Evening Star Newspaper, March 16, 1927, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. & Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair tonight temperature. Temperature—Highest, lowest, 41, at 7 a.m. p.m. 3 toda sterday; and tomorrow; mild 65, at 4:30 Full report on page 9. Late N. Y. Stocks and Bonds, Page 14 No. 30,269. Eni"omce Entered as second class matter Washington, D, C. he Fp WASHINGTO WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION B WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, ening Star. 1927.—FORTY-SIX PAGES. service. * (#* Means Associated Press. The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press news Yesterday’s Circulation, 104,832 TWO CENTS. FRANCE SOUNDING OUT OTHER POWERS ON NAVAL PARLEY Ministers, Split on U. S. Bid to Send Observer, Seek Much Information. ACCEPTANCE, IF VOTED, T0 BE COURTESY ONLY Italy and Britain Asked Comcern- ing Their Intentions—Cruiser and Submarine Plans Sought. BY PAUL SCOTT MOWRER. By Cable to The Star and Chicazo Daily News. Copyright, 19 PARIS, March 16.—Before deciding whether to send an observer to the Geneva three-power naval conference, the French government wants more Information. The council of ministers has dis- agreed on the subject. Some mem- bers would send an observer out of i courtesy, some would refuse to parti- cipate in any form, and others whose { views have prevailed would wait and make further inquiry. Italy is being consulted on her in- tentions _today, and also Great Britain, for it is believed here that Britain represents the crux of the naval problem. M. Boncour, the French delegate at Geneva, Wwill also be asked to give advice. The United States will be asked whether the date for the three-power conference will be before or after the Geneva general disarmament conference, and what America Intends to propose as cruiser end submarine ratios. Observer Plan Disliked. On the basis of the information thus collected, the French government will make a final decision probably Baturday. The correspondent be- lleves that an observer will be sent, but nothing is sure. The French consider that the observer is purely en American invention, which is repugnant to the French tempera- ment—for either the observer does nothing, and is therefore useless, or he does something, in which case it would be better if he were a full dele- gate. The fact is that France is unani- mously opposed to the whole idea of this naval conference and if she parti- cipates in any form it will be only as & mark of courte:) toward the United States. AWAIT ITALTIAN REPLY. ' Likelihood of French Refusal In- creases Interest in Rome's Stand. By the Associated Press. An_expression from Italy on the American invitation to send “unofficial observers” to_the three-power Geneva Naval Arms Limitation Conference is awalted with interest in official circles. The attitude the Italian government will take is especially desired In view of the now anticipated refusal by France to accept the suggestion to appoint such representatives, made only after both the Paris and Rome governments had declined to sit in with equal status at the conference table with Great Britain, Japan and the United States. The second proposal, presented two days ago to the French and Italian foreign offices, at first received & some- what favorable reception in French political circles, but after an extended meeting yesterday of the Poincare cabinet there were Indications that France would decline. Observer's Status Difficult. A reply to the invitation, conveying a polite refusal, is expected to be sub- mitted to the Poincare cabinet Satur- day for consideration. Dispatches trom Paris indlcated that the Poincare cabinet felt that discus- sion of French tonnage was bound to come up at the conference and, should an “observer” be appointed, he would be placed in a difficult dilemma. If he were to keep strictly to his role, he would permit arguments against France's naval policy to go unanswer- ed, while if he should attempt to pre- kent the position of the French naval +taff he would cease to be an observer. The counter proposal by the Amer- scan Government t the two na- tions participate *in some manner” was made public by the State Department yesterday. tions, while similar in form and also in janguage in part, differed in that the objections raised by the two countries | oq" 1o Wachington the incident of the to the first plan were answered spe- cifically. Considered Aid to League. To the French suggestion that suc- cess of the preparatory commission at Geneva, . Nations, might be risked by simul- taneous treaty negotiations “between pany the naval powers, the American note | said: he of the Government States 1s of the opinion that all appro- large aval powers cannot but contribute t i he task of the|ing the Meian to Wuhu the Preble priate measures taken by the toward facilitating 1t commission.” ; Italy’s insertion of the inter-depend. ence of every type of armament wa answered similarly that in the Amer-|had been robbed b of the naval| reatly | contribute in advancing the solution of | view “limitation of armament ican branch must the problem as a whol Dealing with Its sographic position and st considerations made it impossi her to el 10 limit naval armament with visks, the American note “It 1s feared there may e misapprehension re d United States. Has No Preconceived Idea. “The American Government has no) pre-conceived idecs regarding definite | ratio for the limitation of Italian ton nage in the classes (of ships) referre to, but regards this question as one | to'bo determined Quring the proposed | women conversations.” It was further explained to Italy | +* that the Washington Government be lleved that partial ag 1ation of armaments puld of the powers not included in an understanding, since no ment is contemplated which not be subject to reconsideration revision should the security of Al to it be menaced by the ' {Continued o Page 4, Column 6. av. The invita- organized by the League of ' M United | urday, ly’s suggestion that | tegic for ter into binding agreements |~ t grave ment on limi- expose no power to danger from the navies such would | yaxicab DE PINEDO BEGINS LONG FLIGHT _| OVER PERILOUS i’Start Is Made Fromfi | By the Assont CORUMB/ 1 Press. Br 1, March 16.— Comdr. ne ro de Pinedo and his companions in the Italian sea- plane Santa Maria, arrived here today from Asuncion, Paragu: By the Associated Press. ASUNCIC Paraguay, March —Italy long-distance avi- ator, Comdr. Francesco de Pinedo, and his companions in the seaplane Santa Maria_today hegan one of the most hazardous and picturesque stages of their fou ontinent flight from Italy to South and North America and re-| turn. It will take them over the wild Bra- | ilian jurigles to British Guiana, the route for some miles paralleling the | famous “River of Daubt,” discovered { by President Roosevelt, called the Rio Roosevelt. Arriving here yesterday from Mon- | tevideo, Uruguay, the flyers hopped |off at 6:57 a.m. today for Corumba, Brazil, 500 miles north of this city on the Paraguay River. From Corumba they will fly to Guajara-Mirim, on the Bolivian border, a distance of about 350 miles, and thence the 400 miles to Manaos. The Paraguay River, which the fly- ers are following to its headwaters, 16 and now Across Area Infested With Reptiles and Savage Indians. ‘ BRAZIL JUNGLE Asuncion. Paraguay. | drains an immense reglon known as the great swamps, a dangerous place covered with dense vegetation, under which is mud deep enough to swal- low the plane in case of forced land- ng This region is the home of myriads ligators and of the dreaded Bra-| n water snake, the sucuri, which sometimes exceeds 35 feet in’ length | which, normally feeding on ani-| is capable of devouring a man The great swamps are visited at) this time of the year by electrical | tempests. Corumba is the most important trading town on the southern Brazil- | ian frontier and was one of the bases | of used by nt Roosevelt explorations. From there De Pinedo and his companions will follow the | Upper Paraguay River and then pick | up the Guapore at its headwaters. | The latter is considered by the Bra- | zilians as their most beautiful river, | Tis s are lined with an astonish- ing varlety of luxuriant tropical foli- age, in which are found brilliantly | plumaged birds. But, like the regions | farther south, there are also great | hordes of alligators and sucuris. In | addition there are swarms of wingless | insects nicknamed “gunpowder mos- quitoes,” which inflict painful stings. The river is full of parinhas, a | flesh-eating fish, and the neighboring (Continued on Page 5, Column 7.) Presid ¥ CHANG IS REPORTED ASKING LARGE SUM Demand for £1,000,000 to Save Shanghai Refused, Dispatch Says. | By the Associated Press. LONDON, March 16.—With the Nationalist forces in China keeping {up their intensive struggle to sur- round and isolate the Nanking posi- tion from Shanghai, comes a report from Shanghai that Gen. Chang Tsung-Chang, the Shantungese de- fender of that city, has offered for a large money consideration to evacuate the terrain he holds and thus save the region from becoming a zone of actual hostilities. Chang has_offered for £1,000,000 to retire from Kiangsu, says a dispatch to the Westminster Gazette, If the amount is not forthcoming, it is asserted, he intends, if necessary, to retreat upon Shanghai itself, ‘thus bringing the prize city of the Orient into the struggle for mastery be- tween the Northerners and South- erners. According to the correspond- ent, the Chinese merchants in Shang- hai are unable or unwilling to raise the huge sum demanded. Prepare to Evacuate Nanking. Preparations have been made in | Nanking to evacuate the women and | children there in case of the close { approach of the Cantonese. { A promise has been made by Gen. Ho Ying-Yin, Nationalist comman- der in the Province of Chekiang, Which borders on the south the Province of Kiangsu, in which Shanghal is situated, that he will {not attempt by force to take the international settlement in Shang- | hai, says another dispatch to the | Westminster Gazette. He has prom- !ised also to fully protect foreigners !inside or outside the settlements. | "Ho has requested that the military and civilian defense forces in Shang- | hai keep within thelr boundaries. | ""A lengthy protest has been issued |by the British commercial community {in Shanghal over the agreement re- | cently concluded at Hankow between ireat Britain and the Cantonese. The | protest says the agreement contains no safeguards nor anything in return for the virtual surrender by the Brit- |ish of all rights except that of ex- | traterritoriality. i Protest is to be made to the Na- | tionalist government if an investiga- | tion being made by American Consul | General Lockhart at Hankow should show that Nationalists were respon- | sible for firing upon and damaging |the bridge of the American torpedo | boat destroyer Preble on the Yangtse {River near Wuhu last Sunday. | American Missionaries Robbed | Admiral Willilams, commanding the | United States Asiatic fleet, has report- | firtng by northern troops upon the ! Preble, the bridge of which was hit |three times. The destroyer replied | with machine guns. - Five officers and men of the Preble were sent from ! Wuhu on the Standard Oil launch an to Investigate reports that Na- tionalists had confiscated oil com- property at Taifing. Hearing that the Melan had been fired upon |the Preble went to Taifing last Sat. nd it was found that the oil {company's Meifoo, and not the { Meian, had been attacked. The Meian {returned the fire. Later while escort- | | was fired upon. i Admiral Willlams | American missionari also reported near Anhwei “hinese. Soviet Active In Harbin. The Toklo correspondent of the Ex- change Telegraph says reports from FORD KNEN TRUTH, PLANTIECHARGES Committee for Sapiro Called on Magnate and Publisher, Counsel Declares. By the Associuted Press. | DETROIT, March 16.—Henry Ford | and F. D. Black, business manager of | Ford's publication, the Dearborn In-| dependent, were informed of the exact activities and purposes of the Aaron Sapiro co-operative marketing organi- zations at the time they were printing alleged libelous articles in regard to them, Attorney Willlam Henry Gal- lagher asserted in his opening state- ment in Federal Court today. Sapiro, who is suing for $1,000,000, alleging defamation of character be- cause of statements in the Independ- ent, sent a committee to explain the matter to Ford, said Gallagher, but he referred them to Mr. Black. The latter heard what they had to say, and for some time the serles of articles at. tacking Sapiro and charging him with exploiting the farmer were discon- tinued. They were resumed after a while, however, no reason being given. Opening of today's session of the suit was delayed by a conference of Judge Fred M. Raymond, Senator James A. Reed, counsel for Ford, and Gallagher. Possibllities of a compromise as to the appearance of Mr. Ford on the witness stand or settlement of the suit were denied by Sapiro. An hour after court was due to open the con- ference still was in progress. Crowd Annoys Judge. Fear that the trial would be “turned into a circus” was expressed by Judge Raymond, who ordered court attaches to keep order among the visitors, the large corps of newspaper men and swarms of messenger boys. The con- fusion, sald the judge, was detracting the attention of the jury and con- fusing him. A continual stream of copy boys hurried to and from the small court- room yesterday, reporters slid in and out to call their papers, and the re- sult, said the judge, was that the press instead of the trial held the center of the stage. Judge Raymond told the jurors the delay in opening court was due to a conference which he hoped would save them, as well as the court, time In the future. It was understood the plaintiffs will shorten the procedure as much as possible, in introduction of evidence. Attorney Gallagher, in resuming his opening plea, said, as he had declared yesterday, that to attack co-operative marketing on the part of Ford was permissible. But he went further than that, Gallagher said: “‘He saia Mr, Sa- piro was a member of a Jewish com- bine conspiring to gain control of agri- culture.” “It was not only a national con- spiracy, Mr. Ford charged,” the attor- ney said, “but an international ring he accused piro of belonging to. “He claimed that Sapiro dominated agriculture not only for selfish mo- tives, but also that he was the tool of l!’le international conspiracy of Jews. Ford said that not only did Sapiro ex- ploit the farmers to the benefit of the great international conspiracy of Jews, but he aided in spreading communism and bolshevism over the United States. They conspired, Ford alleged, to go into the home, take the children there and Instill into them the spirit of ‘red’ Russia,"” Question One of Libel. Mr. Gallagher said the question for the jury to consider was: “Was there libel against Mr. Sapiro?” “Was Mr. Sapiro injured when it was sald he was a member of an in- ternational conspiracy to spread Com- munism, and exploit farmers? “If it was true, the libel." n there was no fanchurin_indicat neasiness (Continued on Page 4, Column 2.) Senator Reed objected here and (Continued on Page 5, Column 4.) {Policeman Dives Into Women Trappe ist some | rding the terms | of the proposal of the President of the ! | By the Associeted Pres: ATLANTIC CITY, N. J., March 16. —Trapped in their closed automobile which they inadvertently had driven over an embankment into the waters of the Thorofare, two Philadelphia were saved from drowning early today by a policeman who swam inside the car to rescue th The two women, Mrs. Charles Dooin, wife of the former manager of the Philadelphia National League base ball club, and Mrs. A. D. Allen were revived in a nearby home and later taken to Mrs. Dooin’s home in a The policeman, Willlam Cole- man, was taken to a hospital, Mrs. Dooin had been driving the car Bay and Saves Two d in Submerged Auto Pontoon Bridge, drove to the right, over the embankment and into the water. Patrolman Coleman heard the noise of the crash and running to the bridge dived into the water. The machine Coleman, breaking a window, swam inside. He grasped Mrs. Dooin and swam with her to the shore. He then returned and found Mrs. Allen in a semi-conscious condition with her head under water. One leg had been caught under the steering wheel and Coleman was unable to extricate her. Others, however, had been attracted in his | |openly loaned in Washington under was lying in nine feet of water and | 'AUTO FINANCING NEW GUISE HERE FOR LOAN SHARKS Mushroom Enterprises Vi- olate Stringent Usury Laws, Stephens Declares. CHARGES LEVIED TOTAL AS HIGH AS 50 PER CENT Agencies Found in Repair Shops, Tire Stores and One-Room Offices in Residential Sections. Despite the existence of stringent usury laws here, ready money is being the guise of “automobile financing” at interest rates ranging in some cases as high as 50 per cent, an Investiga- tion by The Star has disclosed. Springing up with mushroom sud- enness in automobile repair shops, tire stores and one-room offices in residential sections, these agencies attempt to evade the stern restric- tions imposed by the ‘“loan shark statute” by crediting the bulk of their charges to ‘“brokerage fees,” credit investigations, notary and clerical fees and sales commissions. Declared Violation of Law. Corporation Counsel Francis Stephens declared, however, after care- | tully studying evidence obtained by a reporter for The Star, that such busi- ness enterprises were in his opinion | violations of the law. He promised at the same time that his office would set machinery in motion immediately to take action against the practice. The vast majority of the men and | women who subject themselves to ex- | tortionate interest rates, It was| learned, are the very class that can | least afford it. They need money bad- | v. Having no standing at a bank, | H. | but possessing an automobile as col- | lateral, they fall easy victims to the | loan shark. | Replying, as a test, to an advertise- | | ment, a Star reporter found an agent's office’ in the parlor of what had once | been a private dwelling. He ex-| plained that he would like to make | @ loan. A young lady asked him to | be seated, disappeared into another | room and returned in a few minutes with a genial, wide-open-faced man of | rotund proportions, who greeted him | like a doting father would receive a | son who has just returned from dis- | covering a gold mine. How Loans Are Negotiated. The reporter made known his re-| quest for a loan of $800, offering his | car as collateral. “Tell'va what I'll do,” said the man. “I like ya. Believe you're honest, too. Let'ya have $500. Get it tomorrer, t00. Wot say?" ““Well, I wanted $800, but I'll take $500, I guess. I'll only need it for a year,” he sald out loud. “A year!" The man almost blew up. “Man, we never lend for more than six months."” A moment of reflection, and then: “Oh, shucks, kid, vou've made a hit with me. Here's my proposition. I'll glve it to 'ya for nine months. I give | you $500, you pay me back $72 a month. That's generous, ain't it? ‘The reporter figured a-minute. Nine times $72 totaled just $648, or §148 to be paid for the use of $500 for 9 months. But that wasn't all. Fifteen minutes more of conversation develop- ed that the borrower was to pay an additional 6 per cent interest on the whole amount for the nine months, take out an automobile collision pol- icy with the lender and turn over his fire and theft policy to see whether that should be increased, too. Interest at 40 Per Cent. This would mean borrowing $500 at about 40 per cent interest for nine months. It didn't seem exactly gen- erous. The big man insisted, how- ever, that it was the best that could | be gotten anywhere outside of a bank, and later events were to prove that it represented the terms of similar agencies, at least. A few offers to loan money received from similar places were a bit less exacting. But in all the interest rate was in the high thirties. Another offer the reporter received was from a small garage, which of- fered to lend him $300 for six months | for $25 per $100, or at $75 for six months. There was something else, of course. Instead of actually lending money on the car, the garage offered to buy it outright for $300. At the end of six months it would have sold it back for $375. The reporter was told he would have to make out a regular bill of sale. It was to contain no provision, however, insuring the reporter against being obliged to pay much more for his car at the end of the six months. He was told he would have to rely on the company’s honesty. Items Adding to Charges. When the agencles were asked to explain how the interest rates ac- cumulated so prodigously they cited the following items as being included: Paying commission to investigator for making a report on applicant's | credit, clerical fees for preparing the | deed of trust on the car, notary fees, | cost of recording the deed of trust, in- | surance, appraisal fee and commis- sion, brokerage commission and inter- | est at 6 per cent, They declined to explain the method of " dividing the costs among these items. It was learned that few, if any, of the agencies keep the notes received ! through these transactions. They sell { them in turn to other financing com- panies, which exact their fee. One company that makes a practice of. buying such notes figured that the net profit to the agency, after pay- ing discount fees, was about 20 per cent on the loan, the rest of the money being divided among subse- quent purchasers of the note. One agent declared that he was in reality little more than a representa- tive for a larger concern. The money, he pointed out, came from the second company, which accounted for a de- lay of a day before he could pay over the money the borrower wanted. Other financing companies explained that much the same practice was fol- lowed in most deals of a similar char- acter. Provisions of Loan Law. When these facts were laid before Mr. Stephens, he called attention to provisions of the so-called “loan-shark to the scene and Coleman managed to keep Mrs. Allen’s head above water and evidently becoming confused as to the locution of the lbany Avenue until firemen could lower a ladder and release her. Jaw,” which states that no lender of money, except banks, licensed bankers, (Continued on RUMOR OF U. §.IS “GOING BROKE™ | ISTARTS RUN ON Scores in Line as West Palm Beach Post| SIGNS OF SPRING. POSTAL SAVINGS Office Opens and Heavy Withdrawals Are Made for Several Hours. By the Associated Press. WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., March 16.—A long line of negroes staged a steady run on the United States Post Office here for heavy withdrawals from the postal savings department today, following reports circulated widely through negro sections through the night that “the Government was going broke.” More than 100 negroes awalted the opening of the Government building at 7 o'clock and the number increased rapidly for several hours, with mild excitement prevalling, but then the line dwindled. A half dozen negro ministers, together with welfare work- ers, exhorted the depositors to keep their funds intact, but their admoni- | tionk were in vain. The run followed closely on the clos- ing of the Farmers’ Bank & Trust Co. here Monday and the unsuccess- ful run on the Citizens' Bank of West Palm Beach the same day. Negroes were reported to have made heavy withdrawals from other banks here at the peak of the recent financial crisis, placing their funds in the postal savings.. New Is Chagrined. Postmaster General New was quite surprised and chagrined today that a run had started by negro depositors on his banking institution, the Postal Savings System, at the West Palm Beach post office. It was news to the Postmaster Gen- eral, but he remarked that no deposi- tory in the world was more safe or secure than the United States Postal Savings System, backed by Uncle Sam’s Treasury. There were 2,154 depositors in the Postal Savings System at West Palm Beach at last reports, and the total amount on deposit was $858,346. KING 70 STAY OUT OF HAITI, HE SAYS Announces He Will Not At- tempt to Enter—Lands at Santo Domingo. By the Associated Press. SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Re- publie, March 16.—Senator William H. King of Utah will not attempt to enter Haiti, whose government has declded agalnst admitting him into the country. The Senator made this announcement today upon his arrival here from Porto Rico. Senator King said his decision not to go to Haitl agreed with the attitude of the United States Government. He fears that his presence in Haiti might provoke trouble, and he wishes to hvold any untoward incidents in a country. & ey King arrived this morning accompanied by Felix Cordova Davila, resident commissioner of Porto Rico in Washington. They were received by a delegation repre- senting the “Demlnican Senate and icpality. the e thelr arrival Senator King and Mr. Davila went to a hotel og® iscussea with the Haitlan “leputies, Pierre Hudecourt and Pierre Penl the prospects for the Senator visiting Haiti. ALLEGED MESSAGE PUBLISHED. - Note Printed in ‘Haitian Paper Says He Will Attempt to Enter. AU PRINCE, Haitl, March 18 fi:{‘mhmmom a newspaper S ich supports the administration of Dresident Borno, last night published this purported message from Senator King to Percival Thoby and M. Jolibois, leaders of the patiotic union, Wwhich opposed the Borno administra- tion: & eciate your noble sentiment nnd'y:,?x'r"gmcxous invitation,” said the A oage. "I have arranged to visit Haiti about the 16th. % Horno has forbidden me to enter Haitl, T do not believe that he will o unwise as to prevent my seeing itian people. the M arrive at Santo Domingo to- morrow evening. Wil you inform me of the situation? Perhaps you will here. meet me thele, P NATOR KING.” BOMB DAMAGES CAFE. Blast Shatters Homes and Windows Near Artists’ Gathering Place. N FRANCISCO, March 16 (#).— ‘l‘nssA picturesque cafe of Mimi Im- perato, gathering place of San Fran- cisco artists, was damaged early to- day by a bomb which had been plant- d8%in a window of the place. The ex- plosion caused widespread fright in the district, but no one was injured. ‘Homes in the vicinity of the cafe and windows in a score of houses were shattered by the blast. The interior of Imperato’s was partly demolished. No one was in the cafe at the time. Radio Programs—Page 32 CAPITAL MAY PAY HIGHER TAX ON GAS Maryland Move to Raise Levy May Have Reaction in Washington. Adoption by Maryland of a higher tax rate on gasoline may lead the Dis- trict to take a similar step in view of the reciprocal relations between the two jurisdictions, it was stated today at the District Building. While the Commissioners do mnot propose to give serfous consideration to this question until Maryland's posi- tion is definitely determined, it was pointed out that automobile reciproc- ity between Maryland and the Dis- trict, which became effective Decem- ber 4, 1923, was based on an agree- ment that each Jjurisdiction would exact a 2-cent tax from gasoline con- sumers. Officials Are Puzzled. ‘Whether Maryland intends to insist that the District follow its lead if it should finally adopt the 3%;-cent tax proposition approved yesterday by the House of Delegates at Annapolis in order to maintain reciprocity is a qu?utlon now puzzling District offi- clals. Regardless of Maryland's final action, Willlam P. Richards, District tax assessor, indicated today that he would continue to press his recom- mendation made recently to the Gib- son subcommittee of the House Dis- trict committee that the gasoline tax in the District be raised from 2 to 3 cents a gallon on condition that the personal property tax on automobiles be abolished. Should Yield $500,000. The additional cent would yield ap- proximately $500,000, virtually the same amount as collected for personal property taxes on automobiles, Mr. Richards pointed out, and it would be infinitely easier to collect. Moreover, he sald, motorists could not escape MOTHER OF THREE SLAYS HUSBAND Story of Son, 11, Who Saw Shooting, Wins Exonera- tion for Mrs. Edwards. After hearing Billy Edwards, 11 vears old, tell how his mother shot and killed his father last night, a coroner’s jury at the District Morgue today exonerated Mrs. Anna Susan Edwards, 32 years old, and the mother of two other children, from culpabil- ity in the death of her husband, John Orator Edwards. Testimony at the inquest today bore out statements previously made to the police by Mrs. Edwards, who lives at 1244 K street southeast, to the effect that she shot her husband last night in self-defense and when he was within a few steps of reach- ing her, bearing in his hand a sharp lt‘llrlnlnir’s hammer and threatening to er. Boy Tells of Trouble. But it was the straightforward recitation of young Billy that fur- nished the climax of the rather tragic hearing. In a clear voice at the outset he told how his father had come and rapped at the door and window dur- ing the night. ““He rapped and he rapped and couldn’t get in. And then he rapped some more and mamma let him in. He got in and then mamma got the bedroom door between him and her and he said, ‘I'm gonna get you and kill you all.” Mamma locked the door and put a trunk against it, but he got in and mamma went out the win- dow. But she had trouble getting through the gate and then the gate gave and she ran up the street. Verdict in Four Minutes. “He ran after her,” Billy continued, talking louder and faster, tears com- Ve “She said, fighting on with a strong voice—"and he' lifted the hammer and she shot and he fell dead.” The room was hushed when he finished. The jurors took the case. Inside of four minutes the verdict exonerating the wife and mother was rendered. “It wasn't until he fell, that I realized T had shot him,” Mrs. Ed- wards said today. “I didn't intend to kill him. T wanted to fire the pistol to stop him and maybe attract at- tention of the police. But I know he would have killed me if he had caught me.” Broke Into Bedroom. Just before the shooting, Edwards had entered the house and his wife said she had just time to dodge in- side the bedroom to escape a blow from the hammer as he approached her. She locked the door. He ham- mered at the lock until it broke. As he entered, Mrs. Edwards jump- ed out of the front window a few feet above the grade of the street and rac- ed westward. He ran around and out the front door. In front of 1236 K street, he had almost reached her. Then ‘she turned, and when he made a grab for her, just missing her, she fired. Meanwhile, framed in the doorway of the home, was the figure of Billy clad in his night clothes. Peering around the door frame, he had witnessed the flight of his mother, the pursuit of his father, and the shooting. He told about it in simple words today. The pistol in the case was his. Tt had been given to him by a man in Cleveland, Mrs. Edwards later said, who had de- sired to get rid of it. it was empty at the time, but later had been loaded (Continued on Page 5, Column 2.) (Continued on Page 2, Column 3.) Rebecca. Prcsident‘s Pet Raccoon. Banished to Zoo; Reason Undisclosed Rebecca, President Coolidge's pet raccoon, has been banished from the White House animal aristocracy and will make her future home at the Zoo. Without explaining to any one, the President yesterday gave directions to have this pet sent away, and a few hours later Rebecca was be- moaning her fate in a large cage with a number of other raccoons in the Zoo Park. Considerable surprise was caused among the attaches of the White House force n it was learned that Rel , forfwhom the President had always shown a great fondness, had been &0 urperemoniously banished. ThegPresidegt 1s understood, Y d, however, | too. to have taken this step because he felt that the little animal would be more comfortable and happler among others of the raccoon family. Moreover, the President is represented as thinking that the quarters for Rebecca at 15 Dupont circle were not large enough to make her membership in the presi- dential household a happy one. Rebecca was sent to the White House last December by an admirer in Tennessee, who intended the animal for the President’s Christmas dinner, to replace the traditional turkey. The President took an im- mediate fancy to the little animal the moment he saw her upon arriving at the White House, and soon after- ward this feeling grew into a real attachment. It seemed to be mutual, 4 4 JRORS EETCASE OF SHELAR AFTER CHARGEOF DE Deliberations Are Limited to Questions of Fact by Hitz Directions. JUSTICE DENIES STAND OF DEFENSE ATTORNEY Asserts Guilty Verdict Would Not Brand Accused 0il Magnate s “a Felon.” | Justice Wiliam Hitz at 1:36 p.m. today gave the case of Harry F. Sin clair, charged with contempt of the Senate, to the jury in Criminal Divi sion 2 following a brief charge in which he called upon the jurors to decide only whether the defendant was summoned before the Senate oil com mittee nearly three years ago, whether he appeared, whether he was sworn, whether he was asked any questions and refused to answer. The court told the jury if it found from the evidence that the foregoing points were correct facts, “then it is your duty under the law to find the defendant gullty.” “Isn't the Situation.” The reasons which prompted Sin- clair not to answer the questions are not to be considered by the jury, the court said, and the fact that he may have referred to a lawyer or decided himself about answering indicates that he agreed to take the conse- quences, Justice Hitz sald. Referring to the closing argument of one of the defense counsel, in which it was stated that a verdict of guilty would brand Sinclair “a felon,” Justice Hitz declared “that isn't the situation.” The court sald if a verdict of gullty is returned that does not mean the defendant is a felon, and the punishment that follows is not that I‘lven to a felon. The court said the defendant was charged with a mis demeanor. Advice of Counsel. Referring to one point of the de. fense that Sinclair acted under advice of counsel the court said: “It is possible for a man to follow the advice of learned and competent | counsen and land in jail, just the same a: ll;tl ;::;Mmm‘uw follow the ad- vice competent phy- siclans and land in the cemetery.” The jury was instructed not any or b gard to the ant, and the fact that Sinclair's name has been me: tioned in a so-called ofl has no_connection with the case. The court read two prayers granted the defense on the presumption of in nocence until overcome by the evi- dence, and the purpose of the indict ment, which is not evidence. The court then read three {instructions he had prepared himself, one on reasonable doubt and the others on the points to be considered by the jury. Preceding the charge United States Attorney Peyton Gorion, in charge of the case, opened for the Gov- ernment and followed by George P. Hoover, who opened for Sinclalr, and Martin W. Littleton, Wwho closed for the defendant. Al- though the Government was at lib- erty to use one hour of its remalning allotted time, Owen J. Roberts, spe- clal Government prosecutor, closed for the Government in a rapid 15- minute address. View of Gordon. Gordon emphasized to the jury that its sole duty was to find that Sinclair was summoned before the Senate com- mittee on public lands and surveys on March 22, 1924; that he appeared, that he was questioned and refused to an- swer. Hoover and Littleton attacked the Government's evidence on these points, declaring that an examination of the Government's case by the Jjurors would convince them it was faulty and therefore their verdict of not guilty should be returned. Roberts, making his third public utterance since the trial began, de- clared the only thing left for the de. fendant, which he could give to the Jury, was argument of his counsel. “You might think the way this case has been argued here that there was a charge of murder or arson,” sald Roberts. “The statute under which the defendant tried does not mean he is a crool Question of Supboena. Gordon told the jury the indict- ment charges that Sinclair com- wmitted the offense in that he wa: summoned, appeared, was sworn, ‘was questioned and declined or re- fused to answer. “They are the matters you gentle- men are to decide,” Gordon said, “they are the facts, and all the facts, for you to decide.’ The district attorney said Sinclair brought with him to the hearing the original summons to which was at- tached a return by the United States marshal for the southern district of New York. He asked if there could be any question of reasonable doubt that the subpoéna was issued and served upon him. The next question for the jurors. Gordon said, was to determine if he appeared, and about that there is no controversy. Likewise, there is no question that he was not sworn and when questions were asked him, the evidence shows he refused to answer “The court will tell you,” he con tinued, “they are the only facts for |this jury to determine. Is there any | way that you can find any reasonable or any other sort of doubt that these things happened? The court will charge you that the pertinency of these questions is a matter of law and not a question of fact for the jury to determine. The court will also tell you that it is not a defense of this charge that a person refused to an- swer that he thought he did not have to answer, that the questions were not pertinent, that the committee ex- ceeded its authority or that he act- ed on advice of counsel.” Sees Duty Clear. “I shall expect you gentlemen to perform your duty—it is a clear duty; there can be no question or no Goubt that the facts have been proven to you, and I respectfully submit that on your oath you cannot return a verdict other than guilty as indicted on_the four counts.” Taking up the points referred to by that by the Gov- 1) Gordon, Hoover said (Continyed_on Page