Evening Star Newspaper, December 15, 1934, Page 1

‘WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair, not quite so cold tonight, minimum temperature about 32 degrees; tomorrow cloudy and warmer, probably followed by rain. Temperatures—Highest, 44, at 3:30 p.m. yesterday; lowest 28, at 7 a.m. today. Fuil report on page A-4. ¢ Fpening Star 2o ‘WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION Yesterday’s Circulation, 125,245 Closing N. Y. Markets, Pages 11, 12, 13 No. 33,100. post office, W PLAN TO MOBILIZE INDUSTRY IN WAR Senators May Publish De- tails of U. S. Business’ Pact. MILITARY MEN DECLARE EXPOSURE WOULD HURT Committee Members Doubt Firms’ Agreement Would End Large Profits in Wartime. By the Associated Press. A secret plan in the possession of the United States Army, designed to mobilize industry in the event of an- other war, engaged the attention of the Senate Munitions Committee to- day. A contention has been made to the committee that, under this plan, in- dustry already has arranged to forego any inflated war profits. Members of the committee dispute this, and the investigators called an executive meeting for today to decide whether public disclosure of the plan’s details would jeopardize national defense. Military strategists contend 1t would. There were indications that Secretary Dern had promised the committee complete access to the War Department’s secret plans, but declined to accept responsibility for their disclosure. Some foreign gov- ernments are said to have shown in- terest in this phase of the investiga- tion on the possibility something of military value to them might come to light. Committee members say the Army plans would not take profits out of war, but would make large profits for industrial organizations possible. Denied by Probers. The contention of investigators is that, under these plans, each major 4ndustrial plant knows what proper- tlon of business it would receive, and that Reserve officers, who in private life are connected with manufactur- ing concerns, would be drawn into the Army’s purchasing departments to allot contracts in wartime. The committee expected to spend most of next week developing this phase. The week will conclude the present series of public hearings. Later the committee will summarize its findings in an attempt to show Congress it should be given more funds to inquire into banking, ship building and steel in connection with its munitions inquiry. “Next week will be a mighty in- teresting one,” Senator Vandenberg, Republican, of Michigan, said today. Anticipating more funds to con- tinue the inquiry, the committee al- ready has asked Patrick J. Hurley, former Secretary of War and chair- man of the War Policies Commission, to tell in January about the Policy Board’s recommendations for moves against war profits, The eommittee also considered go- ing into the connection of the banks to the munitions manufacturers, in which case J. P. Morgan & Co, would be subjected to another Senate grilling. The bank acted as purchas- ing agents for the allies in the pro- curement of war supplies here, Auditive Testimony. Late yesterday the committee heard Arthur C. Carnduff, former special attorney in the Justice Department, testify the Government failed to audit properly a powder plant ac- count of the Du Ponts, munitions makers. He said Attorney General Daugherty in 1923 removed him from the case at a time when he believed the company owed the Government at least $900,000. ‘The Du Ponts, disputing this sharp- iy, said Government auditors exam- Ined everything minutely, at one time turning thumbs down on $2 for a {:'unmn pen because the pen was t. The testimony indicated the Du Ponts, through the improper audit- ing, disputedly made a profit of $1,- 961,000 at no financial risk to them- selves, The Du Ponts termed “ridiculous” & statement that the “profit” figure represented a 39,231 per cent return on investment and contended that, after deducting taxes and other out- lays, the figure dwindled to $286,346. In an ultimate settlement, they told the committee, the $900,000 of which Carnduff spoke was reduced to sbout $400,000 by the deduction of sums later found to be due the com- pany from the Government. They denied, too, a Carnduff statement that when he left the case they had con- ceded his claim to be correct and were ready to settle for $900,000 in return for a “receipt in full.” Carnduff said that what he wanted more than anything else was an audit of the company’s books covering the contract for the famous Old Hickery powder plant in Tennessee. He reiterated “there had been no thorough audit by the Government.” ‘The only complete audit that he knew of had been made by the Du Ponts themselves, he asserted. Hiss Asks Records. Alger Hiss, alert young committee investigator, who conducted the exam- ination, asked Lieut. Col. C. T. Harris of the War Department to bring to Monday’s heagng all the War De- partment records concerning the au- diting of the Du Pont account. This he sald later was for the purpose of establishing that no complete audit had been made and no records could be found. ‘The signing of the Old Hickory con- tract was preceded by several months for profits by the Du Ponts, and the disclosure was the most Entered as second class matter ashington, D. C. @h WASHINGTON, D. C., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1934—TWENTY-SIX PAGES. ## Toy. Matinee Brings Thousands Of Gifts to Needy Children Record Crowds Wait in Line at Theaters STUDIED AT PROBE| Hours Before Opening Time 1o Keep Faith With Unfortunate. T APPEARS as {f it is going to be a Merry Christmas for Washing- ton’s poor children after all. New toys and gifts and new articles of clothing by the tens of thousands poured in to the 11 theaters where The Star-Warner Bros." toy matinees were held this morning, brought by generous persons who seemed kindly determimed that there should be no forgotten child in,Wash- ington this Christmas. They came from all directions— from all parts of Washington and from nearby towns in Maryland and Virginia—in a steady stream which began early this morning and con- verged toward the many theaters where the finest of entertainment awaited them. Although the downtown theaters, the Earle and the Metropolitan, opened their doors at 8:30 am. and the nine neighborhood houses at 9:30, long waiting lines of children and grownups began forming before opening time, and it was soon evident that record throngs were gathering. Theater managers reported larger crowds than ever before attended The Star-Warner Bros.' matinees during the three years in which they have proved so successful, and it is certain that when the count is made it will be found that the gifts for Washington's needy children will outnumber by many thousands those which have been brought to previous perform- ances. The Christmas display in the Earle ~(Continued on Page 2, Column 4.) [7DIE AS STORM WRECKS STEAMER Two Rescuers Among Vic- tims as 11 of British Crew Are Pulled From Danger. By the Associated Press. LIVERPOOL, December 15.—Seven- teen men perished during attempts to rescue the crew of the British freighter Usworth as wild seas reduced the ship to a helpless hulk. Advices to the Cunard-White Star Line from the liner Ascania said today that 15 members of the Usworth's crew had been lost, along with two mem- bers of the crew of the Belgian liner Jean Jadot, which, with the Ascania, went to the rescue of the stricken freighter. The master of the Ascania informed the line that 11 members of the freighter’'s crew had been rescued, nine by the Ascania and two by the Jean Jadot. ‘The Usworth was abandoned and was drifting helplessly east by south- { east, with a heavy list to port, the Ascania’s message said. Described by Captain. Heroic attempts to rescue the help- less members of the Usworth's crew ‘were described by Capt. Sadie Gon- thier, master of the rescue ship Jean Jadot, in a wireless dispatch to the Associated Press. As the seas rolled furiously in a wild storm of hurricane force the Jean Jadot launched a lifeboat carrying 10 members of her crew who volunteered for the rescue attempt. The Ascania stood by, pouring hundreds of tons of oil on the ocean'’s surface. The Jean Jadot's boat finally came alongside the Usworth, Capt. Gonthier said, and started taking off her crew. It was a perilous job, for the sea kept hurling the rescue boat against the Usworth’s sides and the freighter’s men were forced to slide down a line to reach the Jean Jadot’s boat. Eight men had been taken off the freighter when a huge wave swamped the little boat and it became fouled in cargo derricks hanging over the side of the Usworth. The rescue boat edged away, rolling in the raging sea. Suddenly another big wave swept over the frail boat and it capsized, with its 18 ‘pasengers plunging helplessly into the water. ‘The Jean Jabot rushed another boat over the side and managed to pick up 8 of the 10 volunteers and two of the Usworth's crew. The two men lost from the Jean Jadot were the fourth officer and an- other member of the crew. Another Boat Launched. The Ascania then launched a boat and took off other survivors while the storm continued unabated. The, Usworth was stricken helpless about 850 miles east of Newfoundland when giant waves smashed her steer- ing gear. She sent out calls for help and the Jean Jadot hurried to her as- sistance. The Belgian liner managed to get lines aboard the Usworth and was endeavoring to tow the helpless boat to safety when the storm tore the two vessels apart, and for 10 hours they were separated. Then came on SOS appeal from the Usworth that her situation was precarious and that the crew must be taken off. The Jean Jadot and the Ascania arrived to start their rescue work with its tragic results. Details regarding the deaths of the other seven victims were not contained in the dis- patch from the Ascania. YOUTH CONVCTE N PATRGDE CASE Rockville Jury, After Record Trial, Finds Lowell Hash, 22, Guilty. Bpecial Dispatch to The Star. ROCKVILLE, Md., December 15.— Lowell Hash, 22-year-old Quince Or- chard resident, was convicted of man- slaughter in the death of his father, Edgar J. Hash, by a jury in the Mont- gomery County Circuit Court today. Sentence was deferred. The jury, which was given the case at 2:15 o'clock this morning after the longest continuous court session in the county’s history, deliberated for 7 hours ahd 10 minutes before returning its verdict at 9:25 am. The max- imum penalty for manslaughter is 10 years in the State penitentiary. Cousin Testifies. ‘Testimony of Addison Phipps, a first cousin of the defendant, who struck and fatally injured his 44-year-old father with an iron pipe during an altercation in a barn on the Hash dairy farm at Quince Orchard last June, is believed to have played an important part in the jury’s decision. Shortly before the case was given to the jury, Phipps, employed by the elder Hash at the time of the alterca- tion, told the court that young Hash struck his father while the latter was seated on a milking stool and that the father made no attempt to attack his son, as claimed in the self-defense plea. Backed in Part. The defendant, whose testimony was corroborated in part by his two broth- ers, said that his father grabbed a metal stool he was using in milking cows at the time and rushed toward the son with the stool upraised as if to strike him. Carried back by the onslaught, the witness said, Lowell Hash grabbed a pipe and struck his father several times, felling him. Young Hash said Phipps was in a nearby dairy room at the time of the altercation and could not have seen what transpired. Several witnesses who testified that Phipps had since remarked to them he did not see what had transpired in the barn, also were presented. Testimony also was introduced in an effort to show that Phipps, who was discharged by young Hash and his mother three months after the death of the elder Hash, has testified against the defendant to “revenge” his dismissal. Claimed Father Drinking. Hash said that his father was drinking at the time of the altercation. He testified that he asked his father which pasture he should use to turn out the cows for the night and was told by the latter that he “didn’t give a damn” where they were put. His father, the witness said, then grabbed up a milking stool, rushed toward him and struck at him several times. He said that he believed his father, who had threatened both his life and that of his mother on several occasions, intended to kill him and he seized the pipe and struck him over the head. The elder Hash died in the Montgomery County General Hos- pital later that night. The case went to trial yesterday at 10:20 a.m. and was given to the jury this morning after a 16-hour session, which was halted only for brief inter- missions and recesses for meals. Dollar Liner in Collision. SHANGHALI, December 15 (#).—The Dollar liner President Jefferson suf- fered & damaged bow in Hongkong harbor yesterday when the Danish motor ship Afrika collided with her, according to information received by the line today. The Jefferson was at anchor awaiting docking. Biggest Pre-Yule Pay Roll Since War Distributed Today The largest pre-Christmas pay roll since wartime was distributed by the Government here today, estimates disbursement above $7,000,000. In addition to some 93,000 employes in the executive establishments, those in the District service, and in the legislative and judicial branches got checks or cash for the first half of the month. In consequence, a huge turnout in the shopping district e basis of President Roosevelt yesterday after- uiry. | noon closing all establishments at mittee members charged impeded the Government in the prosecution of the £ on Christmas and New Year The order applied only to the Fed- eral Government, but will be !ollawedl It follows: by the District also. “It is hereby. ordered that the sev- eral executive departments, independ- ent establishments and other Govern- ment agencies in the District of Co- lumbia, including the Government Printing Office and the Navy Yard and stations, be closed at 1 p.m. on Monday, December 24, 1934, the day preceding Christmas day, and at 1 p.m. on Monday, December 31, 1934, the day preceding New Year day, and that all employes in the Federal serv- ice in the District of Columbia, and in the fleld service of the executive de- partments, independent establishments and other agencies of the Govern- . | ment, except those who may for spe- cial public reasons be excluded from the provisions of this order by the heads of their respective departments, establishments or agencies, or those ‘whose absence from duty would be in- consistent with the provisions of =x- isting law, are hereby excused from duty at 1 pm. on Monday, Deccmber 24, 1934, and at 1 pm. on Monday, December 31, 1934.” ROOSEVELT SEEKS 10 EXTEND PEAGE PACT T0 UTILITIES Reveals Power Men Agree on Fair Capitalization and Lower Rates. PRESIDENT STILL COOL TO 30-HOUR WORK WEEK Desires to Retain Collective Bar- gaining, Minimum Wage and Child Labor Ban in N. R. A. By the Assoclated Press. President Roosevelt's plans and hopes for 1935 began to unfold in more detail today, topped by a dis- closure that talks are in progress which, if successful, would extend the celebrated Government business “peace pact” to much of the vast power in- dustry, Though only two weeks ago a plan of power interests to fight the Ten- nessee Valley Authority and its public “yardstick” was in the headlines, the White House disclosed that certain leaders of the industry have been con- ferring with the President recently. ‘The President said yesterday that officers of private power companies had expressed agreement that any ‘water found in capital structure should be squeezed out and rates Teduced accordingly to yield & reasonable re- turn on what was found to be fair capitalization. Power Men Silent. He did not name these officers, and no statement was forthcoming im- mediately from any power men. Floyd Carlisle, chairman of the Niagara & Hudson Co,, is the latest of a series of power men to visit the White House. He talked with Mr, Roosevelt yesterday. It was also dis- closed that the President talked the day before with Wendell Wilkie, presi- dent of the Commonwealth & South- ern, and Preston Arkwright, president of the Georgia Power Co. Mr. Roose- velt said these three were working with him on friendly terms. In his remarks on power Mr. Roose- velt appeared to favor the “prudent investment” policy of determining proper capitalization rather than the “reproductive cost” or other methods. T. V. A. has been attacked by power men, coal producers and other op- ponents as unconstitutional and an unwarranted encroachment on the field of private enterprise. The White House has taken the stand that the T. V. A. experiment will proceed, with \. UE . P = 2 > ABYSSINIA FILE PROTEST ONITALY Aggression Charged, but No Action by League Is Requested. By the Associated Press. GENEVA, December 15.—The gov- ernment’s formal protest against Italy was published today by the League of Nations, revealing charges of “Italian aggression” in Abyssinia and calling the attention of the League Council | to the “gravity of the situation.” Documents attached to the protest added detailed confirmation of all the Ethiopian charges. It was thought possible in League circles that Italy would answer the charges from Addis Ababa immediately. The Ethiopian protest said that on November 23 an Anglo-Ethiopian commission investigating pastoral lands in the Province of Ogaden was prevented by an Italian military force from continuing work when it arrived at Ualual, 100 kilometers inside the frontier, Deny Provocation. “On December 5, Italian troops with tanks and military airplanes suddenly the Government welcoming co-oper- | and without provocation attacked the ation of private companies where it is found acceptable. Roosevelt Discusses N. R. A. Only yesterday T. V. A. advised three cities in Alabama to start building their own electric distribution systems. It said legal “obstructions” threatened indefinite delay of a plan to purchase private distribution facilities and de- clared the Alabama Power Co. was “as- sisting in the effort to have T. V. A.’s powers declared invalid.” President Roosevelt also had some- thing to say about his ideas for the new N. R. A. After President William Green of the American Federation of Labor had carried to him recommenda- tions that the Government decline to relinquish its supervision over dealings between employers and employes, Mr. Roosevelt stressed that the intention is to retain: 1. The principles of collective bar- ining. 2. Minimum wage provisions, 3. The prohibition against child labor. Though Green made clear the fed- eration would press its fight for a statu- tory 30-hour week, there was no pro- nouncement on this from the White House. High administration leaders have been cool to it. Labor Wants 7-A Retained, ‘There has been some talk in labor circles that the collective bargaining clause of N. R. A, should be clarified and strengthened, but the A. F. of L. program outlined yesterday proposed that section 7-A be retained as is. High union leaders express satisfac- tion with the National Labor Rela- tions Board's interpretations of this clause. Some of these rulings have roused wide opposition among indus- trialists. New indications that the President is hoping the housing drive will do much to hasten recovery were seen in letters he sent to the 48 Governors. ‘The letters proposed legislation de- signed to allow the public to make greater use of the program. James A. Moffett, housing. administrator, said many States restrict loans on mortgages to 50 per cent of the value. He believes that, under Federal in- surance, as much as 80 per cent is proper. Meanwhile the plans for unemploy- ment insurance came again to the fore when Secretary Perkins, in a radio speech, urged the States to lose no time in framing their own legis- lative programs to get in step with the Federal Government's. Don’t Envy the Stars FOLLOW THEIR LEAD! You will be amazed to find how simple are the methods used by the glamorous Holly- wood performers, They will tell you in The Evening Star Which Offers “You Can Be Beautiful” A Series of Interviews by ‘Virginia Vincent BEGINNING MONDAY, DEC. 17 | 4th\ Newspaper .., Etheopean escort of the commission,” the report said. It continued that Abyssinia had protested on December 6, “and despite this protest Italian military airplanes three days later bombarded Ado and Gerlogibi in the same province.” It said that Abyssinia had requested arbitration and that the Italian charge d'affairs, disregarding the pro- test, “demanded indemnity, moral reparation and declared that he did not see how an incident of this char- acter could be submitted to arbitral decision.” No Action Requested. ‘The Abyssinian protest made no appeal for action under any article of the League covenant. However, it was considered probable the situation would come before the League Council when it assembles January 11 in preparation for the Saar LB‘:Aln territory plebiscite two days er. Two frontier clashes between Ital- ian and Ethiopian forces have been the subject of sharp Italian represen- tations to Addis Ababa the past two months. Italy accused the African troops of precipitating a battle last week when they attacked the Italian garrison at Ualual in Italian Somaliland. The Ethiopian version was that the en- counter occurred after Italian forces penetrated 75 miles into Abyssinian territory. Star Preference A recent questionnaire sent by a Washington department store to its charge account customers brought 2,747 re- plies. Of this number 2,206 re- ported that they read The Evening Star in the home and of these 73% read no other afternoon paper in the home. Of the 924 homes which re- ported that they took one or both of the other afternoon papers, 66% reported that they also took The Star. Yesterday’s Advertising (Local Display.) Lines. The Evening Star 116,787 60,163 46,396 44,005 5th Newspaper.., 25,899 Total (néeSiies) 176,463 By using The Star as their outstanding advertising me- dium, Washington merchants present to readers of The Star the best and most varied items of attractive merchan- dise to be found in the local stores. 2nd Newspaper ., 3rd Newspaper. .. ] "GUESS 'LL WAIT TiLL THE STORM Flames Spread Through Village By Melting Wax 15 $150,000 Loss Caused W hen Blazing Gum Runs Into Streets. By the Associated Press. ELMSFORD, N. Y., December 15.— A fire, sent flowing through the streets by burning wax, was brought under control early today after it toreatened general destruction to this village. Twelve buildings were burned—five of them leveled—and ten other roof fires were extinguished, but the center of the villagesunescaped unscathed. Fire Chief Harvey Dunnigan estimated damage at $150,000. The fire started in old Colonial Hall, housing the Elmsford Wax Works, and spread on the spluttering wax that poured forth on Main street. About 20 families were driven into the bitter cold. All escaped injury. Apparatus from 12 neighboring towns succeeded in quelling the blaze. Hot wax pouring into the streets from the wax factory clogged the hose and hampered firemen. Elmsford has about 400 inhabitants. PREGEDENT SEEN INNUMBERS CASE D. C. Court of Appeals Re- fuses Petition to Allow Writ of Error. (Note: Acceding to a recent request by United States Attorney Garnett, The Star, the Post, the Times, the Herald and the city’s four broadcasting stations are re- Jusing to aid the numbers racket by dissemination of the race total numbers with which the game here is conducted. Publication or broad- casting of such totals is of no in= terest outside the numbers racket.) In the first test case affecting the numbers game, the District of Colum- bia Court of Appeals has denied a pe- tition for allowance of a writ of error. After an arrest of a year ago, & decision of Judge Ralph Given in Police Court was upheld in the case of the United States vs. Eddie Jack Bowen, Elwood Jackson Brewer and James Adolphus Allen, all charged with violation of the District of Co- lumbia code as it applies to “setting up a gaming table.” While the arrest was made on De- cember 14, 1933, the case was not brought to court until January 15 of this year. Next day, January 16, Judge Given—after a jury had re- turned a verdict of guilty—sentenced the men to serve 60 days each in the work house. Appeal Was Noted. Immediately attorneys for the de- fendants noted an appeal. Therein began the delay. Under the old pro- cedure of the Court of Appeals no time limit was set for filing a bill of exceptions. Attorneys for the defend- ants drew up their bill, the United States attorney’s office filed objections and proposed amendments. Then both sides got together. After a term of months the papers were filed and the case finally landed in the Court of Appeals. It was reported out on De- cember 13, and the cleTk of the Police Court, F. A. Sebring, was notified to this effect yesterday by Harry W. Hodges, clerk of the Court of Ap- peals. This will probably mark the last of (Continued on Page 3, Column 5.) ETOUT AND GET BUSY NOw! Some Returns Not Yet Recelved. (#) Means Associated Press. _ =y AN - 0D 108 SOUGHT BY MRS UCIL0 Freed in Slaying of Her Husband, She Plans to Resume Work. A free woman today after 14 months in jail awaiting trial on a first-degree murder indictment, Mrs, Mary Irene Buccolo’s first thoughts concern a re- quest for her old job at the Civil Serv- ice Commission early next month. Be- fore asking this, however, she plans a brief trip with friends to Philadel- phia. A jury in District Supreme Court set her free last night, accepting her defense that she shot her husband Rudolph as an act of self-preservation when in fear that he would kill her. The jury deliberated only an hour. Mrs. Buccolo, at the time of the shooting on September 8, 1933, was a section chief at the Civil Service Com- mission, in the classification section. She was put on leave of absence after the shooting and it is necessary for her to apply for reinstatement. Many of her superiors and associates at the commission appeared in her behalf at the trial as character witnesses. Visits Relatives. After the verdict last night she did not go to her old home at 4104 Fifth street, scene of the shooting, but went with relatives to 719 Fourth street northeast. The Buccolo case has been on the front pages because of a number of unusual features. It was several times set for trial in District Su- preme Court, and when Assistant United States Attorney John J. Fitz- patrick opposed further continuances he and Justice James M. Proctor be- came engaged in a dispute which finally led to Fitzpatrick’s resigna- tion. The case had been on trial four days, and its trial was marked by restraint throughout. The usual bitter personal clashes between opposing counsel were absent. The prosecution never in so many words asked for the death verdict, although it put in a case of wilful and premeditated mur- der. “A righteous verdict” was what United States Attorney Leslie C. Gar- nett asked in his closing address. The jury took the case at 4:25 o'clock pm., and announced that it was ready with a verdict at 5:25. It had been instructed by Justice Proctor that it could find the defendant guilty of first-degree murder, murder in the second-degree, manslaughter, or acquit her under the evidence. Justice Proctor had left the court- house, but was summoned back. He warned against any demonstration when the verdict, “whatever it is,” should be announced. When the fore- man of the jury said “not guilty” there was & hush throughout the court, not disturbed until after the judge had left. Even then every one spoke in subdued tones. Defendant Calm. Mrs. Buccolo, standing to receive the sentence, preserved the calm that has marked her throughout. —Her brother, B. Edward Soper, tall and gray-haired, was the first to congrat- ulate her. He put his arm around her and hugged her, but seemed not to say anything. Mrs. Flora E. Mack and Mrs. Gertrude Miller, mother and aunt of Mrs. Buccolo, embraced her with tears streaming down their faces. Then Mrs. Mack shook hands with the lawyers who had defended her daughter—Rudolph Yeatman, George D. Horning, jr., Wilton J. Lambert and George B. Fraser. Mrs. Buccolo, asked for a statement, remained silent, but willingly posed for a num- ber of photographs. She left the court house in an automobile with her mother and aunt. (Picture on Page A-2.) “Jafsie” Doubts Hauptmann Will Be Convicted of Murder By the Assoclated Press. * WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Decem- ber 15.—An opinion that Bruno Rich- ard Hauptmann, held at Flemington, . |ated his Ha “No one saw Hauptmann kill the baby. I don’t think they can convict him,” Dr. Condon said. He said he believed there are great- er chances of conviction on charges of extortion and of possessing Lind- bergh ransom money. Commenting on published reports that he identified and then repudi- alleged identification of uptmann as being the man to whom he talked and gave the ran- som money, Dr. Condon insisted he had given no public utterance on whether or not he can identify Haupt- mann, He said he would return to New Jersey in time for the opening of Hauptmann’s trial on January 2. TWO CENTS. MENTAL TROUBLE LAID 0 BELL BY BUSINESS PARTNER Says Accused “Acted Like Crazy Man” in Row Over Stock, DEFENSE OPENS CASE WITH ATTACK ON NURSE Son and Daughter Expected to Testify on Opposite Sides in Poison Trial. By a Staff Correspondent of The Star. FREDERICKSBURG, Va., Decem- ber 15.—Manifestations of a mental breakdown by Edward C. Bell were de- scribed to the jury today by character witnesses for the 60-year-old civic leader, on trial here charged with re- pe:ud efforts to poison his invalid wife, A partner in a chain of motion pice ture houses, Benjamin G. Pitts, testi~ fied Bell “acted like a crazy man” when he came to his office six months ago to discuss a stock sale. This re- mark was stricken from the record and Pitts was required to confine his testimony to what he had seen rather than what he thought. Pitts said Bell purchased $9,000 worth of stock in his motion picture enterprises, and he heard later Bell had offered to sell the stock for $2,500. The witness said he sent his auditor to Bell to learn if this report was true. Describes Row. Some time later, Pitts said, Bell came to his office and began to shout: “What kind of a crook am I dealing with? What are you trying to do?” Pitts said he told Bell he would pay him $10,000 cash for the stock, where- upon Bell’'s manner became as friend- 1y as usual. He patted Pitts on the shoulder and told him, “If you think that much of the stock, I'l keep it.” Pitts said this occurrance seemed to vanish later from Bell’s mind. The defense opened this morning with an attack on the character of one of the major prosecution Wit~ nesses—Miss Ruth Hill, a nurse to Mrs. Bell, who previously testified the husband tampered with the wife’s food and medicine. Cousin of Nurse Heard. Spencer E. Hill, a Madison, W. Va, deputy sheriff and lumberman and a first cousin of the nurse, said her general reputation for truth and veracity and for honesty was bad. “I wouldn't believe her on oath,” Hill said. Prosecutor A. V. Bryan, Cross- examining the witness, brought from him the statement that A. W. Embry, a defense attorney who had been ab- sent from the trial until yesterday, had got him to come to Freaericks- burg and promised him $5 a day plus expenses. Bell's son is expected to testify to= day in behalf of his father, while on the other hand the defendant's 32- year-old daughter, Miss Irma Bell, is expected to be a rebuttal witness for the Commonweaith Monday. Edward C. Bell, jr., 22-year-old sophomore at the University of Vir- ginia, was attending classes at Char- lottesville during most of the time when the Commonwealth alleges Bell was plotting to destroy his wife. His sister, a graduate of Columbia Uni- versity, has informed Trial Judge Frederick Coleman she hopes to be here to testify Monday. Miss Bell became ill while on a visit to New York and thus was prevented from attending the opening of the trial. Character Witnesses. Other character witnesses this morn= ing described Bell as a civic leader of long standing, & business man of honesty and enterprise, a churchman who has long been active in Bible class work, a former Sunday school superintendent, a past president of the Kiwanis Club and member of the Chamber of Commerce, Elks and other (Continued on Page 3, Column 3.) HITLER UNINJURED IN BUS-TRAIN CRASH Fourteen in Theatrical Troupe Killed When Nazi Leader’s Special Hits Car in Fog. By the Associated Press. BERLIN, December 15.—Shaken by the tragic collision between his special train and a bus, which cost the lives of 14 persons and imperiled his own, Reichsfuehrer Adolph Hitler returned to his duties in the chancellory today. Blinded by fog, the driver of the bus drove through lowered crossing gates near Verden into the path of the speeding expres. Thirteen of the ve- nicle’s occupants, all of whom were members of a traveling theatrical troupe, were killed instantly. died in a hospital. The accident occurred as Hitler was returning from ceremonies at Bremen in connection with the christening of a new 18,000-ton North German Lioyd liner. As soon as he was apraised of what had happened, the Reichsfuehrer walked back along the track and lifted his hand in the Nazi salute over the bodies of the dead strewn along the right of way. Hitler joined members of the train crew in helping to pick up the scattered Page. Amusements weee.......B-12 A-4-8-9-11 B-8