New Britain Herald Newspaper, March 19, 1921, Page 1

ITABLISHED 1870. \QILROADS ARE TRYING TO KILL OFF LABOR UNIONS, IS CHARGE MADE BY LAWYER + Reoreeniog e, | AT HE HILLED ,Repr - yay Employes, Declares OFFICER IN ARMY bxecutives Are Seeking Porthier Confesses He Shot . Arouse Public An-' M!i':l (:;I:Mh ism To Labor YLER PUT THROUGH‘ 0SS EXAMINATION Providence, March 19.—Roland R. Porthier, of Central Falls, formerly an army sergeant, today formally ad- mitted that he killed Major Alexan- der P. Cronkhite, son of Major Gen- eral Adelbert Cronkhite, at Camp Lewis, Wash., October 25, 1918. The federal commissioner before whom he was arraigned accepted a plea of gullty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Major Cronkhite, who was in com- mand of a battalion of infantry at enies Charges That Ex-l Press Agent Was Em- yed For This Particular frim camp for pistol practice, on the day of his death. During the noon hour while the men were at mess the major walked some yards away be- hind a clump of bushes and began firing at an old tobacco tin as a tar- get. On his fifth shot he turned to- ward some soldiers idling on the ground nearby and called out “Did you see that shot?" The men turned toward him when suddenly another shot was heard and they saw MaJor Cronkhite fall. There was a bullet wound under his right armpit. ' An army court of inquiry reported that the officer had shot himself ac- cidentally but ypon the return of Ma-" jor General Cronkhite from France, a° new. investigation was started, the body was exhumed and experts are said to have asserted that the wound could not have been self inflicted. Since that time officers of the de- partment of justice have searched the o, March 19.—Charges that ironds, knowing the rallroad p d had no power to enforce - ® wore trylng to disrupt u ms through public opinion ¢ attempting to influence the through false pald publicity before the board today by mlsh, attorney for ~ the he began his second day Juestioning of rallroad h renewed his investiga- f, railroad publicity, despite from Judge Barton, chalr- t the board that the matter Jevant. ‘The labof attorney 1. Dewitt Cuyler, chairman of jation of ruilroad executives stand and resumed questioning dts which yesterday brought trom Mr. Cuyler that pub- rthpies supposedly Written by . remlly were prepared by , press agont. Charges Are Denied 't Mr. Lev appointed press the amsociation of rallroad Bbecause he is an oxpert at unions?" Mr. Walsh Mr. Cuyler, recull the mine publicity tion of Porthier is understood to be regarded as only a step in the direc- tion of the solution of the mystery of Major Cronkhite's death. ' JAPAN WILL NOT BACK DOWN ON YAP MANDATE ' £ gotten out by Mr. Lee?” Chicuo Man AM" 4 st | Fostering Anti-Jap Senti- in. the South Pacific, Viscount Uchida, jelll that he was connected '\ Hockefeller Foundation,” g l ment For Revenge. the, foreign minister, declared at & “meeting of the budget committee of ) “the Diet today in reply to a question pents. ‘by Representative Etsujiro Uehara. : | Representative Uehara said that that I 'anti-Japanese agitation in the United #dop- States was’ spreading to other states ry report It 1s in- besides California. He also charged ’nn- ¥. Stevens of Chicago, head of About Committoe the American rallway mission in 8i- about labor committee peria with carrying on. anti-Japanese tion of Carl Gray, pres- movement as a result of the clashing Union Pacific as its chair- of his views with those of the Jap- Cuyler sald he took 1no part gnese army in Siberia. ttors and reiterated the: vVigcount Uchida replied that he Of yesterday that Gray wWas kpnew nothing of the allegations by W. W. Atterbury of the aginst Mr. Stevens but said the gov- when Atterbury's report grnment was adopting every possible p he minority report Was neane to prevent the passage of laws + ".hw Individually and gimjar to those adopted in California. e "MAKIN HONORED Local Chamber of Commerce to Go to Atlantic Oity Convention—Elected to Natiomal Council. [ psieat dgreeptanes, Becretary Roy Makin. was elected to the National Council of the Cham- ber of Commerce of the United States at & meeting of the local chamber di- fiM: FOR ACQUITTAL T rectors yesterday afternoon. He was Plea for 16 Men Being ' also commissioned to o to the ninth 4 annual convention of the Chamber of Indictment Charging Them ' Lee at tha ttime pub- res in connection of union officials,” began udge Barton In- bhis matter is en- to ' come Tokio, March 18, (By ~Amotinted Prosa) —Japan will stand firmly on her mandate over the island of Yap,, o o ng to clally In numerous questions & statement from Mr. 0 boards of adjust- national agree- n called Judge Barton's he latter’'s complaint yes- labor side was ques- ¥ about national boards nt when the matter before .t - Commerce at Atlantic City, April 27 to of Matewan Detective. 29, inclusive. W. Va., March 10.— ' Radio Operator Sets for conviction and ac- World Speed Record New York, March 19.—A world record for receiving radio messages— 48 3.5 words a minute with two typo- graphical errors—was established here last night by B. G. Seutter, an opera- tor employed by the New York Times. Seutter was victor in a recelving test held by the second district amateur radio convention. The former record 47 words a minute with three errors, was held by Tony Gerhart of San Fran- Arrested in Texas For Crime in New England Boston, Msirch 19.—7he C. Felts, a private de- ten months ago, the jury today. J. J. for the defense. Heo Industrial controversy in rewd detective agency vital point in a miners pg &t what he works and sald It lons were | ‘es, the very pt In sympathy for the un- whese goods were thrown " It country for witnesses and the deten-’ A | / NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTIC UT. SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1921. —TWELVE PAGES PRICE TH INDIANA FARMER BOY, CONFESSING T b SLAYING CHUM, PUTS BLAME ON DEVIL Tells of Inspiration to Hit Sleeping Youth With Iron Bar, l of Oncoming Train. l Warsaw, Ind., March 19.—Officials today continued their efforts to draw from Virgil Decker, 19 years old farm- er boy of Atwood, Ind., the reasons for the attack upon his chum Leroy Lovett of Elkhart, Ind., which led to the latter's death. Barly today Deck- er confessed he had struck his chum on the head with an iron bar in a cottage on the Tippecanoe river near here, while Lovett was asleep, and several hours later returned to the cottage with a horse and buggy, tak- ing Lovett's unconscious form to a “B. L. T.” WELL KNOWN HUMORIST IS DEAD Jamous Columnist on Chicago Tribune Dies of Pneumonia—Was New Englander. Chicago, March 19.—Bert Leston Taylor, well known humorist and conductor of a column in the Chi- cago. Tribune “a lne-o’-type or two" died of pneumonia at his home here early today after an illness of twa weeks. Bronchial trouble for several weeks took a serious turn and he had gradually grown worse the last few days. The widow who was Miss Emma Bonner of Providence, and two daughters, Alva and Barbara Taylor survive. Mr. Taylor was born in Goshen, Mass in 1866 and received his early neéwspaper training on a newspaper in Plainsfield! N. H. In 1896 he came west to edit the Duluth, Minn. News Tribune where he remained for three years coming to Chicago in 1899, he went to work on the Chicago Journal and remained for two years when his bent for the . humoristic side of Journalism led him to start the column for which he became famous in the Chicago Tribune as “B. L. T.” In 1903 he left his “line-o’-type work and the Tribune to contribute for several years to “Puck” the New York Sun and other publications in New York. In 1909 he returned to the Tribune and resumed his famous column continuing until a few days before his death. Among better known writings are “The 1 in the woods' ‘“The pipe smoke earry,” “The charlatans,” o1 “measures” and “A line o’ verse | NUST ERLARGE COMPANY Camp Lewis, had marched his men- | Lieutonant Joseph Slater of Machine _ Gun Company Ordered to Bring " Strength Up to 84 Men. Orders have been received by } Lieutenant Joseph H. Slater, in charge of the local Machine Gun company of the Connecticut National Guard, that he is to bring the local company up to a standard of 84 men. At pres- ient he has 44 men in the company. It was only recently organized and that the men of New Britain have taken a great interest in it was shown ; by the number who made an attempt {to enlist. The new order was sent | by A@jutant General George Cole of ‘Hartford and the company is now open for reserve enlistments. Although it has not officially been announced it is thought that with the new orders a complete Machine Gun company will be formed in New Britain. At present Lieutenant Slater has but one platoon of the company while the company In Meriden is the other platoon and forms the First Machine Gun company. The office at the armory will be open from 7 until 9:30 o’clock every 1 Tuesday. Friday and Saturday evening. : Any man in this city desiring to join the company is urged to enlist at this time. Friday nights have been set aside for drills. An indoor baseball team has been organized by members ‘of the team and B. society. The sol '8 were de- first game was played at the armory against a team from the Y., T. A, | ad B. society. The soldiers™w de- Ifenad by a 22-17 score. g IMPROYED TIMES NOTED Connecticut Bullders’ Exchange Feels That Costs of Building Will - Be at Lowest Mark Soon. At a meeting. of the board of di- rectors of the Connecticut Builders’ exchange at New Haven yesterday aft- ernoon, the following vote was passed: ““It s the opinion of this association that wages In the building trades will be lowered about 20 per cent., within 60 days. We are also of the opinion that this, with large decreases tak- ing place in material prices, will con- stitute the low point in bullding costs for some time to come and it is our |“HINKY DINK” FEELS Then Leave Unconscious Victim in Wagon in Path nearby railroad crossing where it was struck by a train. “The devil drove me to it,” Decker | told Sheriff C. B. Moon, after signing his confession and would add no other explanation. He contradicted his previous statement that a man named “Guy” was with them, finally ad- mitting hé had committed the crime unassisted. He denied that his trans- fer of his own clothing to Lovett's body had been part of a plan to collect insurance totalling .nearly (Continued on Sixth Page.) PINCH OF “POVERTY Famous Chicago Politician Compellcd to Close up His Busincss— Rent Too High Chicago, March 19.—The high rent wave has wiped out another Chicago landmark, known as the “hangout for the boys” operated in the vicinity of Clark and Jackson streets for 40 years by Alderman “Hinky Dink’” Kenna. MI'm paying $500 a month and the | new tenant, a restaurant man I un- derstand is to pay $1,000. I probably would have stood for some increase but not for a boast such as that. “Since prohibition went into effect I have been losing money.every day but T had to have a hangout for the boys. I'm going to find some place not far away and open up a cigar store.” Alderman “Bath House John™ Coughlin, Kenna's co-boss of the first ward for many years, heard of the order to move May 1. “You should have taken my advice,” Coughlin told Kenna, “‘and opened a drug store. You and I could have cleaned up $50,000 or $100,000 since prohibition went-into effect.” “Yes,” said Kenna, "“and maybe we’d be explaining it to Judge Landis. G’'wan home before I call the police and have you tossed out.” The workingman’s exchange also conducted by Kenna was closed by the owner last summer following the ad- vent of prohibition, GOVERNENT REDUCES l VICTORY -NOTE DEBTS $97,000,000 Worth Retired During Past Eight Months. Washington, March 19.—Concen- tration of treasury purchases of war- time securities on the Victory notes has begun to show substantially. Figures made public at the treasury today, disclose that in the eight months of the current fiscal year ap- proximately $97,000,000 in . victory notes were retired . The February purchases aggregated $53,000,000. Since the sinking fund provided for by the Liberty loan act began to operate last July 1 the treasury policy has been to reduce the outstanding victory notes as rapidly as possible in consequence of their maturity within the next 30 months. It has been the plan to have the issue, ag- gregating around $4,500,000,000 re- duced to the point when it matures that those bonds remaining unpaid may be converted into what is described as the floating debt and gradually paid off. Along with the figures om purchases by the treasury, e shown also a substantia} in the amount of war savii ficates which the treasury called upon to redeem. bond Savings certificates aggregat] 600,000 were presented fo This ‘Spring. ! Maxwell S. Porter, assocliated with B. C. Porter Sons, rurniture store, has announced that he will be a can- didate on the republican ticket for councilman from the Third ward. He is a property owner and a tax- payer in the Third ward. He is a graduate of Exeter Academy and Yale university. CLEARING HOUSE REPORT. New York, §farch 19.—The actual condition of clearing house banks and trust companies for the week shows that they hold $3,440,030 reserve in ex- cess of legal requirements. This is a decrease of $31,24 . 1 NAME RECEIVER FOR HAMPDEN R. R. CORP. Springlield to Bondsville Line Was Never Put in Operation BULT EIGHT YEARS AGO! Road Connects With Boston and Maine and Was Constructed With View That it Might Be Leased by That Railread Company. Springfield, Mass., March 19—By an interlocutory decree in superior court today, William E. Gilbert of this city was appointed receiver for the Hamp- den railroad corporation with in- structions to make a complete return of the road's assets within 30 days» Mr. Gilbert is president of the Union Trust Co. here. His bonds were plac- ed at $50,000. The court action was taken on a suit brought by the Hamp- den National Bank of Westfield to re- cover on a note, a suit that Atterney H. W. Ely, counsel for the road, de- clared is a friendly one. Mr. Ely said that the receivership was for the purpose of winding up the affairs of the corporation. Is 13 Miles Long. The Hampden railroad, which ex- tends 13 miles from this city to Bond- ville in Palmer, where it connects with the Boston and Maine system, |in which first places only was built about 8 years ago, but has [follow: never been operated. It was built with the expectation|Abrams, Cambridge; G. M. Butler, that it would be leased with the Bos- ton and Maine, at that time controll- ed by the New Haven system, owing to the divorcing of the New Haven road from its outside holdings, | mer, H. C. Nokes, Oxford, first; N. F. the plan failed. FIRM GOING ON ROCKS Groton Iron Works Reported Financially Embarrassed At Court Hearing Today. New London, tions that the terests, is financially embarrassed and that it is apparently nearing the | ford, 39 feet 2 inches, first; H. Water- end of its existence was made at a |house, Cambridge, second; C. P. Best, court hearing here today when coun- sel for the company declared that the company is wi owes newx’y $190, WHI_ be unable to! mpet notes due Aprit 3 which it gave a year ago in' payment for claims of when the plant to the company. ADYICES FROM V. C. T. U. Members Attend Liquor Trial in Mer- iden and Advise Accused to Mend Their Ways—Praise Detectives. Meriden, March 19.—The president, Mrs. Nellie Rule Arnold, and seven members of the local W. C. T. U. at- tended the trial in police court today of Joseph Sepol, charged with vio- lating the liquor laws at his grocery store and William Sippi, his uncle, of 414 Green street, New Haven, charged with obstructing the police in their attempt to get evidence at Sepol's store. which was his second conviction, and judgment was suspended on a jail sentence of 30 days. . Sippi was fined $36 and costs. The:women advised the prisoners to mend’their ways and complimented the detectives. REFUSES AMBASSADORSHIP nal’ committee- “has declined to the govern- ommission. " Public today at the president as- §8rt that he would have f¥" attractive post” in the ! 3 service had he permitted his name ‘to be included in the list [of those under consideration for i ambassadors. The president also de- {«clared that since acceptance of the ' ambassadorial appointment was im- possible he was exceedingly anxious to have Mr. Hert represent him per- i 1 | ' but [onds.’ As | Cambridge, first; Rudd, Oxford, sec- March 19.—Revela- | Oxford, first; L. F. Partridge, Cam- Groton Iron Works, | bridge, second; J. Epe, Oxford, third. owned by the Charles W. Morse in- (Time, 15 4-5 seconds. thout funds,.that | Oxford, first; Wi T... Marshy - ,000 4nd that - it | bridge, second n creditors | bridge, first; Kent Hughes, which had been | second; C. E. Davis, Cambridge, third. operated by receivers was returned | Time, 1 minute 57 1-5 seconds. | i i Sepol was fined $200 and costs | | the police and it is believed that they | i | eonally in the reorganization of the ' executive departments. In his de- clination the republican national com- mitteeman gave no specific reason for withdrawing his name from the list .of possibilities. TREATY 1S SIGNED, u ! gueen's club here IRISH REPUBLICAN FORC AMBUSH CROWN TROOP} . IRELAND; BLOODY FIGH FIVE AMERICAN BOYS |Meagre Dis IN BIG BRITISH MEET| Belfast Tell € Which Is Being Near Kis . BNy Smith Second in Quarter Mile and Reece Wins Shot Put Event. London, March 19, (By Associated Press).—Oxford and Cambridge uni- yersities broke even in their annual al track and field games at thg 3 this afternge@f. 314 Each team won five places in tf* t8i L event program. Four scholars competed for Ox They were B. Y. White o in the running high jumpj Trowbridge, Princeton, in yards high hurdles; F. Jbhns Hopkins and B. W. Johns Hopkins in quarter milé and A. J. Reecce, University of braska, in the 16 1b. shot put. One mile run, H. B. Stallard, Cam- bridge, first; W. R. Milligan, Oxford, second; W. G. Tatham, Cambridge, third: Time, four minutes 22 seconds. The results of the various events counted, Belfast, March 19. Press)—A great ami publican forces near Cork, this morning, crown soldiers were wounded, is reported. . suffered heavy casualties 4 e still is in progresa. -, | 100 yards dash, won by H. M. . Cambridge, second; B. G. D. Rudd, Oxford, third. Time was 10 1-5 sec- Throw: - 1 #hg the sixteen pound ham A m— Dublin, March 19.—A ‘was ambushed by 150 n in Castleton Roche, in €% eight miles northwest of constable was mortally we some of the attacking par wounded. 7 A police and military ambushed near Dun lasting five hours en stable was killed and eant is missing. Seven tackers are ‘believed killed. Burt, Cambridge, second. High jump, E. 8. Burns, Cambridge, first, with 5 feet 10 inches; H. J. ‘White, Oxford, second; R. J. Dickin- son, Oxford, third. Quarter mile run, G. M. Butler, ond; B. W. Smith, Johns Hopkins university and Oxford, third. Time '49 4-5 seconds. 120 yard hurdles, C. G. Trowbridge, 5 Putting the weight, A. J. Reece, Ox- Cambridge, third. i ] Three mile run, E. A. Montague, | Gem *l! Sl 14 minutes 64 . Time, seconds. ¥ 3 Half mile run, Ed, Mountain, Cam- Oxford, ‘ing Common Law | | Found guilty on two counts of! burglary, Albert Graybeck, aged 22, ‘was committed to the reformatory at Cheshire by Judge George W. Klett this morning, while the case ol his accomplice, Stanley Jerzeski, a half- brother, aged 15, waa continued until Monday in bonds of $500. Two valu- able plush coats are being sought by are hidden away at tho home of the accused. An opportunity will ba fur- nished the boy to return the missing apparel. N Graybeck, through his attorney, Judge F. B. Hungerford, entered a plea of guilty to a charge of entering the Farrell & O’Connor store on Main street on the night of March 17, and a similar plea to a charge of break- ing into Green’s store near the New Britain Savings.bank about one week previous. In the latter store theloot taken was to the value of $210.40, part of which was recovered. Men's furnishings to the amount of Hartford, March 19. rillo, alias Frank Grippo, charged with the murder mon law wife, Marie F day and after the state testimony the accused to the next term of the without bail. Salvator counsel for Petrillo, enf . i « Stores is Committed. woman was_ Kkilled with ~ the house afterward set © Bandit Shot to Death, mited and Woman in a mysterious explosion hour. early today. Two bandits attempted ‘into the Adler Packing Co. one was shot to death by C ‘found the body of Mra Schirmer, 65 years of a across a trunk.. In the ne a bomb injured two persons, windows and otherwise dam The Pas, Manit., March 19.—The re- ported discovery of a flow of gas in the foothills near the Pasqua river, Sas- katchewan, 100 miles west of The Pas, has resulted in a miniature stampede to SENT TO REFORMATORY |5’ wonr’sz o | Feb 27, was al =~ EII & of not guilty but did not | witnesses at length. ‘sald after court that it Killed, All in Same Hour. Chicago, March 19.—A ) shot to death by a "vatchn son, negro watchman. Wi minutes a terrific explosion® to a house in another p = a dozen residences. (Continued on Fifth Page.) —-— s B Woman Who Shot Hi Gasoline Flows in the Husband is that district. A dozen small syndicates T® have been formed and large blocks of Was land taken up. The district is not easy ;;r charged with the fa husband, Peter J. She declared she a burglar when, he broke of their home. N v Judge A. Pallotti in -poM O’Connor and_ Green’s claimed that Petrillo was i was bombed and # woman | city and when firemen e District of Pasqua River| civeisna, Maren 19. of access and is little known. i LOCAL TEACHER SPEAKS, New Haven, March 19.—The Con- Al necticut group of the New England ! OSERVES modern language on met at| The tw Yale university 4 .M. Valkyri i