.
Fair and Colder Tq- •
day; Fair Friday
World, State and Local
.. News Daily
FOUNDED Av D. 1807^-TOL. CX;—No. Ill
WILMINGTON^N. C., THURSDAY MORNING, JANUARY 4,1923
RUPTURE OF CONFERENCE OF
PREMIERS IS PREVENTED BY
ADJOURNMENT
Recess Comes During Bonar
Law’s Declaration Replying
the French and Belgium
Prime Ministers
FINAL ADJUSTMENT
PREDICTED FOR TODAY
Both British and Frencji Spoke
men Predict an End to Dis
cussions on Reparations With
out an Agreement; There is
Much Dismay and Anxiety
• Over the Situation; Views
Are - Irreconciliahle; Mii
Concern Felt Over Affect
Premiers’ Action Will Have
on the Lausanne Conference
on Near Eastern Problems
PARIS, Jan. 3.—(By The Associated
Press)—Rupture of the premiers con
ference with all Its dangerous possibil
ities for Europe and the near east, was
barely avoided today, by a recess until4
tomorrow, when the unfinished declara
tion by the British prime minister, Mr,
Bonar Law, in reply-to Premiers Poin
care and Theunis will be completed,
and Marquis Della Torretta will have a
formal opportunity to state the Italian
government’s position. .
The conference, in the judgment or
both French and British delegates, will
probably end tomorrow without an
agreement, thus breaking up unity
among the allied governments, upon
which the policies of all the principal
western -powers are based.
There Is much dismay ana anxiety
over the situation. The tone of the
conference has been cordial enough but
the British and French views are irre
concilable as they stand now
Mr. Bonar L*aw is regarded by the
French as personally desirous of doing
all he reasonably can to prev'®n^J*
break but since'the publication of the
British plan he is thought to be limited
absolutely by his own proposition or.
propositions which, in the vjew of the
the ’British treasury. In co-operation
with Sir John Bradbury. British mem-.
ber of the .reparations commissions, and
Lord d’Abernon, British ambassador to
cermany. The British premier, there
fore, find's it well nigh Impossible to
accept as a basis the French and Ital
ian plans without taking ,nto con.s.id'
eration the British plan, from which
they differ so radically. *_
There is no reason to draw a favor
able deduction from a continuation o
the conference tomorrow, it was de
clared late tonight by a oB*Piar,of
the French foreign office. The discds
sion continues,. he explained, because
the members of the conference have
not yet finished what they have to say,
but nothing hgs developed to give hope
lhat the French and British will come
t0Theh B'ritish delegation tonight has
abandoned hope of an accord on repa
ratibns after today s development
H. Poincare’s plain refusal
accept the British plan as ®ater‘a|*°£
discussion together with the Frencn
plan has virtually *>«>»«** o?the°BrU
ence to an end, in the view of the Br«
ish representatives. They frankly ad
mit that the conference is ^‘ngpr
longed until tomorrow or Friday, at
the latest, in order to. preserve the
Franco-Brltish accord .as long as pos
sible because of the delicate nego i
t,0Tbe BrlUsUhagonvernment is fearful of
.bl aVect1 which the breaking^ the
raflecrsl^an e^nrtkwoauld
produce *on ^attitude of ^French
fshefretl0urg.ng ^Trench to continue
lo work in harmony, at Lausanne, de
spite the disagreement at Paris^ .
the British in the "•* •«tr at
Lausanne on the many Important.is
sues istm pending,there. *r:
T effort will be simply to oisagree
with France and remain detached from
such proceedings as the F^e"c!* y
eminent might make ioJ'a'Tr^r.2tlm rl
without any breaking of operation re
lgtions on the other „
Theunis and Foreign Minister Jaspar
and their associates in the Belgian
delegation took a more cheer
of the day's events, because MryBonar
Law abandoned that part oftheBrlt
ish plan setting aside .Belgium ^ pri
ority. -The Belgian premier spoke'
.the conference with ’business
which is quite unusual in this business
"Under no circumstances will Bel*
glum renounce the right which she won
by her heroic stand during the war and
by the allies’'unanimous consent after
the armistice.” said M. Theunis. All
eyes were turned on Mr. X/^
Amid a dramatic silence the-British
premier arose and said ,n a_matter
fact way. which contrasted sharply
with the Belgian premier's impassioned
t0”Very well, we yield. But'we were
under th- impression that Belgium was
prepared to make concession*.— ,
■Belgium has reached the limits Cf
Her concessions; perhaps
might be called upon to mak* some
effort.” M. Theunis replied, and tor a.
moment the atmosphere of the ownrtr
ence was rather dieavijy charged. V
Marquis Della - Torrett* relieved the
tension by suggesting that teg be
(■ wo mention was made" dilring the
jneeting of the Germam proposals, and
Dr. Bergmann said to The Associa e
press tonight that unless the confer
ees informed him It was ready to re
ceive the new Oerrnan proposals dt .yra»
’ (Continued -o11 Two.) / .
Organization of Assembly
Completed; Committees Are
Announced in the Senate
Legislators Meet in Conferences
Preparatory to the First
Business Sessions at
Noon Today
MUCH DEBATE ON SHIP
BILL IS ANTICIPATED
; Governor Morrison Announces
lie Will Address the As
sembly Next Tuesday
RALEIGH, Jan. 3.—With the comple
tion of the permanent organization in
both houses of the 67th general assem
bly of North Carolina today, the legis
lators tonight were in formal confer
ence among themselves 'discussing va
rious phases of the mass of bills which
will be presented during the session.
Among the high spots on which
much debate is expected to take place
are bills whioh will introduce revised
taxation, ta'X apportionment, the gov
ernor’s steamship project and the plac-i
irtg of the proposed* medical school ofi
the University of North Carolina.
Just what disposition will be made
of the state-owned steamship project,
which has been advocated by Governor
Morrison, seems to remain a matter for
speculation in the opinion of several
members of both houses. No member
of the house has yet come forward
with a statement as to who will likely
lead the. fight for the project in that
body. Democrats believe, howevev
that the matter will meet with some
opposition from the members who rep
resent the eastern i^ft of the state.
Th medical school proposal, in the
opinion of E. T. Pharr, representative
from Charlotte, should be left open as
to its location. It should not' be left
to the governor's special committee,
‘Mf/ Pharr said tottay.Vto be placed fin
any'certain city, but should be brought
before the legislature to decide Its lo
cation. Mr, Pharr stated that several
Cities might be considered from the
viewpoint of their population and the;
facilities they might afford for the |
proper functioning of such an institu
tion.
Both houses .will convene tomorrow
at neon; when other committees will!
be appointed fn the house, and regu- ‘
lar business will come before both
branches.
The assembly was content today with
organization and the nearest ayproach
to the introduction of bills in either
house were a trio of resolutions, but a
newly created committee in the senate,
annouftcejl With th&’full list of Lieuten
ant Cooper’s appointments, forecast the
weight of a measure that will face the
legislature soon.
The new agency the water com
merce committee, and it will handle
Governor Morrison's steampship line
proposition when he presents it within
the next few days. The-legislature has
never had such a committee before, in
fact there seems to have been little use
for' it But the governor’s plan for
state owned steamship lines will give
the committee a big job to perform. It
is understood the committee was cre
ated for the special handling and en
gineering of the bill after it reaches
fhe senate.. There has been\no Intima
tion as to whether the.house will take
a Charts Harris, of Raleigh, reported
as strongly favoring the steamship
reposition, is chairman of the com
nittee, while the membership is made
"p of a half dozen of the strongest
noJllyrthefrulesScommittee can create
,ew committees. This dommittee was
nnounced In advance of the others and
t quickly established the new agency
n time to be included In Governor
’oopers’ anouncement of full commlt
ejoahPnPGntDmawson. of Kinston, formal
v elected speaker of the house, arose
tnm a ^^^Vs° s'tfnd^nd d?rec^ af
’Ifrsd^‘thfSp.»" "JChief Clerk
Llex Lassiter, who opened the housed
nrned the gavel over to Speaker Daw
,on as soon as he was electedI. Ueu
enant-Governor Cooper opened the
^Overnor Morrison Will deliver his
Gover r ext Tuesday, he said
ociav It had been expected he would
before the houses in Jbtnt session
nut he has been delayed in
he* Preparation of the message by a
,eav? rPsh ofstate business, Elabora
foJnfhis plan for the state owned
eamship line Is expected to feature
he address although numerous othe.
mnortant recommendations are sched
[Ted for emphasis by the executive.
75 Million Issue Farm
Loan Bonds Announced
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8.—The Federal
farm loan board anounced tonight an
issue of *75,000,000 in farm Ipan bonds
wXh will M placed on sale tomorrow
hv the Federal land banks, the National
farm *loan association* and about 10,
OOO^bond dlstrlbutiny houses. The,
bonds are dated January 1, trith a ma-l
turlty date of January *> *943, but are
na'hi* at tha option of thfl land
banks^anuary-l,.: 19*3.The interest
rate is announced at 4 1-2. per cent* but
the bonds are offered, for sale at 101,
and accrued interest which will make
them yield aboutASg per cent to the
callable, date„Jffi-2 per cent: there
after,,. - , mPr, , ■ > I'
STATE MAY SHARE
IN ENDOWMENT FUND
FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL
Co-operation With Trinity Be
lieved in Reliable Sources
Unnecessary Procedure
DUKE NOT CONNECTED
' WITH METHODIST OFFER
Star's Neni Bureau
312 Tucker Building
BY BROCK BARKLEY
RALEIGH, Jan. 3.—That the Sta.te
of North Carolian may share in a four
million dollar endownment fund from
the general educational board for a
medical school In this state, without
co-operation, or association, with
Trinity College was the Information
emernating from responsible sources
here tonight. .
Acting upon the impression that
Trinity’s offer in the way of a million
dollar building fund and a three mil
lion dollar endownment is nothing
more than the offer of the educational
board, persons intimately and official
ly associated with the university medi
cal school movement were planning a
thorough inquiry into the possibility
of procuring this fund for the univer
sity, without the necessity of an inter
mediary.
Authentic information is to the ef
fect that James B. Duke has no con
nection with the Trinity offer. The
recent visit to New York of President
Chase, of the university, and President
Few, of Trinity, and their reported
conference .with.-stnv ~ .. jsiexner,
chairman hf the general educational
board, may be followed by a confer
ence with the chairman by men hav
ing an official connection with the
medical school movement, who want
to see the state brought into direct as
sociation with the board in the mat
ter of-the endowment.
If Trinity’s offer is the result of
word from the educational board, op
ponents of the Trinity plan cannot
see why the stath should be forced to
treat with the board through an inter
mediary. ’
They insist that -the boards offer
would not be made with strings as to
the location, and that with a direct
connection with the state, the matter
could be worked out for the best pur
pose in view.
It was learned today that the pos
sibility of the state negotiating direct
ly with the board in the matter of the
endowment, was presented to Gover
nor Morrison. It has been the general
impression that the governor’s inter
est has been oentered on the establish
ment of a great medical school with
ample financial means, without pre
judice as to location, and with the hope
that wherever located it will be In
keeping with the progress of North
Carolina along other progressive lines.
The result of the conference with the
executive was not learned. '
Takes Corpse From
Casket When Family
Fails Produce Cash
ASHEVILLE, Jan. 3.—As the outcome
o^ a dispute' which is said to have
arisen over the sale of a casket. Na
thaniel .Murrough, negro undertaker;
was bound over to the superior court
here today by a local magistrate on
charges brought against him by an
other negro, • John Scott. Scott said
Murrough grew angry when the cas
ket was not paid for hefoce the fu
neral services for Scott's wife and al
leged that the undertaker forced an
entrance into the home that had been
visited by death, removed the body
from the burial receptacle and took
the casket back to the funeral estab
lishment. Eugene Murrough, brother
of the defendant, is wanted on a sirpi
lar charge, but can not be found "6y
the sheriff’s department.
Annual Supply Measures
Are Passed by House
’ WASHINGTON, Jan. , 3.—Annual sup
ply .measured totaling, nearly a billion
dollars were passed today by the house
when It reassembled af'or the new
year's holiday. .There were the post
office appropriation bill carrying $584,
614,000, - the agricultural bill parrying
$69,068,000, and the interior bill carry
ing $294,847,000. No record votes were
taken on. any of the measure.
Consideration of the agricultural bill
was completed before the Christmas
recess and the other measures were
made ready, for a vote last week, but
under, an agreement between the Re
publican and the Democratic ladershlp
the final votes were held up until
members absent,for the holidays had
returned.
> Pew changes were made in, the
house in the measures as they came
from the committees, the postoffice
bill going through virtually as writ
ten and the agricultural and Interior
bills being modi.led only in minor de
tail a ■ *
WICKERSHAM FILES
Government : Victory Would
Mean Confirmation of Foreign
Warships With Wlitekey
HEARING IN SUPREhi:
court Starts
Attorney General R
• Deprive Amber*4®8
Beverages, it
„ Would
WASHINGTON, V 3.—Confisca
tion of forelg,n^m|>^Splp3 found in
American .waterksfer^fth, , Intoxicating
liquor aboard, amFSine depriving of
foreign ambassadors and- other diplo
matic and consular- representatives in
this country of sttoh beverages would
logically follow ^government victory
in the steamship company's contest of
the prohibition ruling of the attorney
general, which will be reached lor
argument in the /supreme court tomor
row, former Attorney General- George
W. Wickereham, ^counsel for the for
eign steariishlp companies, contended
in a reply brief 'filed in .the. supreme
court today.
Asserting that foreign ships have a
right to bring intoxicating liquors into
American harbors fn sealed sea stores,
Mr. Wickersham, tin the brief, insisted
that whenever congress has intended
to extend the police* regulations of the
United States o.ver.forelgn ships with
in, our ports, “it hap'expressly declared
such intention' in« unmistakable terms,
“and had not done? SO iii the prohibi
tion legislation. Excisions were cited
to sustain the assertion that the su-.
preme court had held that the patent.,
laws "did not extend to .foreign merr
chant vessel lawfully in one of our
ports” and that similar cohstructlpp.
had been placed ujitHi other - laws.
Under the construction contended (for
by the government,j'the brief asserted,
a foreign vessel '.JSvith intoxicating
liquor aboard, If forced .by stress of
weather into one pur ports, would
be forfeited under the prohibition act,
"Irrespective of all principles, of inter
national law and customary usages of
civilized nations.” ; , ■
"Our* government consistently has
maintained, as against foreign govern
ments, immunity from penalties for
violating neutral laws, or liability to
seizure for bringing goods subject to
customs revenues within their juris
diction or for other violations of legis
lation affecting merchant vessels in
foreign ports," the bflef declared, “and
itself has conceded to foreign merch
ant vessels such. IrernutUty.-iwhere such
wehther to enter thei’ Jurisdictional
waters of a country foreign to the1
flag of the ship:”
Had it beeh the intention of con
gress to prohibit foreign vessel bring
ing intoxicating liquors into American
ports, Mr. Wickersham insisted, it
would have said so as it did with ref
erence to smoking opium. No where
is there a line in any law, he continued
which specifically prohibits the inclu
sion of intoxicating liquors in sea
stores.
‘ Despite the tact so eloquently .bbl
forth in the government's brief, that
the prihibltion amendment and laws
are the -fruition of half a century of
ardent efforts, prosecuted with religi
ous zeal, we can not understand,” he
stated, “why they should be given a
wider scope than the fundamental
guarantees against unreasonable
searches and seizures, of trial by juryt
of protection against loss of life, lib
erty or property save, by due process
of law, of double jeopardy, of exces
sive bail or cruel and unusual punish
ments—rights Which from the time of
■Magna Charts to the present day have
been regarded by Englishmen " and
Americans as the foundation stones of
civilized life." * *
Asserting that the prohibition
amendment “aims only at .intoxicating
liquors for beverage purposes,” Mr.
Wickersham pointed out that in the
supplemental enforcement act of 1921,
congress made specific provisions for
the importation from foreign coun
tries of intoxicating liquors to meet
non-beverage needs when, the domestic
supply was exhausted. Emphasizing
that the use of - intoxicating liquors
"is expressly promoted by law in the
homes of the United States,” Mr.’
Wickersham declared that “prohibi
tion has made such a' profound im
pression upon the official rnih.d that
the limitations of the eighteenth
amendment have been lost sight of.”
Weeks May Ask Rank
For Several Officers
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.—Secretary
Weeks indicated today that if he aaw
any hope of approval by congress, he
would, recommend’ that, the rank , of
lieutenant general be conferred on sev
eral officers who rendered distinguish
ed service in the war, including Major
Generals Liggett and Crowder, The
higher rapk would be given the officers
concerned, ■ the wa» secretary said,
after their retirement.- •
WATCH STILL KEPT
FOR BERGDOLL ON
STEAMER AQUARIUS
All Precautions Being Taken
Notwithstanding Fruitless
Search by Cutter
FLYING CONGRESSMAN
TRAILED BY DETECTIVES
Herrick,, of Oklahoma, Shadow
ed in Connection With Case
Later -Exonerated
Although the American steamer
Aquarius was Intercepted and searched
off the Cape Fear bar yesterday morn
ing by officers of the coast guard cut
ter Modoc and federal agents, without
a trace of Grover Cleveland Bergdoll
being found, the vessel is still guarded
at her wharf on- the theory that Berg
doll may be concealed on board as a
stowaway.
The Aquarius docked at the Seaboard
terminals late yesterday afternoon. She
was Intercepted earlier in the day by
the Modoc and a thorough examination
made of her crew.
J. C. Meekins, Jr., department of Jus
tice agent, and Collector A. L*. McCas
kill remained on board until the I
steamer docked at 3:30.
Representative Manuel Herrick, of
Oklahoma, known as the "Flying Con
gressman," who has been shadowed for
the last 24 hours as a possible suspect
in a plot to deliver Bergdoll to the in- i
terlor, was given a clean bill, follow-1
Jng a conference last night in,.the,
O’Berry hotel. Agent Meekins, Col. j
George H. Bunker, commander, Wil
mington post. No. 10, American legion,
and Legiannaires William Watters and
R. C. Cantwell; (Jr., conferred with the
congressman.
congressman tierricK miormea me
department agent and. legionnaires that
he had become aware of the fact that
he was being shadowed by police, le
gionnaires and plalnclothesmen, and
said he was' "merely kidding .'em
along" in his carryings on. The net
that was being drawn around the con
gressman and two aviators, J. W. King
and S. W. Crane, was released imme
diately after the conference, and the
guards watching the two airplanes at
WrightBVllle Beach recalled. •
However, Agent Meekins made the
congressman, promise that he would
notify him as to the hour of his de-'
parture this morning, and the depart
ment of Justice official will accompany
*ix •
Plying the American flag, and with
the crest of this country plainly ftowr
ing on the starboard side, the Aquarius,
towed by the tug Blanche, moved
slowly up the harbor, to a berth at the
Seaboard terminals, at 3:30 yesterday
afternoon'. A flock of sea gulls cir
cled around the vessel as she was
eased into the. slip, apparently search
ing, as eagerly as the small crowd op
people on the wharf, for a sight of
Bergdoll.
Aboard the Aquarius at tn.e time of
docking were Agent Meekins, Collec
tor of Customs A. L. McCaskill, Im
migration Officer Ira G. Weidler and
James Craig.
When the ladder was lowered sev
eral persons, including Congressman
Herrick, boarded the ship, all eager to
learn first -news concerning the fugi
tive.
Capt. -Ernest Taylor of the Aquarius
related the story of how a person,
whom he says he later learned looked
like Bergdoll, came down to the boat
Tuesday night, December 12, just as
the ship was preparing to leave Nor
denhan, Germany. He said that this
man begged for passage to. the United
States, but that, on checking up his
crew, he found that there were nq va
cancies. ...
Captain Taylor denied that Bergdoll
came aboard " the vessel, stating that
when he talked with, him, he was
standing on • the ship’s bridge, while
Bergdoll was upon the dock. He said
that he did not think it possible that
Bergdoll was not a stowaway, because
he i said the potash salts ,in the holds
would have srpothered him. He ad
mitted. however, that it ’was possible
for a person to conceal himself aboard
the vessel as a stowaway, without en
tering the ship’s 'hatches, but said he
did^not regard this as yery probable.
Boatswain . Sawyer, who identified
photographs shown him by Mr. Meekins
during the search yesterday morning,
said that the person applying for pass
age at Nordenhan was doubtless Berg
doll. However, when question by a
newspaper iqan he became silent, stat
ing he did not'wapt to say anything
for publication. He said, however,
that he was "not being paid by the
public to tell them anything.”
"There Is no chance for Bergdoll’s
being oh this ship. X wish, I could get
him and get that’ $100,000 reward,” said
J. W. Davis, , the Wireless operator,
whose story does not vary materially
from those told by other members of
the crew. Davis said that all but two
of the crew are naturalised citizens
stating taht the unnaturalized mem
(Continued on Page Two.)
THE DAY IN WASHINGTON
American representation on the repa
rations commission was proposed tin a
resolution offered by Senator Robinson,
Democrat, Arkansas.. ,
President Harding' v.etbed the ®ur
sum bill providing Increased pensions
for veterans of tlie civil And Mexican.
wars and their wldpws, -
Construction of federal buildings in
140 cities at a cost of $40,000,000 was;
recommended in" a ‘report transmitted
to congress by Secretary Mellon and
Postmaster General Work. ..
Government aid provisions of the
shipping bill were attacked,by Senator;
Sheppard, Democrat, Texas, after the
senate, In session’after a New Tear s
recess, resume# v co.Tisideration of tlie
m^aCtment: bf a flexible immigration
law whiolii would permit the entry of
desirable aliens to relieve labor short
ages was advocated before the house j
:k
:0t •
Immigration committee by representa
tives of merchant tailors. 1 ,
- Ambassador HarVey,, back from Lion
don to report on various phases of
the European. situation, remained in
seclusion at the white house as a
gruest of the President except for a
conference with. Secretary Hughes at
the state department.
. Minus the customary provision of
$360,000 for congressional distribution
ot free seed, the agriculture depart-,
ment appropriation bill was passed by
the" house, which later in the day also
passed the supply bills for the inte
rior and postoffice departments.
Investigation of charges made re
cently in the house by Representative
Upshaw, Democrat, Georgia, that cer
tain high, government-officials did not
practice - the r prohibition enforcement
“which they, preach," was proposed in
a resolution by Representative Hill,
Republican, Maryland. -
;■ V''-' " f ;v-: ^
AMBASSADOR HARVEY CONFERS
WITH SECRETARY HUGHES AND
HARDING ON EUROPEAN AFFAIRS
MARTIAL LAW IN
MOREHOUSE SEEMS
TO BE INEVITABLE
Reported ^Governor Has Signed
Edict and Delivered it to
Colonel Toombs
»TK0IN IS EN ROUTE
TO LOUISIANA HOME
Is Accompanied by Two Officers
Who Are Only His “Travel
ling Companions”
BASTROP, La., Jan. 8.—The posslbil
fty of martial law hovered over More
house parish tonight as state* troops,
civil authorities and the state’s legal
■forces rounded out preparations for
the open hearing1 in the Morehouse kid
naping and murder cases to beg‘n Fri
That Governor Parker had signed a
martial law edict and placed it in the
hands of Adjutant General Toombs to,
be promulgated at his discretion, was
generally admitted. The governor and
attorney general, however, in keeping
with their policy of silence declined
to make an official announcement in
this regard, i
“I am here as the military repre
sentative of the governor to take such
action under his direction as the sit
uation at any tinie may warrant*” Col-,
onel Toombs said tonight.
“As conditions present themselves,
they would be met adequately. Thus
far no action has been taken which
would place the Parish under control
of the military and any reports to the
contrary are incorrect.”
. Tne •Jennings cavairy uuuvn
llshed camp at Mer Rouge today along
side the Monroe infantry company that
has been on duty here since fhe state’s
open investigations Into the kidnaping
of . five citizens of Morehouse and the
murder of two > began .two weeks ago.
The. New Orleans machine gun com
pany and the .Alexandria infantry con
tinued to occupy the square guarding
the court house smd jail.
Dr. B. M. McKoin. former mayor of
Mer Rouge, arrested .ip Baltimore on
the cases,'was “expected to reach here
Friday with the officers sent to ex
tradite him. The physician will re
turn to the state, a free man. It was
announced in an agreement reached
today between Governor Parker and
Governor Ritchie of Maryland in regard
to the contested extradition papers.
What charges the state will place
against him when he reaches Louisiana
soil could not be ’learned tonight.
Attorneys who will represent T. J.
Burnett, former deputy sheriff, the
first arrest, were here in conference
with their client. These attorneys
will also rprescnt Dr. McKoin.
The state , made no move today that
would indicate the significance of the
moving of the Jennings cavalry here.
To this unit, it was understood, will be
assigned the task of rounding up those
whom the state will charge with im
plication in the masked mob action of
last August, and also for serving sub
poenas on witnesses who will be ex
pected to testify at the open hearings.
How many will be arrested and
when was as much a mystery tonight
as a week ago. Two confessions im
plicated 45 persons, it has been re
ported, and other reports say 35 affi
davits wei-e signed by the attorney
general last week and will be served'
between now an^ Friday. Officials in
a position to know declined to discuss
this with newspaper men.
There were no developments during
the day that could clear up the mys
tery of the disappearance of Harold
Teegersgrom, regarded as a state’s wit
ness, who was kidnaped by unidenti
fied men from his sleeping quarters at
Spyker, La., Friday night.
BALTIMORE) Jan. 3.—Dr. B. M. Mc
Koin, former mayor of Mer Rouge, is
en route' to Louisiana tonight prepared
to prove his .Innocence of any connec
tion with the Morehouse parish kid
naplngs and murders of last August.
He was released 'late today from the
murder charge preferred by Governor
Parker, of Louisiana, on which he was
arrested here^December 26. Governor
PArker sanctioned his release on con
dition he return with Special Deputy
L. A. Calhoun, of Morehouse parish,
and Chief Detective James P. Glynn, of
New Orleans. ,
Dr. McKoin announced he will first
go to Shreveport, and from there to
Monroe, where he will join his wife
and children.
The Louisiana officers are accom
panying Dr. McKoin as traveling com
panions only. They arrived here last
Sunday with extradition papers for the
physician. _ , ,
The action of Dr. McKoin in volun
teering to go back, to Louisiana came
as a--surprise to those in close touch
with the case. He had previously
stated "I would rather die 40 times”
than be taken back to Louisiana. He
said the bad element of Mer Rouge
would kill him if he were to return.
The troops guarding .the jail, he said,
would offer him no jfrotection, as the
people "who want men would stop at
""^It'fs^ believed he changed his mind
after word was received from friends
insuring him proper protection, and
.iTering to .-corroborate his statements
that he had nothing to do with the
murders and kidnaplngs. ,
EW BAUT MILLION DOLLAR
BUILDING FOB ASHEVILLE
ASHEVILLE, Jan. 3.—Structural
contract for a new department store
building to be erected by E. W. Grove,
for the Bon Marche, has been, let to the
Sutherland company, of St. Louis, rep
resentatives of Mr. Grove announced
today. The new building will repre
sent an investment of approximately
3460,000. ■>.
M's
No Announcements Made From
White House Following a Day
, Filled With Conferences • - S
. ■ I J
APPARENT FAILURE OF ]
PARISH MEET DISTURBING
In the Meantime, Sign of An
other Approaching Storm in
the Senate Over American '
Participation ip European
Affairs Make Their Appear- ’
ance; Senator Robinson, Dem
ocrat From Arkansas, Makes
Proposal to Authorize Amer
ican Representation on' the
Reparations Commission
WASHINGTON, Jan. The repara
tions impasse in Europe took a tight
ening grip on the attentions of official
Washington today as the allied pre
miers again assembled and adjourned
in' Paris In a general atmosphere of
doubt and apprehension.
George Harvey; American ambassa
dor at London, summoned home to
contribute his personal knowledge of
the situation to the deliberations of
officials here In their desire to aid to
ward a settlement, spent the entire
day at the white house and the stats
department, but if his conferences yrlth
the highest officials of the government
led to any definite decision It was
guarded scrupulously. * ■
In the senate, where the administra
tion's attitude toward reparations iso '
recently weathered_a three day tempest
of debate, there were signs of anoth'er
approaching storm, entering this time ’
around a proposal by Senator Robin
son, Democrat, Arkansas, to authorize
American representation on the repa
rations commission. . ’
.Everywhere there was ample evi
dence that every move made in the
Paris conference was watched from
■Washington with a deep realization
that what is said and done there may -
weigh ^-tremendously in determining
the future policy of the American gbv
■ernment. Outwardly there was a show
of confidence that the threatened break
between Great Britain and France
would sdmehow be avoided, but in
.'Ktardly.
asking itself"again'"f)ie‘ questlbzts prb
pounded by Secretary Hughes in his "><
speech at New Haven:
"How can the United Stated help in.' ,
this matter? If statesmen can nbt ’
agree, and such an alternative is
faced, what can be done? Is there nbt
another way out?”
What may be the precise rols of Col
onel Harvey in the present cautious
search for a proper avenue of Ameri
can helpfulness remained an nnanswer-.'
ed question. If'he brought any sug- . ■
gested plan or any intimation of Atti
tude from any foreign government, it
was not revealed. If he received from-.
President Harding or Secretary Hughes
any new proposal to take abroad bn
his return to hie post, that al*o was
obscured completely behind the cloak
of silence officials have thrown over
their opinions and intentions toward
Europe.
From the time of his arrival in.
Washington last night until late this
afternoon the ambassador remained se
cluded at the white house. When he
emerged he was impervious to all
qustions relating to foreign relation*.
He crossed to the' state department -
and for th-3 better part of an hour whs
alone With Secretary Hughes. Then
he returned to the white house, where >
he is the house guest of the president
and referred all inquiries to the secre
tary, who, in- tofn, contented- himself
with saying it had been a “general !
talk.’’. , »
now ions uoionei Harvey will re
main in Washington seems likely to
be determined by the course that may
be taken by events abroad. He said
today that It detrended.on when he got
hie "sailing orders" from the state de
partment. There was a general Im
pression, however, that ;■his . presence
here was desired while th council qf
premiere is passing through its most
erltical stages so that he can give to
his government the berfellt of bis per
sonal background on Information In
determining what steps, if any, (s de
sirable to take. ' .,!
There was no indication tonight that
any step at all had been decided on, or’
that the {situation with regard -to an .
extension! of American aid had ad
vanced in any way since Secretary
Hughes threw out in his New Haven
speech the suggestion that a commis
sion of financial authorities Including
Americans, inquire into Germany’s abil
ity to pay. Neither has it been ex
plained upon any .authority why Mr.
Hughes selected the eve of the Paris
conference for making his suggestloh
or whether he made it knowing before -
hand the-attitude of the European pow- 1
ers toward it. It is certain that before
the speech was delivered feelers had
been put out at the European capitals,
but whether they developed any deflng
lte indication of opinion before hr sines
publication of the speech, is not dis
closed. ' . ' '
It seemed likely tonight that another
attempt to draw the whole policy ol •
the government’ Into the open would be
made in the senate during debate’on«
the resolution introduced by Senator
Robinson,- which would authorize tjia
President to appoint official American
representatives to the reparations com- .
mission to aid in adjustment of the
reparations tangle there. Senator Rob
inson declared he not only would ask
for prompt action on the proposal, but
would request th# foreign relations
committee to question some of the
American “observers'* now serving with
the commission apd to invite the state,
department 16 lay on the table all of*
it* reports and correspondence bear
ing on the reparations problem. . ■■ y
.It Is certain that auch a move will#' -
meet with stubborn. opposition,, and '
that If the resolution ever, is passed, it
will he after another .stormy foreign ;
relations debate on the senate floor.. In .j
, (Continued on Page Two)
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