Evening Star Newspaper, October 15, 1929, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Partly cloudy; slightly cooler tonight; tomorrow fair, slowly rising temperature. Temperatures: Highest, 68, at 3:30 .m. yesterday; lowest, 50, at 7:45 a.m. y. Pull report on page 9. Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 14 and 15 b WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ¢ Foening Star. “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier system covers every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes a¥fast as the pal No.- 31213, D e e Entered as second class matter shington, D. WASHINGTON, S0 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1929 —FIFTY-FOUR PAGES. LOBBY PROBE TOLD POTTERY INDUSTRY SOUGHT T0 REMOVE EXPERT ON TARIFF Frederick L. Koch Tells Com- mittee He Was Accused of Being Biased in Favor of Importers When Testifying. CHINA MANUFACTURER’S LETTER IS INTRODUCED Chairman Marvin Questioned Re- garding His Activities While Secretary of Home Market Club, Advocate of Principle of Pro-| tection. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. Charges that representatives of the pottery industry had scught to influence the Tariff Commis- sion in determining valuation of pottery importation and had sought the removal of Frederick| L. Koch, an expert with the com- mission, held the center of the stage at the opening of the Senate lobby investigation today. The committee heard Mr. Koch as its first witness. It learned that protests had been made to the Tariff Commission against Koch, charging him with being prejudiced and biased in favor of importers of pottery at the hear- ing before the Senate finance committee on the pottery schedule in the tariff bill. Mr. Koch said this complaint was made by Wil- liam Burgess, Norristown, Pa., a former Republican member of the Tariff Commission, said now to be working for the pottery in- terests. The witness laid before the committee s copy of a letter written by H. R. Wyllie, china manufacturer in Hunting- ton, W. Va., written to President Hoover, protesting against Koch's activities and festimony before the Senate finance against Koch was' “fi"l’d oo vid Walker, representative “hrxun‘l importers of Japanese pottery, and that Koch's testimony. before the finance committee had been biased in favor of the importers. Satisfactory to Senate. i Mr. Koch insisted that his relations with Walker had been only personal. He said also that Senator Edge of New Jer- sey, chairman of the subcommittee in charge of the pottery schedule had told him that his u;l“blmnny and work had n entirely satisfactory. beéhlirmnnyulrvtn of the Tariff Com- mission, also was a witness today in the Jobby investigation. He was questioned at length by members of the committee regarding the complaint filed ‘against Koch and said that so é)n; :o action had been taken in regard em. The committee also asked Mr. Marvin about his own activities as secretary of the Home Market Club, an organization devoted to the principle of protection. Mr. Marvin was secretary of the club for several years before he became a member of the Tariff Commission. ‘William Burgess, former member of the Tariff Commission, now an adviser in the employ of the pottery industry, who charged Koch with being preju- diced, took the stand after Mr. Marvin had completed his testimony. Burgess told the committee that he had been employed by the pottery industry before he became a tariff commissioner and that within two weeks after he left the commission he went back to his old ob with the pottery industry. Before e became a tariff commissioner, he said, his salary was $5,000 a year from the pottery industry. When he resumed the work fo rthe pottery industry, he said, his salary had been increased to $7,500. S‘enlmr Caraway wanted to know if the increase was given because the pot- tery people believed that Burgess was more valuable because of his personal contact with the Tariff Commission. The witness denied that such was the ase. : During much fencing and verbal squabbling between the witness and Senator Caraway, Mr. Burgess insisted that he was not a lobbyist as he under- stood the term. Senator Caraway wanted to know what he could have done here in Wash- ington that he did not do if he had been a lobbyist. Mr. Burgess sald that in a telk he had with President Woodrow Wilson soon after Mr. Wilsor: entered the White House Mr. Wilson had described a lob- byist as a man who went around but- tonholing members of Congress, trying to put over something good or bad, and being paid for that job. He said that President Wilson was an old colicge friend of his and that he had given him (Burgess) a card bearing the initials “W. W.” which Burgess had found an open sesame to a number of Demo- cratic Senators whom he wished to in- terview at that time. The lobby investigation, which prom- ises to go searchingly into the activi- ties of those who claim to influence legislation in Washington, got underway today with four members of the Sen- ate committee attending the hearing. They were Senator Caraway of Arkan- sas, chairman; Senator Walsh of Mon- tant, Senator Robinson of Indiana and Senator Blaine of Wisconsin. Senator Borah of Idaho, the fifth member of the committee, was not present at the opening of the inquiry. Tariff Expert Called. Frederick L. Koch, expert employed by the Tariff Commission, was the first witness heard today. He was ques- tioned about & report of alleged at- tempts to influence the Tariff Commis- sion in determining valuation of pottery importations 51';‘ Koch testified that he had ap- eared as a witness both before the ?{ouse ways and means committee and the Senate finance committee during the consideration of the pottery sched- ule and the tariff bill. He told the committee he had been informed that 1/illiam Burgess of Norristown, Pa., a Repibl'eon member of _the SRR ». Cotumn 5.) Air Mail Flyer || Travels 1,250,000 Miles in 16 Years By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, October _15.—E. Hamilton Lee, air mail pilot, last night completed his 1,250,000th mile in the air, officials of the Boeing Air Transport Co. said today. They said Lee had estab- lished a record for aviators. Since taking up flying, 16 years ago, Lee has had 12,740 hours in the air, 8,000 of which have been spent fiying the air mail. He has never had a serious accident, the company said. TEAPOT DOME CASE ENTERS FALL TRIAL U. S. Rests After Using Sin- clair Lease Evidence to Hit Defense. ‘The defense of Albert B. Fall, charged | with bribery in the leasing of the Elks | Hill, Calif, oil reserves, sustained a se- | vere blow today just before the prosecu- tion rested its case, when Government | counsel, with permission of the court, presented to the jury the story of the former cabinet officer's financial tran- sactions with Harry F. Sinclair, lessor of Teapot Dome, now serving a sen- tence in the District Jail on a convic- tion for jury shadowing. Overcoming by the court's ruling the vigorous objections of defense counsel, the Government succeeded in producing testimony from Fall's son-in-law and from M. T. Everhart, Pueblo, Colo., rancher, how, in 1922, he obtained $233,000 from Sinclair for a third inter- est in Fall's land and cattle company. Government’s motive in thus opening the gates for testimony in the Teapot Dome case was for the purpose of strengthening its contention that the receipt of $100,000 by Fall from Ed- ward L. Doheny in connection with the Elk Hills lease was more than a loan. Everhart's testimony served to strengthen the Government's claim that ~ Fall's relations with Sinclair showed the lease of the Teapot Dome reserve to the latter was “coineidental” with the payment of the $233,000 to his son-in-law. Jury Is Excluded at Time. With testimony bearing on these re- lations or transactions with Sinclair | completed Government counsel rested the prosecution’s case at noon. Justice William Hitz had reserved making a ruling on the admissibility of such evidence until court reconvened this morning. With the jury excluded, he announced his ruling in favor of the OoAv:mmenc. torney Frank J. , defense counsel, asked o dibesied verdics of not gullty, which the court denfed, when the it 3"':‘: its case. Al e . No these re charged in the indictment under which Fall is standing trial, the defense lawyer contended. Their introduction, he said, placed the defendant and counsel in a position to meet another and distinct S:ue without opportunity for prepara- n. Aside from the fact that defense counsel argued such testimony was not admissible under the rule of evidence, Hogan told the court it would tend to becloud the issue to the prejudice of the defense. After Hogan said he would note exceptions he called the attention of the court to reports of the Senate proceedings bearing on the pending trial which appeared in yesterday's afternoon papers and those of this morning. Does Not Call Heflin’s Name. ‘Without mentioning Senator Heflin by name, the defense attorney claimed that the former’s remarks on the floor of the Senate were made clearly “with the purpose of influencing this court and jury.” Hogan took the Senator to task for his charge in the Senate speech that Fall was trying to exaggerate his ill- ness in connection with the pending trial. “Aside from being an obvious tissue of lies, the report is vicious in character,” Hogan said. He added that it was known to the court to be unfounded in view of the testimony given by four reputable physicians re- garding Fall's physical condition. Because of such statements appear- ing in the papers, Hogan appealed to the court to keep ‘all newspapers away from the jurors, who are locked up in a downtown hotel while the court is in recess. Justice Hitz said that the matter re- ferred to had been cut out of the oniy paper sent to the jurors yesterday, and also explained that sundry other refer- ences to the case had been censored. In this way the jury is unable to find any- thing in the paper bearing either direct- ly or indirectly on the trial. Roberts Reads Lease. Explaining that he felt it best to let the matter rest, Justice Hitz said he would hesitate to take all newspapers from the jury, as the one paper they re- ceived in the afternoon constitutes their only contact with the outside world. After Owen J. Roberts of special Gov- spondence from Fall bearing on the Teapot Dome matter and had called the former Secretary’s son-in-law on the stand, he read to the jury the terms of the Sinclair contract and lease. Mr. Everhart told about his first meeting with Sinclair at Three Rivers, N. Mex., in the Winter of 1921, and later about a conference with Fall concern- ing the proposed ranch consolidation when Sinclair was mentioned as a prospective partner. As a result, he came to Washington in May, 1922, bringing with him the stock certificates. Fall told him then, he said, that the ranch proposition had been consummated. From Fall's office (Continued on Page 2, Column 8.) | pate in a five-power naval limitation ernment counsel had introduced corre- | to be in FRANGE AND [TALY ACCEPT PARLEY BID: JAPAN D. K'S REPLY |Whether Paris Has Drafted Answer or Form It Will Take Unknown. OFFICIAL CIRCLES HERE EXPRESS NEW OPTIMISM Decision to Enter Naval Confer- ence Held Indication That All Asked Will Take Part. LONDON, October 15 (#).—Italy has accepted the British Invitation to a five-power naval conference. By the Assoclated Press. PARIS, October 15.—The French cabinet today decided formally to ac- cept the British invitation to partici- conference at London in January. | Nothing was reuvealed, however, as to whether the reply has been drafted ls| yet or as to the form it will take. French military circles today raised the question in connection with the forthcoming conference of Germany's | right and intention to censtruct six 10,- | 000-ton heavily armered cruisers car- rying 1l-inch guns. Some observers predicted that the German vessels, which will have a cruising radius of 20,000 miles, would be an important factor in the London conclave. It was averred that had Germany had three such ships in the Mediter- ranean at one period of the World War instead of one France might have been delayed for a fortnight or more in bringing colonial troops to Europe. The French attitude is that naval limitation and army limitation are in- seperably linked and that if any com- bination of events could prevent her obtaining troops from Africa she would be obliged to maintain a larger army in France. It was also pointed out Germany was not bound by the Washington nor the projected London accord, but by the treaty of Versailles. By these two agree- ments the Great naval powers will be restricted to 8-inch guns on_ cruisers. | Some naval experts thought the proj- | ected German 1i-ingh gun cruisers | would match the biggest French battle- shl?s, which are armed with cannon 3.4 inches in caliber. JAPANESE APPROVE REPLY. Will Go to Ambassador . as - Soom as Emperor Sanctions It. ‘TOKIO, October 15 (#).—The Jap- anese cabinet today approved the final draft of the Japanese reply to the Brit- ish invitation to a naval disarmament conference. The draft will be sent to the Japanese Ambassador as soon as the Emperor’s sanction is obtained. Government officials were loath to discuss the contents of the reply, but newspapers professing to have reliable information said it would contain four points, as follows: (1) Emphasizing Japan's satisfaction that Great' Britaln and the United States already have reached a basic agreement. (2) Expressing Japanese willingness to participate in the conference in ac- cordance with the spirit of the Kellogg- Briand anti-war pact. (3) Offering to do everything possible by way of preliminary conversations to clear the way for a successful confer- ence. (4) Expessing a sincere desire that the conference may aim at definite re- duction of naval armaments. It was expected the note would be dispatched to London tomorrow. I. C. C. TO INVESTIGATE EXTRA RAIL CHARGES Higher Fares on Crack Trains to Be Subject of Probe by Commission. By the Assoctated Press. Investigation of the extra fare charged by railroads on their crack trains was decided upon today by the Interstate Commerce Commission, This fare is in addition to the regu- lar fares for train and Pullman tickets. All railroads subject to the interstate commerce act are to be included in the inquiry. ‘The practice of charging extra fares was brought to the attention of the commission last Summer. At that time carriers were notified by commission representatives that they were believed violation of the interstate com- merce act, which provides the through fare shall not be greater than the ag- gregate of the intermediate fares or rates. ‘The raiiroads were advised to file ap- plication asking for what is technically termed “fourth section relief,” which if granted would permit the carriers to deviate from the requirements in cer- tain instances. It was contended by the rallroads that the better equipped trains and faster time schedules justify the higher rates. Carrier revenues involved in the extra fares have been estimated at approx- K/ e, «»@' \‘}’) AN'SAKES! Lt L () Means Associated Press. pers printed. Yesterday’s Circulation, 113,995 TWO CENTS. McPHERSON AUTOPSY REVEALS NO EVIDENCE OF FRACTURED SKULL Traces of Poison or Drugs or Illegal Operation Are Absent, By the Assoclated Press. peace unites us.” “I have spent 12 days among you,” he said. “They have indeed gone swiftly and have been very crowded. From the moment of my arrival to this moment, when I must say good-by, I have met with nothing but hearty dem- onstrations of friendshi] h “It is impossible to ing of your cordiality, in welcoming me you have halled the object of my visit and have cheered the message of good will which I brought to you from his majesty the King and ali sections in Great Britain. “Your President and I have been “UNITED BY CAUSE OF PEACE.™ MACDONALD'S PARTING MESSAGE Cordial Welcome Cheers Mission, Premier Declares in Statement Before Leaving for Canada. BY JAMES L. WEST. NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y., October 15.—In a farewell message today to the American people Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald said he left the United States “rich with the proof that, while the Atlantic divides us, the cause of The British statesman read his statement to a group of British and Ameri- can correspondents just before he set out for a trip around the American side of the falls, which carrled him across the international boundary and back on British sofl after 12 days in this country on a gocd will mission without precedent in the relations of the United States and Britain, privileged to express together in a spirit of democratic and informal frankness the relations of our two countries and the promotion of world peace. I have particularly appreciated the warmth of the reception I had from both your Senate and House of Representatives. “To you all I have tried to make plain how earnéstly the British com- ‘monwealth shares your prayers that war shall cease, and your response has been a great lnzlnflm. ¥ “As I P across the border and leave you for the moment I do so rich with the proof that, while the Atlantic divides us, the cause of peace unites us. That is the message from you which I am taking home with me.” GRAND JURY TOLD T0 INDICT BUYERS Federal Judge Gives Instruc- tion to Name Purchasers Under Dry Law. BY the Associated Press, LOUISVILLE, Ky., October 15.—The October grand jury of the United States District Court here today was under instruction from Judge Charles I. Daw- son to indict, if the evidence warranted, the buyer as well as the seller of liquor. Attackipg the “so-called good citizen"” who patronizes bootleggers, Judge Daw- son, former Kentucky attorney general, declared the widespread impression that it is not against the law to purchase liquor is erroneous. Referring to a recent decision of the Circuit Court of Appeals of the second district, at Philadelphia, Judge Dawson said that he had not read that court's opinfon, but it was his opinion “that what that court really decided was that one who purchases liquor is not such an aider or abetter of the seller as to make him guilty as a seller under the Federal law.” Judge’s Opinion. ‘To that extent, Judge Dawson said in his charge, “I agree with the opin- don, but if that opinion holds that it is not an offense against the national pro- hibition act for one to purchase liquor without & permit and not on a prescrip- tion, then I cannot agree with it, be- cause I have no doubt whatever that the Volstead act intended to, and does, in express terms, make it illegal for individuals to purchase liquor for per- sonal consumption for beverage pur- =t He cited section 6 of the national pro- hibition act, which, he said, among other provisions declares: “No one shall manufacture, sell, pur- chase, transport or prescribe any liquor without first obtaining a permit from the commissioner so to do, except that “If the language just read,” Dawson commented, “does not prohibit the purchase of liquor by individuals imately $10,000,000. TO ARREST OF 2 By the Assoclated Press ROSEBURG, Oreg., October 15.—Be- cause one of a band of safe-blowers left behind him his own crudely amputated finger, two men, one of whom is not expected to live as the result of unex- plained injuries, were held today on suspicion of being the robbers who at- tempted recently to blow a safe at Grants Pass. Bits of flesh clinging to blood-spat- { CRUDELY SEVERED FINGER LEADS Bits of Flesh Clinging to Walls of Department Store Reveal Failure of Undertaking. IN SAFE-BLOWING tered walls about a department store safe bespoke the tragic failure of the men to blow the office safe. A trail of blood led to the offices of a nearby physician. A door had been forced and within the office was found a human for personal consumption for beverage purposes without a permit, then I incapable of understanding the mean- ing of language.” Penalties for Purchasing. Secton 29 of the act, providing a fine up to $500 for the first conviction and up to $1,000 and imprisonment for.not more than 90 days for the second of- fense, applies to persons purchasing liquor for beverage purposes, Judge Dawson told the jurors. “I know it is frequently urged,” Judge Dawson concluded, “that if you make it against the law to purchase, or if you enforce the law against the purchaser, you will hamstring the enforcement of the law, because you then cannot get evidence against the seller and the manufacturer. Don't let that worry you for a minute. I have been on this bench for a little better than four years and in that length of time we have finger, np‘rnrently blown off or crudely amputated. Opiates and surgical in- struments were missing. Sherif’s officers said the most ser?- ously injured of the men held had re- {contly lost a finger, handled between 5,000 and 7,000 liquor cases, and not in a single one of them has a citizen buyer even appeared as a witness against a seller or a manufac- : ‘A FUEL PUNP N MAY 0N STRIE New York Station Attendants to Vote Tonight—Three Persons Injured. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, October 15.—A threat of filling station attendants to join the strike of tank truck drivers today in- crehsed the gravity of the motor fuel distribution situation, precipitated by the dispute between the oil companies and their employes. Three persons have been injured in disturbances attending the strike. Police Commissioner Grover A. Whalen said 1,600 police have been as- signed to strike duty. He threatened to withdraw police protection from trucks and property of companies em- ploying “guerillas,” whom he blamed for_the outbreaks of violence. Oil company officials’ said they were delivering more than 80 per cent of the normal amount of gasoline with non- union drivers. Leaders of the Brother- hood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs and Helpers claimed that less than 50 per cent of daily deliveries were being made. Thus far there has been no serious shortage of motor fuel. Two mass meetings of filling station workers have been called tonight to con- sider the T\Ielllon of joining the strike. ‘The meetings are being arranged by representatives of the American Federa- tion of Labor, BANK FRAUD’S PASSING HAILED BY CONVENTION “Gold Brick” Promoters Decrease Despite Excellent Chances in Last Four Years. By the Associated Press. QUEBEC, October 15—The passing of the “gold brick artist” was heralded today with the convening of the eighteenth annual convention of the Investment Bankers’ Association of ‘America. Arthur G. Davis of Chicago, field secretary of the association, said that while the last four years presented more opportunities for fraudulent investment promoters than any other period in the history of the United States and Canada, fewer frauds were perpetrated. He attributed this decline chiefly to the campaign of the various bankers' assoclations in urging investors, “Before you invest, investigate.” The convention, with more than 1,000 delegates from the United States and Canada in attendance, opens formally today, with addresses by Premier ‘Tascherau and Lieut. Gov. H. G. Car- roll. — French Troops Evacuate. COBLENZ, Germany, October 15 P).—Two French infantry regiments and ope artillery regiment, the main body stationed here, evacuated the Cob- lenz sector today. The movement was s0 quiet that it was hardly noticed by the inhabitants. SCRVENER DATA ASKED BY BYRD | Requests Pratt to Give Par- ents of Detective Any Fur- ther Information in Case. | With a Senate investigation impend- |ing on the mysterious death, three years ago of Arthur “Mitt” Scrivener, Gov. Harry F. Byrd of Virginia, today asked Maj. Henry G. Pratt, superin- tendent of police, to give the parents of the late headquarters detective sergeant any further information he may have relative to the case. In the meantime, tHe recurring at- | tacks at the @apitol on the Police De- partment apparently had ceased, pend- ing the return of Senator “SBackett of Kentucky, chairman of the subcommit- tee delegated by the Senate District committee to make a sweeping in- vestigation of police activities and municipal affairs. Aid Asked in Telegram. Gov. Byrd became interested in the Secrivener oase through a tel he received from the father of the dead detective, Turner A. Scrivener of Win- chester, Va., which urged him to use his influence to have the investigation of his son's death renewed. In a letter to Maj. Pratt, which inclosed a copy of Scrivener’s message, the Virginia governor said: “If there is any further information that you can give the parents in this case, I will greatly appreciate it.” Dispatches from Winchester quote Scrivener as declaring he always has held the belief that his son was slain. The father, however, said that neither he nor his wife had ever charged the Washington police with “bungling” the investigation of their son’s death, al- though he had often thought the police could have continued their inquiry. Maj. Pratt, who was in command of the detective bureau at the time of Scrivener's death, indicated he had no new information to give Scrivener’s parents but pointed out that the Police Department had never closed its in- vestigation of the case. The police, he said, are repeatedly running down new clues that develop, but thus far all of them have been worthless. Rover Has No Comment. Leo A. Rover, United States attorney for the District, had no comment to make on the case, which was referred to his office for investigation after the coroner’s jury held that Scrivener was the victim of a murderer. whether his office proposed to resume the inquiry in view of recent develop- ments, Rover replied, “I don't care to discuss it.” Senator Cole Blease of South Caro- lina, who promised tc name Scrivener's slayer, indicated today that he would wait and furnish the investigating sub- committee with his information when it meets. He also said he had a wit- ness who could give the subcommittee light on that case. In many of its details and develop- ments the Scrivener case closely paral- lels the strange death of Mrs. Virginia McPherson, now the subject of an in- tensive investigation by the Department of Justice as a result of the sensational "“(Continued on Page 2, Column 1.) SHIP RUNS ASHORE OFF ALASKA COAST Number of Passengers Is Unre- vealed in Radioed Plea for Help. By the Associated Press. SEATTLE, Wash,, October 15.—The steamship Alameda went ashore early today at the south end of Wrangell Narrows, Alaska, according to a wire- less message intercepted by the radio station at Everett, Wash. ‘The message apparently was a re- quest to the Coast Guard cutter Unalga for assistance, and said the stern of the Asked | The second autopsy on the skull or any evidences of violenc throat, The Star learned today. might have suffered a fractured Careful examination of the skull The body was X-rayed | brought to Washington. hours last night. erroneous. The exhumation was decided was found a month ago yesterda: Fracture Story he believed there was evidence of the original police autopsy, failed the pajama belt around her neck ? was not asked to was not summoned before a case until The Star discle the list of witnesges. Dr. is held to have time of the original inquiry. it would have cleared up several of the bathroom. strangled it might have explained Failure of the new autopsy | extraordinary case. The departmental probe was appointment by Attorney General without bail at the District Jail. ment side of the trial, the date for By a Staff Correspondent of The Star. SALISBURY, N. C, ngber ‘105-— Engaged in supervising the autopsy onst;lgeebody of Mrs. Virginia McPherson for nearly five hours last night, Depart- | ment of Justice agents expect to receive & complete report on the findings, which is to be compiled by Dr. James I. Bul- litt, pathologist of the University of North Carolina, today. Despite the fact that a’ most minute examination was made of the body at Kannapolis, 22 miles from here, lastitg from 5:30 until 10:30, certain portions of the body, including a section of the skull and vital organs, were taken by Dr. Bullitt today to Chapel Hill for further investigation, according to the report. ?)nr. Bullitt, who was in charge of the autopsy, is said to have made the statement to agents last night that the work would require probably five days. His report of the findings at the autopsy last night can be made in two days, but additional time will be required to complete the examinations of the organs taken to Chapel Hill. One of five physicians who was pres- ent revealed that a further examina- tion would be made. While he refused to make any positive statement, the doctor said that when minute examina- tions were made certain portions of the body were given more thorough investi- gation than others, because without the aid of microscopes and tests for traces of poisons there was.no positive proof that certain conditions of that nature did not exist. It would practically be vessel wgs ashore while the bow was free. The message also said she was unable to turn her propeller. First reports gave no indication of weather conditions, and nothing was said as to immediate danger. The Ala- meda is a cargo and passenger boat of 3,100 tons, plying Alaska waters. It was assumed she had passengers on board, but the number was not known here. ‘When the Alameda left Seattle Satur- day she carried 56 passengers and a general merchandise cargo for South- eastern Alaska. Wrangell Narrows is on the inside passage and it was not believed here that weather conditions an impossibility for the physicians to determine absolutely in their examina- tion last night that there were no traces of poison, until further examination was made, he declared. ‘The report by Dr. Bullitt will be sub- mitted to the Department of Justice at ‘Washington. Every effort was made by agents last night to keep the proceedings secret. Five physicians, an undertaker and an embalmer were the only ones allowed to be present and they were pledged to secrecy before the investigation began. Reporters were excluded from rooms in the vicinity of the morgue, where the autopsy took place, for fear that they would be such that the Alameda would be in any immediate danger of breaking up. ST SR AR Radio Programs—Page 38 t might overhear conversations of the doctors. Those present at the autopsy were Dr. Bullitt, Dr. C. W. Armstrong, county health officer of Salisbury; Dr. Frank Marsh of Salisbury, Dr. J. E. Stokes, surgeon at the Salisbury Hos- grand jury which later reo] that ha‘lt\::xe h::f been rman’s ony before the grand jury ayed an important Pherson for “willful and premeditati Federal investigators attached so much importance to the pos- ( sibility of a skull fracture that three Justice agents were dispatched { South at once to arrange for the exhumation of the fracture would have been a serious blow to the suicide theory ad- vanced by the local detective bureau and the coroner’s jury at the U. S. Probers Find. EXAMINATION YIELDS NOTHING OVERLOOKED BY CORONER Microscopic Test of Tissues Yet Is In- complete, Delaying Formal Report of Government Agents. body of Mrs. Virginia McPherson. conducted last night at Kannapolis, N. C., failed to disclose a fractured e other than those produced when she was strangled to death by a pajarha belt knotted around her Exhumation of the body had been undertaken for the definite purpose of verifying a local physician’s opinion that the young nurse skull, in addition to strangulation. has satisfied the Government that no fracture existed and further examination of the vital organs and other portions of the body has disclosed no traces of poison or drugs, or evidences of an illegal operation. Body Is X-Rayed. A microscopic examination of certain tissues has not been com- pleted, so that a formal report will not be received here unti? later. and these prints, when developed, will be It was learned here that the autopsy consumed more than four Reports that the casket was filled with water are s. The body was taken from its grave in Woodlawn ceme- tery, China Grove, N. C., yesterday afternoon, and removed in a hearse to Kannapolis, five miles away, where the autopsy was con- ducted in the rooms of an undertaking establishment. upon suddenly last week after De- partment of Justice agents had questioned Dr. Edward A. Gorman, house physician of the Park Lane Apartments, where the girl's body Y. Dr. Gorman was the first physician to view the woman’s body after her husband, Robert A. McPherson, jr., reported finding it in the bedroom of the McPherson apartment. Laid to Gorman. Dr. Gorman is understood to have told the Department of Justice a skull fracture when he examined the body, although physicians of the coroner’s office, who performed to report such a fracture. A coro- ner’s jury held that Mrs. McPherson had committed suicide by tying and knotting it in two places, testify at the coroner’s inquest and ed the ked in art in the indictment of Mc- murder.” body. A skull Blood Stains Mystify. It was pointed out that if Mrs. McPherson’s skull was fractured points puzzling investigators. One of these points was the absence of signs of a struggle at the death scene and another was the mystery of the blood stains on the floor If the nurse had been struck over the head before she was the blood outside the bedroom and the comparative order in the room. to disclose anything not already shown in the original examination by the police officials does not |mean abandonment by the Department of Justice of any theories | regarding murder or suicide it may entertain in connection with the J. Edgar Hoover, chief of the bureau of inves- tigation, and Thomas Cullen, in direct charge of the McPherson in- vestigation, are maintaining an “open mind” regarding all theories which might lead them to a solution of the tragedy. Findings to Guide Laskey. launched in connection with the 1 Mitchell of John E. Laskey as a special assistant to handle the prosecution of McPherson, now held The findings of the department agents will guide Prosecutor Laskey in his handling of the Govern- r which has not been set. {Parts of Mrs. McPherson’s Body - Will Be Examined Further by Doctor pital; Dr. C. C. Phillips of Charlotte, W. H. Whitley, the undertaker, and J. N. Ritchie, embalmer. PERMANENT AIR MAIL ROUTES ARE STUDIED Revision of Rates Also Deliberated. Administration Awaits Report. President Hoover revealed today that | the admizistration is giving careful | study to the question of establishing permanent air mail routes and also to the question of revising the air mail rates. The administration believes the time has come when commercial avia- tion has been developed to the point where there should be a different basis established for fixing rates for carryicg mails and permanent national = air routes should be settled. The administration also is endeavor- ing to determine the more essential trade routes in the matter of mail carrying by the Merchant Marine, so as to establish a different basis for ocean mail rates. To assist in this study the President bas called on the Postmaster General, the Secretary of Commerce, the Sec- retary of War and the Secretary of the Navy, and a report will be maae by these department heads to the President very shortly. NEW CODE DECREES LASH. Flogging Is Reinstituted by War Ministry of Hungary. BUDAPEST, Hungary, October 15 (#). —Flogging has been reinstituted by the war ministry in the new military penal code. The code is subject to Parlia- ment’s approval. < Heretofore, after three offenses the clvil courts might pronounce a death sentence, but under the new code a Hungarian military eourt, functioning ]m ’t‘imea of disturbance, will decree the lash. Insubordination.and neglected sentry duty, hitherto punished by prison sen- tences, hereafter will draw death sen- tences. »