Weather
Fair Today ; Much
Colder Tonight
FOUNDED A. D. 1867.—VOL. ci—No. 152.
WILMINGTON, N. C., WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 14, 1923.
12 Pages
AyerageulCirculation
DAILY |Nf3TIE STATE.
'M
BRITISH PARLIAMENT
faces problems of
gravest importance
jyo Most Vital of These* Are
Dealt With in Opening Ad
dress of Bonar Law
SEES NO IMMEDIATE
WAR IN NEAR EAST
“We Do Not Want War,” he
Says, But Intimates Prepared" ■
ness Should it/Come
Feb. 13.—(By Associated
-,|VSt ,_parliament reassembled to
).n with questions of gravest import
Jn00 faring- it for future consideration,
premier Bonar Law touched on two of
the near east and the Ruhr, the
,rM involving relations with Turkey
Jnfl whole Moslem world, and the
jprond having a close bearing on the
listing relations between France and
qreat Britain.
Tin rr has been much discussion as to
whether the British troops would be.
irith drawn from the Rhineland. The
prime minister said today he hoped it
n-ouid hr possible to retain the troops
v,,jt to a large extent that would
j.prnd on France and Germany,
•Itl-rr nf whom could make their re
tpntion in German territory impossi
J' Withdrawal of the British troops
from the Rhine, Mr. Bonar Law de
lurod, would be a great misfortune,
for that would mean the end of the
iMente.
The prime minister expressed the be
Ijof that there was not danger of war
In the near east, although the Turks
ro probably counting upon “our sup
posed war weariness."
"Wo do not want war,” he added,
•l.ut if it cannot be avoided, it must
come."
Tim usual state ceremonies attended
the opening of parliament, and the de
bate on the address in reply to the
tnneeb from the throne attracted much
attention. The king’.s speech eirpha
«sjz*,l that Great Britain act in the
Ruhr so as not to add to the difficulties
of her allies. The arrangement for
settlement of the debt to the United
States was welcomed by the chamber
as reflecting the determination of the
British people to meet their obligations
and the hope was expressed that the
Turkish problem might yet be settled
arnica My.
This sentiment was echoed by the
prime minister who declared his cotjfl
ii ?nce t hat. Xnskey . w-o&iyl -L gn* &
etreaty.
The debate in the house on the ad
dress in reply to the speech from the
throne ranged over wide questions of
home and foreign policies, but with
two individual questions taking front
place—Ruhr affairs and the debt to the
United States.
Xo striking pronouncement came
from either side of the house, the dis
cussion being rather of a preliminary
nature. The leaders of the opposition
parties plied the government energeti
cally with qtierries on many subjects,
with a view to ministers to define their
policies: while the prime minister and
the government supporters appeared to
Ve waiting to test the temper of tthe
house and the country on the urgent
matters under consideration. This was
especially noticeable on England's fu
ture relations with France.
With regard to the failure of the
Lausanne conference, Mr. MacDonald
told the government that it would
eventually be obliged to recognize the
soviet government and declared it
would have been better at Lausanne
hud Russia been taken more-into ac
count. On the question of the debt to
America. Mr. MacDonald wanted to
know whether there had been any ne
gotiations as to how the debt was to
he paid, and whether, if paid in goods,
t!iosr» goods would be subjected to the
tariff, because, in that case, he argued,
England would be paying a consider
able percentage in addition to the debt.
Premier Bonar Law devoted almost
the whole of his long speech to a re
view of the London and Paris confer
ence of the premiers, in which he con
fessed his belief that France in re
acting the British proposals was large
ly influenced by the fear that if repa
rations: were fixed at the smaller
ante tut proposed by Great Britain,
Germany would be able to pay the
whole off in 15 or 20 years and would
then be as strong and as formidable as
'I am bound to say, as a sincere
friend of France,” tlie premier went on,
‘that T do not see how the French are
Foing to get what they want. I fear
i-ia uv result of occupying the Ruhr
and the |eft bank of the Rhine has been
if intensify the feeling of the German
•i at ion and that danger will come
latpr.’’
There was a similar debate on the
house of lords, the principal speaker
Lord Curzon, secretary of foreign
a'fairs. Ho dealt with the near cast
and Ruhr affairs, adding little to the
tub i- knowledge, but expressing se
rious misgivings as to the outcome of
french action in the Ruhr.
Tlie Ruhr question was stressed by
King George today in his address from
rhe throne, opening the second session
of the fourth parliament of his reign.
Tim King declared that although the
British government was unable to con
,nir or participate in the* Ruhr opera
tions it was acting in such a way as
°ot to add to the difficulties of Great
* Britain's allies.
The King disposed of the American
question in one sentence, saying
lu ''’fhomed the settlement, '‘which
reflects the determination of our people
10 meet their obligations."
The remainder of the speech was.de
largely -to an expression of the
"Tm that the Turkish question might
tm bo settled. The sovereign also
^■uohed upon domestic problems, par
ll<,ular!v unemployment.
I’Hr’.iument opened with the .tigu
? oerornonies' of state, King George,’
af-hompan!ed by Queen Mary, setting
ln Motion the machinery of what is
jf^neraiiy regarded as one of the most
jriPori ant sessions of parliament since
e declaration of peace', in view of the
tontlnued on page Two)
CAPITAL CITY GOSSIP TURNS
TO COMMISSION’S PERSONNEL
NOW THAT SHIP BILL IS LAW
•f
OBSTRUCTIONISTS Tp
BE SEVERELY DEALT
WITH BY THE FRENCH
Severe Measures to be Employed
if Railways and Wires Are
Tampered With
SIX POLICEMEN ARE
TO BE COURTMARTIALED!
LONDON, Feb. 13.—-The Dortmund
correspondent of the Times says the!
French announce that severe meas- j
ures will be taken if the destruction of
the railways in the Trevas district and
the cutting of military wires neari
Herne continue. j
The burgomaster of Essen has made j
public a letter received from General •
Fournier, notifying him that in conse
quence of the burgomaster’s failure to
comply with certal requisition orders
this general lias instructed his troops to
help I themselves. The reason for the
seizure b ythe French of automobiles
seems to be to impress the manufac
turers with the inconvenience of rail
road and telegraph interruptions which
the industries havg been meeting by
the employment of motors. Several
German cars, including one belonging
to Thysen, have escaped into Holland.
The burgomaster of Bochum has re
fused to receive an order, demanding 40
cars, and severe penalties in conse
quence has been imposed.
The occupation of Emmerich, which
is one of. the chief customs stations
in Germany, cuts the main line of rail
and water communication between
Holland and England and enables the
occupying forces to isolate the Ruhr
■industries from the neutral countries;
It also completes *the occupation of
both banks of the Rhine from Switzer
land to Holland.
The French have cut the electric sup
ply at Saarbrucken because of the
miners strike in the Sarre Area.
TiONDON, Feb. 13.—According to dis
patches from French source the ob
of today’s temporary occupation
of Gelsenkirchen was the'arrest or six
policemen concerned in yesterday’s
affray with French officers. The di
rector of police handed the men over,
and the others who were arrested were
taken into custody for disrespect to
the French while tile detachment hav
ing the arersted men in charge was
passing.
These dispatches say the six police
men will be courtmartialed and that
they are liable to the death sentence.
DUESSELDORFF, Feb. 13.—The bur
gomaster and chief of police of Voh
winkel have been expelled from the
town for refusing to obey orders of
the occupation authorities.
Reorganization of
Departments G^ts
Executive Approval
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13.—A plan for
-eorganization of governmental .depart
ments and bureaus under which the
war and navy departments would be
consolidated in a single portfolio des
ignated as “the department of- de
fense,’’ has been given the approval
3f President Harding, according to high
idministration officials. The completed
Ran was sent to the printer today pre
paratory to submittal to the joint con
gressional committee which was au
thorized to consider the changes.
The plan, which contemplated a num
ber of other changes in the organiza
tion ■ of the executive branch of the
government is understood to have been
Approved by the president at a. confer
ence With Walter F. Brown, ex-officio
-hairman of the joint congressional
-ommittee on re-organization which
« appointed a number of months ago
but has not been able to agree on. a
program.
Many Midshipmen Fail
to Pass Examinations
157 Are Sent Home and Others
“Drop Back”
ANNAPOLIS, Md., Feb. 13.—One hun-1'
dred and fifty-seven midshipmen were
so badly deficient in semi-annual ex
aminations at the naval academy that
they have been compelled to res.gn and
10 hsrve ■dropped back into a lower class
it was announced to-day at the acad
emv. One hundred and fifty-eight
other middies who were deficient to a
lesser degree will remain in their re
spective Classes, further continuance m
the service being dependent upon the
outcome of the annual examinations in
MAs usually the case, the majority of
those who "flunked” are of the fourth
or “plebe” class, the total being 90.
M’CORMICK under guard
CHICAGO, Feb. 13.—Guarded by a
score of private detectives, Harold F.
McCormick, head of the executive com
mittee of the international Harvester
company and his Paris bride, Wanna
Walska, poacz, (Polish pritna d°nna')
who were re-married today to comply
with the Illinois divorce laws, re
mained In seclusion tonight at the
estate of Mr. McCormick’s, mother in
I,ake Forest. ■
\
Legislative .Officials Are Satis
fied That Body Will be Made
up of Substantial Busi
ness Men
HALF DOZEN PROBABLE
APPOINTEES MENTIONED
Included Among Them Are Men
Prominent in State’s Busi
ness Life
Morning; Mar Bureau.
312 Tucker Building;.
By BROCK BARKLEY
RALEIGH, Feb. 13.—With the Morri
son ship bill a law, speculation hadabe
gun tonight as to the personnel of the
commission that is to investigate the
feasibility of the state’s entering the
shipping business. Governor Morrison
promised the legislature an able com
mission in keeping with the other ap
pointments he has made and names
suggested in responsible circles as
likely appointees are evidence that the
governor meant what he said.
Five or six men have been mentioned
as virtually certain to be offered places
on the commission. The governor has
been considering possible appointees
carefully since the passage of the bill
became assured and he is expected to
be in a position to announce them with
in the next few days.
Among those considered as likely ap
pointees are: George Stephens, of
Asheville, one of the leading business
men of North Carolina, who has gained
a stiite-wide reputation through his su
burban developments; R. M. Miller, Jr.,
or C. W. Johnston, of Charlotte, both
cotton mill owners and presidents:
Charles S. Wallace, of Mor^head City,
one of eastern Carolina’s biggest busi
ness men, and Charles Horne, of Clay
ton, manufacturer and a son of the
late Col. Ashley Horne.
xne remainder oi uie commission win
be made up of men of this type. They
are looked upon as men capable of dig
ging deep into the investigative re
quirements of the commission, and
what they report is expected to carry
great weight in executive and. legisla
tive circles.
No intimation has been forthcoming
from the governor as to whether he is
considering presenting the ship pro
posal again to a special session or
whether he will leave final decision as
to state owned shipping enterprise to
the next regular session. There has
been much talk of a special session for
this purpose, however, provided the
commission completes its investigation
during the present year.
Significant in further consideration
of the ship bill was a letter received
by Governor Morrison today from the
president of a large Norfolk ship com
pany' which expressed faith in the gov
ernor's proposal and volunteered to
come to Kaleigh and testify as to the
feasibility of the scheme. He said his
company had operated ships in North
Carolina waters with great success and
that the only handicap was the lack
of terminals. Port terminal facilities
ar eas important in the executive’s plan
as stated owned ship lines.
Th,e commission will be asked by the
governor first to endeavor to induce
private companies to operate ships if
agreements from private enterprises
can be procured under promises to de
velop port terminal facilities, then the
next proposal for the legislature will
be that of developing the ports and
with no suggestion to ship lines op
erated by, the state. Indications are
that with proper development of port
facilities private companies will sup
ply the need which brought on the
fight by Governor Morrison.
MILLIKIN UNMASKING
BILL PASSES HOUSE
ON SECOND READING
Action Comes on Record Vote of
70 to 42 After Four Amend
ments Attached
MEASURE CONSIDERED
. UNDER SPECIAL ORDER
Efforts of Its Author Fails to
Have Action Postponed
Until Today
RALEIGH, Feb. 13.—(By Associated
Press.)—Under the weight of four
amendments, the Milliken bill to pro
vide for the control of secret orders
passed its second reading in the house
tonight by a record vote of 70 to 42,
but final action was deferred until to
morrow for the purpose of bringing the
amendments into better phraseology.
The bill, which came up under spe
cial order, first was subjected to a mo;
tion by its author, Milliken, of Union,
to displace the pleasure from the spe
cial order and set it for tomorrow be
cause of the fact that most of the mem
bers had been in long committee ses
sion throughout the day and up until
the hour of convening. The motion
drew sharp debate, and was killed by
a vote of 64 to 42.
The bill was reai| with the two
amendments previously adopted—Con
nor’s, to provide that no person should
be excused from testifying under the
provisions of the act, but that such
testimony should not be used against
the witness, and another which pro
vides that newspaper publishers or
lawyers might secure lists of member
ship, which the law would provide to
be registered for use in criminal pro
ceedings.
Representative Connor, of Wilson
county, then moved to amend by mak
ing it unlawful to mask or disguise
for the purpose of violating the law
or holding public demonstrations. Ev
erett, of Durham, amended by provid
ing the act should not apply .to orders
or lodges which did not keep their
memberships secret and whose mem
bers wore emblems.
Representative Wade, of New Hano
ver, added comedy-to the situation
when he sent forward what he termed
a substitute in the form of a resolu
tion to provide for a . joint legislative
investigation of the ,Ku Klux Klan.
The resolution, was voted down and the
other amendments were adopted.
•Representative Hook®, of Columbus,
who has vigorously fought the measure
since its introduction, moved to table
(he bill with all amendments, and- on
a record vote the motion, was lost 74
to 35. **
Representative Bryant, of Durham
county', then sent forward an amend
ment which was offered as a substi
tute for the second Connor amendment
regarding masks'which would provide
that the act apply only to organiza
tions who used a mask as a disguise to
perpetrate crime, assault or threat,
and set a minimum Ane °$ $200 and a
maximum of $.1,000, or imprisonment of
from four months to two years, or
both. The amendment was unanimously
adonted, whereupon Representative
Martin, of Washington county, rose in
defense of the Kn Klux Klan, lauded
the purposes of the order, and opposed
the Milliken legislation which he said
would cut "the heart out of the Ku
Klux Klan."
Mr. Martin said that he knew he was
“courting the disfavor of the most
powerful organization of public senti
ment, the press,” but contended that
the press had laid at the door of the
Klan acts of crime and lawlessness
which were never perpetrated or par
ticipated in by members of that organ
ization,
The roll call vote on the second
reading of the bill, members said, was
equivalent of strength which would be
behind it on Its final passage.
Report On State Finances
Not Ready; Senate Accepts
House Amended Ship Bill
. 4.-:-:-—
Upper Branch Also Accepts
House Amendment to Meas
ure Transferring Control
of T. v B. Sanitarium
EVENING SESSION
EXPECTED TONIGHT
Will Probably be Called to Hear
Report of Finance Probe
Committee
RALEIGH, Feb. 13.—(By .the As
sociated Press.)—The report of the
committee investigating the condition
of the state’s financies anticipated as
a part of the business of tonight's
session of the senate, was not com
municated, and. Senator W, L, Long,
chairman of the • investigating com
mittee, announced that all of tomor
row will be required for the prepara
tion of the report which the commit
tee had believed would be ready by
eight o’clock tonight. It is. now ex
pected that a night session of the sen
ate tomorrow will be held to hear the
committee.
Lacking this prinlcipal reason for
the session tonight, the senate Pro
ceeded to clear the calendar, accepting
the amendments of the house of rep
resentatives to the bill -transferring
control of the state sanitarium for
the treatment of tuberculosis to a
board, of nine "directors, and to the
Morrison ship line measure. Both of
these acts now are at the point where
they await enrollment and the signa
tures of the lieut-governor and the
speaker of the'Tiouse, merely, before
becoming lanK
After, recording the final vote on
the bill which provides for the changij)
;a. >■>'.' . , ■■■ . ", 1 ■'< ■"/ ;
of control of the tuberculosis sani
tarium, the senate strippA the house
resolution providing for an investi
gation of tije present management of
that institution of that portion of its
preamble which set forth in particular
specification of the charges made
against the management and approv
ed the resolution. A small Vninority
of the senate continued throughout to
oppose the legislative investigation on
the ground that it was unnecessary
expense apd trouble for the general
assembly and that it should be left
to the new board of control which the
governor must now name and the
senate affirm.
The house amendment to the gov
ernor's (ship line bill is a provision that
the water commerce commission creat
ed by the act shall have printed its
report of findings of fact and recom
mendations immediately after the in
vestigation shall have been made of
the feasibility and practicability of
the plan for the state to establish and
operate a boat line and mail a copy of
the report to each member of the
general assembly. -
The' bill introduced by Senator Jones,
of Warren county, to direct the high-,
way commission to build a road at the
cost of $2,700, from the public high
I way in Warren county to the grave of
1 Anne Carter Lee, daughter of General
Robert Lee, who died at White Sulphur
springs, in Warren county, and was
buried there during the Civil war,
passed its third reading in the senate
and goes to the house of representa
tives for concurrence.
Today the senate split, -33 to 16. on
the motion to postpone consideration
of the house resolution: calling for an
investigation of the management of the
state sanatorium for the -treatment of
tuberculosis, until the house shall have
passed upon the senate bilj, which pro
poses transfer of the school to - the con
trol of the sanatorium from the state
(Cintinued on Page Two.)
DANIEL AND RICHARD
ALIVE, SAYS SPOKESMAN
OF THE INVISIBLE EMPIRE
Hf* "
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho, Feb. 13.— I
'the two bodies found In Lake La
Fourche, near Bastrop, La., were
placed tberc by medtcal students
from n New Orleans college and
were not those of Watt Daniel and
T. F. Richard, as claimed, accord
ing: to Dr. Lew Burger, of New
York, who was spokesman at an
open meeting: of the local chapter
of the KJu Klux Klan here last
night.
“Daniel and Richard are alive and
well in New Orleans, where they
are under daily observation by the
klftn members,” Dr. Burger said.
He was introduce*! as “official
spokesman of the invisible empire,
Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.”
Burger declared Daniel and Rich
ard would be produced when the
Morehouse grand Jury contenen to
consider the findings of the recent
hearing into klan activities in
Morehouse parish.
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 13.—“It Is
ridiculous,” said T. Senunes AValm
stry, assistant attorney general of
Louisiana, today vrhen informed
that Dr. Lew Burger at an open
meeting of the Idaho Falls, Idaho,
Ku Klux Klan, last night had de
clared Watt Daniel and T. F. Rich
ard were alive and in New Orleans.
“It is ridiculous,” said Mr, Wnlm
stry.' “The statement was nothing
but Ku Klux Klan propaganda
and we can expect to hear it from
all points of the compass. The
bodies of both men were conclu
sively identified by relatives and
friends.”
British Debt Funding Bill
Given Right-of-Way; Fate
Of Ship Subsidy Doubtful
. _________
State Printing Probe
Ends After Twenty-Five
Hours of Testimony
RALEIGH, Feb. 13.—Legislative in
vestigation of the state department
of labor and printing, following- charges
by Dr. Charles Lee Smith, of discrimi
nation against the Edwards & Brough
ton Printing company, one of- the state
printing contractors, of which he is
president, came to an end late this
afternoon after 25 hours of actual tes
timony*. A sub‘-committee will now
draft the committee report.
M. L. Shipman., commissioner of labor
and printing, and George Justice, form
er assistant commissioner and now as
sociated with an open shop concern
also a state printing contractor, were
the principal witnesses today.
Mr. Shipman, placing a high esti
mate upon the qualifications and abil
ity of Lawrence E. Nichols, his assist
ant denied emphatically that there had
been discrimination against Edwards
and Broughton Printing company and
stated, on the other hand, that every
effort had been made by the depart
ment to assist this concern as well as
others when they were crippled in the
strike of 1921.
Mr. Justice, giving as ^opinion
fetoof iharklng made by MF'.' ‘Nichols
and characterized by witnesses for the
Edwards and Brougnton Printing com
pany as captions, were not unreason
able, stated that he had not found the
assistant commissioner unftir in his
treatment. He characterized Mr. ljfich
ols as “hard headed” and “contentious,”
but - explained that he had found him,
contentious in the interest of the state
and in maintaining the high standard
of state printing.
Alleged Would-be
Suicide Indicted
RALEIGH, Feb. 13—City prose
cutor Clifton Beckwith today an
nounced that a warrant has been is
sued for the arrest of J. J. Wilkes,
traveling salesman, of Atlanta, charg
ing him with attempting to commit
suicide at a local hotel Sunday night.
Wilkes is at a local hospital suffer
ing from a (Jeep gash in his neck. The
wound is said to have been inflicted
with a nail file. i
It is said that the warrant against
Wilkes is the first of its kind ever
drawn in North Carolina. Attempted
suicide, it is said, is a felony under
the common law. The warrant will be
served when Wilkes is able to leave
the hospital, Mr. Beckwith stated.
Wilkes will recover, aocording to
attending physicians.
Colonel Watts Case
Continued to Tuesday
RALEIGH, Feb. 13—The case against
A. D. Watts, former state revenue com
missioner, charged with aiding and
abetting in immoral conduct, was con -
tined until next Tuesday when it was
called in city court here today. Attor
neys for Watts stated that their client
was still in a sanatarium at Statesville
and not physically able to appear in
court today. The oases against two
r egroes ■ growing out of a raid on
Watts’ room here several weeks ago
also was continued.
Shipping Measure is Unexpect
edly' Sidetracked in the Sen
ate on Motion of Chair
man Jones
DEBT SETTLEMENT VOTE
EXPECTED FOR TODAY
Side-Tracking Due to Demo
cratic Opposition and Par
liamentary Situation
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13.—The British
'debt funding bill unexpectedly was
given a clear field today in the senate
and ' the administration shipping bill
was formally sidetracked, temporarily
and possibly permanently," The ship
ping bill was set aside as the result
of a parliamentary situation, which
developed suddenly and Democratic op
position to the measure.
Administration leaders nope iu uu
tain a vote on the debt funding? meas
ure tomorrow or Thursday and again
have the senate proceed with the ship
ping measure, but opposition o both
bills has left the future uncertain.
Eventual passage of the British debt
measure by a large majority is gen
erally conceded, but the shipping bill s
fate is more in doubt. Opponents to
night predicted its defeat, either by
failure to get before the senate again
before adjournment of congress March
3, or by emasculation. Some adminis
tration leaders who, in the past, have
been predicting a vote on the shipping
bill, admltter privately that, as a re
sult of today’s developments, the bill
appeared doomed.
The British debt measure occupied
most of today’s session with extended
addresses in its behalf by Chairman
McCumber, of the finance committee,
and Senator Smoot, of Utah, a member
of the ailfed debt commission, which
negotiated and recommended the Brit
ish funding agreement. Both declared
it was the best possible to obtain and
Senator Smoot said that none as fa
vorable could be expected from any
other debtor nation.
The British agreement Was subjected
to a continual fire of criticism from
the Dembcratic side , and many ex
pressions that congress should be given
power to pass on all future debt ar
rangements were heard.. Senator Rob
inson, Democrat, Arkansas, introduced
and amendment to this effect, while
Senator Jones, Democrat, New Mexico,
offered a substitute bill having for its
purpose acceptance of the British fund
ing agreement but without other amed
ment of the law.
Senator Harris, Democrat, Georgia,
urged his amendment to place three
Democrats on the allied debt commis
sion, but Senator Robinson said he
was not much concerned as, he explain
ed, the principal negotiations already
had been concluded. Senator Smoot
said he had no objection to the addi
tion of Democrats to the commission
and added that he also would not ob
ject to limitation of the bill to approval
of the British funding 'agreement and
of dropping legislation applying to
debts of other nations.
Plans of administration leaders to
bring strong pressure for early action
on the debt funding bill, with the idea
of brining the shipping bill again be
fore the senate w«re outlined during
the 'day’s struggle.
Supplanting of tha shipping bill came
as a surprise, both to the Republican
and Democratic sides. The motion to
(Continued on Page Two.)
Ficklin Seeks to Curb Press
In Reporting Electrocutions
Morning Star Bureau.
312 'rocker Building.
By BROCK BARKLEY
RALEIGH, Feb. 13.—E. B. Ficklin of
Greenville, a member of the state s
prison board, made public tonight a bill
to be introduced in the legislature to
morrow restricting attendance upon
executions to witnesses and officials
and prohibiting the publication of de
scriptive accounts of electrocutions in
newspaper’s.
Mr Ficklin announced some weeks
ago his Intention .to have this bill in
troduced, declaring that the elaborate,
in many instances, harrowing accounts
of electrocutions, were creating an un
iustified sentiment against capital pun
ishment. The state’s prison board to
day indorsed the proposal of MJ- Fick
lin and voted to support his bill. The
prison authorities also support the
Display before the public of the
gruesomeness of electrocutions has be
come so" elaborate .during the last few
■-■'■'Mi' . -
years as to cause alarm in official cir
cles and anions persons who -recognize
the necessity tor (he penalty. Much
of the descriptive writings about elec
trocutions has been in keeping with
the confessed efforts of some news
writers to create a sentiment in favor
of abolishing capital punishment by
•painting harrowing pictures of .execu
tions.
As a matter of fact, there is noth
ing in an electrocution that is. more
gruesome or harrowing than any death
scene pen picture of death on the sick
bed can be, and have been, painted
with as pathetic effect and horrifying
reaction as those of electrocutions.
Electrocutions at the state prison, at
least in the experience of this corre
spondent, have been carried out with
a serious matter-of-factness in keep
ing with the judgment of the courts.
Any scene of death affords material
for the greatest of dramatic effect,
however, and the scenes at the prison
have been worked excessively.
DETECTIVE AGENCY
OFFICIAL INSPIRES
THREATS OF DEATH
Charge is Made Against Bums
Official in.Deposition of
Albert Bailin
HEARING HALTED BY
POWDER EXPLOSION
Flashlight -Composition Goes
Off Prematurely, Injuring
Photographer and Others
I _
CHICAGO, Feb. 13.—(By tlio Asso
ciated Press.)—Charges that a letter
sent to the postmaster of New York
city, In October 1920, threatens to
kill him and blow up the Woolworth
building: wae Inspired by an official
of the W. J. Burns detective agency,
were made today by Albert Bailin, alias
Balanow, confessed spy and agent pro
vocation, continuing his sworn ^depos
ition for use by the defense in tfe trial
of 22 alleged communists at St. Joseph.
Mioh. February 26.
Balanow under questioning by Frank
P. Walsh, attorney for the defendants,
also charged that Charles Sculy, head
of the radical bureau of the department
of justice in New York, was in the em
ploy of Burns and. sold him secret pa
pers from the files of William J. Flynn,
former cfcief of the department of jus
tice bureau of investigation, which po
sition Burns now occupies.
lairing or Balanow s sworn state
ment was halted shortly before noon
when a premature explosion of flash
light powder being used by a news
paper photographer wrecked the offi
ces of William Cunnea, socialist can
didate for mayor, where the hearing la
being held. Mrs. Ida Silverman, court
commissioner, before whom the depos
ition is' being made, was seriously in
jured; the right arm of Nicholas Mc
Donald, the photographer, was blown
off, and William Cunnea, Jr., was
slightly injured by flying glass.
All the windows of the office suits
were blown out and many valuable pa
pers destroyed. Mr. Walsh, Balanow,
O. L. Smith, assistant attorney gen
eral of Michigan; Charles W. (loro,
prosecuting attorney of Berrien county.
Michigan, and Max Burger, former de
partment of justice agent, who were
posing for the picture were so badly
shaken it was necessary to postpone
the session until tomorrow, It was
also feared that some of Balanow's
private papers and documents, which
were to be used as evidence, had b«on
destroyed.
Balanow, in ’ hfs testimony, swore «
that Allan O. Myers, head of the radi
cal department of the Burns’ agency,
had him, while -.employed as a Burns
operative, go to the office of the Thiel
Agency, where he was formerly em
ployed, and write the letter to the
iMew York postomaster on a Thiel type
writer.
The letter. Balanow testified, was
'mailed to the New Y6rk postmaster
October 19, 1920. The Burns office in
New York is in tile Woolworth build
ing.
Balanow swore that Meyers’ later
had him go to the I. W. W. headquar
ters and write an illiterate letter, ap
parently from one radical to another,
and then mall jt to Meyers. The
letter was intended, he said, to show
the similarity between the misspelling
of the two.
Detailing an alleged conversation
with W. J. Burns in 1920, Balanow
swore that Burns boasted to him that
if Senator Harding was elected presi
dent he was to get Flynn’s position a*
chief of the federal secret service, and
that if Governor Cox was elected Allan
O. Myers, the Burns agency executive,
was to get it, so that either way the
Burns office would be on the inside. '■
While officials of the Burns and
Thiel agencies today were defying the
truth of Balanow’s charges, Jacob Spol
ansky, chief of the radical bureau of
the department of justice here , an
nounced he would start criminal pro
ceedings against Balanow if he can
obtain the approval of Washington au
thorities. Balanow swore yesterday
that Spolansky received $25 a day from
the Thiel agency l'or selling govern- '•
ment secrets to it.
Native of Goldsboro
, Dies in. Washington
By H. E. C. BRYANT
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13.—Ben .1. Beal,
born at Goldsboro 50 years ago, died
here yesterday after a brief illness, and
his remains will be taken to Goldsboro
for burial. He lost a son, a talented
musician, in the Knickerbocker theater
disaster here last year. The shock of
than hurt him for months.
Goldsboro Car Barn
and Equipment Burned
(Special to The Star) v
GOLDSBORO. Feb. 13.—Fire of 'un
known origin this afternoon destroyed
the street car barn on North William
street, with six cars and equipment,
entailing a loss of about 310,000. There
was no insurance, as the line has been
out of business for some time. The
city was arranging to buy the line from
the stockholders.
FORECAST BY’ STATES . 7
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13.—Virginia:
Cloudy Wednesday morning, followed
by cleaning and colder; much colder
Wednesday night; Thursday partly
cloudy and much colder; strong north
west winds, possibly gales on the coast.
North Carolina; Fair and colder
Wednesday; much colder' Wednesday
night; Thursday cloudy and colder;
probably becoming unsettled; fresh to
strong northwest and west winds.
South Carolina: Fair and colder on
Wednesday; much colder Wednesday
night; Thursday unsettled and colder;
fresh northwest, shifting to northeast*