Evening Star Newspaper, December 18, 1929, Page 1

WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Foracast.) Rain tonight and morning: much colde: peratures—Highest, 5 lowest, 45. at noon y Full report on page 10. Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 14 and 15 possibly tomorrow r tomorrow. Tem- 3, at noon today; esterday. @h ¢ Foening WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION Star. “From Press Che every city block A to Home Within the Hour” Star’s éarrier system covers and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. Yesterday’s Circulation, 111,904 Entered as seco; shington. NO. 31-277~ post office. Wa. nd class matter . C. WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1929 —FOR'TY-EIGHT PAGES. ¥¥H (A Means Associated Press. TWO CENTS. SHELBY-KELLY CASE " BRINGS MPHERSON DEATH REVIEW 0UT AT START OF TRIAL Hartman, Brass and Burke, Three Policemen Among| First to Enter Apartment,“ Put on Stand at Opening. | | BOTH DF_DEFENDANTS CONFIDENT OF VICTORY | | BEALE | Neither Is Nervous as Hearing Be-| gins—Each Pleads Not Guilty to #Bungling” Charge and Manyi épeciflc!tiom ‘When Formally; Arraigned. | The extraordinary trial of In- spector William S. Shelby, assist- ant superintendent of police, nnd} Lieut. Edward J. Kelly, on charges| growing out of the sensational] accusations of the July grand| jury that they bungled the police investigation into the mysterious death of Mrs. Virginia McPher- son, developed at its very outset today into a detailed review of! this twice investigated and baf- fling case. Pive witnesses had testified early this afternoon, and the procedure followed by both the prosecution and the defense gave positive indication that the entire | McPherson case would be reconstruct- | ed in detail to establish the basis of | the July grand jury’s excoriation of the Police Department. | The witnesses were all members of | the Police Department who played some | part in the investigation of Mrs. Mc- Fherson's death. They were Headquar- ters Detective Dennis Cullinane and the following members of the third precinct: | Sergt. Emil Desch, Earle P. Hartman, ! Frank O. Brass and William Burke. | Ordered Mate Held. | 'The trial progressed into the early afternoon before attorneys for Shelby and Kelly disclosed the first definite in- dication of the defense of the two offi- | cers. Then it became apparent that the lawyers intend to build up evidence to show that Kelly and Shelby and other police officers had run down every possible clue that developed and had proceeded on the theory that Mrs. Mc- Pherson had been murdered even though a coroner’s certificate .of Suicide had | been issued. Cross-examination of witnesses brought out that Kelly, after Deputy Coroner Jeseph D. Rogers had issued a cerfifi- cate of suicide, suggested to him that an autopsy be performed on the body of Mrs. McPherson. It was disclosed that Kelly ordered that Robert A. Mc-| Pherson, jr., youthful husband of the dead nurse be held for investigation pending an inquiry into the circum- stances surrounding her death. Inspector Shelby, the first officer of his rank to face a police disciplinary board, and Lieut. Kelly appeared con- fident when the trial began that they would he vindicated and restored to their former positions in the "detective buréau—=shelby as the chief and Kelly as head of the homicide squad. | Both pleaded not guilty to the charges and the long series of specifications thereunder when formally arraigned jointly before the special tribunal com- | posed of Maj. L. E. Atkins, Assistant| Engineer Commissioner, who is chair-( man; Capt. H. C. Whitehurst, chief en- gineer and co-ordinator of the Engi- | neering Department of the District Government, and J. B. Gordon, sanitary engineer. Neither Inspector Shelby or Lieut. | Kelly showed any visible signs of | nervousness when the trial opened, al- | though their faces reflected the strain they have been under since the grand jury’s severe criticism of them on | Beptember 30. i Despite an open invitation to the, public to attend the trial, only a small | group of spectators. about 30 in num- ber, were present at the opening ses- sion, leeving about 20 vacant chairs in the trial board room in the sixti pre- cinct station house. Many of these spec- tators were friends of the two veteran | police officers. Trial Is Late in Starting. A series of last-minute vreliminaries | resulted in the late starting of the trial. | The trial was scheduled to pegin at 10| o'clock and it was shortly after 10:30 | when the first witness was called o the | stand. Tables in the trial board room had to be rearranged to accommodate the array of lawyers, and newspaper photographers were granted about 10 minutes to take pictures of the trial ! board and the principals. Shelby 15 represented by Attorneys Henry 1. Quinn and George E. Strong. | James A. O'Shea iz Kelly's counsel | William W. Bride, corporation counsel of the District, detailed two of his lead- | ing assistants, Robert E. Lynch and Walter L. Fowler, to prosecute the case. Chairman Atkins announced that the | trial board would make every effort to bring the proceedings to a close before the Christmas holidays, but the de- tailed examination of the early wit- nesses by both the defense and pro: cution gave evidence that the trial ma d to_the new y The_sched inued on Page 2, Column 1.) | | COAL STRIKE REMNANTS | Shot to Death . INSKEEP. KILLER RUNS WILD: SLAYS 3 OF 5 MEN HE NAMED IN LIST Justice of the Peace and Jailer Among Victims of Shotgun Wounds. |GIRL ANfi 2 WOMEN ARE WOUNDED BY HIM | West Virginian Is Captured by | . | Sheriff Who Was Among Quintet Named on “‘Death Roll.” OPTINISM PREVAL Tomorrow Morning. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN., conferences between th: delegates nese delegates, it is expected, Wi delegates and their party. Place Wreaths on Tombs. by the Japanese Ambassador, Mr. D INOFFICIAL CIRCLES FOR NAVAL PARLEY U.S.and Japanese Delegates Will Continue Conversations | Optimism over the outcome of the the United States and Japan to the London Naval Limitation Conference, begun yesterday at the stately home of Secretary Stimson, Woodley, was felt in official circles here today. The Japa- resume their conversations with the Secretary of State tomorrow morning. Today is to be given over largely 1o social affairs, arranged for the visiting The delegates of Japan, accompanied | buchi. visited Mount Vervon and Arling- | By the Associated Press. S‘ ROMNEY, W. Va., December 18.— Three persons were killed and three others were weunded by an apparently liquor-crazed man who visited them at their homes here early today and shot them down with a shotgun. A justice other man were slain. An 11-year-old | girl and two women were injured. | One of the men, Asa Wolford, 28, was | | slain as he sat at the bedside of his father, who was ill. The county jailer, | Ben E. Miller, 55, was shot down at the | jail, where he lived. Miller was decapi- | tated by the charge from the shotgun. List of Names Is Found. Walter Crabtree, 35, was arrested as | the slayer an hour after the man had walked through the streets of | the town dealing out death with his| shotgun. Crabtree completed a six- ‘month jail sentence two weeks ago. He had been jailed for possessing liquor. . County authorities said a list of names including those of the slain men were found on Crabtree. These names were believed to have composed a ‘“death list” of the man’s intended victims. Sheriff Saville said that while Crab- tree appeared to be very much intoxi- cated, he was not certain that liquor had caused him to commit the crimes. “He did not appear to be so drunk when we arrested him,” the sheriff ex- plained. Residents of the town claimed Crabtree had talked previously of the “clean up" he was going to make. The | sheriff said ‘the man had been jailed | of A1l e- of the peace, the county jailer and an- | | between the committee and ourselves. HODVER BROUGHT NTOSUEAR PROBE BY LAKIN LETTER | Correspondence Says Presi- dent Instructed Secretary to Make Contact. |WRITER NOT CERTAIN NEWTON EVER ACTED Another Message Reveals Smoot | as “Real Spokesman" for Beet Sugar Interests A letter saying President Hoover had | instructed Walter Newton, one of his | secretaries, to “establish a contact” be- tween members of the House ways and | means committee and Cuban sugar peo- | ple was read today hefore the Senate | lobby committee. The letter, written by H. C. Lakin, | president of the Cuba company, to Ma- son B. Starring of New York, said sev- eral members of the committee had ap- pealed to the President, who had di- rected Newton to establish a contact Lakin, who was on the witness stand, | said he did not believe anything had been done about it. “You mean the President instructed ! his secretary to do something and it was not done?” Senator Walsh, Demo- crat, Montana, asked. “I am not sure what was asked,” La- | kin answered. “I don't believe anything was done.” Lakin added that he did nothing as a result of the information and did not remember whether Edwin P. Shattuck, employed by Lakin to work for a low sugar duty had done anything. Pressed to tell from whom he ob- tained the information, Lakin said, “It might _have come” from Representative Hull, Democrat, Tennessee, but he was not sure, He sald he was certain no Republican member of the ways and means committee had told him. Lakin previously had testified that Shattuck had been employed partly because of his friendship with Presi- dent Hoover and had had frequent con- ferences with Newton. ! By the Associated Press. ton this morning. where wreaths were | placed on the tomb of George Wash- ington and on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A luncheon was given at the Japanese embassy for the Japanese newspaper men who are going to the London conference. Mme. Takarabe, wife of Admiral Takeshi Takarabe, dele- gate. arranged to call upon Mrs. Hoover at the White House at 3:15 p.m. and & little later upon Mrs, Stimson, wife of Secretary Stimson. A reception will be given by the Japanese Ambassador in | 1re C. Mi sa. om time to time. None of Wounded Hurt Seriously. The slain justice of the peace was H. Inskeep, 50, a prominent citizen of the town. He was called to the door of his home and shot in the abdomen. Inskeep was the second to be killed. The wounded persons were Mrs. Car- rie Wright, Mrs. Grace Woolford and ildred Hott, 11, Sheriff J. B. Saville id none of them was seriously hurt. Sheriff Saville and State Trooper honor of the delega Hoover will entertain at dinner In hon inet, the American delegates dinner. and will sail Friday on their way London. morrow afternoon, delegation. Delegates See Success. Following_a two_ delegation: tion at the May- flower Hotel from 4 to 6 pm. And to- night at 8 o'clock, President and Mrs. of the delegates. Members of the cab- | to the| London ronference and Senators ard | Representatives and other high officials | of the Government will be guests at the The Japancse delegation is to leave here at 4:35 pm. to go to New York Prior to their departure to- the delegats of Japan are to have another talk with Mr. Stimson, the head of the American three-hour conferencs yesterday afternoon, the heads of the American _and Ja- Joe Horne were summoned to the home of Crabtree’s father this morn- ing, where they learned of the killings. The father, S. D. Crabtree, told the sheriff his son was upstairs. ‘The sheriff found young Crabtree com- pleting the cleaning of a shotgun. The officers said a search of the young man's clothing disclosed the list of names. Besides the name of Sheriff Saville and those of the slain men, the list bore the name of former Sheriff Ruckman. Crabtree was removed to Keyser, in an adjoining county, for safekeeping. Set Out Early Today. According to county officers, Crabtree set out on his mission of death early this morning. He killed Wolford, first, then fired at Mrs. Wolford and Mrs. Wright through a window, according or to " (Continued on Page 10, Column 1.) MAY BE RECEIVED FRIDA SOVIET ENVOY TO BRITAIN Delay in Presenting Credentials, Which Wales Would Accept for to reports to the sheriff. Mildred Hott was wounded at the home of Mrs. Blaine Hott. County authorities had not determined how the man gained entrance to the Hott home. Feeling among residents of the town ran high against Crabtree. Romney police notified B. E. Rankin. prosecut- ing attorney of Mineral County, at Keyser, that they feared mob violence against the man and warned him to be Y | The letter to Starring, who is presi- dent of the California & Pittsburgh | Utilities Corporation, was dated April| 16, 1929. | The latter said that Lakin had been | informed that an actual majority of the committee now opposed any increase in the sugar tariff. “Several members of the committee have appealed to President Hoover,” the letter said. “and he has instructed his secretary, Mr. Newton, to establish con- tact between the committee and our- selves, “We are inclined” Takin ecomntirued; “to be a little doubtful about this step, but in the end would, of course, have to do what President Hoover desires, uzclllly as he seems to be genuinely | interested in our case. Heretofore our | work has been in the directiop of leav- ing final negotiations to Senator Smoot. who, after all, is the spokeman for the beet sugar interests. Reed Influence Is Cited. “Among other things, we have been informed that outside of Smoot, Stn- ator Reed of Pennsylvania is the most influential member of the financial committee of the Senate. I am very anxious to establish an intimate con- tact with him. I know that his sec- retary has become an advocate of the Cuban point of view, and at Senator Reed's request has been preparing a re- port on the subject during Reed's ab- sence abroad.” The letter to Starring also said that “I'am especially interested in bringing pressure to bear on Representative Es- tep of Pittsburgh.” “We were infcrmed by a member of the ways and means committee yester- day, while in Washington,” it added, “that an actual majority of the com- mittee now is opposed to any increase in the sugar tariff, and that Bachrach, Watson and Estep might be induced to | Gates has achieved what the leading King, Spurs Speculation. By the Associatec Press. LONDON, December 18.—The society gossip column of the London Daily Ex- press today said there was much specu- lation as to reason for delay of K. Sokolnikov, the new Soviet Ambassador, in presenting his credentials. The de- lay, it was said, was due neither to either government nor to M. Sokolnikov himself. It is understood that the Russian Ambassador will present his credentials to the Prince of Wales at St. James' Palace Friday morning. The prince has | received most of ‘the diplomats_since the King's illness, Ambassador Dawes being a notable exception. Immediately after M, Sokolnikov has been received, an exchange of notes will take place between Great Britain and Sgviet Russia dealing with the question of propaganda. The Russian Ambassador also will make a statement regarding his mission to London and | the general policy of Soviet Russia with | regards to Great Britain. pre th vel m: tal se in, tel fa C Many Englishmen regard the execn- tion of the Russian Czar Nicholas and other members of the royal family un- der the Soviet regime as unjustified. The Czar was & cousin of King George. | King George has not until now been | confronted with necessity for recogni- tion of a Soviet Ambassador Sets Needle-Threading Record. ABERDEEN, Wash. December 18 (#).—Having succeeded in putting 20 strands of No. 50 cotton thread through the eye of a cambric needle, G. A. P needle threaders of Aberdeen have heretofore considered impossible. Jist™ justice of the peace, when called to his door early this morn ing by a man he epared to protect the prisoner. According to reports here, Rankin advised Gov. Conley at Charleston of e situation and was sald to have r quested the aid of the State in pre nting possible mob violence. Sheriff Saville said his name and the name of former Sheriff Joseph Ruck an were included in the alleged “death Crabtree carried. Crabtree was ken to the county jail here for a short time before his removal. He did nmI em to realize what he had done be. cause of the state of intoxication he wa. , officers sald. H. Carter Inskeep, Romney, W. Va. who was _slail is said to have sen- nced to jail yesterday, was the father of Lester N. Inskeep, Arlington County correspondent Upon receiving news of the death of his | of The Evening Star. ther Mr. Inskeep departed for Rom- ney. HICAGO LOSES $224,000 IN INCINERATOR DEAL aid $225,000 for Plant Never Used and Sold It for $800. y the Associated Press. CHICAGO, December 18.—The city's incinerator—built in 1914, never used ! and occasionally pointed to as “‘a monu- ment to civic wastefulness,” sold to salvagers for $800. has been The original cost of the incinerator that never incinerated was $225,000. FADE AS BOSSES WORK ,\yDDLEWEST HOPES TO SEE OLD ZLast of Six Mines Shut Down Re- | opens, Diccouraging Union Leaders. Br the Associated Press TAYLORVILLE, December 18.-—Even the remnants of the National Miners’ Union strike in the Christian County coal fields seemed to bé vanishing today. Bosses at Peabody Mine No. 7, were pre- pared to resume loading coal and this mine at Kincaid, 10 miles northwest of were, was regarded as the seat of the miners’ walkout. It is the last of the six mines in this area shut down by the strike to get back to work. 3 With their foothold at No. 7 slipping. leaders of the strike have apparently abandoned their activities in this dis- trict. However, there continued to be considerable talk of unrest among the miners, and some feared there would be trouble after the National Guard troops were withdrawn. All five companies of By the Assoriated Press CHICAGO, December 18.—After nine | d days of mist-laden skies, sunshine wu‘ N predicted for the Middle West today, accompanied by a sharp drop in tem- perature, nipping southward from Win- terbound Canada. Zero by tonight was the forecast for the Chicago area, but the degrees will drop from beneath a clear, blue sky, the Weather Bureau said. N cl n the State Militia mobilized here when the strike was called 10 days ago are till on duty. ral times in the nine sunless "days the Middle West hps resembled | the bleak Winter nights *thz Arctic— hopes for a white Chris | Sunshine, With Sharp Drop in Temperature, Is Expected | Today to Replace Mist. | the absence of Sol setting a record for esertion. Blustering its way from the far orthwest, a plercing wind swept the Dakota prairies, with Williston, N. Dak., reporting a drop of 4 below. ‘The fog nd mist that hung over the North- west was packed into a hard sleet— then to snow that covered parts of orth Dakota to a depth of eight inches, In Chicago, leading physicians de- lared a return of the sunshine was ecessary to halt a possible epidemic of influenza—the misty air carrying great | loads of flu germs, they said. Meanwhile the Weather Bureau gave tmas. change their votes, which have thus far been cast in favor of an increase.” The Lakin letter to Starring said | “we feel much encouraged” and added President. Machado of Cuba had been | advised it would be better “not to inter- | vene, hecause Congress resents ap- | proach from foreign nations.” Lakin was questioned by Senator | Robinson, Republican, " (Continu 'MEXICO IS SILENT ON CLOSING ORDER iForeign Office Indicates Action Re- garding Consulate Will Not Be Rescinded. | By the Associated Press. MEXICO CITY, December 18.—The foreign office remained silent today with regard to closing of the consulate at Laredo, Tex., and there was no in- dication the action might be rescinded. A brief statement was issued last night that the staff of the consulate would be transferred elsewhere. ‘The Mexico City press gave par- ticular prominence to stories of reac- tion to the order in the United States. \Thc- San Antonio corresponent. for El | Universal said the order had created a | sensation there and that exporters were preparing to ship goods by way of Brownsville, The public here received the order with amused interest and considerable speculation with regard to the next step in what was viewed as a game of give and take between District Attorney John _Valls, whose attitude toward Gen. Plutarco Elias Calles and the late Gen, Obregon the Mexican govern- ! ment objected to, and the Mexican government. General opinion was that at least for the time being the Mexican govern- ment had gained the upper hand. The closing order was not expected to af- fect international relations, since it was looked upon as an affair strictly between Mexico and Mr. Valls, with its consequent effect. on Laredo. Megnwhile preparations were made 5 BODIES TAKEN FROM COAL MINE Six of Those Removed Fol- | lowing McAlester Blast Are Unidentified. MCcALESTER, Okla., December 18.— Fifty-two bodies had been recovered at | 7 o'clock this morning from the Old Town Coal Co. mine in North McAlester, where yesterday 62 miners were trapped by an explosion and Frank Parker, a mining engineer, was killed instantly. Parker's body was removed shortly after the blast. Six of these bodies werz unidentified. ‘The bodles of the 52 men were in two | McAlester morgues, The bodies of two men were recovered Jjust before daylight from the leventh<‘ west entry of the mine by rescue work- ‘ers‘who had toiled ceaselessly since 10 | o'clock yesterday morning. The two bodies were bruised and burned to such an extent that identification was diffi- cuilt. These two bodies, those of Henry Skaggs, colored, and Walter Murdock. white, showed that the terriffic blast | which snuffed out the lives of threescore men almost instantly, apparently cen- tered about the seventh west entry. ‘The bodies of Manuel Luna and S. L. Mata were recovered during the night. They were Mexicans and arrived here recently from Texas. They went to work in the mine for the first time yes- terday morning. Proceed to Ventilate. Five rescuers who came to the surface said the bottom of the mine had been reached by the squads working slowly down through the eastern side of the mine. The men then turned their at- tention to the western side, where the gas floated, and began the slow process of ventilating the mine. . They found some rock falls, the men sald, but their work was not seriously impeded in this direction. Hugh C. Rive, general manager of the mine, sald the company carried no compensation insurance for the work- ers. He intimated that the company probably would be unable to give much financial ald to the destitute relatives of the dead miners, and said he did not know whether the mine ever would be_reopened. It would take a huge sum of money, he said, to put the mine in operation again, and the company also would be faced with the superstition of min- | ers, who shun shafts in which great | disasters have occurred. | Rescuers Hampered by Gas. Braving the dread menace of fire, rescue workers who had toiled through the night today continued their grim :ukj of removing bodies from the lower evels. Treacherous gas, which drifted thick- ly through the lower levels of the mine, hampered the rescue squads of more than 200 and much of the effort dur- ing the night was directed at “curtain- ing off” sections of this danger area and in attempts to ventilate the mine. This was a tedious process and it was probable that it would not be completed until late this morning. Fifty-two bodies, swathed in burlap, had been trundled out of the mine shaft and taken to improvised morgues. where fellow-workers had identified 46 of them. Three men had been rescued— carried, uncorscious, from the fifth entry of the shaft. ‘Those still listed as “missing” are dead. in the opinion of Millard D. Hay, chief State mine inspector, who said that_four hours spent in the lower " (Continued on Pa; Column 3.) M’DONALD GREETS U. S. p —_——— British Premier Sends Holiday Wish to America. LONDON, December 18 (4).—Pre- mier Macdonald today sent holiday greetings to the people of the United States. send to my American friends my warm greetings,” he said, “for a happy Christmas and for the New Year. I hope that 1930 will see the birth of a n‘:fi era of effective peace and good will.” UTAH LIKES LONG SKIRTS. ! All University Co-Eds to Wear Them—but by Edict. MOSCOW. 1daho, December 18 (P).— to receive Gen. Calles when he arrives today aboard a special train from Laredo. A number of governors and military commanders have assembled In the city to welcome -the former president, who is returning from a stay abroad for his health. -— Radio E'rogran)’s—?age 34 ‘Willy-nilly, University of Idaho co-eds are going to in style. They are under orders to cover up their knees be- fore returning to school after the Christmas recess. Miss Permeal French, dean of women. announced the edict at a meeting of representatives of sororities and girls’ dormitories. The dean said “measures will be taken” to enforce the order, Wife’s Wish Husband Go to Work Lands 2 In Court for Divorce By Lhe Associated Press. CHICAGO, December 18.—The Langs, Joseph and Katherine, had turkey for Thanksgiving. and the turkey had a wishbone, and they wished. Mrs. Lang, telling the court about it in asking for divorce, said her wish was that her hus- band go to work She told him as much and he shot a hard right to her chin. So she told Judge Charles A. Williams, who indicated he would grant the divorce. “Never mind alimony,” Mrs. Lang said. “And let him keep my automobile. It's worth it.” HOUSE COMMITTEE FAVORS PARKS BILL Cramton Measure Appropri- ates $23,000,000 for Im- provements in District. Favorable action was taken today by the House committee on public build- ings and grounds on the Cramton bill for acquisition, establishment and de- velopment of the George Washington Memorial Parkway along the Potomac River from Mount Vernon and Fort Washington to Great Falls, which also provides for acquisition of lands in the | hart: “I would like to propound to tl\el rookha; District and in Maryland and Virginia for a comprehensive park, parkway and playground system for the National Capital. ‘The Cramton bill authorizes an ap- propriation of $7,000,000 from the Fed- eral Treasury for Tying out this proj- ect. It provides an additional $16,000,000 to be spent on parks and parkways in the Districs. The George Washington Memorial Parkway would include the shores of the Potomac River on both banks, and the legislation includes protection and preservation of the natural scenery of the gorge and the Great Falls and ac- quisition of the old Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, including the early engineering work of George Washington. ‘The Cramton bill provides for exten- sicn of Rock Creek Park into Maryland as may be agreed upon between the National Capital Park and Planni Commission and the State of erylllr:: for preservation of the flow of waters in Rock Creek and the acquisition of other sites to protect the watersheds of the park area. The Cramton bill authorizes an ap- propriation of $16,000,000 for acquiring lands in the District of Columbia for suitable development of the National Capital park, parkway and playground system. This full amount would be avallable for the fiscal year 1931 and thereafter as required for the expedi- tious, economical and efficient accom- plishment of the park program. It would be repaid to the Treasury at the rate of $1,000,000 each year. The National Capital Park and Plan- ning Commission would be required be-: fore purchasing any lands for play- ground purposes to request a report thereon from the District Commission- ers. ‘The bill was introduced in the Senate yesterday by Chairman Capper of the Senate District committee. The Cramton plan calls for & $23 - 000,000 development, the entire amount to be made lable at_once or when "(Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) THLVAN APPOINTS MLEDD 0 DUTES Indicted Marylander -Turns Over Committee Work “During Absence.” ‘While retaining his position as chair- | man of the District committee, Repre- | sentative Zihiman of Maryland. todss | designated the ranking majority mem- | ber of the committee, Representative | McLeod of Michigan, to act for him “during my absence.” The action of Mr. Zihiman, now un- der indictment in connection with charges against himself and other of- ficials of the F.'H. Smith Co., was in- | terpreted to mean that until action in the case has been settled by court Mr. | McLeod will be acting chairman of the District committee. In the Senate, meanwhile, the question | as to whether it ‘would be proper for a member of to in the commil Senators Tydings, Dem , of Mary: land, and Brookhart, Republican, of Towa. Although Representative Zihl- man of Maryland was not mentioned by name, it was made evident that the discussion related to Mi. Zihlman's action in becoming affiliated with the F. H: Smith Co “as a director. The colloquy occurred during con- sideration of the nomination of Richard J. Hopkins to be a Federal judge in Kansas. Stnator Tydings, while speak- ing on that nomination, addressed the following question to Senator Brook- Senator from Iowa (Mr. Bi rt) a question. The Senator from Iowa has just been conducting a very searching investigation into the conduct of a certain member of another body, who, while acting as chairman of a commit- tee dealing with the affairs of the Dis- trict ~ of Columbia, has :rpcmtl! sought to carry on what to and purposes was a legitimate business. “The Senator has been very active in that investigation and a great deal of evidence that he has adduced has been turned over to the court, ‘and upon that evidence the particular member of the House of Representatives has been indicted and will soon come up for trial. Does the Senator from Iowa think it is perfectly proper for a man to be chairman of the committee on the District of Columbia, dealing with the affairs of the City of Washington, and engaged in the real estate business in the City of Washington at one and the same time?” Senator Brookhart, in reply, said he presumed “the rules prohibit me from making observation against any mem- ber of the House, but I see no parallel in the proposition presented the Senator from Maryland. If the rules would permit I would express in very emphatic opinion upon the px:oposltlnn. I have expressed it elsewhere.” Dees Not Mention Name. Senator Tydings replied that he would ake it so the rules will permit an ex- ind se.almr then outlined a hypotheti; question. “I want to assume a case that does not exist,” Senator Tydings continued. “a purely hypothetical one, without mentioning the name of any one. We will suppose in a very high legislative body a member is chairman of the com- mittee on the affairs dealing with the community in which the Legislature sits. We will suppose that, while acting vir- tually as mayor of the city in which the Legislature sits the member is engaged in real estate operation and as such "~ (Continued on Page 2. Column 7. _ IRATE FATHER QUITS PIANO HUNG HIGH IN AIR TO ANSWER WIFE’S SUIT Daughter, Taken by Her, Plays Hookey to Warn Him of What Mother Intends to Do. By the Associated Préss. CHICAGO, December 18.—A piano swung 1dly three stories above the street yesterday for three hours while the' piano mover who had hoisted it there fought in court to defend his home. The Theodore Krzeninskis had been separated three months, Mrs. Lottie Krzeninski taking their 14-year-old daughter, Winifred. Yesterday the mother sent the child to school, then went downtown to court to sue for divorce. Winifred skipped school. Instead of her classes, she ran to the establish- ment which employs her father as a ceeded in raising a piano to the third- floor window. The child told Krzeninski what her mother intended to do. She said Mrs. Krzeninski was going to tell the court her husband had deserted her. The ' piano mover left the piano dangling. With his daughter, he went to the nearest police station, and the police gave them a lift to the court's building by patrol wagon. Krzeninski burst into the court room just as his wife was taking the oath. He rushed forward, shouting that she did not intend to tell the. truth. He had not deserted her, had not struck her. Instead, he charged, his wife had left him and gone with another, tak- ing Winifred. Judge Lynch continued the case, sending Krzeninski back to his piano mover. They told her where he could be found, and she went there, arriying fjust as Krzeninski had suc- iano. He ordered Mrs. Kraeninski locked up on a charge of contributing to her daughter’s ueunquruy. ! |SCRIVENER'S DEATH 1S HELD SUICIDE BY GRAND JURORS, WHO FILE BREF REPORT Body Spends Two Days De- liberating, Despite Majority Reported to Believe He Died by Own Hand. | i “VAGUEST OF CLUES RUN DOWN.” GROUP STATES Findings of Department of Tustice Experts Are Undivuiged, but Probe Is Understood to Have Failed to Produce Tangible Data Bearing Out Murder Theory. Concluding a sweeping investi- gation, the District grand jury to- \ day reported that Detective Sergt. | Arthur B. Scrivener, found shot ito death in a Georgetown alley {three years ago, took his own life, | A coroner's jury the time i alled the case murder. The report, unusually brief, {marked the final move in the |grand jury procedure which fol- |lowed a month spent in question- ing more than 90 witnesses. ' The report was made to Justice Pey- ton Gordon in the District Su- preme Court by the chairman of |the grand jury, James N. Fitz- patrick, jr. % In connection with the verdict it developed today for the first time that one of the most im- portant witnesses heard by the igrand jury was a woman who had |been a close friend of Serivener. It is understood that this witness told the grand jury she was vis- ited by Scrivener the day before his death. -~ Scrivener, visibly worried, re- ported to her his inability to get married the following night. After a consultation with her, he is un- derstood to have told her rather |than postpone his marriage he would take his own life, 8ig- nificance is sdid to have been at- tached to the woman's testimony because of her prominence as a social worker. The report follows: “This grand jury herewith reperts to the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia its finding in the case of the death of Detective Sergt. Arthur Scrivener. Extensive Probe Is Cited. “After an _extensive investigation. hearing and deliberation, the jury finds that Arthur Scrivener came to his death on the morning of October 13, 1926, h‘l‘!m & bullet wound inflicted by him self. “Being cognizant of the strong and varying opinions attached to this mat- ter, the grand jury conducted an ex- haustive investigation into all phases of the case. In keeping.with this pro- cedure, all leads, including even the vaguest of rumors, were run down be- fore the above conclusion was reached.” ‘While Neil Burkinshaw, assistant United States attorney, declined to dis- cuss how the grand jury voted, it was rumored that there was an overwhelm- ing majority in favor of the suicide re- rt. It was learned, however, that the inquisitorial body had spent nearly two days debating over a decision, several members insisting the evidence showed the detective had been murdered. Bears Out Police Officials. The action of the grand jury bore out frequent statements of officials of the Police Department who had vigor- ously contended on numerous occasions (h%h?lm'i;:nn col:lu?ltted suicide. - le the grand jury report gave no inkling of the substance of a report made to that body by experts of the Department of Justice, it was under- stood that an investigation made by that agency had failed to uce any tangible clue that’ would indicate the detective had been killed. ‘The Justice Department was drawn into the case several weeks ago after Sergt. Fred Sandberg, chief of the Po. lice Department Bureau of Identific tion, had testified that a partial finger- print_found on the pistol with which (Continued on Page 2, Column 8.) HARDENED CRIMINALS GONE, SAYS WHALEN New York Police Commissioner Makes Observation in Review of First Year's Work. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, December 18.—Review- ing the‘first year of his administration of the New York Police Department. which was completed today, Commis- sioner Grover A. Whalen declared there are no hardened criminals operating in the city now. “Every business must take stock at regular intervals,” he said. “Our stock in trade is the criminal elemen:. Through bringing the gangsters and other known criminals into uar- ters we eliminated the eriminal from New York. There are no hardened criminals operating in New York today “The crime we have now is of spon- taneous origin and is done chiefly by the youths of 17 and 18 years of age.” In the list of what he considers the major accomplishments of his adminis- tration he placed foremost the new bureau of crime prevention, which is to begin operation January 1. This bureau is designed to study causes and lnmmadles for crime. he placed the reo: ization of the department, with el tion of superauthority and restoration of re- ling | sponsibility to precinct captains. Other innovations in the department have been establishment of ‘a police college and a secret service bureau.