Evening Star Newspaper, January 4, 1930, Page 1

WEATF /(U. 8. Weather Burea: Fair and somewhat est temperature about night: tomorrow fair tures—Highest, 48, at ym&?‘hwut. 33, at 9 am. Full report on ClosingN. Y. Markets, Pages 7, 8 and 9-B 1ER. u Forecast ) colder, with low- 26 _degrees to- and warmer. 1 p=- y. 7. b ¢ Foeni WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION ny Star, in Associated _service. The only evening paper hington with the Press news Yesterday’s Circulation, 111,696 No. 31,294, Toleredhas Entered as second class matter Washington, D. C. WASHINGTON, D. C., SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1930—TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES. % () Means Associated TWO CENTS. Press. UNCLE OF BRADY BELD FOR INQURY IN PROBE OF BOMB THAT SLEW THREE Kinsman of Slain Woman’s| Spouse Confined in Bla-| densburg Jail After Another | Is Freed in Investigation. | DOROTHY> HALL THIRD FATALITY OF DISASTER State’s Attorney Refuses Name of Man Released After Questioning. Fear of Mob Violence Leads Authorities to Place Man in Cell' Nearer Washington. Clarence Brady, elderly uncle| by marriage of Mrs. Naomi Hall Brady, one of a family trio killed by explosion of a dynamite-loaded “Christmas present” at Seat Pleasant, Md., on New Year day, is lodged in the Bladensburg jail for questioning in connection with the outrage. This announcement was made this afternoon by one of the of- ficers investigating the crime. Maryland authorities earlier had admitted the arrest of two per- sons, one of whom later was re- leased, but refused to disclose the name of the prisoner or his place of confinement for fear of possi- ble mob violence. No charges have been placed against Brady, officials said. He is merely be- ing held “for investigation.” Brady is reported to have bzen questioned after his arrest last night concerning re- ports that a rejected suitor became en- raged recently on elarning of the elope- ment of Herman Brady, nephew of the prisoner, with 18-year-old Naomi Hall. One Man Released. Police officials at Marlboro said to- day Brady’s home in Mitchellville, Md., former home of 1 family, was searched last night by investigators. On being arrested Brady is said to have demanded the services of a lawyer. Identity of the man who was released from custody yesterday was withheld by the tl;ollm. e Coun atded wo_de- tective “aces” sent from fi!flfl tr? the of Gov. Ritchie and by Headquarters Detective John Fowler of the Capital homicide squad, were looking today for a suspected accom- lice, as yet unidentified, believed {o ve been the messenger engaged to g:.l.tm the camouflaged bomb to Mrs. dy. ‘The holiday-decorated “gift” package exploded 1n the lap of the young bride of a few weeks, a horrible death to her and her baby brother and sister, Samuel, 19 months old, and Dorothy, 4 Yyears old. Dorothy died early today at BSibley Hospital. Three other members of the family were mutilated. Bits of Paper Found. With Brady behind the bars, in- Vestigators turned their attention this afternoon to the collection of evidence at the scene of the tragic blast. Wid- ening the hole blown in the kitchen floor of the home of John Hall by the downward force of the dynamite, the officers recovered several pieces of paper believed to have been wrapped around the package, on one of which was found some hand writing. The writing is | thought to have been part of the ad- | dress on the box. ‘The officers also found a quantity of nails, supposedly packed around the dynamite; a fragment of wood bearing the words “—— Stove & Manufactur- ing Co.,” possibly part of the box; some Christmas “stickers,” attached to torn bLtis wper; "m‘ of nawspaper. prfi:. ably as packing, and some peculiar splotches of a dark substance which been splattered about the wrecked room. The substance was scraped off and sent to Baltimore for analysis. ‘The group of investigators completed their examination of the Hall premises | shortly after 1 o'clock this afternoon | and then went to Mitchellville to con- duct a search at the Brady farm. A joint funeral for Mrs. Brady and little Samuel was to be held this after- noon from Mount Oak Methodist Church, in Mitchellville, Md., where the Hall family formerly resided. The baby will be buried in the same grave with his elder sister in the presence of the bereaved father, John Hall, and the \éounx husband of Naomi, Herman rady. A few other close relatives and Iriends were expected. Parran was extremely reluctant to discuss the arrest of the suspects. He stressed they were held only for ques- tioning and that it would be unfair to them to make known their names un- less something should develop to war- Fant_lodging of charges. The State’s | (Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) R, Mr. and Mrs. Hoover Send Alaskan Seal Skins to Princess President and Mrs. Hoover have sent 10 Alaskan sealskins as a wedding_gift to Princess Marie Jose of Belgium, who is to marry Crown Prince Humbert of Ttaly. In selecting these skins as & wedding gift, the President and Mrs. Hoover desired to make a gift of something that would be typical of an American product. They. were brown in_color, but not made up into_any garment, the idea of the President and Mrs. Hoover being that the Prin- cess should make this decision herself. The President and Mrs. Hoover knew the young princess very well, having come in contact with her ‘during Mr. Hoover's Belgian relief work, which necessitated his being frequently at the Royal Palace in Brussels. VARE REITERATES INTENTION 70 RUN NG 0.P.PRIVARY Philadelphia Leader Says Name Will Be on Ballots in May Election. By the Associated Press. PHILADELPHIA, January 4.—Wil- liam S. Vare announced today that he was still a candidate for the United States Senate and that his name would appear on the Republican primary bal- Iot in May. Going to Florida. Mr. Vare, who was refused a seat in the Senate last month on the ground that his primary expenses in the sena- torial campaign of 1926 were excessive, made the statement as he was waiting here for a train for Florida. ‘The announcement was prompted by widely published reports that he might not be a candidate for re-election be- cause of his health. After his rejection by the Senate Mr. Vare issued a statement that he was in the fight for a seat in the Senate “to the finish.” When Gov. Fisher appointed Joseph R. Grundy to the vacant seat, Mr. Vare announced that the gubernatorial action did not change his plans. “There is nothing I can add,” Mr. Var: said today, “to the statement I made on the train returning from ‘Washington and the statement I made when Mr. Grundy was appointed Sena- tor, except this: That the first day for getting nomination petitions signed is ‘Wednesday, February 19, and the last day for mailing them is March 31. Insists on State Right. “As I leave today I am giving my throughout Pennsylvania, -at equest and due to numerous letters and telegrams I have received, full authority to circulate and have my petition signed throughout the several counties. “I feel that the right of the great State of Pennsylvania to sclect its own Senator must be upheld. The placing of my name on the primary ballot will give the people of Pennsylvania an opportunity to uphold the Constitution and the rights of the sovereign State of Pennsylvania.” NORMAL RUNS NEAR ON CHINESE RAILS 1) Through Service Linking Asia and| d Europe Expected Within Few Days. By the Associated Press. TOKIO, January 4.—Restoration within a few days of normal through service on the Chinese Eastern Railway, important link in the overland system connecting Europe and Asia, was prom- ised today in belated consular and press dispatches reaching here from Harbin. The reports told of establishment of the new Sino-Russian railway regime at Harbin January 1, marking an end to the unsettled state of the railway during the six months of controversy between Russia and China over its control and operation. Julius Rudy was installed as manager and M. Denissov as assistant manager. All Russian department heads who were dismissed when the Chinese government seized the railway last July were reinstated. The new president of the railway is Mc Teh-Hui, who once was a close lieutenant of the late Chang Tso-Lin, Manchurian war lord. Kuo Chung-Hsl, is the new Chinese assistant manager The five Chinese and five Russians composing the new directorate held their first meeting shortly after inaugu- ration of the new management. The dispatches said the outwardly friendly aspect of the launching of the new regime was heightened by the release of all Russian prisoners. Conforming to the Khabarovsk proto- col settling the rallway dispute the Chinese disbanded all White Russian military units and deported 14 of their | leaders. “HARD” TRAFFIC POLICEMAN “CUSSES” JUDGE UNKNOWINGLY Officer Harangues Presiding Police Court Justice for| Violation on Avenue. Imagine the embarrassment of a “hard” traffic policeman, who after “cussing out” a motorist in the ac- customed style of such officers, later discovers that the man he harangued was the presiding judge of the Police Court. Such was the case yesterday when & burly policeman stopped Judge Gus A. Schuldt’s car at Eighth street and Pennsylvania avenue. David F. Wil- liams, a court bailiff, was chauffering, the magistrate and some out-of-town friends on a sight-seeing trip about the city. Williams halted behind a street car which was taking on passengers and started forward again when the "trolley steps had been drawn up, al- though the car was not in motion. ter of the intersection, “where in the h--- do you think you are going? Can't you see that big car back there?” sald the “bluecoat,” coming up on the run. “But, officer, I was under the im- pression that it was all right to pa: a car after the steps have fold:d, said the judge. “No. no, you're wrong. Youse guys must be a bunch of hicks, ain't you? I s'pose you'd better come around to the station house,” sald the dutiful one. “But, officer, T havz never been in any trouble in may life,” begged Willilams. “You're just lucky, then. You don't know how to drive. None of you know nothing about rules. I recken I'll let you go this time. Who's the old bird, your daddy?” asked the petulant polic: man, indicating the judge, who w: seat°d in the front seat with the driver. ‘The balliff shook his head and drove offl. “Didn't know him,” said the “Whoa,” came a voice from fhe cen- judge to one of his guests. o SHELBY ASSALS ALLENS ACTION IPHERSDN CASE Inspector Tells Trial Board of Efforts to Get Data From Policeman. VICTIM’S HUSBAND QUESTIONED AT HOME Parents Present During Quizzing, but Warned Not to Interfere, He Says. A Dbitter attack was made on former Policeman Robert J. Allen today by Inspector William S. Shelby when he took the witness stand in his own de- fense before the extraordinaty police trial board which is sifting the charges that he and Lieut. Edward J. Kelly bungled the police investigation of the death of Mrs. Virginia McPherson. The attack came while Shelby was relating the details of his check-up on Allen’s claim that he had seen a man escape from the rear of the Park Lane Apartment prior to the finding there of the garroted body of Mrs. McPher- son. Shelby said when he was first in- formed of Allen’s statement that he had a witness who had seen a man on the roof or the Park Lane res- faurant he was “shocked and amazed to learn that the Police Department had on its rolls a man so base and so low as to retain, locked in his heart, information which, if true, was vital to the public justice.” “Considering its source,” the police official added, “I did not give any credence to the state- ment.” Shelby occupled the witness stand throughout the entire morning session of the trial board and gave a complete and chronological account of the part he played in the investigation of the McPherson case. Outlines Long Career. Shelby began his testimony by giving an outline of his long career on the police force back to 1902, recounting, step by step, the various promotions which carried him from a private to his present rank of assistant superin- tendent. He then turned to a detailed review of the part he played in the now famous McPherson case, Shelby startec with his first inter- view with Lieut. Kelly relative to his preliminary investigation of Mrs. Mc- .!:‘h:wn‘l death when B3 homicide squad of the Detective to him that it was , but had the ele- ments of suicide ” Net Present at Autopsy. Shelby said he was not present when the autopsy was performed on the body of Mrs. McPherson, but while at the District morgue he heard Dr. Joseph D. Rogers, deputy coroner, telephone to the third precinct and direct release of Robert A. McPherson, who was being held there for investigation, and ordered that he and his father, Robert A. Me- Pherson, sr., be summoned to attend the inquest at the morgue. Returning to headquarters, Shelby said he was advised of a long distance telephone call from A. A. Hurley, father of Mrs. McPherson, who lives in Ches- ter, 8. C., reporting that he had letters Tom his daughter indicating domestic ifficulties. On the basis of this in- formation he declared he issued an order for a thorough investigation of this angle of the case. Call Six Weeks Before. On returning to police headquarters, Inspector Shelby said, Sergt. Guy Em- brey told him of a telephone call he had recelved about six weeks before from Mrs. McPherson’s father, who complained that his daughter was being mistreated by McPherson and requested the police to look into the matter. An investigation was made, the witness sald, but no condition was found at that time to justify police interference. Shelby said that he and Kelly then began a detailed discussion of the case. Kelly informed him he had received in- | formation that a girl named Dorothy Ringer had been to the McPherson apartment on Thursday night. He said that he and Kelly went to this girl's apartment in Trinity Towers, but that | she was not at_home. He then told —_(Continued on_Page 3. Column 3. Motive Power Advertising is the motive power to push your business to the front. Local merchants with an eye to business used The Star again yesterday to the greatest extent to reach practically everybody in Washington with announce- ments about their merchan- dise. - Circulation Yesterday’s Circulation, 111,696 Year Ago.......... 106,928 Increase . .. Advertising Lines. 43,570 25,080 6,157 4,833 2,745 38,815 4,755 2d Newspaper 3d Newspaper 4th Newspaper. 5th Newspaper. STAR'S Excess. .. the deposed head | _ T NS R S =2 f \Smsrnmfi b NATOR SMOOT SURMIS BELGIAN PRINCESS ON SECRET ROUTE TO WEDDING IN ROME Special Train Closely Guarded After Departure F Amid By the Associated Press. BRUSSELS, January 4.—Speeding over a secret route to avold enemies of her betrothed, Princess Marie Jose today was on her way to Rome to be- come the bride of Prince Humbert, heir to the Italian throne. Her spe- cial train should reach Rome Monday. The wedding is set for Wednesday. ‘The Belglan royal party, in three special trains, left here at 9:40 p.m. last night. An hour later it entered Prance at Jeumont-Aulnoye and pro- ceeded toward Basle, Switzerland, by way of Charleville, Longuyon and Nancy. A shorter and more difficult route was abandoned because of the danger of anti-Fascist activities. cautio rked e Pollos cleared the raflway station and sur- rounding streets before the royal party, consisting of King Albert, Queen Eliza- beth, Princess Marie Jose, the Crown Prince and Princess and Prince Charles, arrived. Cheered by Crowds. Crowds outside the banned section cheered as the pretty 23-year-old princess was borne (0 the train which was to take her from her homeland. Queen Elizabeth also was cheered. It was her first public appearance in six weeks. She appeared pale, but waved a cheerful farewell to the crowds. Princess Marie Jose walked with her father at the head of the procession from automobiles through the deco- rated station to the waiting trains. Once aboard the train her eyes obvious: Iy were misty as she leaned from rom Brusse]s Cheers. | window to wave her own farewell to friends and country people. Several times she buried her face in a corsage of lilies of the valley which she wore to hide her emotion. Necessity for guarding the station at her de- parture and the necessary elaborate | precautions against mishap en route were known to have saddened her. As the trains started cheers and shouts of “Long live the princess,” “Long live Prince Humbert” and “Long live the King” could be heard. And as the train disappeared in the night the princess could be seen still waving her gloved hand. Officials Arrive Early. Officials and other dignitaries arrived at the railway station half an hour be- fore the princess and the remaindcr of the royal family. Princess Matie Bouauer of orange blossoms by Baronens bouguet of ol 0 Lemonnier. nnxx; she and her mother wore fur coats, while her father and two brothers were in full dress uniform. Thirty young girls, pupils of the Brus- sels School of Music, chanted a song as the party entered the station. ‘The journey to Basle, across the shortest edge of Northeastern France, was arranged so that progress thro French territory would be made in th dead of night. The route enabled the trains to evade the French Riviera, where many enemies of the Fascist re- gime and the House of Savoy live in exile. The exact routing was not made public, Several plots against the lives of the royal party recently have been uncov- ered. A few weeks ago ap attempt wos made against the life of Prince Hum- bert during his visit to Brussels to an- nounce his betrothal. His assallant was | an Italian expatriate living in France. POLICE ARREST 2 INDEMONSTRATION Group Parades in Front of Mexican Embassy, Criti- cizing Officials. Thirty-two persons, including a sprin- kling of schoolgirls in their early teens and schoolboys, were placed under technical arrest shortly after noon to- day while staging a demonstration in front of the Mexican embassy at Six- teenth street and Columbia road. The men and women were bearing large placards which contained inscrip- tions criticizing the Mexican govern- ment officials for alleged unjust and cruel treatment of Communists in that country. Some disorder resulted when the polics reserves were loading the | defendants into the patrol wagon. Police Use Force. Several of the men resisted and were forcibly thrust into the wagon. At No. 10 precinct police say several of those under arrest made an attempt to_escape and had to be overpowered. The officers at No. 10 precinct tele- phoned Maj. Pratt, superintendent of police, for advice as to what charges should be plced against them. It was indicated, however, that at least five or six would be booked on disorderly conduct counts. ‘The so-called Communists collected on the sidewalk in front of the em- bassy about nocn and exhibited a score of large white placards bearing criti- cism of the Mexican government. Members of the party, including both | colored and white, said they were from Baltimore and Washington. The demonstration consisted princi- pally of short cheers and songs de- manding the release of the Communist prisoners and condemning President- elect Ortiz Rublo, President Hoover and the present government in Mexico. Ban- ners carried by the group bore lines saying “Hoover and Rubio, both enemies of the worker.” Others sald “Down with American imperialism in Mexico.” A%s Release for Group. Ambareador Tellez of Mexico asked that the demonstrators be released, the request being made through the State Department. Tellez explal his ac- tion by saying that inasmuch as Mexico's government was based upon the ideals of freedom of opinion he saw no reason why any undue significance should be placed on the demonstration by the so-calied young Compmiinists. Embassy officlals seemed inclined to regard the whole matter as a plece of unlooked-for amusement. » BUSINESS GAINS CHEER PRESIDENT Hoover Sees Encouraging Re- sults of Drive to Stabilize Nation’s Industries. By the Associated Press. President Hoover contemplated today —and found encouraging—the results of his drive to boost construction and improvement work in an effort to ab- sorb unemployment. ‘Three major lines of American busi- ness endeavors submitted a budget of $4,700,000,000 for 1930. This, with many items still to be added, gave premise that the total to be expended during the year would be larger than that for 1929. ‘The largest amount was that of public utilities and telephone companies, but the total of public works continued to grow with 19 States untouched in the survey and 13 others only partially cov- ered. Sixteen States were complete, ‘The public utility and telephone groups fixed their estimate at $2,100,- ! 000,000; public works, including those of the Federal Government, reached $1,550,000,000 and railrcads set a total of $1,050,000,000. Surveys for the States move toward the White House daily, and the Presi- dent said he expected they would be| completed by the middle of this month. | In addition to these, Mr. Hoover pointed out that this total did not in- (Continued on Page 2, Column 8.) LAYS BLAST TO MATCH. OKLAHOMA CITY, January 4 m.—| After an extensive investigation | D. Hay, chief State mine ins] ', has decided the e: of gas in the Town Coal Mine of North which on December 17 killed was caused by lighting of & match lms le? into the mine in deflance of a aw, wmy said hh‘eu{xl;ln,:m was wl 8 Jrocess of e tion, there ap- ly being no other possible cause for blast. He sald mitted mine owners to search em) for m-u:hs.u:o search was into the shaft. ———— Radio Programs on Page B-16 'lnhvn-:‘. SEVEN DIE, 8 HURT INBUS-TRAIN CRASH High School Pupils Victims of Wreck During Blinding Sleet Storm. By the Assoclated Press. WOOSTER, Ohio, January 4.—Help- less victims of a speeding train which cut through the night and a blinding sleet storm to crush their bus while they laughed and talked of their basket ball games, seven youths were dead and eight other high school boys and girls were in hospitals today. The dead boys, all of them between 14 and 18 years of age, were members of the high school basket ball team of Burbank, near here. They were on their way home, happy over defeating their old rivals at Big Prairie, another nearby village, when a Pennsylvania Railroad fiyer struck - their bus ‘at a ecrossing near Shreve, 10 milles south of here, last night. The dead are: Wilbur and Forest Grubb, brothers. Claude Repp. ‘Wayne Lehman, Emil Timie. Eugene Talley. Willard Baker. Most Seriously Hurt. The most seriously injured were Edith Repp, who suffered fractures of both legs and may die, and Lola Talley, sister of the dead boy, who received a broken leg. + The others injured, most of whom suffered nothing more serious than cuts and bruises, are Charles Packard, Don- ald Lehman, Alice West, Ellen Cowhick, Grace Flory, Maurice Lenz, coach of the Burbank team, and Joseph Baker, 50, driver of the bus. The crumpled bus was carried down the track 100 feet, and bodles were strewn four times that distance as the banter and gayety. of the youngsters was changed to shrieks and the smash- ing of steel and splintering of wood. Ambulances were called from Wooster, and raced perilously over the ice-cov- ered highway to take the injured to Wooster’s two hospitals. Bus Driver Overcome. Baker, the bus driver, was overcome and unable to give any coherent ex- planation of what happened. He could not remember whether he stopped be- fore climbing the incline to the cross- ging. The crossing at the hour of the accident—after 10 o'clock—is protected only by a bell and flash signal. Coach Lenz and those of the injured who were able to talk likewise did not know what occurred before the rushing train was | upon them. Penmxlvnmn Railroad of- ficlals at Shere apparently Baker had not seen the train coming through the storm and started across directly in front of it. The tragedy hit hard at Burbank, a town of only 500 people. Every one knew the boys and girls on the basket bal teams and many had journeyed to root for them at Big Prairie. The rooters started home ahead of the players, who had to have time to change clothese, eager to tell how the boys team had eated their old enemies, although the girls lost. Word of the accident traveled rapidly, however, and soon the hospitals and | undertaking establishments here were filled with the better part of Burbank's residents, mothers and fathers rushing anxiously from place to place to find their sons and daughters. The rooters, who had turned back, were joined by many others who hastily started for ‘Wooster when, instead of accounts of the games, they received the messages of death. WALES FACING SEA GALE. Vessel Bearing Him to South Af- rica Hit by Storm. 8. 8. KENILWORTH CASTLE, Janu- ary 4 (#).—After ploug down the English Channel in the teeth of a flerce ‘westerly throughout the night the steamer flworth Castle, the Prince of Wales to South Africa, passed Ushant this morning and met the full force of the gale as it swept across the of 3 ship plunged and tossed violentl; on the lm%rneu. of the bay, whose turmoil was lightened by brilliant sun- | ‘The prince shine. and rested. Japan to Withold Action. ‘TOKIO, January 4 (#).—The Japa- nese government is taking no official notice n;l‘ China’s proclamat kept to his cabin lon abolish- ity, it is understood that Tokio's policy is to withhold action until lncunt‘ln’afln e':mr;vl:gln} the extraterritoriality rights wi japan insists remain valid. B in. Y | to the model room and opened it. The | pects LONGWORTH BELIEVES BLAZE AT CAPITOL WAS WHOLLY ACCIDENTAL Loss From Fire in Old Library Space Is Estimated at Less Than $3,000. {ARCHITECT EXPECTED TO MAKE WRITTEN REPORT TO OFFICIALS No Structural Inj ury Results From Flames and Duplicates Exist for Destroyed Documents. Expressing belief that the Capl after receiving an informal report of the Capitol, Speaker Longworth sai no reason for any special investig: Mr. Lynn told him that there is in the loft of the Carr himself to be satis: that it was fortunate that partment had been able to itol where the fire was, and the S ed that the fire was caused prol taneous combustion or possibly by some one smoking. itol fire last night was an accident, today from David Lynn, architect this afternoon that he sees ation. considerable inflammable material geaker declared ably by spon- He declared ?lrompt work by the Washington Fire De- old the fire to the one small room in the attic near the dome, with a loss of $3,000. The fire centering in the attic of the old library space attracted Nation-wide attention, following within two weeks the Christmas eve fire in the attic of the White House. There was no serious structural damage, the charred boards and other wood carried out this was from tables and shelving. the breaking of the skylight ovi at the base of the dome. er morning in cleaning up the debris ‘The most serious damage was through the artist’s studio, or mcdel room, The investigation Which Mr. Lynn conducted last night and this morning shows that Charles Moberly, in retouching decorative work in the C: who helped to decorate the Libras ing all day yesterday in his studi and was resting in his studio. the artist regularly employed apitol for nearly 40 years and ry of Congress Building, after work- 0, had sent out for something to eat A friend, Sam Hall, who has, at various times, been employed in the Capitol and House Office Build- ing, was visiting with Mr. Moberly. Mr. Hall testified that while he was reading a paper he smelled smoke and saw it coming from under a fence which separates the large storage room for old documents which adjoins the artist’s studio. This is really not a part of the old library space formerly occupied by the Library of Congress, but was finished in 1902, when the old library space was reconstructed. Tries to Put Out Fire. Mr. Hall said that Mr. Moberly had fallen asleep and that as soon as he 1t saw the smoke he ran for the fire extinguisher and tried to put out the fire. When he found that he could not put it out he called to the operator of a small elevator that runs from a side corridor between Statuary Hall and the rotunda and told him to turn in a fire alarm. fire was probably due to spontaneous combustion. He described a tub of rags near a wooden table in the model room. “These rags are waste and are soaked with oil,” I do not remember definitely when the tub was emptied. It is customary to pour water on the rags in this tub to prevent fire, but I do not recall that water was put on th}edm yesterday.’ . that the other Capitol artist had been restoring some paintings, using a spe- cial preparation composed of inflam- mable materials that morning. With the recent fire in the Executive office at the west wing of the White Hnluel'.fll!mhlnh{l Mr. Hall, with the assistance of sev- | d eral employes who hurried in, aroused Mr. Moberly and took him down two flights to the office of Minority Leader Garner, where, after resting and being | fu attended by the naval physician to the House, Mr. Moberly was taken to his home. He was not seriously in- jured by inhaling smoke and was at the Capitol before 8:30 o'clock this morning in conference with Mr. Lynn. After a conference with Capt. Gnash of the Capitol policé force Mr. Lynn sald that “all of the information that has come to me after talking with all parties involved has not convinced me as to the origin of last night's fire. It may have been caused either by spontaneous combustion or by some- body smoking. No reports have con- vinced me smoking."” Mr. Lynn said that he had talked with Mr. Moberly and that Mr. Moberly said he had not been smoking. He said also that Mr. Hall said that neither he nor Mr. Moberly had been smoking. Unable to Fix Cause. Asked directly as to who he believed had started the fire, Mr. Lynn replied: “That we have not been able to deter- mine. Possibly it was through spon- taneous combustion.” He explained, when questioned re- garding oily rags used by the painter, that a tub was kept in the room into which the rags were thrown and that they were supposed to bs wet at the end of each day. Whether this was done or not last night, Mr. Lynn said, he did not know. o In answer to questions, he said that Mr. Moberly told him he had fallen asleep in the room and when he was awakened the flames burst in through the door. Mr. Lynn said that the house physi- cian, Dr. Carver, had taken charge of Mr. Moberly, who was in an extremely nervous condition, and said that Mr. Mobeley had been overcome by smoke. Mr. Moberly has been working on the retouching of wall decorations in the Senate corridor. This scaffolding was taken down today. Mr. Lynn ex- plained that this was done because the| | work was nearly finished and he de-|ing from the Capitol sired to remove the obstruction from the corridors, as Congress is about to resume work. ‘While Mr. Lynn has not yet reported to the Speaker and the Vice President, who, by act of Congress, are in charge of the Capitol Building, and whose agent is in charge of the building, he will probably appear soon before the House committee on appropriations to make a statement regarding the amount of money necessary to make repairs resulting from the fire, and that funds for this purpose will be carried in the deficlency appropriation bill. Had Not Been Smoking. “I had not been smoking at any time during the day of the fire,” said Mr. Moberly today when questioned as to whether the fire might have started in that way. He stated that no other person was in the studio after 4 o'clock as far as he knows and that he had fallen asleep there. “I went to the studio between 2 and 3 e'clock in the afternoon after Going some work in the Senate wing of the Capitol,” sald Mr. Moberly. “I worked for a while on some drawings and put- ting away material and straightening up around the studio. About 4 o'clock I fell asleep with my head on my arm on the desk where I had been sketching. “I was awakened by a noise whic! sounded like something trying to break I rushed to the inner doar leading flames of the fire were so intense that was overcome and do not remember anything until I came to on a couch in Representative Garner’s office.” Lonesome at Home. Mr. Moberly explained that the rea- son he stayed in the studio after his day's work was done was beca lives in Mount Ida, Va., alone lonesome there.” He said he preferred to remain in his studio and do some sketch work to pass the time away. Mr. Moberly agrees with the opinion expressed by Architect Lynn that the that it was caused by |, use he | not and “it is | pi . talk- ed with a number of Senators and Rep- resentatives over the telephone. A num- ber of the latter not being able m sufficient information elsewhere :the White House. One of the few automobiles allowed within the fire lines was a White House car which brought George Akerson, one of the President’s secretaries, to the scene. He rode around the bul.ldln: watching the firemen fight the fire an getting information about the extent of the damage to take back to the President. ‘Time of Origin Obscure. Just when the fire started is uncer- + tain, but it is believed that it had been burning for about an hour before it was discovered. When Sydney W. Mitchell, superintendent of the House folding room, left the building, about 6:15 p.m., he thought he smelled smoke, but he supposed the odor came from an open ng in one of the nearby congressional offices. John J. Heimburger of the Capitol police force was one of the first to see the flames shooting from the roof. He saw them while he was patrolling the grounds outside the big buflding. He hurried inside and called John L. Bass, who was patrolling the rotunda floor. They then notified the night electrician, Several of the Capitol attaches rushed toward the fire alarm box in the House wing and this morning there was some doubt as to just who “pulled” the first box that notified the fire department that the Capitol was on fire. At head- quarters it was said that the first alarm came from box 563, in the Capitol, House side, at 6:57 p.m. The second John Boyd, 933 Grant place, Marshall Hickey, 406 Seventh street southwest, claim to have been among the first to see the flames. They sald they were riding east on Pennsylvania avenue in a taxicab, when Boyd saw flames shoot~ roof. At first they (Continued on Page 3, Column 1.) 'BOMBING OF CAR LAID | T0 DRIVER OF JITNEY { Arrest Follows Testimony of Two Claiming to Have Seen Package Placed on Rails. { { By the Associated Press. NEW ORLEANS, January 4.—Vincent Vineza, 23-year-old driver of a “jitney,” was under arrest here today, charged with violating a Federal injunction pro- tecting the property of the street car operators. Sixty-four trolleys have been dynamited since the beginning of a carmen’s strike last Summer. Police sald two persons, whose names were not disclosed, had reported seeing Vineza place a package on car tracks a few minutes before a trolley was bombed two months ago. Despite_a recent announcement of Supt. of Police Theodore . Bave beea <direetly irectly responsible for the bomb- lice said Vineza told them he had ited a trolley, but merely had He 1. the secondsuspect o be ar- rested since the bombings began. One person was taken into custody several months ago, but subsequently was re- 3