Evening Star Newspaper, September 25, 1929, Page 1

WEAT (U. 8. Weather Bureau Porecast.) tomorrow showers; Cloudy tonight: not much change in ‘Temperatures: No. 31,193 vost Highest, p.m. yesterday; lowest, 54, at 5:30 a.m. today. Full report on page 4. Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 10 and 11 HER. temperature. 79, at 3:30 Entered_as second class matter affice. Washington, TS Che WASHINGTON, D. C, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 1929—FORTY-FOUR PAGES. WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION Foening Shar. SHEARER REVELE AS PROPACANDIT AT GENEVA PARLEY Letter to Attorney Acting for Ship Concerns Discloses Activities Abroad. TEXT ADDED TO SENATE INVESTIGATION RECORD Gibson Referred to in Correspond- ence Understood to Be Ambas- 9 sador to Belgium. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN, William B. Shearer's activities as a ' propagandist at the Geneva naval limitation conference, were brought di- rectly into the Senate investigation of Shearer's employment by three Ameri- can shipbuilding companies to repre- sent them at Geneva, at today's hear- ing. Letters written by Shearer to Henry 7 C. Hunter, who acted as paymaster and | go-between for the companies, and Shearer were read into the testimony, showing Shearer's claim that he was influencing tne press fn its reports of the conference, and public opinion. Text of Shearer Letter. The following is a letter which was gent from Geneva on July 12, 1927 BY | 5y porities at St. Vincent Hospital an- ounced. In a base ball career that covered a quarter century in the big leagues, the “big little man” of the Yankees, Miller Shearer to Mr. Hunter, which was read | at the hearing by Senator Robinson. “Dear Mr. fHunter: Many thanks for letter with inclosure. “This show may end abruptly. Gib- son has handled our cass admirably.| ‘This will be the only conference Amer- | ica ever won. Gibson gives the credit | to the American pre: we had been | able to defeat the British propaganda machine and get the figures out. The | inclosed is the shot I issued on the| date of the plenary session which was | postponed. The" Chicago Tribune, | Chicago, has from the start taken the | same stand as the New York Times.| Col. McCormick of the Chicago Tri-| bune, sent word to Wales, the corre- | spondent here to shoot all my stuff. Sent out 250 copies of the Marine Fol- lies. I issue a statement daily to the leading American corresponden}:s here, including the A. P. and the U. | The Gibsgn referred to in the letter | is understood to have been Hugh Gib- son, the American delegate to the naval limitation conference at Geneva and Ambassador to Belgium. Yankee Leader Dead MILLER HUGGINS. MILLER HUGGINS, YANKEE PILOT,DIES |End Comes to Famous Base | Ball Manager at 2:16 P.M. Today. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, September 25.—Miller | Huggins, mite manager of the New | York Yankees, died at 3:16 o'clock, | | | Huggins, not only became the first pilot to win six pennants in eight years, but gained fame by developing the greatest of modern National League batsman, Rogers Hornsby, and later by teaching a lesson to the greatest of all sluggers, Babe Ruth, by discipline and a $5,000 fine. Huggins never sought the spotlight. He was content to let Ruth and the rest of his stars monopolize it. Born in Cincinnati on March 27, 1880, Huggins even as a boy manifested more than an ordinary interest in playing base ball and pondering its problems In 1399 he began his career in the or- ganized game by signing with Mans- field, Ohio, in the old Interstate League, bu* played only in a few games. Fought Game Battle. but losing battle for his life from the Friday. on the orders of Dr. Edward H. King. He suffered an attack of in- Acted Merely as Friend. Mr. Hunter is the counsel for the Zouncil of American Shipbuilders. He , told the committee that he acted mere- | ly as a friend of representatives of the | three shipbuilding companies—the New- : port News Shipbuilding & Drydock | Corporation, the Bethlehem Shipbuild- | ing Corporation and the New York | Shipbuilding Corporation—when he . handled the payments made to Shearer, | both for his work as a lobbyist for the merchant marine and his work at the | Geneva conference. Members of the committee sought to draw from Mr. Hunter an admission that he or the organization of ship- builders, which he represents had some nterest in the employment of Shearer at Geneva. The witness denied this flatly. He said that he had been re- quested by Vice President Frederick P. Palen of the New Porj News Co.. to handle the payments and that he had agreed to do so. It was brought out at the hearing that although Mr. Hunter had no agreement to receive reports from Shearer about the Geneva Conference, he did receive them and had copies made of them and trans- mitted them to the representatives of | the shipbuilding companies employing . Shearer. 5 These representatives of the ship- ‘building companies have all appeared before the Senate committee and testi- | fled that they sent Shearer to Geneva only as an observer. | Had Different Idea. The_letters addressed to Mr. Hunter | from Geneva by Shearer and read into | the hearing today indicate that Shearer | had a different idea of what his activi- | ties were to be. Another letter sent to Mr. Hunter by Shearer from Geneva | under the date of May 26, 1927, urged | Hunter to “watch all articles In the New York Times,” and suggested that these articles would reflect Shearer's own views. Text of Letters. The letter of May 26 from Shearer to Hunter follows in full: “My dear Mr. Hunter: “Watch all articles in New York Times on arms conference and naval base situation. “Trust you read James' big articles in ‘Times of May 13 and 14, which were reflections of my views. Also hope you read article sent by Willlams (the Times correspondent here) printed in the New York Times tomorrow, May 27, which is also my views and sug- gestions for strong man, Dawes or Reed, given him. ‘‘Have sent out 250 copies of inclosed, including all newspapers. Mr. Ochs. owner of the Times, now in Europe, has fluenza several weeks ago. An infec- | tion under his left eye also set in. | Erysipelas developed rapidly at the time | he was taken to the hospital and the infection spread. Two blood transfusions were made ! Monday, when his condition took a turn for the worse, and two more were ad- ministered yesterday. MOONALD TO STAY HERE FOR SIX DAYS Half of Time Will Be Spent as President’s Guest at White House. President Hoover will have Premier MacDonald of Great Britain as his guest. for three days during the latter’s six days’ visit to Washington early next month, and by the time they part com- pany there is every reason to feel that they will have discussed intimately vlr-‘ tually every possible topic bearing upon | the relations between this country and | Great Britain. ! The official program arranged for the : distinguished Briton while in this city, | made public late yesterday, is a full! one and will keep him moving rapidly | to carry it out to the letter, but ample provision has been made for the Presi- dent and Mr. MacDonald to discuss a great variety of subjects. It is known that Mr. Hoover is hoping to take the premier to his camp in the Virginia mountains, possibly over the week end. In_ that event they will probably leave Washington during the afternoon of Saturday, October 5, the day after Mr. MacDonald's arrival in ‘Washington. Should the idea of a week end at the camp be given up because of the cold or rain, it is thought likely that there will be a motor trip to the camp on Sunday. Such an excursion would per- mit the premier to view that part of the Bull Run battlefield through which the road to the President’s camp tra- verses, also other historic spots and the plcturesque Virginia countryside. It would be likely that the party would draw up to some attractive spot along the roadside on the return journey and enjoy a_picnic lunch. _The Hoovers | (Continued on Page 5, Column 1.) (Continued on Page 2, Column 1.) EARLY BUT OPEN - BY HAGERSTOWN FORECASTER! Thin Corn Husks and Light as Evidence of Little Cold. Epecial Dispatch to The Star. HAGERSTOWN, Md.. September 25. —Maryland is in for an early Winter. but an open or mild one, all signs agree, even the Hagerstown Almanac, which has for 132 years been forecast- ing the weather. The almanac fore- caster, who became famous over a halt century ago when he predicted & snow squall on July 4 and snow fell as per forecast, sees cold weather as early as October 16, and again during the closing week of next month, but there isn't any snow on the weather map until after the first of the year. That cold weather is not. so far around the corner is indicated by the migration of w;|‘ld e=~se, which ¥ 'l’lz ~ et o WINTER SEEN Acorn and Nut Crop Cited! is always a sure sign of an early Winter. = Several flocks of geese have flown over this section during the past two_nights. There are also other signs of an open weather observer at Keedysville, who reports that the husks of the corn a not so thick this Fall. ers who have closely watched this an- cient belief declare that thick husks on the corn means ard Winter. Then the walnut and acorn crof is short this year, sald Mr. Miller, Wild ani- m such as squirrels °nd upon the nuts for food. Na'ure usually cares for these wild animals, and when there is a short nut crop the Winter following is usually an open one, Mil- ler said. The Hagerstown Almanac | forecaster sees the first snow of the | Winter rarly ., With som- hoabidy = | daylight savings time, thiz afternoon, | The little Yankee pilot fought a game | time he was taken to the hospital last | Winter, said J. A. Miller, Government | Pro BLANES NREUE AND RESIDENT INTARFF AL La Follette Asserts Useful- fiess of Flexible Plan Has Been Destroyed. TREND UPWARD EXCEPT IN FIVE CASES, HE SAYS |Cites “Harding's Simple Faith” and “Coolidge's New England Views.” | By the Associated Press. Senator La Follette, Republican, Wis- consin, sald in the Senate today that “intrigue and political influence of Presidents Harding and Coolidge had destroyed the usefulness of the Tariff | Commission” and resulted in “tragic | failure” of the flexible provisions law. “Harding's simple faith in the Onio school of protection and Coolidge’s New England view of the tariff,” La Follette serted, “led to a packing of the com- ssion with tariff lobbyists.” | " With the exception of five cases, he added, the flexible tariff had moved in but one direction, and that was upward. Of thirty-seven cases decided, ‘he added, 32 of them resulted in in- creased rates. Worked With Slowness. Senator La Follette sald the Tariff Commission “worked with ponderous slowness,” which disproved the conten- tion of 'the flexible provisions being | needed for rapid changes of duties. He | | cited that the commission's investiga- | | tion for the purpose of equalizing costs | | of production of sugar was completed | ‘only after two and a half years' work. | President Hoover, as Secretary of Com | merce, La Follette said, told the com- mittee hearing the nomination of Vice | Chairman Dennis of the Tariff Com- | mission that the flexible provision had been “miserably administered.” Congress could . revise the tariff in; much less time than the Tariff Com- | mission, the Senator said. ! Contending it was difficult to reason | | why the President had not “broken his | | silerice” on the tariff before in view of | his action in “throwing the great weight ! |of his office against the debenture | plan” during the debate on farm bill, | | La Follette said Mr. Hoover had not | spoken to indicate whether he approved { the pending bill. *He has not indicated whether the bill | { complies with his ambiguous statement | {in his message to the special session,” i the Wisconsin Senator averred. Desires to Keep Power. |- The Wisconsin -Senstor-seid it -was not, dificult to understand why the | | Exccutive desires to keep the “emormous | power conferred upon him by the act | of 1922.” He added the people had seen | the ‘“continual absorption of power by the President until today the framers of the Constitution would not recognize | that great document.” ] The flexible clause, La Follette said, | constituted the “power of life or death ' {over the institutions of business and agriculture in this country.” With Senator La Follette's speech the Senate was plunged into its first | | major conflict of the tariff debate, with | the flexible rate policy the point at | issue. i The Republican regulars advocating continuance of the policy had the full weight of administration prestige be- hing them, President Hoover having | made it the occasion for his first pub- lic pronouncement on the bill since it was first laid before the present Con- gress in the House. Ranged against the.1 was the solid Democratic leadership, advocating re- peal of the flexible provision, which was written into the Fordney-McCumber act seven years ago, on the ground that, in authorizing the President to raise or lower rates, not to exceed 50 cent, after investigation by the Tariff Com- mission, it delegated to the Executive which should be confined to | | I | | | | Look to Independents. ‘The Democrats were counting on the support of 10 to 14 members of the Re- publican independent g’ up, headed by Senator Borah of Idaho, one of Presi- dent Hoover's leading campaigners last year. With such addition to their vot- ing strength, they belleved they would be able to take the flexible provision out of the bill in the Senate, and, look- ing to its ultimate elimination, they claimed support for their view among Democrats, Republican independents and even Republican regulars, in, view of the argument made against the pol- icy lhy Representative Beck of Pennsyl- vania. The President, in his public st ment, described the flexible ta as “a necessity in protection of public interest.” Asserting that under the provisions of the law, the President has no authority to initiate any changes in the tariff, but is empowered merely ta act on recommendations of a bi-parti- san commission made up of members approved by the Senate, he held that “in no sense, therefore, can it claimed that the President can alter tariff at will, or that other despotic power is conferred upon the Executive. Text of Statement. The President’s statement in full follows: D “In my message to Congress of April 16, at the opening of the special session, I gave my reasons as to broad principles which I felt were important in_tariff legislation. One of the subjects I then presented was the importance of main- taining the flexible tariff. That prin- clfle was advocated over a long term of years by members of all political par- ties and it was enacted in the 1922 tariff law. I advocated it at that time and since as a necessity in protection of pub- lic interests. “The essential of the flexible tariff is that with respect to a particular commodity, after exhaustive determina- tion of the facts as to differences of costs of production at home and abroad by a tariff commission, comprised of one-half of its members from each | been_told "that, Smith asserted: 1 sort of be | operations, and sound business policy is political party, whose selection ‘is ap- ved by the Senate, then the Presi- dent should, upon recommendation of the commission, promulgate changes in the tariff on that commodity not to exceed 50 per cent of the rates fixed by Congress. Under these provisions the President has no authority to in- itiate any changes in the tarifft. No power rests on the Executive until after recommendations by the ¢ jon. “Any change must arise from appli- cation directly to the , ant his authority in the matter becomes a simple act of proclamation of the recommendations of the commission, or, on’the other hand, a refusal to issu such @ pro-lemation amounting to & “tn of the cin-incione of the commis- oen’ bk g e, Oolimn §) THE “UN” HELPING HAND—AFTER A FAMO PAINTING. SEEKS NO CREDIT, DECLARES LEGGE Can’t Hurt My Feelings by Sending Me Home,” Fra- | zier Is Told. By the Associated Press. Concluding two days of testimony be- fore the Senate agriculture committee, Chairman Legge of the Federal Farm Board said today that “you can't hurt my feelings by sending me home" and added he did not demand credit for having been' selected for the post he holds. Legge's statement was made after Senator Prazier, Republican, of North Dakota, earlier at the committee ses- sion said the farmers of the Na- tion had “lost confidence in the board bzcause of the manner in which the board had tackled the agricultural re- | lief problem.” Business Man Wanted. | “HE farm oiganiustion” Legge as-| serted, wanted & ess man on the board and I was considered to be in as close touch with the farmer from the limited fleld available. “I do not believe the farmer {s seek- ing a handout or any charity. If we put this money out haphazardly no one would be benefited and it would soon be gone. I believe our job. should be done with consideration for measures of reasonable safety. “That is what I intend to do. I would not attempt this position under any misapprehension.” Legge previously had | promised to do’all in his power to bring a greater share of prosperity to the farmer. A brief verbal exchange between Chairman Legge and Senators Caraway of Arkansas and Smith of South Caro- lina, both Democsats, took place earlier today. Discussing the production costs of cotton, Legge said J. C. Stone o Green- ville, Miss.,, had informed ia'm some growers in the latter's territory would produce cotton even if thc price went down to 4 cents a pound. Caraway and Smith contended it was incredible that this statement had been made and, after Legge insisted he had to listen to that “If you are goin time to adjourn dvice, it a the bo: = “Yes, and it's time for me to get a drink of water,” added Caraway, ris- ing from the committee table and lcav- ing the room. Legge Relates Views. Legge then began a discussion of the board’s view regarding wheat. He had touched upon this to some extent yes- terday, and today he said that wheat would be stabilized only at a time when it seemed necessary and after a market- ing organization, considered capable of carrying on stabilization operations, had been perfected. The Farmers’ National Grain Market- ing Corporation is now being estab- hed, Legge said, and the board be- lieves that organization eould carry on ?ubi!lnuon more safely than the board . In time, he added, stabilization agencies would be considered for cotton and pork. “Those with wheat are the most im- portant,” he said. Inadequate storage facilities make it impracticable for the Federal Farm Board to engage in wheat stabilization opposed to other than a cautious loan policy, Chairman Legge informed the Senate agricultural committee yester- day. Senator Brookhart, Republican, Towa, although not a member of the commit- tee, used the privilege extended him by Chairman McNary to ask Legge yester- (Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) STOCKS DECLINE HALTED. Powerful Support Stops Selling Movement in Last Hour. NEW YORK, September 25 (#).— Powerful support was thrown into th» stock market in the last hour of trading today. checking a flood of liquidation which had swept down prices on scores of leading issues on the New York Stock Exchange from $5 to more than $20 a share. Losses were generally cut in half by the close of the market, and a Bootleggers Adopt “Dust Screens” to Avoid Being Caught By the Associated Press. LANSING, Mich, September 25.—A “dust screen” that gives the same effect as a “smoke screen” is the latest device of automobile-driving hootleggers, according to Oscar G. Olander, commissioner of public safety. Favoring the less-frequented gravel trunk lines or county dirt and gravel roads, Olander said, the bootleggers have equip- ped their cars with air compress- ing machines that stir up dust to the point where it is not only impossible to see the fleeing car, but dangerous to pursue it and hold to curving roads. Although the emission of heavy smoke from the exhaust of auto- mobiles is punishable under State law, Olander said there is noth- ing on the statute books at pres- ent against “dust screens.” RED-HEADED MAN l Textile Union Member De- scribes Assailant of Wom- an Striker. By the Associated Press, GASTONIA, N. C, September 25— Mrs, Ella May Wiggins, Bessemer City cotton mill striker, who was killed when from Gastonia September 14, was shot oy a “red-headed man with a panama hat,” Julius Fowler, a union member, testified at resumption of the inquest into Mrs. Wiggins' death today. ‘The inquest was resumed after being postponed September 15 in an effort to gain more information as to the shoot- ing. Seven men, including the driver of the truck in which Mrs. Wiggins of manslaughter. Tells of Mob Chase. Fowler, whose home is near Gastonia, said he got into the truck, in which Mrs. Wiggins and 21 other strikers had started to a meeting in South Gastonia, at the unlon headquarters in Gastonia. “A mob chased us out of town,” Fowler testified. After the truck collided with a pas- senger car near the bridge over the Southern Railway between Gastonia and Bessemer City, Fowler said, a num- ber of men got out of pursuing cars and stood around. Then a red-headed man “wearing a Panama hat” fired into the crowd. Asked Shot’s Effect. “Did the shot hit anybody?” Solicitor John G. Carpenter asked. “Yes; I think that was the shot that killed Mrs. Wiggins,” Fowler replied The witness said he had seen the red- headed man “around Gastonia some- where.” “1 wish you would find him,” the solicitor told Fowler. STEAMER AGROUND TROPICAL STORM Crew Believed Doomed Unless Breeches Buoy Can Be Fastened. By the Assoclated Press, MIAMI, Fla, September 25.—The steamer Domira, believed to be a freighter, is aground off Abaco Island in the Bahamas with little chance of saving its crew, unless a breeches buoy can be rigged to land, a distress call received by Tropical Radio from the Domira said this morning. ‘The Domira radioed it was aground 100 feet off shore in a raging sea and handful of stocks rushed up $5 to $20 above yesterday’s final quotations. HILO NATIVES FLEEING. Mauna Loa Volcano Expected to Erupt in Short Time. HILO, Island of Hawaii, September 25 (#).—Heavy earthquakes occurred on this island last night and caused Prof. d | Thomas A. Jaggar, volcanologist, to pre- dict that Mauna Loa would erupt within a short time. Many residents of the dh&fla‘. packed their household goods n Radia prfldrh} being battered by winds of hurricane force. It ask&d for the immediate dispatch of a wrecking tug equipped with a breeches buoy. Great Abaco Island is where the ‘Washington Weather Bureau, in its 10 | a.m. advisory, located the center of the tropical disturbance, moving toward the Florida mainland. a'l‘ro ical Radio has advised the Coast uar lists the Domira as a British steel freighter 331 feet long with beam of 47 feet 5 inches and draft fully laden of*22 feet 3 inches. Gross tonnage is 5,130. The ship is owned by the Preston Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., 3 and is managed by Becker & Co., Ltd., In”:den, London is listed as the home g W : HELD OB KALER a mob chased a group of strikers away | was riding, are under bond on charges | base at Fort Lauderdale. Lioyds | RUM RUNNER SUNK BY TRAGER BULLET Coast Guard Shot Pierces Gasoline Tank in Fight on Lake Erie. | By the Associated Press. ERIE, Pa, September 25.—A rum running boat exploded and sank today in Lake Erie off Eight Mile Creek, when a tracer bullet from the machine gun on a Coast Guard boat pierced its gasoline tank during a running gun! fight. ‘Three men aboard the liquor craft were rescued by the Coast Guardsmen.| |A tug is attempting to raise the sub-| merged boat to learn whether it had on board a cargo of liquor or unloaded it before being chased. 1 UHANGES RE - WAS BEA' Man Reporis Action of U. S. Agents/ to Canadian Officials. SARNIA, Mich., Sep{amber 25 (P).— Charges that two United States prohi- bition patrol inspectors seized a boat and its cargo of liquor in Canadian waters, beat the owner and left :im struggling in the Detroit River were made today to ufficials of the Ontario provincial police at Toronto. The charge was made by Sergt. W. A. Scott, head of the Sarnia post, who received’ & complaint from 'John Francks. an American citizen, living at | Port Lambton, Ontario. ' Francks claimed he left the export docks at | Port Lambton yesterday noon with 25 | cases of beer and four of whisky in his launch. _While traveling down stream on the Canadian side of the interna- tional border, he said, he was stopped | | by the Federal officers. 'BURLESQUE THEATER VICTIM OF BOMBERS| — | One Believed Injured When Blast Tears Away Masonry at En- trance of Building. By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, September 25.—The Acad- emy Theater, Halsted and Madison streets, bombed last night after the evening performance, but while a chorus re- hearsal was in progress on the stage. Choristers and actors still in costume ran to the street when the bomb tore away masonry at the stage entrance. One member of the chorus, first to reach the alley, said she saw a man, his face bleeding, running away. Leo Stevens, manager of the theater, said the bombing was the “direct ac- tion” which had been threatened by unknown persons ever since the theater began produeing burlesque last April. He said he had received letters and phone calls warning that he would be “taken for a ride.” He attributed the bombing to the theater’s policy of charging less for seats than some other houses in the neighborhood. Another bombing occurred early to- day, shattering windows and damaging a three-story apartment building on the North Side. No one was hurt, although families living in the 18 apartments fled in alarm to the street. The bomb was placed at the rear door of a second floor apartment occupied by the family of John Edgard. Edgard nor the own- er of the bullding could account for the attack. MAN WATCH REPORTED | TORTURED BY ROBBERS New York Police Believe Guard Is Slain for Refusing to Reveal Safe Combination. By the Associated Press. ) NEW YORK, September 25, —A watchman at a Lower East Side laundry | was found dead early today, believed by the police a victim of torture by rob- bers who sought to learn from him the combination of the office safe. - The palms of both hands had been A chair in front of the safe | indicated the ‘watchman had ,been forced to sit there while his captors tried to force him to reveal the combi- nation. Apparently failing in their efforts, they stabbed him in the bacl The man was about 50 years old and identified only as Friedman. A bag found, but the safe . burglar ‘tzils' was s L2 i { ! oy a burlesque house, at| was | Associated service. The only even in Washington (#) Means Associated Press. g Press news Yesterday’s Circulation, 105,755 TWO CENTS. SHELBY DECLARES PROBE DISPROVES MPHERSON CLUE Inspector Reports Window Referred to by Allen Not Visible From Spot. INVESTIGATING OFFICER CALLED BEFORE JURY Miss Sheppard, One of Main Wit- nesses, Hysteria Victim, Unable to Appear. ‘While witnesses in the McPherson strangulation case continued their steady trek into the grand jury room today, Inspector of Police Willlam S. Shelby announced an investigation he had made disproved one of the principal clues offered by Robert J. Allen, sus- pended third precinct policeman, who has contended that Mrs. Virginia Mc- Pherson, pretty blonde nurse, was mur- dered, and did not take her own life with a knotted pajama cord. Allen has contended that he saw a .man climbing out of the window of ‘the McPherson apartment on the night the woman met her death, while Shelby says that he went this morning to the spot where Allen said he was with a brother officer, Policeman Botts, and that the window is not visible from that point. Botts was called before the grand jury this afternoon. Meanwhile, one of the main witnesses in the case, Miss Eleanor Sheppard, a nurse, who was a friend of Mrs. Mc- Pherson, and who is the last person known to have talked to her, is con- fined to her apartment, in the Chelsea, the victim, according to her physician, of hysteria, and has not been able to appear before the inquisitors. Informs Homicide Chief. Learning that her presence was de- sired, she sent word this morning to Lieut. Edward J. Kelly, chief of the homicide squad, asking that he come to the apartment if there were any juestions to be asked. She explained that being unable to leave her room, she was anxious that the authorities be cer- tain of her condition that they might | know it was a physical disability that was keeping her away. Lieut. Kelly denied that continued questioning by the police was responsible for Miss Sheppard's condition, and her physician stated as his opinion also that the questioning had nothing to do with it, but that the pysteria was just the result of the entire ordeal to which she has been subjected. Miss Martha Berry, nurse and inti- | mate friend of the dead woman, was | ordered to the stand when. the tri- bunal” convéned at 9:40 o'clock this morning. She was questioned for ap- proximately 30 minutes. Miss Berry is presumed to have told the grand jury of an occasion when Mrs. McPherson is said to have at- | tempted to end her life by leaping from | the'roof of the High View Apartments, | where she formerly lived. Tells of Objection. In addition, Miss Berry was ques- tioned relative to the objection which Robert A. McPherson, jr., husband ‘of the dead woman, is said to have ex- pressed to the friendship between the two girls. A denial was made yesterday Miss Berry of any such objection, but the police say she admitted to them that McPherson disliked her friendliness to his wife, Following testimony of the nurse, Mr: Robert A. McPherson, s band were questioned by Their testimony filled more minutes, at the close of which the in- vestigating body recessed for a shoit period to review another case. Resuming the investigation, the jury summoned Mrs. Aileen Saville, manager of the High View Apartments, and F. M. Perkins, colored janitor of that building. Their Testimony. Mrs. Saville and the janitor were ex- | pected to tell of incidents which oc- | curred when the McPherson's were re- siding at the High View Apartments, of | her alleged attempts at suicide, of the | asserted altercations which the young couple had and their subsequent recon- ciliation. ‘Young McPherson has told police that he summoned Perkins at one time to aid him in quieting his wife, who he said became unmanageable, and beat her head against the wall of their apart- ment. Mr. and Mrs. Roy Heavrin, residents of the Park Lane apartments, who say they heard sounds of an altercation in one of the many apartments on the night when Mrs. McPherson died, were next called before the grand jury. The altercation, police say, has been traced to an apartment in the Lombardy, next door to the Park Lane, where a man and his wife had a dispute, which lasted for hours. Policeman Allen, instigator of the probe, however, be- lieves the disturbing sounds could be more closely connected with the death of Mrs. McPherson. Policeman Robert J. Allen, who yes- terday declared he “wished he had never started this thing,” and “knew that he was through,” appeared this morning confident that his theory of murder would be established. ~After conferring with United States Attorney Leo Rover regarding the testimony of Policeman Botts, whom Allen said had been his partner when they patrolled the vicinity of the Park Lane Apart- ments on the night Mrs. McPherson ROVER SEEKS DATA ON LIQUOR PARTY CITED BY SENATOR | District Attorney Requests Doran to Submit Reports on Hotel Affair. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS MAY BE INSTIGATED Howell Wants Gen. Butler Brought Here to Clamp on Lid—Brook- hart Tells of Rum Flasks. | Charges that in 1927 Federal prohibi- | tion agents saw flasks being emptied into glasses at the Carlton Club, in the Carlton Hotel, Sixteenth and K streets, made by Senator Howell of Nebraska in the Senate yesterday, today brought a request from United States District At- torney Leo A. Rover to Dr. James M. Doran, chief of prohibition forces, for the agents’ report so that his office can determine whether it contains sufficient Justification for legal proceedings. Senator Howell made the charges in & speech before the Senate late yester- day afternoon, when he also asked for enactment of a local prohibition en- forcement law and the placing of Ma Gen. Smedley D. Butler of the Marine Corps in charge of the enforcement to dry up the Capital. Plans New Bill. Following up a suggestion he made |in his speech, Senator Howell an- ‘nounced today that he will introduce & local prohibition enforcement bill to supplement the national prohibition law in Washington. ‘The Senator said it would take some little time to draft the measure, but indicated he favored the re-enactment of portions of the Shepherd law which was in force in Washington prior to the beginning of national prohibition. He said this would make the entire police force responsible for dry law enforce- | ment, whereas at present only 38 members of the local department spe- | cialize in prohibition work. | Senator Howell also said today he is {not planning to take any furth-r steps | himself to have Gen. Butler assigned | here. ~He expressed the opinion_that | the President could assign Gen. Butler here if deemed advisable. Asked if he was making any further | investigations into local law enforce- ment, the Senator replied. “I shall be | on the alert.” | “Senator Howell also advocated today a ruie in the Police Department under which any member of the iorce found drinking would be dropped for the first | offense of that kind. Brookhart Joins in. Senator Brookhart of Towa embellish- | ed Senator Howell's stories of drinking in local hotels when he told of flasks “under thg table behind a curtain.” at | a dinner at the Willard Hotel at which !a New York man was host to a number of newly elected and re-elected Senators. | Senator Brookhart named Senator | Smoot of Utah as one of the Senatprs at_this party. This brought a disclaimer from the | Utah Senator, who saia_ne did not recall | the party, and that if he was there, he did not see any liquor. Mr. Rover today admitted that twice in the past two years have rumors of drinking at the Carlton Hotel and at | the Carlton Club, a night club in the | hotel, but operated independently of the | management of the hotel. been investi- | gated by members of his ctaff. He said his office about a year ago found groundless the rumors that liquor was | being consumed by patrons of the din- | ing room of the hotel. About two years .1 ago, he said, his office inquired into ru- mors that liquor was being consumed at the Carlton Club, and that as the result of that inquiry, operators of the | club were notified that the alleged vio- | lations of the liquor law should be dis- continued. They were, he :aid. | ~Senator Howell's disclosures were | made in the reading of reports of pro- | hibition agents. | One of the reports read by him told of visits by prohibition agents to the Carlton Club, Sixteenth and K streets, in January, 1927. in which it was al- | leged they saw people emptying flasks | into glasses. The Senator said he was | reading these reports to show that the | Government bureaus have information in their files, and to bear out his | previous statement that there is not the { will to bring about enforcement. | _Senator Howell began by declaring | that when he made his first reference | to prohibition enforcement here Satur- | day, in which he said the President could bring about enforcement because | of the power he has over local officials {in the National Capital, he had no intention of making personal attacks. Hoover “Unfair, “I was discussing conditions as they have prevailed here in the District of Columbia,” said Senator Howell, “and it seems to me that the President was a little unfair, under the circumstances, to call upon me ‘to state definite facts, with time and place. I spoke from what is common knowledge in this city and from what is the belief outside of | Washington with respect to Washington, the repository of our Constitution and the seat of our Government.” One of the documents placed in the record by Senator Howell was a report f | written in 1927 containing an account of a visit by four prohibition investi- gators to the Carlton. The investiga- tors were W. P. Mulhall, H. W. Douthitt, Mrs. H. K. Mansfield and Mrs. J. Whit- ney. The report was addressed to Maj. H. H. White, prohibition administrator here at that time. Senator Howell (Continued on Page 2, Column 3.) ~ (Continued on Page 5, Column 5.) AS HEAVY As inclement weather and the vibra- of the statue of Abraham Lincoln, in front of the District Supreme Court Building, to drop off, the Fine Arts Commission has recommended that it be placed indoors and preserved for its rical value. 3 Inquiry .in conjunction with the cleaning of 42 of the city’s statues— ncwi n progress—revealed the deterio- ration of the Lincoln statue, The ad- vice of the Fine Arts Commission was sought by Lieut. Col. U. 8. Grant, 3d, director of the Office of Public Build- ings and Public Parks, and he has now been informed that the statue cannot feasibly be repaired and should be sheltered. el 5 Col._Grant now tion of traffic have caused the fingers Coy |LINCOLN STATUE LOSES FINGERS TRAFFIC ROLLS PAST Monument to Be Placed Indoors, if Commission Recommendation Is Followed. itol, and Chief Justice Walter I. Mc- and the associate justices as to what may be done with it. Officials attribute the loss of the fingers to an inherent weakness in the stone. A similar situation was revealed at the White House last year, Col. Grant said. Thep one of the projections of the ram’s horn decoration on top of one | of the pillars of the north portico drop-. ped off. An examination of the other ram's horns showed signs of weakness 'in two of the decorations and these | have been strengthened with bolts. | _As in the case of the Lincoln statue, the break was attributed to a fault in | the stone, coupled with the vibrations {of heavy traffic, particularly when trucks were brought up to the White House with materials for the renova- tion uc,mroo( two years agn.