Evening Star Newspaper, June 7, 1937, Page 1

(U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Fair and not so warm tonight; tomor= row, fair; géhtle west winds. Tempera- tures today—Highest, 85, at 2 pm.; lowest, 73, at 5:30 a.m. Full report on page A-7. Closing N.Y. Markets—Sales—Page 18 85th YEAR. No. 34,005. Entered as second class matter post offica, Washington, D. C. VASTLABOR CROWD CONTROLS LANSING INUNON HOLIDAY Auto Plants Shut as Throng Protests Arrest of Pickets. AUDIENCES HARANGUED FROM CAPITOL STEPS Striking Employes Direct Traffic. Liguor Taverns Closed, Banks Refuse to Cash Checks. B5 the Associated Press. LANSING, Mich,, June 7.—A crowd | of several thousand persons took con- | trol of downtown Lansing today upon | the calling of a “general labor holi- | day” protesting the arfest of eight| pickets of -the United Automobile Workers of America. | Lester Washburn, president of the | U. A. W. A. local here, announced a few hours before the demonstration | started that an agreement had been reached for release of the pickets, Jailed following labor trouble at the Capitol City Wrecking Co. | Washburn, talking through a loud-i &peaker system set up in front of the | State capitol building, told the crowd | that negotiations toward ..nal settle- ment of the wrecking company strike would be undertaken at once. Await Eights' Release. Jean Harlow D After a Relapse, Despite Frantic Efforts to Save Her ‘The workers remained in the busi ness district and on the capitol lawn to await the actual release of the | prisoners, held in the basement of | the City-County Building. Union men directed traffic main street intersections as the mill- ing crowd demonstrated in the shadow of the capitol and paraded | through the City-County Building. All automotive plants in the city | were closed as workers left their jobs | to join the sympathy strike. | Washburn called the strike and told | the crowd to “hold your lines.” | “We can stay here a month if necessary,” Washburn shouted. | Washburn previously had indicated that the demonstration would last only one day. l Murphy on Way. The widespread walkout occurred | 8s Gov. Frank Murphy, mediator of several prolonged automobile strikes | in Michigan, was en route to the city from Detroit. The pickets—six men and two women—were arrested in surprise raids early in the morning on war- | rants charging them with molesting | and disturbing laborers who wanted | to enter the wrecking company, wherr‘ A strike has been in progress several | weeks. Washburn, whose wife was among those arrested. charged that they were not on the picket lines when the war- | rants were served, but were “dragged | from their beds in the middle of the | night.” | He addressed the crowd after Mayor Max Templeton urged him to make sure there would be no violence. on | | i CHILD LABOR PLAR CHANGE APPROVED Vandenberg's Amendment Is Sanc- tioned by Senate Sub- committee. By the Associated Press. A Senate Judiciary Subcommittee approved today the proposed Vanden- berg constitutional amendment to pro- hibit child labor. The amendment, offered by Senator | Vandenberg, Republican, of Michigan to meet major objections raised against | the child labor amendment now be- fore the States, would permit Congress to limit, or prohibit, employment of persons under 16. The pending amend- ment would cover children up to 18. Vandenberg also eliminated from the wording of his proposal the word “reg- ulate,” which critics of the pending amendment contended would permit the Federal Government to regiment all children under 18. During the day the Senate Interstate Commerce Committee approved the Wheeler-Johnson *‘composite” child labor bill. The measures would pro- hibit movement of child labor goods in interstate commerce and also would prohibit shipment of child labor goods into a State in violation of its laws. | Child labor under the Wheeler- Johnson proposal would be defined as work of children under 16 and in some occupations 18 years. A third majer change in the Van- denberg amendment, designed to eliminate fears that Congress would be able to regulate labor by members of farm families, would restrict the Jurisdiction of the amendment to persons employed “for hire.” Vandenbeig, in offering his amend- ment, said it would remove the major objections raised against the pending amendment and forecast that with these changes the amendment would be speedily ratified. Instead of requiring ratification by Btate Legislatures, which, so far, have failed to approve the pending amend- ment in sufficient number to make it | operative, Vandenberg's amendment would be submitted to constitutional conventions in the various States. DIES IN BUS CRASH Truck Driver Thrown Into Burn- ing Wreckage. ORION, Ala., June 7 (#).—One man burned to death and at least eight persons were hurt, some seriously, in the collision of a passenger bus and a truck on the crest of a hill near here today. “The bus plowed into a roadside ditch and burst into flames, its gasoline tank broken open by the impact. The truck ‘was demolished. Maurice G. Parks, Greenville, Miss, dniver of the truck, was thrown into cc flaming wreckage and burned fa- ny. JEAN HARLOW. BULLETIN. LOS ANGELES, June 7 (#). — Jean Harlow, the platinum blond film star actress, died at 11:37 a.m. P. S. T. today at the Good Samaritan Hospital. By the Assoctated Pr's:.A LOS ANGELES, June 7.—Dr. E. C. Fishbaugh, attending screen actress ch - WASHINGTON, ies Suddenly | —A. P. Photo. Jean Harlow, said today her condition is critical and that she is not expected to live. Miss Harlow was stricken last week | with influenza and a gall bladder in- ! fection. Two days ago her condition | was reported to have improved greatly | and she was expected to report back to | | her studio for work in about a week. | Today Dr. Pishbaugh ordered her taken to Good Samaritan Hospital. CHIGAGD EVICTION MAY BE HALTED Republic Due to Seek Court Aid to Protect Anti- Strikers. B4ACKGROUND— Committee for Industrial Organi- zation's steel campaign began this Spring after sensational gains in automobile industry. United States Steel made bargaining agreement with union and other firms jollow- ed suit. Smaller independents re- Jused to bargain and union began calling strikes. One strike was against Republic of Chicago. Re- public housed its workers in the plants to continue operation. This was called against a city ordinance by Mayor Kelly of Chicago Satur- day and the firm was ordered to evict the anti-strikers. B: the Associated Press. CHICAGO, June 7.—S8triking steel workers massed today for a brief dem- onstration at two Indiana Harbor, Ind., plants while court ction to fore- stall Mayor Edward J. Kelly's order to evacuate 1,400 workers from Republic Steel Corp.’s South Chicago mill ap- peared imminent, The steel workers collected near plants of the Inland Steel and Youngs- town Sheet & Tube Cos. at Indiana Harbor, but dispersed peacefully after parading before police guarding mill gates. Jack Rusak, Indiana Harbor C. 1. O. organizer, who said 5,000 men parti- cipated in the demonstration, asked for the concentration of strikers at a meeting yesterday where he repeated & charge that both Youngstown and Inland were “fostering a company union and recruiting men to return to work.” Frank A. Lauerman, spokesman for Republic, told reporters James L. Hy- land, compay district manager, was in conference with an unnamed group to consider Mayor Kelly's order. Under the Mayor's order, citing a (See CHICAGO, Page A-3) Times Union Suspends. NEW YORK, June 7 (®). — The management of the Brooklyn Times Union today announced suspension of Ppublication of the 90-year-old news- paper. 53 PLANES BONB SUBURB OF BLBAD Rebel Flyers’ Attack Marks Resumption of Basque Front Battles. BACKGROUND— In a campaign rivaled only by attacks dbn Madrid for ferocity, in- surgents have attempted for sev- eral weeks to capture strategic Basgue city of Bilbao. Estimated 30,000 defenders have declared they will hold out to the death against attackers. B5 the Associated Press. | HENDAYE, Pranco-Spanish fron-| tier, Junk T.—A massed fleet of 63 insurgent war planes was reported to- {day to have bombed the suburb of | Lezama, only 2 miles from beleaguered Bilbao. ‘The attack was the northern de- velopment of a general resumption of | | acttvity on the Basque front which | was watched by -Archduke Otto ‘of | Hapsburg, claimant of the non-ex- istent Austrian throne. The 24-year-old Otto stood on a (See SPAIN, Page A-3) CHICAGO AREA RAKED BY 40-MILE GALE By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, June 7.—A 40-mile-an- hour gale that overturned small boats on Lake Michigan and inland lakes, ripped up trees and damaged homes left two persons dead today and many injured. Matthew Jacek, 20, and Henry Ged- rimas, 21, both of Chicago, were drowned in Long Lake near the village of Fox Lake yesterday when the wind | upset their rowboat. A third youth, LWfllue'r Sarna, 23, was rescued. Coast Guards reported at least sev- l en other rescues when light crafts | overturned. | August Stams, 45, suffered a frac- tured skull and his son Peter, 4, was bruised when a tree limb, torn loose by the wind, struck them as they were seated on a picnic bench. | Two automobiles were crushed by | falling trees, The fire department received more than 40 calls to remove wreckage from streets. Movie ““Annie Oakleys;" Figure In Traffic Ticket-F ixing Case The ghost of Annie Oakley stalked the boards at the fourth precinct to- day as the Police Trial Board re- sumed hearing of charges of “ticket fixing” against Policeman Welford Winfleld, formerly attached to the Traffic Bureau. Harry E. Lohmeyer, District man- ager for Warner Bros.' theaters and formerly manager of the Earle The- ater, sald he had turned over trafic violation tickets to Winfield along with theater passes, but he empha- sized that it was not a quid pro quo transaction. Lohmeyer explained that about 200 passes were distributed weekly to po- lice officers as a matter of courtesy and that this practice antedated connection with the Earle. He also said under questioning Charles E. Ford, counsel for the ac- cuseé policemen, that season passes are sent to Maj. Ernest W. Brown, superintendent of police, and other high-ranking ofcials. Assistant Corporation Counsel E. M. Welliver, the prosecutor, blocked a Question by Ford designed to show whether Commissioner Melvin C. Hazen, who is in charge of the Police Department, received like courtesy. Inspector Edward J. Kelly, presiding at the board, upheld Welliver's con- tention that this was not pertinent. Incidentally, Kelly interrupted the questioning of the witness to say that he also has received a season pass from Warner Bros. this year. “I wpnt to make s mn#t for (ee Page A%S) WITH SUNDAY MORN D. C, LEWISINDORSES BLACK-CONNERY WAGE-HOURPLAN Labor Leader Advocates 40 Cents an Hour, 35- Hour Week. GOVERNMENT FIXING OF FIGURES HELD PERIL MONDAY, Bill Called Only One Item in Much Larger Program De- veloping in U. 8. BACKGROUND— New Deal administration sought to eliminate sweatshop wages and hours from industry by N. R. A. regulation, but was checked by Supreme Court. As latter indicated new liberalism in more recent decisions, second effort to improve standards of in- dustry was submitted in form of Black-Connery bill. Included is prohibition against child labor; an objective also being sought through constitutional amendment. BY JOHN C. HENRY. John L. Lewis, chairman of the Committee for Industrial Organiza- tion, today indorsed the minimum wage and maximum hour provisions of | the Black-Connery bill as a modest ‘beginning of genuine planning towards | A better economic order.” | Appearing before a joint session of | the Senate and House Labor Commit- | tees, he opposed, however, what he called “wage fixing” ocontrary to American precedents and practices.” Specifically, the leader of American labor's most militant faction, recom- mended the setting of a 40 cents-per- hour wage and a dve-day, 35-hour | week. Discretion should be vested, he | said, to vary the work week from 30 to 40 hours, In general, Lewis declared, such legislation would increase mass pur- chasing power and bring re-employ- ment. | Opposes Section 5. Fighting shy of the danger of Gov-, ernment wage-fixing and of conflict with the labor relations act, Lewis emphatically recommended elimina- ING EDITION HIRT Looks L FRANK'S ¢ Foening Star Y-SIX PAGES. #*» VUB3CLR)BE Y& THE GAZETY ALL LATEST = ‘A‘;EN' / Too M\JCU SQUASH CENTER COMMENTS ON COURT PACKING. éARLF.‘( WAS| ;A SENATOR ) i The cnly evening paper in Washington with the Associated Press News and Wirephoto Services. DAY’ tie: UP) Means Associated "a | % TAXESNOT MORAL AFFAIRTOMORGAN Levies Are Purely ,Legal | Question, Returning Finan- cier Asserts. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, June 7.—J. P. Morgan, To Death as Woman Leaps Off Steamer | Friends Watch? I Smith Point, Crying “Here's where I stage an: act,” Mrs. Harriet Larkin Seott, at- tractive 26-year-old Portsmouth, Va,, | matron, leaped from the steamer Northland Searches Potomac Near Recover Bod; but Fails to no indication of her intention prior to the act. Her mother, Mrs. J. W. Larkin, and sister, L. A. Broughton, were almost recovered from an illness that k,p;‘ Northland shortly before midnight last | prostrated and had to be given med- today with the comment that ing is a legal question, pure and sim- ple, and not a moral one.” The financier referred to President Roosevelt's drive against what the him from the coronation of King night as her mother and a party of | ical attention. | George VI, returned from England | friends watched. } Although the steamer put about al- water, the body was not recovered. | The woman leaped overboard as the | boat passed Smith Point, near the spot where the body of Charles F.! tion of Section 5 of the act, which Chief Executive called tax evaders| Keene. Washington real estate man, he said might eventually open the wWay to “a Federal judge ordering | men to remain at work” under a wage | ‘heir yachts as one method of escap- | that had been found to be a “fair| minimum.” The section under dispute would empower the Labor Standards Board to establish a “minimum fair wage” | up to $1,200 per year, where collec- tive bargaining was found to be in- adequate and ineffective. | “Frankly, I would not want this bill to empower a board to investigate | the contracts eutered into by the| United Mine Workers. I see confu-| sion there and a drift toward fixa-, tion of wages by a Government board,” Lewis said. Buch a procedure, he pointed out, tends to establish a double wage stand- ard. the first being the "mlmmum‘ wage” of 40 cents per hour, which | would amount to $800 yearly on a 40- | hour-week basis, and the second be- | ing the “minimum fair wage” ap- proaching $1,200 per year. “ By section 5, the latter figure | would be determined through investi- gation of cost of living, value of ' (See WAGES, Page A-5.) Ship Fire Toll Grows. MANILA, June 7 (#).—The death | toll of a fire aboard the German freighter Oliva increased to two when Hans Risslander, member of the crew, | died today. He was one of six men burned and | The fire started in the hold when the ship was 120 miles southwest of who, among other things, incorg8rated ing taxes. “I have never incorporated my yacht because I did not think it worth whilg,” Morgan said. “If the Gov- ernment objects to tax evasion ft should change the laws. You only do what you are compelled to do by law, for it is never any pleasure for any one to pay taxes. “'Congress should know how to levy taxes and if stupid mistakes are mad it is up to Congress to rectify them and not for us taxpayers to do so. “You do what you are compelled to do by law. It is no pleasure to pay taxes. You don't do any more than you have to. It's just as bad to pay too much as too little.” Told that President Roosevelt said that there was a shortage of $400,000,- 000 in income tax revenues, Morgan said: “If so, that's the fault of Congress. It is up to Congress to make the laws and if there are loopholes in them it is not the taxpayer's fault.” Morgan said he had recovered suf- ficiently to “walk down the gang- plank,” but added his physicians had forbidden him to walk up or down- stairs. He was carried aboard the Queen Mary at Southampton. Morgan said he listened to the coro- nation by radio. The financier said he would not go to business for the re- | mainder of the Summer and would re- turn to Scotland in July for his annual Manila Thursday. Summary of Page Amusements B-16 Comics ..B-14-15 | Short Story ._B-7 Editorials __A-10 | Society | Financial __A-17 | Sports A.u[ Lost & Found A-3| Woman's Pg. B-19 | Obituary ...A-12 | FOREIGN. . Bilbao suburb reported bombed by in- surgent planes. Page A-1 Nazi religious war grows as riots flare in Munich, Page A-2 NATIONAL. Crowd of union members takes con- trol of Lansing. Page A-1 Lewis indorses wage-holr bill, but hits “wage fixing.” Page A-1 Roosevelt refers steel union peace plea to aides. Page A-3 Adverse report on court bill virtually completed. Page A-3 Guards encircle wreckage of plane in Utah’s hills. Page A-¢ House considers proposal to extend | P. W. A. two years. Page A-5 WASHINGTON AND NEARBY. Ghost of Annie Oakely bobs up before Police Trial Board. Page A-1 Appeals Court terms cab situation “growing menace.” Page A-1 Keene mystery complicated by auto angle. © Page A-1 Matron leaps to death from steamer in Potomac. Page A-1 S8tar fund for E street pool reaches $122. Page A-2 Animals tamed by “psychic sur- Page A-2 Confederate groups hold memorial services. A-2 417 receive degrees at 138th George- town commencement. Page A-¢ Independence urged for U. 8. regula- . tory agencies. Page B-1 R. C. Gazley to hesd new air com- merce division. Page B-1 Beven suspended A. F. G. E. lodges de- mand open hearing. Page B-1 Mrs. Boole heads W. C. TAU. for third time. Page B-1 Page | Radio -..._B-11 vacation there. Today’s Star Jordon's fate to be decided this week. Page B-1 Beach-bound excursionists marooned on steamer Potomac. Page B-1 Dunbarton College graduation exer- cises held. Page B-4 EDITORIAL AND COMMENT. Editorials. age A-10 ‘This and That. Page A-10 ‘Washington Observations. Page A-10 Answers to Questions. Page A-10 David Lawrence. Page A-11 H. R. Baukhage. Page A-11 Dorothy Thompson. Page A-11 Constantine Brown. Page A-11 Headline Folk. Page A-11 SPORTS. Simmons proving prize slugger of Na- tionals. Page A-13 Running world focuses on Star mara- thon Saturday. Page A-13 Giants gain league lead at expense of Pirates. Page A-13 Long lay-off is due for injured War Admiral, Page A-13 District team winner of North-South skeet title. Page A-13 Mitchell, Howard upset Latona, Welsh in net play. Page A-15 ‘Washington-Lee High School climbs in sports world. , PageA-15 Louis’ light regard for Braddock may prove costly. Page A-16 FINANCIAL. Bonds narrow (table). Page A-17 Oil production held excessive. Page A-17 Page A-18 Page A-19 PageA-19 Page A-19 Stocks hesitant (table). London gold peg fixed. Chain store sales rise. Curb list eases (table). MISCELLANY, Shipping News. City News in Brief. Dorothy Dix. Betsy Caswell. Young Washington. Cross-word Puzzle, Nature’s Children, Bedtime Story. Letter-Out. Page A-8 Page A-8 Page B-10 Page B-1¢0 Page B-11 Pagé B-14 Page B-14 Page B-15 Page B-15 | was found last week. | Witnesses said Mrs. Scott had been | sitting back in & deck chair with friends just before she got up and walked to the guard rail. | Without warning, she clisbed the | rail, threw her purse into the air| and shouted: “Here's where I stage | an act.” | | Although there were a number of men on the deck, Mrs. Scott acted so quickly none could stop her. Nor- folk & Washington Steamboat Co. | officials were informed she had given | Mrs. Scott’s 8-year-old son, Allen, | also was in the party, but he is not “tax- most immediately and delayed for an believed to have witnessed the plunge. | planned suicide hour while searchlights plaved on the * It was said at Portsmouth, where Mrs. Scott was well known socially, that she had appeared in good health and spirits before she left there yes- terday afternoon. Accompanied by her mother, sister | and son, she went to Norfolk with six | other members of a Portsmouth sew- | party was coming to Washington on & sightseeing trip. It was to have | returned next Saturday. Because of the tragedy, the other members of the party left for home by bus soon after the boat docked here | this morning. | Smith Poifit is about 80 miles out | of Norfolk, not far from the mouth of the Potomac. | | 0.C. BILL ACTION - EXPECTEDTODAY Senate Appropriations Unit | Meets—Measure’s Total May Top $46,000,000. BY J. A. O'LEARY, The Senate Appropriations Commit- tee convened this afternoon to act on | the 1938 District supply bill, which is | believed to call for more than $46,- 000,000, as revised by the District Subcommittee Saturday. As passed by the House two months ago, the bill| carried a figure of $45,200,000. In recommending about $1,000,000 more, the Senate Subcommittee, head- | ed by Chairman Thomas of Oklahoma, is understood to have restored many, but not all, of the reductions the House made in budget estimates. It is likely the Senate bill also will contain reductions in some House items and possibly a few new ilems not consid- ered in the House. If the full committee, which is to meet at 2:30 p.m., reports the bill this afternoon, Senator Thomas prob- ably will call it up on the floor of the Senate tomorrow or Wednesda: Amount for Relief. Unless there should be a last- minute change in the full committee, indications are the unempioyment re- lief fund will not go above the budget figure of $1,464,000, which would mean rejection of requests made during the hearings by some civic and welfare organizations for another million. This increase was opposed, however, by the Board of Trade and spokesmen for the Federation of Citizens' Asso- ciations and Washington Taxpayers' Association. Although the Senate Subcommittee is reported to have retained the lump sum Federal payment at the rouse | figure of $5,000,000—the same as for the current year—it is believed to have recommended to the full committee a more equitable basis for meetin~ the operating costs of the higher courts of the District in view of the large amount of purely national litigation they handle. Expenses of Court. The subcommittee is proposing that the expenses of these courts be ap- portioned between the Federal and District governments, in accordance with the percentage ratio of Federal and local litigation handled in the course of a year. ‘The action of the Senate group on the various legislative riders and pro- visos in the House bill is being awaited with interest by local civic groups. These provisions seek to transfer func- tions from one department to another. | | | One limits assignment of school teach- ers to clerical work and another would deprive per mployes of annual leave. - TAXI PERIL HELD GROWING BY COURT Maze of Companies Balks Recovery by Victim, Jus- tice Asserts. BACKGROUND— Proposal for compulsory liability insurance for Washington taricabs has been urged by Public Utilities Commission and other district agencies. Legislation making tari drivers responsible for injuries to Ppassengers was introduced in House by Representative Nichols, but bill has not yet been taken up by District Committee. Failure of Congress to pass legis- lation requiring financial responsibility | of taxicab companies has resulted in| “a growing public menace,” the United | States Court of Appeals declared to- | day In an opinion by Associate Justice | D. Lawrence Groner. | The court's dicta were delivered in | & case involving two suits by Rosa L. | Page, who was struck at Hillyer place | and Twentieth street in May, 1933, by & Blue Light cab. She subsequently obtained judge- ment against the Blue Light Cab Corp., which, the court said, “is noth- | ing and has nothing.” She failed in an effort to show a substantial identity of Blue Light with the D. M. D. Taxi | Corp. and the Washington Cab Sales | Corp., which she attempted to show avoided liability through the screen| of Blue Light. Some Evidence, but No Proef. “The facts proved may, and we are | disposed to think do, tend to show | some general identity of interest, and there are not lacking some indications of a purpose on the part of the other defendants to use the name Blue Light as a trade name or to use Blue Ea iEee’fAX!c‘A’:;’:fi’n}?j&-’:.i TEE C.1.0. PLANS DRIVE IN CIVIL SERVICE Announcement to Be Made as Soon | as “Policy” Is Determined, Officials Say. By the Assoctated Press. John L. Lewis’ Committee for In- dustrial Organization disclosed today an intention to organize Government civil service employes. Officials declined to say when or where the campaign would start. They explained it has been under consider- ation for some time, and that an an- nouncement would be made as soon as the C. I. O. “‘policy” was determined. Lewis declined to comment. One pian considered would open membership in the C. 1. O. to all Government workers except those in | military and sfipi-military establish- ments. | 133,568 ™ (Some returns not SUNDAY'S Circulation yet received.) 148,352 Press. TWO CENTS. KEENE ROPE FOUND AT CRISFIELD STIRS MARYLAND POLCE Strand of Marlin Is Recov- ered by Fishermen on Smith Island. “SENSATIONAL CLUE” IN DISTRICT FAILS Suicide Theories Shaken by Dis- covery Weights on Body Were Not From Victim's Car. . BACKGROUND— Charles F. Keene, sr., capital real estate man, disarpeared from Washington-Norfolk boat on night of May 13. Last Monday, weighted body of Keen was found near Smith Island, and hastily sum- moned coroner's jury declared he was murder victim Reoponed investigation, how- ever, has resulted in no substan- tial progress in solving mystery, BY JAMES J. CULLINANE. Discovery of the missing strand of marlin rope which had been tied around the waisi of Charles F. Keene, sr., sent Maryland State investigators hurrying back to Crisfield, Md., this afternoon. Capt. William McK. Johnson and Detective Sergt. Marlin Brubaker left State police headquarters with all the evidence in the case and a report which they hoped would wind up their investigation after they presented it to State’s Attorney F. Kirke Maddrix of Somerset County. The long strand of marlin, which is believed to have snapped under the strain of holding a heavy weight to Keene's body, was recovered by fisher- men on Smith Island, who threw it away on the beach last week. The type of knot tied in the marlin, which i obtainable only at a ship chandier’s, will be important in de- termining whether Keene was mur- dered or killed himself in a cunningly- It has besen eon- tended that the knot in the eotton rope which held a weighted brief case around Keene's neck could have been tied only by a seaman or an expert | rigger. New Clue Fails. A “sensational” new clue in the fantastic case collapsed todav after | ing olub to catch the Northland Tne | Homicide Detectives Jeremiah Flaher- ty and William Owrver interviewed a womaf who said she heard a woman screaming aboard the District of Co- lumbia on the night Keene vanished from his cabin. The detectives dis- covered that the woman boarded the steamer on the trip which left Wash- ington May 15. Keene vanished on the trip which left May 13 The woman had told a friend of the police force of hearing the screams, but said she had kept quiet because she did not want to become involved in the case. Realizing the importance of the clue, the policeman immediately communicated with Inspector B. W. Thompson Other “Clue” Telephoned. Another woman who telephoned police that she had information which may be of value in the case will be interviewed by the detectives this afte ernoon, potice said. Theories of suicide in the baMing mystery were dealt a hard blow to- day when it was revealed that Keene's automobile which he sold last Feb- ruary to Edward R. Sweet, real estate broker with offices in the Bond Bu- reau, has its tools intact Sweet said he knows that the jack and other tools were in the car when he bought it. They were under the front seat when he checked up on them yesterday, Sweet said. Broker Sold Car. After selling his car to sweet, Keene told his family it had been wrecked and abandoned in a garage in South- ern Maryland. Sweet said that at the time he purchased the car—a 1932 Nash—for $100 and assumed unpaid notes totaling $92, it was in perfect running condition and obviously had never been in a wreck. As late as last Saturday, Charles P. Keene, jr, said he was positive his father had never sold his machine anq that it would be found in a Prince Georges County garage. Part of 1935 Car Tool Kit. The jack, police have established, was issued as part of the standard tool kit of all 1935 Studebakers. Keene had never owned such a car. The strange story fabricated by Keene after he sold his automobile prompted investigators to delve more deeply into the life of the real estate broker. who dealt in works of art and precious gems as well as real estate. Is it possible that Keene, unknown to his family, came into contact with persons who killed him through fear he might reveal their secrets? investi- gators are asking. Keene told his family and friends he was going to Norfolk to sell water- front property between Virginia Beach and Ocean View for a client. He said he had an appointment with & prospective purchaser in Norfolk and Ythat prospects of closing the deal were bright. ‘Thus far, detectives say, they have been unable to find any one in Nor- folk with whom Keene had business dealings, although they have made diligent search in real estate circles (See KEENE, Page A-4) |EXPLOSION HURTS TWO IN U. S. OFFICIAL’S CAR B> the Associated Press. PLENTYWOOD, Mont., June 7.— Samuel Sprague, Sheridan County resettlement administrator, escaped an apparent attempt upon his life when he lent his car to Robert Lorenz, a friend, authorities said today. Sherifl’s officers said Lorenz suf- fered a broken leg and numerous cuts last night when & bomb exploded as Lorenz started the automobile. A companion, Miss Fern Jensen, 18, was injured slightly. Sprague taigofficers he had recently received threstening letters.