The evening world. Newspaper, May 23, 1916, Page 1

: | EDITION ————— Che Cirealation Books Open to AIL” GERMS ON PRICE ONE CENT. Copyright, 191 The Prees: Publishing Co. tine New York World). _MITCH KINGSBURY NEW YORK, TUE 1916. SDAY, MAY 23, HONEYMUO; “Circulation Books Open to All.” 16 PAGES —— ( — TO-DAY'S WEATHER—Cloudy, ra * +? PRICE ONE CENT. DICTED FOR “W EL HASTENS TO TELL HIS DR WATE FORETOLD FATE OF SECOND VICTIM A FIRST DIED, SAYS WITNESS + Grand Rapids Undertaker’s Testimony ~ of Poisoner’s Prediction Regarding Peck Startles Courtroom—Ex- perts Tell of Finding Arsenic. ‘That Arthur Warren Waite, outwardly troubled by concern for the grief ft his wife, suddenly bereft of her mother, foretold the death of her father to a Grand Rapids uniertaker, was testimony given to-day at Waite's trial before Justice Shearn in the Criminal Division of the Supreme Court on the charge of poisoning his millionaire father-in-law, John E. Peck. Having murdered the mother by inoculating her with disease germs, he bad definitely planned the removal of her husband. This was the testimony @f Joseph Sprattler, a Grand Rapids undertaker, who arranged the funerals of both of Waite’s victimes. Sprattler’s recital of Waite's casual Prediction of the death of John ®./ BLYNN’S KEYNOTE SPEECH Peck, six weeks before the event, cum tothe spcstrn an « sororie’ FOR DEMOCRATS DRAFTED @nd a shock. The sensation caused | Wakte to smile slightly. ( Mrs. Marguret Horton \ young woman who had a studio for] the study of music an neh at the | Hotel Plaza with Waite ax Mr, and Mrs. Walters “rped into a seat at | Gov the back of the court room at afternoon's session, She is to testity|Convention will de!'ver the keynote . Mater for the prosecution, though the | address of the Democratic campaign, @efense, secking to prove Waite in-/has tentatively prepared his speech, gane, will try to draw from her the}and it will be submitted to President story of his talk about the mystic) Wilson soon, “Man from Exypt,” instigator of evil. | The general outlines of the Demo- TELLS HOW WAITE PREDICTED | cratic platform have also been agreed VICTIM'S DEATH. | Upon Peace and prosperity will be sorattior told Jaite’s sending for|'® main features of Mr, Glynn's ad- Bpraihie® Color RNS oe taress and the platform, The legis: him to come to the Peck home ati jative record of the Wilson Adminis- Grand Rapids while the body of Mr./tration, particularly the Currency Peck lay in his undertaking shop, Bill and clalony that the Administra- Paiva o you? A./Uon has been of assistance to busi- @. What did Waite say t0 007 iene eee wlll he included He wanted to know what was Percy | ‘Phe Monroe Doctrine, us explained Peck's idea about the funeral. He said | by the President*in addresses, will be Bis wife Clara wouldn't stand for an | reiterated autopsy. eying sews 00 CONFESSES HE KILLED HIS MOTHER AT CONEY heard of it Youth Tells Police He Demanded convention Address and Platform to Emphasize “Peace and Prosperity.” WASHINGTON, Me ilynn of New ¥ the comely 23,—Former ork, who as A. 1 didn't know autopsy, Hadn't Didn't you know A. Yes, but 1) Q. Was that tru there was an aut ‘wasn't telling him. Q. Did you have any other con- Money and Fired When versation with him? A. Yes, I said ¢ to him: “You guessed pretty nearly Refused: right that time, didn't you? He] Walter Lewandowski, a sunken laughed, very pleasant, and said: |}cheeked young man, a victim of tu- “Yes, I was about right.” berculosis, was arrested at Dupont Q. To what do you refer? A. After Mrs. Peck's funeral, I drove Dr. Walte to the station. 1 said, to cheer him up, I hoped he would have a pleasanter journey back to New York than he had coming out. And he @aid: “Oh, that's all right. That's pothing. There'll be another of ‘em fn less'n three months.” Q. Did you ask Waite what he meant by that? A. Yes, sir, and he aid John Peck was old and not very strong and might drop off at any time. The Court ruled out the last two questions and answers at the request of Mr. Deuel. Dr, Peter C, Vaughan, chemistry professor at the University of Michi- gan at Ann Arbor, was the first wit- ws called by the State to-day. Dr. Vaughan set before him on a and Oakland Streets, Greenpoint, this afternoon, charged with the murder of his mother, Mrs. Frances Lewan- dowski, a domestic em ed by Mrs Fannie Reiner of Nc West Thirty-second Street, Coney Island, who was found dead on the kitchen floor last Sunday afternoon, He confessed to the Brooklyn po- lice that he had been living at a Bowery lodging house and had de- manded money from his mother, threatening to shoot her. Upon her refusal of his demand he carried his threat into execution, AUTO CROSSES CONTINENT IN LESS THAN 6 1-2 DAYS r, rrived at City Hall to-day after having motored from San Fran- table tn front of the witness stand an | cisco in 6 days, 10 hours and 69 min- unpleasant array of glass preserve} utes, A Cudillac car recently cov- Jara and wooden boxes containing ered the route In 7 days, 11 hours and phials, These, he explained, had con-} 52 minutes, | tained or etill contained parts of the) jjammond left Sqn Francisco at vital organs of John E, Peck, The] 12.01 A. M. Wednesday, May 17, and witness said these had been handed | he arrived at Times Square at 1 to him by Dr. Percy Schurtz, of Grand | t's afternoon, The route taken along Lincoln Highway. About 3 Rapids, who performed an autopdy | One ean arad uptmendetese on the body of Mr. Peck, been the. first ‘The autopsy was ordered, without | automobile to United States Porcy Peck, | Mil across the continent, A sealed Watte'e knowledge, by Porcy Peck, |r, sack was given him in Ban Fran (Continued on Second Page.) ¢ this! temporary Chairman of the St. Louis | Bobby Hammond, ivi =m-| by Hammond, driving an Em-| Plot to promote An | | | ) cisco containing a letter from Mayor |,, Rolfe of that city to Mayor Mitchel. |ofice this week. EMBASSY SECRETARY IS HERE FROM BERLIN OSE int Pina OAR. Mr. Grew Says He Came to See Children, but He Goes te Washington First. Joseph Grew, Secretary of the American Embassy at Berlin, who is credited with having accompanied Ambassador Gerard when he deliv- ered President Wilson's last note to Emperor William and who was with him when he received the Imperial Government's reply, arrived to-day Jon the Frederick VIII. of the Scan- dinavian-American Line. “I shall go at once to Washing- ton," he said, “just as every one does who returns from diplomatic duty, but my real purpose is to visit my children.” Mrs. Grew accompanied her hus- band. They nave not seen their chil- dren since they left them with rela- tives two'years ago, The Frederick VIII, made the re- markably good time of eight days and five hours from Kirkwall. She put in at that port as usual to un- dergo British inspection. ‘The Rev. James Dickey, well known to all American visitors in Berlin as pastor of the American church there, where he has served for twenty-one years, also arrived on the Frederick VIL, and is pesswnistic as to the prospect of an early peace in Europe, “L can't see where peace is to come from,” he said, “All Germany seems to be standing back of the Kaiser, and there seems to be equal deter- mination in Great Britain to stand back of the King. With both nations so grimly set for the struggle [ can see no end to it in the near future,” eee SEEK TO SAVE AMERICAN _ HELD BY THE BRITISH Representations Made by U. S. on Behalf of J. B. Starr-Hunt, Formerly of New York. WASHINGTO: » May 23.—P. presen- tations have been made by the State Department to the British Govern- ment, ft Was learned to-day, in behalf of J. B. Starr-Hunt, an American cit- jzen, formerly of New York and San Antonio, Tex., held at Singapore, Representative Slayden of Texas in- formed the Department that the man had been held several months without hearing. His transfer to London for trial is being sought. Starr-Hunt left San Francisco purser of the American steamer Ma’ erick, declared by British authorities to hawe been engaged in a German plot to promote an armed attack on Sast Indies. The plot is said to have miscarried, and the Maverick was laid up at Batavia, Java, Where Starr-Hunt was pald off and discharged. He was en route to Singapore when arrested charged with attempting to communicate with German agents, JAMES J, HILL IMPROVING, ST. PAUL, Minn,, May 23.—Although James J. Hill's condition is not entirely 1s reported to-day to be recovering slowly from an iliness t him ut his home several s, A member of the household sald ‘was getting along quite well.” Busi- 8 associates expect him to be at h day: 1 FRENCH DRIVE BUT BERLIN DENES ~ DOUAUMONT Lss Paris Insists That Entire Fort Has Been Taken Except the Northeastern Comer. ON HILL NO. 304 One Report Was That Dead Man’s Hill Had Been Lost. WIN | PARIS, May 23.—Fighting contin- ued with extreme violence on both | banks of the Meuse along the Verdun | front during the whole night. Following is the text of the Wur Office report: “In the region of Verdun the battle continued with extreme violence all last night on both banks of the River Meuse. On the left bank furious counter attacks delivered by the | enemy against all our positions at Hill 304 resulted in complete failure. To the west’of the hill particularly the enemy employed in large measure machines to throw flaming liquids, ‘This permitted them to penetrate one of our trenches, but a brilliant counter movement on the part of our troops compelled them immediately to evacuate all the positions gained. “To the east of the hill, in spite of an intense preparatory artillery fire, the attack of the enemy was broken | by our fire, and they could not reach our lines. “On the right bank of the river, in the sector of Thiaumont and Douau- mont, the battle has been continued with ferocity. The enemy during the night increased the number of their attacks in massed formation, and they | suffered enormous losses, They were successful in oceupying a trench which had been taken by us to the north of the Thiaumont farm. Every- where else we held our positions, “Inside of Fort Douaumont we have continued to force back the enemy, and in spite of a spirited resistance the Germans to-day hold only the northeast corner of the fort. “On the heights of the Meuse a surprise attack delivered by us in the Chevalier Wood was in all respects successful. “The night passed with relative calm on the remainder of the front." At one time Paris was greatly ex- cited over rumors that Dead Man Hill had been captured, but was reassured by the official reports, BERLIN (via wireless), May 23,— The report issued to-day at Army Headquarters says: “In the Meuse district fighting was especially lively because of the enemy's attempts to counter attack, On the west bank of the river the Germans took a French blockhouse south of Camard Forest. Attacks east of Hill 304 and on the south slope of Dead Man Hill were repulsed. “Bast of the Meuse violent Infantry engagements occurred on\ the front south of Thiaumont Farm as far as Caillette Forest. The French after a strong fire entered the first German position, but were repulsed on the flanks of the sector by German coun- ter attacks. “South of the village and south of | the ruins of Fort Douaumont an en- gagement is in progress but has not been finished. \ Fort Douaumont re- mains firmly in German handi (This despatch may haye been filed for transmission to Berlin before the French had entered the fort.) Vaux a sap by the cnemy d uered by us he Combres heights (south- Verdun), the first and second lines were destroyed by our ig for a considerable width, On the Meuse heights southeast of Verdun, near es-Palumex and icey, enemy attacks broke down under our curtain fire, Small de- tachments which had entered our trenches were annihilated. An ene- my aeroplane was shot down south- west of Vallly.” CITY OFFICIAL AND LAWYER INDICTED FOR TAPPING PHONE WIRES. (CHARITIES HEAD 1S INDICTED WITH PERSONAL LAWYER Brooklyn Grand Jury Acts on Charge of Tapping Father Farrell's Wires, CENSURE FOR MAYOR. Commissioner and Hotchkiss Held in $1,000 Bail Each— To Have Speedy Trial. The Kings County Grand Jury, after two weekn of investigation, handed up to Judge Mitchell May in the County Court to-day indictments charging John A. Kingsbury, Com- missioner of Charities, and William |H. Hotchkiss, his counsel, with ille- wally tapping the private telephone! |wire leading to the home of Rev, | William B, Farrell, in Brooklyn, and lintercepting messages, The Grand Jury handed up a pre- jsentment with the indictment. The |presentment states that if the Mayor and the Police Commissioner approved |of the tapping of Father Farrel telephone wire they deserve the » | verest condemnation, | Kingsbury and Hotchkiss, who were notified last night by District Attor- ney Lewis to be on hand in the Coun- ty Court to-day, evidently anticipated arraignment, for they were accom- panied by Martin W. Littleton, who acted as their counsel, Mr. Littleton, on behalf of his clients, entered a plea of not guilty \and asked for two weeks In which to |prepare for trial, District Attorney Lewis said a week would be long enough, and announced his intention of bringing the defendants to trial In the first week in June, Judge May allowed Mr. Littleton ten days in which to prepare his case and held the defendants tn $1,000 ball each, which was furntshed, Another city official, more prominent than Kingsbury, escaped indictment by a narrow margin, according to persons who have been active in bringing the wire-tapping matter to the notice of the authorities. When the Grand Jury adjourned on Satur- day it was expected that this official would be indicted at the next seasion, but tho jurors evidently concluded that Kingsbury and his counsel were the, men primarily responsible for the wire-tapping. In addition to the indictments the Grand Jury handed up a presentment which read in part: “This body, mindful of its duty to find indictments only when all the evidence before it taken together is such as would, | unxplained and uncontradicted, warrant 4 trial jury in convicting @ defendant, has found indictments FUNSTON GETS AIRSHIPS BUT NO PROPELLERS New Machines Reach Columbus, N. M., With Nothing to Make Them Go. COLUMBUS, N. M., May 23—Two of the new aeroplanes have arrived here, but unfortunately the shippers forgot to send propellers with the planes and the aviators manifest a reluctance to ascending without them. No aeroplane flights have been made for two weeks because the propellers on all the old planes were split, Not one member of the New Mexico National Guard hag so far been mus- tered Ito the United States service, although the President issued his cali two weeks ago to-day, About one-half of the New Mexico contingent, which was ordered con- centrated here, has been examined, and about 40 per cent. of this number has been rejected as physically unfit and returned to their homes, IRE TA ee ‘STORY MAYOR CHARGES CONSPIRACY OF HIS CO-RELIGIONISTS TO. INJURE HIS ADMINISTRATION Decision to Give His Side About Wire- Tapping Made by Mitchel After the Indictment of Kings- ‘bury in Brooklyn. POLICE WHO “LISTENED IN” : ALSO CALLED TO INQUIRY Mayor John Purroy Mitchel went before the Thompson Committee this afternoon to tell his story about wire-tapping and “fistening in” on telephone wires. He was in a different frame of mind from that of last week when he threatened that if the Committee didn’t hear him right away he would “make a statement that would tear things wide open.” Mayor Mitchel sent Corporation Counsel Lamar Hardy last night te ask Senator Thompson to defer the Mayor's examination for a while. The: request was granted. When he left the City Hall at 1 P. M. the Meyer aid he would make up bis mind while at luncheon whether or not be would testify to-day. When he came back he said he would testify, Assistant District Attorney Will- Harmon Black followed the Mayor's testimony closely and beside him sat Alfred J. Talley, counsel for the Rev, William B. Farrell and Dr. Dantel C, Potter and his son, Dean Potter. The wires of these three men were tapped during the recent In- vestigation of charges of Inefficiency made against the State Charities Department. Part of their conversa- tions that were overheard by the wire-tappers were put in evidence in the Investigation, Before the Mayor went into the committee room Police Commissioner Arthur Woods and Deputy Commis- sioner Frank Lord went into the ante- room and had @ long talk with Sena- tor Thompson. They were asked by the Senator and Counsel Frank Moss why Inspectors Murphy and McElroy, Acting Captain Deevey and five de- tectives concerned in the Brooklyn poolroom wire-tapping cases were not in attendance, The Commissioner Promised to order the eight police- men to report before the committee at once, It begins to look to me as it this police wire-\apping at will is a pretty important matter,” said Counsel Frank Moss, “I don't say that the cops we brought here this morning are dodging; they're simply slipping away from us. But we'll get them here if we have to stay all night. They've got to Ket those policemen here, They may make fools of them- selves, but they can't make fools of us” THE MAYOR STARTS HIS TESTI- MONY. Senator Thompson administered the oath to the Mayor “Well, gentlemen,” Mayor Mitchel began, “after 4 period of almost un- “~e ber of co-religionists of my own to obstruct the due processes of government of the city to interfel with the proper and orderly contre of the charitable institutions and the care of the 22,000 children committed by the city to their care. “The details of the conspiracy I will detail to you. It had its origin before this City Administration came In, “It will be recollected that In 1918 the Board of Estimate ordered an ime vestigation by a sub-committee— Comptroller Prendergast and myself aa President of the Board of Alder- men, That committee went into the question of treatment and care of children. In our examination of the accounts we found among the reo- ords of one of the Catholic institu. tions of this city a voucher bearing the record of a part of a fund ef $5,000 raised among the Catholic in. stitutions of this clty as an honor. arium—to give it a enuphonious name —for Daniel C, Potter. “Potter was an examiner tor the Department of Finance, upon whose sole word was based the deparunent’s information as to the treatment of the children in institutions to which the city kave money, The Comp- ; troller secured the restenation of this man Potter as an examiner, “The Comptroller secured resig- nation of this man. In course of this investigation it became my duties te ~ : examine the witne: Among them M. McMahon, then Moderator ef Catholic Charities, who admitted these funds had been collected for Daniel C. Potter, After having col- lected these funds his conscience TAXICAB COMPANY “There was no lcsal evidence ustifying us in finding that the IN-BANKRUPTCY COURT Mayor of the city ¢. the Pollve Com- |missioner aided or abetted in the | emer ., jerime charged, and for that reason | Three Creditors File a Petition|no indictinents were found againat | Against Mason-Seaman Concern | them, but if, ae does appear, they ap- pss pi ; — proved of the conduct ef those who and Cite a Voluntary Act. | were responsible for the tapping of | A. petition in involuntary bank-|the wires in question for no other! ruptcy was filed to-day in the United! purpose than te furnish counsel in| States District Court against the private and personal litigation and to Mason-Seaman Taxicab Company. | gratify private curiosity, and not for! |"’he creditors who filed the nthe detection, and the prevention of | jare the American Leather Mauutac-\erime, the conduct of the Mayor and turing Company of New Jersey, |the Police Commissioner merits the claiming « debt of the Fitagers most severe condemnation,” | eld Manutacturing Company of ‘to: Mayor Mitchel, whon intormec [rington, Conn, 9s74) and the Rao) Maver} Mdinianciae tere a at! {Glass Company, New York, $176. noon of the indictment vf bly Charl | The petition that four tes Commissioner and Mr, Hotchkiss months Beaman Com- said \ pany con Kruptey | 1 am so a pate sia ata iat paymenterg,| “fam sorry the Grand Jury tas the Browdway Trust Company and Sen ft to accuse Mr. Kingsbury and | other holdery of tts notes, These notes, | Mr. Hot 3, in both of whom | it is aswerted, we: forged by Will-| have perfect confidence jam H, Bernard, President of the Ma- nan Company, and J. W, Sal- its See css i LA ing Results What the public needs is knowled of the underlying facts in this aff Geb Page 2) (Contigued on Second Page.) troubled him and for that reason he did not pay tt over, but &@Ppropriated {t for hia own use, “This man Potter, after Dpessing through many vicissitudes, became an oMcer of the Ambulance Board amd later Executive Secretary of an as- sociation of private charities, When this Administration took hold Potter's conection was severed with precedented misrepresentation lasting several years during which I have re- mained silent, 1 shall reveal to you the facts concerning this matter of supervising telephone lines, Mayor of the City of New York it is necessary that I should make known the facts, “It is the ecessury since the unty Grand Jury has seen fit King to lodge an unfounded charge against lene Ambulance Board. Commissioner the Commissioner of Charities and the | Kingsbury was selected to bead the Special A ant Corporation Counsel. | Charities Department and instructed 1 therefore take this opportunity | hy me to investigate charitable tnatt. to tell you the facts concerning the|tutions, In order that all religious supervision of two telephone wires. denominations might be represented, Commissioner Kingsbury appointed underlying facts are: Kirst ‘ts & Keneral proposl-| Brother Barnabas, represent tion for the last two and @ half| Catholics; Dr, Dernaiain, SOeeeaailil ms years, during the entire life of thia|the Jews, and a Protestant city administration there hag been | sentative, a well-organised and purposeful con-