comprising the leaders of the new National-Peasant party, must be given power. “I am a sick old man,” King Ferdi- nand is reported as having told his ministers. “I want to retire entirely from public life.” The secret council at which the King made his wish known was at- tended by Queen Marie, Premier Averescu, Jan Bratiano, who is some- times calied “the Uncrowned King of Rumania,” Gen. Coanda and several other leading political figures. ““Whatever months or years I may have to live, and I understand the learned professors differ on that ques- tion,” the King is reported to have #ald, “I wish to devote to the care of my health and perhaps make the prophesies of the experts go wrong."” Quarrel Over Regency. He then continued with an exposi- tion of his views in a most decided manner for a man who a few days 8go_was reported to be within the shadow of death. At the presant time the succession of power. Queen Marie, supported by’ Bratiano and Prince Stirbey, the latter's brother-in-law, wants a place on the regency which 18 now made up of Prince Nicolas, | the president of the Supreme Court and the patriarch of the Rumanian C!;ur(-lm t is considered an;aboSlute cer- tainty that while the King llveuchrfl will never consent to this, as it would mean the final exile of Prince Carol, | since the latter's relation with his lvyn'l| mot:l!ri)g:rxphe their two recent meetings in , are believ worse than ever. 5 o o0 o be Next Move Is- Question. - Thus the two questions tha - fnate the Rumanian it o Wil Ferdinand go (o Paris to ses Carol or will Carol come’ Sourol or,will Carol come'to Bucharest There is no question of a republic, it is asserted, and the monarchy “will be maintained, but what form the reg- gney will assume is the matter now at In the present mood of the popula- tion, it is felt, any attempt l;n“fl:@ part of Carol to come back to Ru- mania by force of arms would be re. pressed immediately. Careful ob- servers say that the army is much less favorable to Carol than has been reported hitherto. Consequently, the former Crown Prince, everybody agrees, would find himself in jail a few hours after reaching Rumanian soil. Some of his friends say that it is his intention to emulate the ill-fated attempt of his cousin, former Em- peror Charles of Austria, and enter | Rumania by airplane. His counselors however, have advised him not to re. turn unless he can make his ontry with full honors and under the ex- pressed desire of his father. sharp quarrel at the myn!%tfl»}mmn said. Crowned in 1914. King Ferdinand, who is 61, ascend- VnoERWOOP King Ferdinand (above) who wants to abdicate the Rumanian throne in favor of Carol (below), the exiled crown prince. RAIN AND MUD HALT PAN-AMERIGAN TRIP 10 Flyers Decide to Wait Be- cause of Continued Down- pour and Fog. By the Associated Press SAN ANTONIO, Tex., December 20.—The hop-off of the Army's Pan- American flight was postponed today because of a muddy fleld and foggy weather until 9 a.m. tomorrow. Announcement of the postponement was made by Maj. H. A. Dargue, fiight commander, at 1 o'clock this afternoon. The planeg will be towed from Duncan to Kéfly Fleld, where they will be cleanéd up and made ready for tomorrow's flight, Maj. Christening ceremonies for the ships started at 10:45 a.m. today, despite.the rain which began falling just as wives of five pilots broke bottles of water over the prows of the flyirfg boats. Some of the sponsors were carried to the ships by officers to avoid the sticky mud. The weather was threatening throughout the morning, fog circling around the field as though playving catch with the great amphibian planes and seeking to have a part in thelr send-off. Messages Are Read. Maj. Gen. W. D. Conner of the Sth Corps Area, opening the speaking ceremonies, said that the usual order had been reversed in the case of the pan-American flight. “Too often,” he said, ““we see instru- ments of peace converted to the uses of war, but in this chines designed for W the instrumentalitie Gen. F. P. Lahm, commanding gen- eral of the Air Corps Training Center, read messages from Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg and Secretary of War Dwizht Davis. Mud Is Thick. The planes were pushed onto the field in front of the speakers’ stand at 10:30 o'clock, several hundred men being required to get them through the heavy muck. A sprinkle of rain was falling and skies were dark. Heavy tarpaulins, reinforced with boards, called mud mats were spread about thes speakers’ stand for the wds to walk on. Automobiles ha hard time reaching the scene of the fight and only the faithrul Army mules seemed to be at home. A gas- oline tank brought out to fill one of the planes was unable to get through under its own power and a dozen nen aided its slow progress. e h Army band struek up “The Sun- ny South,” while a few drops of rain ed the throne of Rumania on October 11, 1914, during the troublous times | which attended the outhreak of the | World War, The state of his health became of world-wide interest in October this year while his roya consort, Queen Marle, was touring| Ial;eu I"lllhedl .\"\uten with her son und\ ghter, Prince Nic F rin- | cess lleana. Foasisatpenag He has been variously repor | :ul’(er:jlll.’ om an inte: s erme: igmoliditis and can Weight to the lutter report was lent only recently when Bucharvest dis- patches d it had been decided to lremu\'e him to Paris for . treatment. Later, however, it ws stated that the government was op. | posed to his leaving the countr i The Rumanian dynastic sit | has been unsettled since last | ary, when a law was passed giving | legal force to the renouncement of | succession to the throne, made by | Crown Prince Carol when he left the country in company with Mme. Magda Lupescu, daughter of a mer. chant of Jassy. | Carol Living in Lasxury. Carol now resides in a luxur villa in the outskirts of Pa Mme. Lupescu at still his companion. in the French courts u few ago by Mme. Zizi Lambrino, his for- mer morganatic wife, who sought to force him to acknowledge the legiti- macy of their son, Mircea. The French courts held that the case was out of their jurisdiction. His present wife, former Princess Helen of Greece, is in Bucharest with their son, Michael, who was made Rumanian heir-apparent by the legislation of last January. In case of Ferdinand’s death, under present arrangements, a regency council consisting of Prince Nicols the president of the Supreme Court and the patriarch of the Rumanian Church would rule the country dur- fog Michael's minoritys ious and adium | - pattered about and the clouds grew arker. Equipment Safely Stowed. One of the most delicate of the umerous tasks in preparing for the long air voyage was accomplished when the equpiment pack for each plane had been safely stowed in the narrow limits of the huiks. rhe pack, which includes, among other things, 184 pounds of tools, anchors, ropes, buckets, funnels and Similar equipment, and 75 pounds of Wearing apparel for the men, was placed so it would not move or bounce about when the ship strikes water, t has to be deposited so it will not displace the center of gravity of the shiy Ex-Governor of Bermuda Dead. DELHI, India, December 20 (#). Gen. Siv James Willcocks, d guished soldier governor of Beri from 1917 to 2, died at Bhartapur Saturday. Z1MENGOTODEATH SINGING OVER 106S ASLAUNCH SINKS Chosen for Work in Jersey, Victims Board Boat Later Crushed in Hudson Ice. DEATH LIST MAY GROW WITH SCORE MISSING 24 in Hospital Suffering From Submersion Half Hour in Icy Waters. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, December 20.—Sing: ing at the prospect of employment, men answering the help wanted ad- vertisement of a New Jersey manu- facturing plant rode to their death in the 1cy waters of the Hudson River today when ice floes crushed the launch transporting them. The death list was expected to be increased to almost 40 when the work of grapplers had been completed. Be- sides the known dead and the miss- ing, 24 men were confined in hospitals suffering from submersfon. There were said to have been 62 men in the boat. The fact that the applicants had heen singing on the pier before enter- ing the launch was believed to have contributed to_the slowness of the rescue work, Persons on shore who heard the screaming of the drowning men paid no attention, thinking that the sounds were merely continued singing. The launch left the Ninety-fifth street pier for the Spencer Kellogg & Sons plant at Edgewater off 254th street, the Dronx, it was caught be- tween the great cakes of ice and crushed. Water poured in, and with- in a few minutes the boat had sunk. As the launch left its Manhattan pier it had to plow through a shifting sea of ice. In midstream it was caught Dbetween great floes which cracked its frame and ripped open its sides. Immediately confusion reigned. As the water came pouring in the em- ployes, about half white and half negro, rushed from the cabin and plunged into the frigid water. Al- most immediately the Linseed King sank to the er level and many of the freezing men clung to its sides while others attempted to crawl onto pieces of floating ice. The first boat to reach the scene was the tug Buffalo. More than a score of almost frozen men were taken on board and rushed to the 129th street pier where an emergency hospital had been established. Police attempting to check up on the number of persons who had been on the Linseed King received widely varying reports. Some estimates were as low as 40 while several men taken to hospitals were vehement in their assertions that there had been at least 150. Say Tanker Failed to Help. The Linseed King was in charge of John Rohweider of Jersey City, N. J. His name did not appear on lists given out by police of survivors taken to hospitals. Several of the survivors reported that before the tugs came to their assistance an ol tanker passed within 200 feet of them, going downstream, and paid no attention to their cries. Reports as to the cause of the accident varied. While most blamed the ice entirely, others asserted that the launch capsized because it was crowded “like a subway jam"” and that when it tipped to one side every- one rushed to the other side in an attempt to right it and it upset. All avallable river craft speeded to the rescue of the men struggling in the fcy waters, many of whom were suffering severely from submer- sion of almost half an hour. P HOT IRON FOR WARMTH COSTS FOUR CHILD LIVES Little Ones Burn to Death When It Sets Bed Afire—Mother Fails at Rescue. By the Associated Press. NEWBURG, W. Va., December 20. ur small children were burned to death at Scotts Hill, near here, last night when their bed clothing caught fire from a hot iron which the mother had placed in their bed to keep them warm. The victims of the fire were the children of the Rev. and Mrs. D. F. Hines, and ranged in age from 1% to 8 years The father, a Methodist Episcopal circuit minister, had gone to Mount Zion Church to conduct Sunday eve- ning services. When Mrs. Hines put the children to bed she placed a hot fron at their feet. Returning to the room some time later, she found it in flames. When her lone efforts to fight the fire with buckets of water proved futile, Mrs. Hines a quarter of a mile to the nearest neighbor, but the house had been destroyed when help arrived. The charred bodies of the victims were found in the ruins. The mother was placed under the care of a physician in a critical con- dition suffering from shock. Wealthy Ohioan Dies in Florida. WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Decem- ber 20 (P.—Col. 1. M. Martin, 54, wealthy resident of ( nati, ' died suddenly at his Winter home in' Palm Beach shortly before noon yesterday, ;Ernst Asks Probe of Refusal of Vote In States Where Bartering Is Charged| ate investiga- The proposal for a ering of Fed- tion of charges of b eral offic jouthern S es | given a ne » today when at a {mecting of the Senate judiciary com | mittee r 1rnst, Republican, of | Kentucky offered a resolution which would include an inquiry into the al- |1eged denial of the right of some citl- | zens to vote in those es. | The judiclary committee { had before it the two re: | troduced In the se he subjec Democrat, o sking #n in vestigation into the alleged sale of Federal offices in’ Georgia, and already other by Senator King, Demacrat, of Utah, proposing a similar investiga- tion along bro: lines that would take in other States, particularly in the South. The judiciary committee referred all three resolutions to a subcommittee composed of Chairman Norris of the Jjudiciary committee and Senators Ernst and King. to the alleged bartering the resolution of uns a declaration where sucn practices are «d, there 15 a de- nial to many citizens of their right Referring of the ! to vote or to have theit votes counted.” When John Coolidge, who is now in Washington spending the Christmas holidays with his parents at the White House, returns to Amherst he will not have Col. arling of the White House ervice as his companion and guardian. 1t was learned today that the Presi- {dent has selected Ru 13 {of the White House secret ser ltake Col. Starling's place. understood that the change in guar- dians for the President’s son was made as a result of entreaties on the part of Col. Starling to be relieved of | this assignment. When it was deeided to relieve Col. Starling, who was with John C idge at Amherst for more than two months, the President thought it would be advisable to have a younger secret service man to serve as his son’s companion and protector. After looking over the younger men of the ! White House squad, Russell Wood, who is still in his twenties and who may easily pass for an undergraduate of the college, was chosen for his de- tail. It is understood that while Col. Starling is very fond of the Presi- dent’s son and is ever anxious to please the President, the assignment ARYR A NEW GUARD FOR JOHN COOLIDGE ‘ MAY JOIN HIM IN HIS STUDIES Col. Starling Asks to Be Relieved and His AGMN SUPPURTED , Substitute Gould Pass for an Ambherst Undergraduate. at Amherst was not at all to his Iik- 'ving as mentor and compan- to the President's son was all well, but the publicity given to his being in Amherst caused him to be an object of curosity wher- ypeared and to be the sub- ject of all sorts of comment. It is helieved at the White House that Wood will not attract all this atten- tion and that the same purpose can be accomplished without the com- ment assoclated with Col Starling's stav at_Amhe; t. Wood is considering serlously actually enrolling at Amherst College and to make the best of his assign- ment with young Coolidge, by taking some special course of instruction. With the return of John to the White House, that large, quiet old mansion has taken on more life and more of the spirit of the Christmas season. This morning he aceom- panied his mother on a shopping tour of the downtown stores. It is under- stood that John is to be given more liberty during his present visit with his parents. This is taken to mean that John will accept more invitations to social affairs and that there will not be such a strict account kept of his activities and the hours of his re- turning home at night. JOWA BANK CLOSES AS MERGER FAILS Realty Deals and Frozen As- sets Blamed for Failure in Des Moines. By the Associated Press, DES MOINES, lowa, December 20. —The Towa Loan and Trust Co., one of the largest banking institutions in Des Moines, failed to open today. Rep- resentatives of the State Banking De- partment are in charge. Closing of the institution was de- cided upon after an unsuccessful at- tempt by the Des Moines Clearing House to effect a consolidation with another local bank. J Hope For Depositors. A committee of the local bankers, appointed by officers of the clearing house, immediately set to work on a plan for liquidation which the commit- tee hopes will result in no loss to the depositors. Excessive investment in real estate and frozen assets are given as the principal causes of the closing. ability to collect on outstan also was a contributing factor D. H. McKee was president of the bank, which was capitalized at $500.- 000, with $500,000 surplus and deposits of about §7,000,000 L. A. Andrew, State superintendent of banking, said that the bank prob- ably would pay out 60 or 70 cents on the dollar, $5,000,000 in Mortgages. loans The bank is understood to have in- dorsed more than $5,000,000 worth of mortgages and to have had liability on these, in addition to the depositors. Some of the “frozen” assets were said to involve real estate deals dating back a number of years, before the in- stitution entered the commercial bank- ing busin JUDGE AUKUM 0. K.D. Reappointment to Municipal Court Approved by Committee. A favorable report on the nomina- tion of Judge George Aukum for re- appointment to the bench of the Mu- nicipal Court of the District was or- dered by the Senate judiciary commit- tee today. President Coolidge also had sent to the Senate several days ago the nomination of Judge Charles V. Mee- han for reappointment to the same | court, but Judge Meehan died Satur- | day might. Radio Programs—Page 38 FORT SITE PLANS GET NEW SETBACK Black of Texas Leads Oppo- sition to Acquisition for Park Purposes. Legislation authorizing the acquisi- tion of Forts Hunt, V&, and Wash- ington, Md., for extension of the park system of the National Capital suffer- ed another setback today when the Zihlman bill came up on the unani- mous consent calendar and objection was registered by Representative Black, Democrat of Texas. Representative Hill, Republican, of Maryland, who made the report from the military affairs committee on the Zihiman bill, explained that these two forts are no longer needed for mili- ary purposes. He sald that troops to be removed from Fort Wash- ington as soon as barracks now under construction at Camp Meade are com- pleted. He emphasized that it would be mest unfortunate if these old forts should be sold to private parties. Representative Cramton, Repub- lican, of Michigan, pointed out that these forts can now be bought out of District of Columbia funds. He expressed the opinion that the Na- tional Capital Park and Planning Commission is not receiving the full appropriation that it should have and expressed the opinion that the total $1,100,000 a year authorized by suhsequent law should be appro- priated. Zihiman Speaks for Bill. Represenative Zihlman, Republican of Maryland, author of the bill, called the attention of the House to the fact these old fort sites are now part of the riverside parkway project and should be acquired. He spoke in op- position to Mr. Cramton's sugges- tion that they should be bought out of District funds. He declared that the tax payers of the District should not be cailed upon to buy land in Maryland and Virginia, Fort Hunt is located in Falrfax County, Va., 16 miles below Washing- n and just across Little Hunting Creek at Mount Vernon. It was ac- quired by the Government at a cost of $45,526.87, and includes 197,413 acres. The estimated sale value is $187,281. The entire frontage on the Potomac River and Little Hunting Creek is forested and from a wharf there excellent view is had up the | river to Washington and down the river to Mount Vernon. Fort Washington is in Prince Georges County, Md., 14 miles south of Washington. It consists of 354 acres and was acquired at a cost of §38,117.60. The frontage on the Po- tomac River and Piscataway Creek is covered with fine forest and an ele- vated plateau presents splendid views Sunday's Cireul (®) Means Associated Press. ITHICUS — MDERMOTT ALIBI Father, Brother-in-law and Neighbors of Rudner Testify at Trial. By the Associated Press. COURTHOUSE, CANTON, Ohio, December 20.—Neighbors and mem- bers of Ben Rudner's family today came to the support of Patrick Eugene McDermott, now on trial.for the mur- der of Don R. Mellett, Canton pub- lisher. Rudner was indicted with Me- Dermott and Louis Mazer for the ! murder. The defense witnesses this morning included Max Rudner, father of Ben; Herman Rubin, his brother-in-law, and Mr. and Mrs. Willlam Sheedy, neigh- bors of Ben Rudner in Massillon. Ben Rudner’s activities and where- abouts July 8 and 9, the days Steve Kascholk, State's star witness, testi- fled McDermott “got in touch with Rudner,” and on July 26, alleged by the State to be the “pay off” day, were covered by testimony of the wit- nesses. Business Trip Described. Max Rudner and Herman Rubin tes- tified that July 8, alleged to have been the first day McDermott and Rudner “got in touch,” the father and his two sons went to Canal Dover, Ohio, on a business trip late in the afternoon. July 9, they said, Ben was ill and went to bed early. Mrs. Sheedy testified that they drove to Brewster with the Rudners the evening of July 26. Mr. Rudner said Ben and Ed Rud- ner were driving in an automobile on Sunday night, July 11, and that when Ed took him to the depot to go to Chi- cago, he said, he and Ben had been to police, headquarters together. The State contended that it was Me- Dermott and Ben Rudner who went to headquarters together. “Ed” Called Double. Ed Rudner has been produced by the defense as McDermott's “‘double.” Ed Rudner and D. G. Zill, defense wit- nesses, have testified the trip to head- quarters was because of a_traffic acci- dent.. The State claims Rudner and his alleged fellow-conspirators were intimate with Canton police and had their protection. Herman Schram, taxi driver, testi- fled he took Rudner to a doctor to have his finger lanced on the morn- ing of July 9, then took him back to his home. Harry Van Gutten testified that last May he sold Mazer a .38-caliber gun built to shoot steel-jacketed bul- lets. He said he gave Mazer 18 of the special bullets at the same time. Van Gutten said Mazer at the time of the purchase, asked if the gun was the same as one he had purchased earlier. Bus Driver on Stand. Merton A. Robinson, new Haven ballistic expert, last week testified his examination showed two guns were fired at Mellett, both .38-caliber, and | that at least some of the bullets were steel tipped. A witness, a bus driver, put on the stand one of the defense ‘“sur- prises,” testified first that he had driven Steve Kascholk, star witness and chief informer against McDermott, Rudner and Mazer, to the corner on which the Mellett home is situated. The trip, he said was made July 10, He declared Kascholk did not get out of the bus at the corner where the house is located. The defense asserts Kascholk knows more about the mur- der than his testimony for the State | brought out. Jack Greenburg, Cleveland, brother- in-law of Rudner, testified he is in the habit of calling Rudner by long distance from Akron and that he made such a call the evening of July 26. Phone Records Produced. Under Prosecutor C. B. McClintock's cross-examination Greenburg was un- wble to account for the fact that the only long-distance call made to Mas- silon July 26 was by a “Mr. Jones" at 7 p.m. Greenburg maintained he placed his call between 5 and 5:30 and that he did not give any name to the long-distance operator. The telephone company record of the call was used to establish the hour of the call and the name of the patron. el 300 FROZEN TO DEATH. PEKING, December 20 (#).—Three hundred coolies who were impressed into the Manchurian military forces were frozen to death en route to the Sulyuan area, near the Mongolian border, and their bodies have been re- tarned toffiMigas, i Pr vitcs, here today. o A Riot Squad Quells Angry Mothers at Detroit Baby Show By the Associated Press. DETROIT, December 20.—Police reserves were called out last night to clear a hall of indignant moth- ers, following the awarding of prizes at a baby show. There were 500 babies entered in the contest and only 15 prizes were awarded. When the disgruntled mothers of the 485 who did not fig- urday’s Circulation, 99,686 latio: 111 ure in the awards gathered around the judge in a menacing manner, the latter put in a riot call. The police restored order with- out making any arrests. 10 CRUISERS 0. K.D: FUNDS ASKED FOR3 Committee Approves Butler Bill, Urging Money at Once for Ships Authorized. The Butler bill, authorizing the construction of 10 light cruisers for the Navy 'was today unanimously ordered reported to the House by the naval affairs committee. The committee also went on record in favor of an immediate appropri- ation for the three light cruisers au- thorized by the act of 1924, according to Representative Fred A. Britten, Republican, of Illinois, who ranks next to Chairman Butler, on the com- mittee, Chairman Butler amplified, how- ever, that there had been no formal action of the committee favoring the immediate appropriation of money to begin construction of the three cruisers authorized. He added that there was a general understanding by members of the committee that the appropriations for these crulsers should bo made. “We all believe the way to start a program {s to start it,” sald Mr. Butler, Mr. Butler pointed out that the appropriation needed would not be in excess of $200,000 per ship; that no more could be used during the com- ing year, since the plans would have to be drawn, bids asked and other pre- liminary work done. Insists They Will Be Built. “You can put this down,” said Mr. Butler, “that this program is going to be built,” referring to the pro- posal for 10 new cruisers. Mr. Butler continued that if it were not for the Christmas holidays com- ing in he would ask the House to consider the bill authorizing the 10 crulsers immediately after the pas- sage of the agriculture appropria- tions bill. The action of the committee in re- porting the bill to the House fol- lowed a sharp debate in which it ‘was made clear that Mr. Britten and several other members of the com- mittee would not go along with the plan to report the bill for the au- thorization of 10 new cruisers and allow the 3 already authorized to go the State's|affairs committee, led President Wil- unappropriated for. ‘The Butler bill for the 10 new cruisers was Introduced Saturday after five members of the committee had conferred with the President re- garding his recommendation that no appropriation be made at this time for beginning the three cruisers au- thorized in 1924, Early Consideration Sought. The committee also determined to- day to report a resolution calling upon the rules committee for a special rule to take up and put through the But- ler bill after four hours of debate. An effort will be made to get an early consideration of this bill. The develop- ments in the House committee today indicated that the contest of those who believe in the immediate appro- priation for the three cruisers au- thorized in 1924 is not to be allowed to die. In some quarters it was said that there had been apparently an ‘understanding at the White House between the President and the five members who called upon him Fri- day that the new authorization of 10 cruisers would include the three au- thorized in 1924 and that the old au- thorization would be allowed to dle. The resolution for the favorable re- port of the Butler bill, however, had coupled with it a statement that the committee was in favor of an immedi- ate appropriation for the three cruisers now authorized, according to Mr. Britten. Mr. Britten said after the meeting that he personally was opposed to the President so far as his recommenda- tion against appropriating for cruis- ers at this session was concerned. “I am prepared to fight it out on the floor of the House, if need be,” said Mr. Britten. “The country wants adequate cruisers for the Navy and will not tolerate our falling be- hind Japan and England in naval strength. In 1914-16 the House naval son and Secretary Daniels in fram- ing a naval program and was ap- plauded all over the United States. I think the country now will look with approval on the same kind of leader- ship by the committee. Others Are Reticent. Other members of the House com- mittee were reticent about what hap- pened at the meeting today in con- nection with the proposed appropria- tion for the three cruisers now au- thorized. Mr. Britten asserted, however, that there would not have been a unani- mous report of the bill if there had not been an understanding the committee would favor appropria- tions for the three cruisers already authorized. The naval appropriation bill, which is handled by the House appropria- tions committee and not by the naval affairs committee, will follow the Agricultural approp=ation bill, which is now before the House. Responses to inquiries today indicate that the bill will follow the President’s recom- mendation and not carry authorization of funds for the three cruisers when it is reported to the House. Not- withstanding the attitude of members of the naval affairs committee favor- ing an appropriation at this time, the bill may be allowed to go to the Sen- ate without an effort in the House to make the appropriation for the crujsers,. in the hope that the Senate will add the clause. It s understood that many members of the Senate are strongly in favor of an appropria- “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier system covers every city block and the reguiar edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. 70 TWO CENTS. DR HOUCK BROUGHT BACK; ADMITS HE BEAT MISSING WIFE Put Clothing, Said to Bear Bloodstains, in Trash Box, He Confesses. WEEPS AS HE RELATES TALE OF OWN ‘BRUTALITY’ “But She’'ll Be Waiting for Me,” He Declares—Police Search Proves Futile. Out of the muttered incoherencies of a mind that is just beginning to emerge from the darkness of a tem- porary collapse, police and psychia- trists are striving desperately to plece together today a clue that will lead either to the body or hiding place of Mrs. Gladys W. Houck, wife of Dr. Knute Houck, staff physiclan at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, who was re- turned here today from Hornefl, N. Y., where he was picked up last Saturday suffering from a mental breakdown. Mrs. Houck disappeared from her home, 3127 Nichols avenue, some time last Wednesday morning, and js not known to have been seen since. Weeping violently, Dr. Houck told today to other physiclans of St. Eliza- beth's a disconnected story of how she had “left” him and how he dis- appeared himself the same night. “Trouble? Yes, there was troubl we all have our troubles, don't we, he smiled, as he sat beside a guard at Gallinger Hospital, where he is held on a technical charge of investigatior, and tried to relate to a reporter for The Star some of the events that led up to the mysterious disappearance of Mrs. Houck. “T was brutal that night. I beat her. I was dirty and contempt- ible. Then I awoke from a good to see her slipping out of the door.” Calls for Cigarette. The brilliant young doctor, who won honors at Northwestern University, studied under the famous Mayo brothers at Rochester, and was held by the heads of St. Elizebeth’s Hospi- tal to be one of the most promising psychiatrists of the country, seemed {0 be trying hard to remember, Several times e was forced to stop and finally cried: “For God's sake, give me a cigarette? Then I will go on.” “I have been very sick, but I am getting better now,” he continued, after a few puffs. “We had an ar- gument and I got brutal. I under- stand they found some of my wife's :;m tmmd'j‘: in -l":'h box. . L tore em. T it. pped them {rom Ler back., Then I threw:them away. Stains? Well, they may have been made by blood. 1 don't know whether I left any marks on her or not. I am sure, however, that when I get home again my wife will be waiting for me.” “Suicide? Not she! She would mot do that. She made some Insinuations what she would do, Ilike that—(the physiclan drew his finger across his throat), or, like that (this time he swallowed hard, as though taking a deadly poison), or like this (and h went through the motions of persons hanging themselves). But she wouldn't carry any of them out. She is prob- ably with friends somewhere," Friend Belleves Story. Dr. J. M. Dangaard, one of Dr. Houck's closest friends at St. Eliza- beth's Hospital, who brought him back from New York, sald Dr. Houck had told him much the same story on the journey back to Washington. He expressed a bellef in the veracity of the story, and added that the o] pressed physician was undoubtedly re- covering rapidly from his breakdown. He said he would probably recover eventually, and that a more connected story could be obtained soon. In the meantime police are search- ing everywhere for Mrs. Houck. The discovery of torn night garments in a box of trash on a back porch of the Houck home strengthened their belief that the woman was dead. How an assassin could have disposed of her body remains a mystery, how- ever, since no trace of a corpse was found about the house or grounds. Neither Dr. Houck nor Mrs. Houck owned an automobile, and it is not concelved possible that her body could have been removed any dis- tance without a vehicle of some kind. Every trunk and possible hiding place in the house has been combed without results. Neither did a search of the woods near the back of the house reveal anything. “Search Extended to Forests. Now the police are turning their attention to the forests on the op- posite side of Nichols avenue. It is also intimated that St. Elizabeth's Hospital itself may be searched, the possibility having been advanced that the woman may be sheltered by friends there, unknown to officials in charge. Mrs. Houck's father, John Walter of Canton, Ohio, and her brother-in- law, B. E. Clarke, captain of police in the Ohio city, who came here Fri- day, were insistent in their belief that the woman is dead and that she did not commit suicide in a fit of despondency over her husband's fail- ing mind. They learned, they de- clared, that physiclans at St. Eliza- beth's knew for some days that the man had suffered a complete mental collapse and that trouble had re- sulted between the husband and wife. Capt. Clarke said Dr, Philip . Graven, a member of the hospital staff who was tutoring Dr. Houck in certain branches of psychlatry, told him of visiting the Houck home last ‘Wednesday morning, accompanied by Count Alfred Kurzypski, an amateur phychiatrist, living at 1640 W street southeast. Dr. Graven had called Dr. Houck on the telephone and had been requested to “hurry on over.” Played With Son on Floor. “Dr. Graven said that when he ai- rived he found Dr. Houck sitting on the floor, playing with his little son ‘Ole,’ " Capt. Clarke declared. “Dr. Graven noticed the man was agitated and asked about his wife. He was in- formed she had gone away. ‘She showed me her stock in trade, and, by God, I showed her mine. I want her on earth. She would be my eyes! Dr. Graven said Houck cried, bursting into tears at the same time. 'We know Mrs. Houck too well to consider of suicide. on Page (Contint