Evening Star Newspaper, January 23, 1929, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. S. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair and somewhat colder tonight; tomorrow cloudy and colder, followed by snow or rain; lowest temperature about 28 degrees. Temperatures: Highest, 49, at noon today: lowest, 32 at 9 p.m. yes- terday. Full report on page 9. Closing N. Y. Mark ets, Pages 10 and 11 ch £ Foeni WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION Sta The only evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press news service. * Yesterday’s Circulation, 108,769 No. 30,948 Xniored as ssos ¥ntered as second class matter ashington, D, C. WASHINGTON, D. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 99 1929 (#) Means Assaciated Pr TWO CENTS. = —THIRTY-SIX PAGES. TIWOSHIPS ASK AID, ANOTHER BELIEVED LOST IN ATLANTIC Rescue Vessel Fails to Find Trace of Craft With 130 Men Aboard. STORM OFF CAPES HOLDS BACK 3 ANSWERING SO S| Schooner Burns, Freighter Ice- Locked, Trawler Disabled and Liner Refloated. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, January 23.—The storm- | lashed Atlantic today was believed to | med one ship, while it reared | mountainous seas against the rescuers of two others in distre: Scarch for the British freighter Tees= | bridge h her crew of 130 was aban- | doned when rescue vessels could find no trace of her 300 miles east of Cape | Race, Newfoundland. Fighting a slow passage through the storm—almost hove to at times—three | ships struggled toward a position 800 | miles east of the Virginia capes in re- sponse to calls for help from the Ameri- can tanker Danncdaike and the Ifalian freighter Florida, with about 60 men aboard. {Patrol of Seven Clashes With Who Hadn’t Heard Of Dry Act, Excused When examined yesterday as a ective juror, James De fruit dealer of the 4400 block of Fourteenth street, ad- in the United States about which he knew nothing, among them the Volstead act. When questioned as to his na- tionality De Lasos said he was a Greck, and had taken out his first naturalization papers | “Did you know that there was a_prohibition law in this coun- try?" he was asked by Judge Ralph Given. - “I “No, sir,” replied De Lasos. He was not selected as a juror. THREEU. . MARINES SLAIN BY OUTLAWS | | | i Nicaraguan Band Near Yali, in Jinotega. By the Associated Press, MANAGUA, Nicaragua, January 23— | Latest advices from Northern Nicaragua state that three Marines of a patrol of seven which clashed with outlaws north- east of Yali, in the Department of Jino- tego, on Monday were killed. Those killed were Pvts. Everett A. Rector of Des Moines, Iowa, whose | death had previously been reported; | Rastus Collins of Lyons, Ga., and | Capt. Fried on Way. | On the bridge of one of the rescue | ships, the America, was Capt. George | Fried, hero of the rescue of the crew of | the British freighter Antinoe three | years ago. The other two headed for | the disabled vessels were the President | Harrison of the Dollar line and the German freighter Yorck. The Florida was the first to send an S O 8, saying her rudder was gone and her lifeboats smashed. A few minutes later came the call for help from the Dannedaike. She gave no details of her trouble, only saying she needed help at once. Her position was about 50 miles from that given by the Florida. The Teesbridge, bound from Fowey, England, for Philadelphia.”sent out an S O S Sunday. The freighter Maine of the Atlantic Transport line responded. Reaching the position given by the | ‘Teesbridge, Capt. J. T. Hutchinson | searched in vain for the ship or her| lifeboats, then resumed his voyage yes- terday. Reports to Office. The account of his scarch was sent | to the line offices in a message. “Departed from track 10 p.m., Jan- uary 20, in response to S O § from | ‘Teesbridge, which ‘was in latitude 48.31 north, longitude 41.00 west. Arrived there during afternoon of January 21, search has been unsuccessful. Have not heard anything of Teesbridge since 5:30 am. January 21, when she report- ed two hatches stove in, stokehold flooded and using emergency vmeles.s. Resumed voyage today (January 22).” The America reported by radio at 11 o'clock this morning that she was so close to the disabled freighter Florida that the latter's wireless signals were very strong. The President Harrison had previously reported that she could not find the Florida. The America said that the tanker Dannedaike, also in distress in the same general vicinity—800 miles off the Vir- ginia Capes—had set up a jury rig and was attempting to make Bermuda under her own steam. ‘The President Harrison’s report had said that she and the German freighter Yorck, third of the rescue ships, had been in the Florida's last known posi- tion all night, but had found no trace of her, Then came the message from Capt. Fried, which said that the Florida's signals were so strong that all radio stations might resume broad- casting. ‘The first call from the Florida inter- cepted by the Radio Marine Corpora- tion said, “Rudder gone, heavy “seas, need immediate assistance.” o 3 A few minutes later the Dannedaike appealed for help, saying “We are sink- ing. Help.” Capt. Fried, 350 miles away, replied: | “Coming to your assistance.” H Another response was sent by Capt. J. V. Guthrie of the President Harrison. Ships Still Afloat. Shortly after 5 pm. yesterday the Radio Marine Corporation heard the Dannedaike asking the President Har- | rison how soon she expected to reach | her position. “Expect to reach you some time to- night. Bear up.” was the reply. Indication of the slow progress of the rescue ship was given in a message to | - his office by Capt. Guthrie, in which he £aid, “Tremendous se: Am prac- tically hove to because of bad weather. Trying to reach Dannedaike tonight.” ‘While fellow mariners were fighting thewr way toward the disabled ships other marine accidents were reported along the coast. The four-masted schooner Kingsway burned to the water- line at Broad Cove, Me., where she was laid up for the Winter; the Nor- wegian freighter Terne was held in ice which may imprison her all Win- ter after escaping from the rocks which threatened her destruction off Friars Head, at the entrance to Margaree, Nova Scotia, and the Diesel trawler Mariner became disabled off Nantucket and was taken under tow for Boston. President Garfield Refloated. The, liner President Garfield, which went aground Sunday morning on Man- Reef, in the Bahamas, was re- floated this morning, Capt. Thomas P. Quinn, the commander, informed offi- als of the Dollar Line. - It was not ssary o remove any of her cargo. spring a leak while ptain said. She will u at noon to pick up wers, who were taken by the liner Pan-America will continue her voyage, it line's offices it was assumed that the salvage tug Warbler was large- Iy responsible for frecing the grounded vessel, since previous attempts to float her at high tide had failed and it was feared that it would be necessary to transfer a_considerable portion of her cargo to lighters before she could be floated. The Warbler, summoned from Pensa- cola, Fla., worked to free the liner from early yesterday morning. Three Killed as Train Wrecks. THOMASTON, Conn.. January 23 (#) —The engineer and fireman and onc passenger were killed, and five pas: Haven & ed at Casties Bridge, orth of here, this morn- | By the Associated Press. ! one wound in the chest. | three wounds, died on the way to a n- gers injured when a local train from to Winsted over the New Hartford Rail- George T. Oswill of Miami, Fla. | First word of Rector's death was| brought to Marine headquarters by a messenger yesterday, while additional advices received today told of the deaths of the other two. Only meager details have been received of the clash. Steps toward declaring martial law in the northern departments are being taken by the Niciraguan authorities, and the training of voluntters for serv- ice in the region is going on rapidly in an effort to stamp out bandit activi- ties. HEADQUARTERS LACKS DETAILS. Marine Corps Chiefs Without Facts of Fight in Nicaragua. Marine Corps headquarters today still were without details of the fight be- tween Marines and Nicaraguan outlaws Monday. Pvt. Everett A. Rector, one of three Marines killed, was born in 1907, at Aredale, Towa. He enlisted in 1925 from Des Moines and gave his nearest rela- tive as his mother, Mrs. Laura J. Rec- tor of Saco, Mont. Rastus Collins was born in 1901, in Candler County, Ga., and enlisted last year. His mother, Mss. Mitty Collins, lives on Route A, Lyons, Ga. George Thomas Oswill, 23, was born in Atlantic City and enlisted early in 1928. His mother, Mrs. Alice Oswill, lives at 220 Southwest Fourteenth ave- nue, Miami, Fla. UNCLE SLAYS MAN AND ENDS OWN LIFE Shooting in Baltimore Printing Office Follows Return of Fred Sweiger After 25 Years. BALTIMORE, January 23.—Fred Sweiger of Denver, returning to Balti- more after an absence of 25 years, fatally wounded his nephew, Thomas ‘W. Cole, and then killed himself in Cole’s office in a local printing com- any. Carroll Sweiger, brother of the Den- ver man and an official of the printing company of which Cole was manager, when questioned by police on the cause of the shooting, said, “I'll tell that later.” Printers in the shop heard Cole’s plea, “Don't do that,” soon after Sweiger en- tered Cole’s office, and then heard four shots. Police found Sweiger dead with Cole, who had hospital. MRS. WILSON TAKES STAND FOR DEFENSE Huntress Testifies She Does Not Remember Shooting Husband During Argument. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK. January 23.—Mrs. Esther Wilson, Washington society ma- tron and big-game huntress, testified in { her own defense today at her trial for shooting her husband, Dallett Wilson, last March. She said when she went to his Fifth avenue law office she was so excited that she could not remember shooting him. Wilson, who was wounded twice, and in the hospital for two months, | said in the trial that he and his wife were arguing about financial matters relative to their separation when she shot him, and said he believed the shooting was accidental. . Mrs. Wilson said that she had car- ried a revolver “for a long, long time” { for the protection of her jewels, and added that she had been held up onc: She bought the revolver in Washington. {WHO FLED PRISON TAKEN . One of Convict Trio Recaptured Soon After Making Getaway From Sing Sing, By the Associated Press. OSSINING, N. Y., January 23— Frank Hawkes, long-term prisoner, who, with two others, escaped from Sing Sing Prison last night, was recaptured today at Phillips Manor, two and a half miles from the prison. The capture of Hawkes left only one of the escaped convicts at large. He is George Price, 25, of New York, serving 120 years to' life for murder. Roger Evans, 22, of New York, under sentence [ Prospective Juror, ’ l | | mitted there were some things ‘ ' TWO OF THREE PRISONERS BREAK INICE PACK | DRIVES BYRD'S SHi 10 NEW MOORINGS |Four Dog Teams Sent Across Crevices in Cakes to Get in Safe Position. VESSEL GOES WESTWARD | TO OBTAIN SHELTER{ Animals of Antarctic, Unaccus- tomed to Humans, Show No Fear of Expedition Members. BY RUSSELL OWENS. By_Wireless to The Star and New York Times. BAY OF WHALES, January 23.— Yesterday was another day of excite- ment, as the edge of the bay ice to| which we have been moored began to | breek up under a strong swell and huge cakes of ice five or six feet thick | cracked away under our ice anchor and the ship began to move. Where all had been. security an hour before now was swaying under dog teams, and men were working swiftly to get things on board before they went to sea. There were four dog teams alongside when the ice began to let go and their drivers urged them back across widening crev- ices until they were at a safe distance. Then the ice anchors had to be drag- ged aboard which was another difficult task. Parker, Ben Roth, Erickson and Harrison went over on the ice from the ship and lugged ice anchors across| swaying boards, which bridged the open- | ings between ice cakes so as to make ! them fast farther in. Those anchors weigh about 200 pounds, and are not| the easiest things to handle. Seeks New Position. After everything had been secured the ice broke again and it was decided to seek another position. Two of the dog teams went along the edge of the bay ice to pick up some dog crates which | had been set ashore days ago, and the | others followed the ship as it moved | over to the west side of the bay near the barrier, where it was hoped that a shelter might be found. The lead there Wwas not very deep, so far coming back to a point where enough coal could be put ashore to load two dog teams, one | of which was taken out by Parker, who had turned driver temporarily, the ship again prepared to move. It was surrounded by ice floes by this | time, some of them enormous ones | which had broken off near our former | . and men wenb- send them off as they smashed up against the side of the ship and threat- | ened to grind into the rudder. Joe Rucker ran out on the edge of a big cake to get some pictures of the ship nosing into the ice to hold its position temporarily, and both he and Vander- veer have had a busy day. Comdr. Byrd decided to go to the eastward this time into the lead which we explored last night when we met the killer whales. New Position Found. A position was found, thereby forcing that its bow is now resting ageinst the edge of the bay ice, somewhat thinner here than where we were before, but Where we are sheltered from wind and swells by the surrounding bay ice and the barrier now lying about three-quar- ters of a mile to the east. When we arrived we could see a speck far out on the ?‘%e coming '!o:;-lnrd us, and knew 1t | must one of e single sied doj teams. Probably Berlin,gwho has E habit of wandering in at night, As the team approached a young seal slipped out on the ice and humped itself along, stopping now and then to rear up and look at us. The curiosity of animals down here, seals, gulls 2nd chiefly the amusing Adelie Penguins, is one of the most amazing things about this strange land. They have never seen man and have no fear of him or anything outside their natural enemies, the killer and the sea leopards It is 17 years since man was here and that stay of Amundsen was the only other time this corner of this lost continent has ever been in- habited. So even ‘he seals are tame and | &{xlx‘une was greatly excited Ly our ar- rival. He slid over cracks and onto moving cakes between us and the solid ice to 8et a better look. When Berlin arrived alongside after making his detour from | the old trail the seal headed for the| dog team, apparently thinking the dogs were other seals. It was not until the seal was only a few yards away from them that it found they harked some- what differently and it scrambled to| safety on a little cake of ice and looked serenely around before taking a final dive out of sight. Yesterday morning we got a picture | of a seal and lead dog of a team actually snapping at each other, the seal showing no sigh of fear. Equally strange it is that the dogs seldom chase penguins, seals or gulls, Iceberg Drifting In. A huge iceberg has been drifting in from the northwest toward us for several days in defiance of all that was known about the currents here and all that we have observed of the drift of the pack ice which is generally toward | the northwest. There must be a deep counter-current which is pushing it toward the east wall of the bay and it will be intercsting to see how far it goes. ‘The drift of the pack ice by us| the last 10 days has been an absorb- ing phenomonen. At one timetwe were | completely cut off from the sea by the heaviest pack we have seen. It must come out of that vast area to the east |into which no ship has ever been able {to penetrate. These huge cakes and uplifted pleces of pressure ice march- ing by slowly are often beautiful and | impressive. | _The changes in temperature here are very unusual and have interested us greatly. Yesterday the sky was over- cast and it was so warm that it rained for a few minutes. The temperature today reached 42, 10 degrees above freezing and it is hot on the bay ice, 50 warm that men are working in’ their undershirts loading bags of coal on the sleds. THe sea between the pack in which we are tying and the barrier is like a sheet of glass broken only by the rising of whales, and the whole mag- nificent landscape sparkles under a brilliant sun. And yet only a few nights ago it was three degrees above zero during the night, every rope on "the ship ‘was covered with glowing crystals of frost half an inch long and these were black under a pall of what of 10 years for robbery, was captured last night shortly after the escape. . Hawkes, 30 years old, of Brooklyn, Wwas serving 30 to 60 years for robbery. the Norwegians call sea smoke. Comdr. Byrd has met a problem which § him in there (Continued on Page 2, Column 4 the ship into some broken drift ice, so | 2nfe 7 /7/// W/ /) Y/ ////;’ / /’, ST FILE “HIS 'MASTER'S VOICE. DEEP-SEA FISHING 1S LURING HOOVER President - Elect Eager to Start Sports Trip, With All Tackle Ready., BY J. RUSSELL YOUNG, Staff Correspondent of The Star. BELLE ISLE, MIAMI BEACH, Janu- ary 23.—The only thing President-elect Hoover is thinking about seriously to- day, the first one of his pre-inaugural vacations, is deep-sea fishing. He was eager to go right at it without any delay, but it is doubtful if this wish will be gratified before tomorrow, or pos- sibly the next day. He has seen to it, however, that his fishing tackle has been unpacked and put in a handy place, and he has o |-closely - examined the™ two “rods - and tackle presented to him by Maj. Sewell of Miami upon his arrival yesterday afternoon. No engagements have been made for today. Instructions have been given to make ready for a fishing expedition to start tomorrow and to last probably over the week end, but this may be Ppostponed a day in the event Dwight W. Morrow, Ambassador to Mexico, who is reported on his way here from Nassau, Bahamas, to pay a call before taking a boat for New York, puts in an appear- half today that he knew nothing about Mr. Morrow’s coming except what he read in the local newspaper., Speculation Is Expected. Inasmuch as Ambassador Morrow has been prominently mentioned in connection with Mr. Hoover's selection of a Secretary of State, if he does come to Belle Isle for a conference with the President-elect at this time there necessarily will be further speculation in this connection. Mr. Hoover's response thus far since leaving Washington to inquiries about his cabinet making has been to the effect that he is going to give no thought ’to such a serious matter for the present. He has made it plain that when he plays he is going to do it 100 per cent. Nevertheless, Mr. Hoover could not stay away long from the executive of- fices established for him and his as- sistants. He went to the office before noon and dictated a few letters, then inspected quarters being used by news- Paper correspondents and telegraph op- erators, Work and Sullivan Breakfast Guests. Mr. Hoover appeared greatly refreshed | after a good night's sleep and showed no signs of fatigue as a result of his long train ride. Dr. Hubert Work, chairman of the Re- publican national committee, who is to be at Miami Beach during Mr. Hoover’s stay, and Mark Sullivan, newspaper cor- respondent and personal friend of Mr. Hoover, and Mrs. Sullivan were break- fast guests. Mr. Hoover was deeply impressed by the variety of flowers in bloom in the beds about the grounds of the Penney estate, and by the singing of the birds in a before-breakfast stroll. Stewart W. Cramer, textile manufac- turer of Charlotte, N. C., was invited to be a guest for luncheon. Mr. Cramer has been hinted as a cabinet possibility in the event Mr. Hoover decides to honor the South with a representative in his official family. Those who have sug- gested Mr. Cramer in this connection are understood to have had the Navy portfolio in mind for him. It is understood Mar Woods, promi- nent manufacturer and business man of Nebraska and Chicago, who, as a gen- tleman farmer, has devoted considera- ble study to the agricultural problems, will be one of Mr. Hoover's callers to- morrow. Hoovers Pleased at Greeting. Mr. and Mrs. Hoover have expressed themselves since arriving here as being deeply touched by the cordial manner | in which they were received upon their arrival yesterday afternoon. The wel- come accorded them was most impres- sive and genuine. Their arrival and ride through Miami and Miami Beach on their way to their Belle Island home had all ‘the appearances of a festival, as they were greeted with a shower of roses as they stepped from their special train and frequently during the ride of 715 miles flowers were thrown in their path. J. C. Penny, whose home Mr, and Mrs. Hoover are using here, is in Eu- | Tope, but in his absence his sister, Mrs, Olga Autenreith, and Dr. Burdette G. Lewis, representing Mr. Penney, were on hand at the home to extend a wel- come when the President-elect and Mrs. Hoover arrived. Noted Base Ball Leader Dead. MILWAUKEE, Wis., January 23 (#). —Henry J. Killilea, owner of the Mil- waukee base ball club and one of the founders of the American League, died in a hospital at 10:25 a.m. today. It was said in Mr. Hoover's be- | | | Dying Crash Victim Confesses That He Robbed Two Banks By the Associated Press. BELLEVUE, Ohio, January 23.— Shaken by his experiences in the bus crash here yesterday, which killed 17 passengers outright and fatally injured two others, Teddy O'Brawski of Brooklyn confessed during the night to two bank robberies before his name was added to the death list early this morning. Seriously injured in a hospital, O'Brawski fought for his life un- til he realized it was hopeless, and | then admitted that he committed a bank robbery in Detroit last | | Summer and another in Cali- | | fornia some time previously. | He did not say which banks he | robbed nor how much money was | obtained, LIGENSE TAX AW REVSIONI URGED 22 New Businesses Would Be Assessed Fees—15 Would Be Eliminated. Drastic revision of the District's an- | tiquated license tax law, which would place a tax on 22 new businesses and | climingte 15 businesses that now pay | a license fee, is recommended in a re- port submitted todey to Chairman Gib- son of the House District committee by the District Commisstoners. | ‘The report covers every phase of the existing tax law and was drawn up by a special committee composed of Ringgold Hart, princibal assistant cor- poration counsel of the District; Wade H. Coombs, superintendent of licenses ! of the District, and D. P. Evans of the Federal Bureau of Efficiency. Coupled | with the report was the draft of a pro- posed bill designed to modernize the existing tax law and remove its inequi- ties and inadequacies. Cost of Inspection Cited. The modifications proposed in the bill are based on the'theory that only those businesses which require inspec- tion or regulation by some municipal agency should be taxed and that the fee should be commensurate with the cost to the District for such inSpection and regulation. There are several ex- ceptiens, however, in which it is pro- posed to license certain businesses for | regulatory purposes; to charge certain businesses for using public space, such as taxi-cabs, and to restrict, if possible, in the public interest the number of persons who might engage in certain callings. The new businesses which are recom- mended for taxation are apartment houses, automobile repair shops, barbe: shops, dairies, ~dealers in deadly weapons, detective agencies, drayage I\'ehicles. dry cleaners, employment jagencies, film exchanges, wholesale fish | dealers, food factories, grocery stores, | guides, lodging houses, mattress dealers and manufacturers, miscellaneous food i handlers, public baths, pyroxlin estab- {lishments, slaughter houses, solicitors jand swimming pools. Businesses licensed under the present lluw. but eliminated from the proposed law because of obsolescence, or imprac- * tical of administration or because no| 1{(15()?(‘“0" is required follow: Boarding thouses, building contractors, cattle ‘dvalors, cigar dealers, clalm agents, ex- " hibitors, florists, land and improvement | companies, maturity investment com- | panics, merry-go-rounds, persons con- | ducting entertainments; railroad ticket i brokers, undertakers and wagon manu- facturers. Would Increase Public Protection. ‘The legislation proposed, the report | said, has not been designed for the pur- { pose of raising revenues, although it is ! estimated that the new schedule of fees { would increase the District's annual in- {come by more than $100,000. The re- port shows that $13,519 licenses are is. sued now, bringing in a revenue of 15160994, 'whereas under the new | schedule 16,655 licenses may be expect- i ed, producing receipts totaling $270,080. | Enactment of the new billthe com- | mittee said. will result in increased pro- { tection to the public through providing adequate inspection service when need- ed, and operate at a greater profit to the District. ‘The major changes in the schedule of license fees would affect the motor bus operators, who would pay eight mills per bus mile. This schedule is proposed in fairness to the street car companies, which are required to pay a tax of 4 per cent on the gross revenues from motor bus operations, whereas | surgent leader, other motor bus operators now escape the tax by paying a license fee of $9 a year. The new schedule would put a tax of $25 a year on all public vehicles operated for hire and raise the license fee for mediums, clairvoyants and other operatives of this nature to $250 a year, CHARGES HURLED ATLEE AND COUNTY Insurgents in Maryland House Attack Speaker and Mont- gomery Commissioners. By a Staff Correspondent of The Star. ANNAPOLIS, Md., January 23.— Montgomery County commissioners di- rectly and Speaker E. Brooke Lee of Silver Spring, indirectly, were made tha targets of insurgents in the House of Delegates here this afternoon, when they sought by a resolution to have the grand inquest committee investigate al- leged misappropriations of funds by the county commissioners. The resolution was introduced by Delegate Ford of Baltimore City, and it alleged that the proceeds from a bond issue of $300,000 for a mew courthouse and jail had been used for other pur- poses. In the debate it was alleged by Dan- iel C. Joseph of Baltimore City, in- that the money had been used for construction of a road through the many holdings of the Speaker of the House. Administration delegates sought to question the speakers, who were sup- porting the resolution, as to whether they had any facts, but both admitted that they had not made any investi- gation, having taken their information from a Rockville pagr. Delegate Joseph said he did not believe any paper would publish any libel if it were not true, and added that no one from the Montgomery County delegation had sought to deny the accusations. Speaker Lee was preparing to answer the insurgents, and it was pre- cllk‘wdi that the resolution would be de- eated. STOCK DEALER HELD UNDER $7,500 BOND | Awaits Grand Jury on Charge of Selling Shares in Fictitious Airplane Corporation. Alleged to have accepted money from Washingtonians for stock in a fictitious airplane corporation, Charles J. Mer- chant, 31 years old, of New York was held for action of the grand jury in Pollse Court today and is under $7,500 bon Exhibiting letters from well known aviators concerning the model of an amphibian plane. Merchant is said to have obtained subscriptions to the cor- poration from 13 local citizens. The plane was described by him as an im- provement over models now in use. The stock was priced at $100 a share and he is alleged to have promised four hours of free flight with each sale. According to Headquarters Detectives Harry Cole and Clarence Talley, who arrested Merchant in Charlotte, N. C., he was attempting to secure funds from people in that vicinity for the same purpose. Three persons appeared in Police Court today to -testify against him. They are Roy Burleich of 1425 Irving street, Robers S. Daniels, 2436 Eigh- téenth street, and Thaddeus Duvall of 1526 Fourteenth street. Merchant is charged with larceny after trust. CRAIG, CHARGED IN DEATH, WILL FACE GRAND JURY Commonwealth Accuses Man of First-Degree Murder in James River Slaying. By the Assoclated Press. RICHMOND, Va, January 23.—The case of Murley L. Craig of Richmond, charged with the murder of William P. Liggon, also of this city, was certi- fled to the grand jury today by Police Justice John Ingram. Bail was fixed at $5,000. The Commonwealth, in en- tering a first degree murder charge, holds that Craig killed Liggon last August in the James River near here. Cralg admits hitting Liggon over the head, but he says he did it to break Liggon’s hold on him after they had been plunged in the river by the cap- sizing ‘of their rowboat. Craig. who police say, boarded with the Liggons prior to his death, married his widow shortly afterward. Police say that Liggon carried insurance and the Commonwealth contends that the ac- quisition of this money was the motive for tahe alleged killing. Radio »l?:@érasn-.—lfase_ 22 GROUP N SEMTE FAVORS EVRITEN NERGERPROGRAN Maltbie Plan Referred to Full Committee for Blaine Proposal Study. VALUATION QUESTION INVOLVED IN RAIL CASE Wisconsin Member May File Mi- nority Report if His Idea Is Not Ratified. ‘The rewritten street railway merger plan was ordered favorably reported | to the Senate District committee today by the special subcommittee handling the question in the form in which it was drafted by Dr. Milo R. Maltbie, leaving to the entire committee the decision as to what should be done with the proposal of Senator Blaine, Republican, of Wilconsin, to place in the merger resolution a new rule of valua- tion. The essential features of the plan as approved by the subcommittee are: It omits all reference to a fixed valua- tion for the new company, providing | instead that the Public Utilities Com- mission shall arrive at a value for the | merger company within two years. ‘Will Retain Present Fare. It provides that street car fares shall not be changed during the two years in which the revaluation is being made except that free transfers would be issued between street car lines, im- mediately following the merger. The plan submitted to Congress originally by the companies would have fixed the value of the property at $50,000,000 for a ten-year period, with the present rates of fare to remain unchanged for one ear. ¥ The Blaine amendment which was discussed informally at the meeting of the subcommittee today would provide in substance that the Public Utilities Commission should base future valua- tions on the theory of the investments prudently made. This question is in- volved in the O'Fallon case now pending before the United States Supreme Court, growing out of valuation of a steam railroad by the Interstate Com- ‘merce Commission. If the Senate District committee de- cides to leave the Blaine amendment out of the merger resolution, Senator Blaine, {t was indicated today, would file lmmlnorétey report on the merger the Senate. ¥ mflm Capper announced he would call the full committtee to meet morning to act on the merger as drafted by the subcommittee. He also announced that he would tele- graph Dr. Maltble, the committee’s ex- pert, asking his opinion as to the wis- dom of including the Blaine amend- ment in the merger resolution. Stockholders Must Approve. Even if Congress passes the rewrit- ten merger resolution it would still have to be ratified by the stockholders of the companies before a consolidation could be effected, since it differs sub- stantially as reported by the subcom- mittee from the agreement originally reached between the companies. It is believed by some members of the subcommittee that if the Blaine rule of valuation should be placed in the merger resolution there would be less ligelinood of a merger being car- ried out. Following the meeting today, the sub- committee made public the text of the revised resolution as drafted by Dr. Maltbie, showing all of the changes that were made in addition to the essential features referred to. It contains a new clause to take care of damage claims pending against the two companies at the time of the mer- ger by directing that the new company shall set up a reserve out of its net current asSets to liquidate these claims, and that the amount of common stock to be issued at the time of merger shall be decreased by the initial amount of such reserve. Contains Power Clause. It contains the full text of the new power clause, as follows: “The Washington company will cause the Potomac Electric Power Co., subject to the approval of the Public Utilities Commission, to enter into a power con- tract with the new company, which may include a lease by the power com- pany of the power property which the new company will have obtained as being appurtenant to the transit prop- erties to be acquired by the new com- pany: said new power centract shall be effective as of the date of closing and shall provide that the Potomac Electric Power Co.. its successors and assigns shall at all times furnish an adequate supply of electric power for the mainténance and operation of the transit properties of the new com- pany and for power furnished to other transportation companies; the price to be paid (1) for 63 per cent of the electric power used for the maintenance and operation of the transit properties of the new | “(Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) FURTHER DECLINE SHOWN IN D. C. INFLUENZA CASES Fifteen cases of influenza and one death from the disease were reported to the District Health Department to- H day, showing a further decline here. Thus far in January 1613 cases and 48 deaths from the discase have been reported. Another increase in deaths due to influenza was shown by advices today to the Census Bureau from 69 cities, which reported a total of 1,995 deaths for the week ended January 19, com- pared with 1318 deaths in the same cities during the preceding week. Sixty-eight cities reported 2,274 deaths from pneumonia during last week and 2,463 during the former period. The general mortality rate for the country at large was estimated at 18.9 per 100,000 population, compared with 134 for the corresponding period of last year. The death rate for the week ended January 12 was 205, Maryland and Virginia News Today on Pages 6 and 7. SIMMONS DEFENDS LUMP SUMFORD.C. AND SCHOOLS CUT Chairman of Subcommittee Aiso Explains Failure to Raise Salaries. DECLARES U. S. IS PAYING MORE THAN OBLIGATION Argues Washington Is Undertaxed in Comparison With Other Cities of Country. Chairman Simmons of the subcom- mittee that drafted the District appro- priation bill argued in the House today in support of the $9,000,000 lump sum contribution by the Federal Government for support of the National Capital, ex- plaining the position of the committee regarding the failure to make a second. year appropriation for bringing the salaries of District employes up to par with other agencies of the Federal Government, and insisting that “as rapid progress is being made in the school building program as is war- ranted.” Hit by Casey. Following Mr. Simmons, Representa- tive Casey, Democrat, of Pennsylvania, also a member of the subcommittee charged that the House appropriations committee has broken its pledge to District employes under a two-year pro- gram of salary increases started last year; that 6,000 school children, who must attend part-time classes are being robbed of an education and that the situation threatens to become a na- tional scandal. Mr. Casey told his colleagues not to be “deceived” by the statements made by Chairman Simmons on the District bill. He said he did not know who wrote the bill or who wrote the report, that he had not been invited to sit in on conference$ on the items, that the subcommittee had little to do with the report, and that the first he saw of it was in full committee session the day it was reported to the House. He de- clared that the school situation, with lack of adequate accommodation for all children, “is a real tr: [ Mr. Casey denounced the lack of adequate sewers here and declared that Corgress ought to protect the health of the people. Representative Holaday of Tllinois followed Mr. Casey with a strong de- fense of the committee’s work and out- lined its plan for improving sanitary conditions east of the Anacostia River, eliminating pollution in Rock Creek and extending public school facilities. Discussing the recent report of the United States Bureau of Efficiency on the fiscal relations between the Federal Government and District taxpayers, Mr. Simmons said that two conclusions are readily drawn: “Pirst, that the United States is not only fully meeting and paying every obligation that could possibly come to it were it a taxpayer, but in addition is contributing over and above all that a considerable and generous sum and more than meeting its obligations to- wards the Capital City. “Second, that the City of Wi is not only not overtaxed, but, in fact, is undertaxed in comparison with other cities. That the low taxes here have not resulted in an undernourished city, but that, on the contrary, Washington, when compared with other cities, is de- veloping in all its city activities without undue curtailment of funds.” Lists Federal Aid to D. C. He lists as other Federal aids which the Bureau of Efficiency report did not inciude—use of buildings and lands owned by the United States, other United State property turned over tq he Dis- rict, services of 10 Army officers, serv- ices for other Federal agencies, such as the Bureau of the Budget, and the fact that the Government maintains here the largest business in the world. He holds that “Washington, due to the lo- cation here of the seat of Government, is the only city in America that is as- sured of a permanent and enduring prosperity.” Mr. Simmons makes a calculation of his own which puts the tax liability of | the Federal Government in the District of Columbia at $6,551,003 rather than at $7,440,939 as estimated by the Bu- reau of Efficiency. He also figures that “the United States, owning but 22.2 per cent of the property,” through the imp-sum contribution of $9,000,000 ‘pays 28 per cent of the total paid from general revenues.” Mr. Simmons refutes the statement that the District is compelled to furnish free water to the United States work- shop by emphasizing that the water system is a self-supporting enterprise, in which the United States and the District are joint owners, the United States having made a capital invest- ment of $12.311,887.66 and the District $10,383.036.93. and that on the basis of water used the United States gets a return on its investment of 2.04 per cent and the District a return of 7.46 per cent. Discuss Efficiency Bureau Report. Mr. Simmons spoke in part as follows: “Last year in my discussion of this bill I went at length into the subject of fiscal relations between the United States and the District of Columbia. It does not seem necessary to take the time of the House for such a detailed statement at this\time, I will, how- ever, discuss briefly the Bureau of Ef- ficiency report on fiscal relations, and briefly outline the situation as it is af- fected by this bill. “On January 11, 1929, T presented to the House the report of the Bureau of Efficiency on fiscal relations between the United States and the Digtrict of Columbia. This report was made at the request of the late Martin B. Mad- den, chairman of the committee on ap- propriations. The Bureau of Efficiency had but one instruction, to report. facts to the Congress. Mr. Madden believed that the Congress knew the facts, be- l]m'ed lzh“ Ithej Urlxllud States was deal- ing not only justly but liberally with the District of Columbia. He wefromed any fact not known, believing that the Congress in the possession of the facts would fairly decide this issue. Various studles have heretofore been made by " (Continued on Page 5, Column 1), - Ten Insurgents SI;in. GUADALAJARA, Mexico, January 23 (#).—Advices to military headquarters today said 10 insurgents and 3 soldiers had been killed and 2 soldlers wounded during a combat at Chiquihuitillo ranch, near Laquemada. The fighting lasted four hours, until the insurgents were dispersed. Because it was then dark they were able to escape. - "