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THE BURNSVILLE EAGLE
VOL. 39.
BURNSVILLE, N. C., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1931.
NO. 27.
News Review of Current
Events the World Over
James M. Beck’s Interesting Suggestions to Congress—
Butler May Be G. 0. P. Chairman—British
Parliament in Action.
By EDWARD W. PICKARD
UR eminent statesmen are con-
verging on Washington already
In preparation for the session of con
gress that opens In December, and each
one seems to have his
own ideas of what
should be done to
save the nation. The
remedies they are
I ^ ready to propose are
! ^ as various as the men
; themselves, and at
least some of those
that are not too evi
dently put forward for
the purpose of fur
ther embarrassing
an already troubled
administration may
be worth considering. President Hoo
ver, it Is reliably reported, hasn’t yet
made up his mind what it best to be
done, and his cabinet members hold
widely divergent views.
James M. Beck, Republican repre
sentative from Pennsylvania, Is al
ways listened to respectfully, and now,
on his return from a trip to Europe,
he has a lot to say. He decided the
plight was due to “excessive taxation
for socialistic purposes and fears the
United States is in grave danger of
being led into tbe same road. Mr.
Beck suggests that the present exam
ple of Mie British should be followed
by tbe formation of a coalition leader
ship of Republicans and Democrats lo
congress for the purpose of “abolish
ing unnecessary and meddlesome bu
reaus’’ and effecting other economies.
The PennsylvaniaD estimates that
probably two billions of dollars an
nually could be saved by tempiuarily
suspending sinking fund requiretiients
and by scrapping such governmental
machinery as tbe farm board, numer
ous bureaus of the Departments of Ag
riculture, Commerce and Labor and va
rious commissions consecrated to pa
ternalistic care of the citizenry in
their occupations and in their homes.
He favors only one additional kind
“ of lax. He would have congress pro
nounce light wines and beer nonintoxl-
eating in fact, which he says can be
done constitutionally, and then iitipose
an excise tax on such beverages, which
he estimates would bring, hi half a
billion dollars of revenue annually.
'T'HAT amazing story of the defalea-
-I- tions of Walter E. Wolfe, manager
of the coupon department of'the Con
tinental Illinois bank of Chicago, was
made almost complete by an announce
ment from Arthur Reynolds, chairman
of the board of directors. He said that
during twelve years Wolfe had stolen
53,006,029.00, which makes his em
bezzlement the second largest in Amer
ican banking history.
The bank is covered by insurance
up to $2,000,000 and a cliargo against
special reserves for the balance of
606,920' was made. Mr. Rey
nolds stated. He expressed the
opinion, however, that this entire
amount, over and above the insured
sum, would be recovered in time.
G OSSIP about national politics now
includes diseiii-sion concerniii.g
the man who slinll succeed Senator
Skneon D. Fess of .Ohio as chairman
of Che Republcan na
tional committee. It
is granted that Mr. ^
Hoover can have a re-
nomination if he v
wishes it, so his
choice will prevail as
manager of ^
. Sutler
the campaign. The
one definite state-
nieut to date is that
of the Boston Post,
to the effect that for
mer .Senator William
M. Butler of Massa
chusetts has been av-proached by close
friends of i’resident Hoover regarding
his acceptance of the place. He was
chairman during the administration of
President Coolidgo and directed his
campaign. The Post says Jlr. Butler
was recently a week-end guest at the
Raiiidaii camp and recommendcil
i'harles D. llilles for the place. It
was after this that he was himself
asked if he would accept the chair
manship.
Some of tlie statesmen in Washing
ton are talking of Ihe availability of
Lawrence C. Phipps, former senator
from Colorado, as chairman. Those
who favor him urge that his great
wealth would help the committee in
raising tlie large campaign fund that
will be needed. Mr. Phipps maintains
a handsome home in Washington. All
this is long-distance talk, for the na
tional committee does not meet uiiiil
December, when it will choose a date
and city,for the 1932 convention.
.\TIONAL Relief Director Gifford
^ and ills committee are as busy
as bees co-ordinating the efforts of
state and municipal governments to
meet the job of caring for the unem
ployed next winter. President Hoo
ver has added many names to tbe
advisory board, so if now includes a
great number of the country’s leading
men In all lines. It was believed these
advisers would soon be called in ses
sion.
Labor day gave occasion for numer-
King George.
ous expressions concerning the situa
tion by labor leaders, cabinet mem
bers, congressmen and others. In gen
eral the dole idea wa.s condemned, but
many agreed with William Green, head
of the American Federarion of Labor,
who asserted that work must be pro
vided the idle by industry. Governor
Murray of Oklahoma, speaking at Chi
cago, vehemently attacked Wall Street
and the International bankers, charg
ing them with having upset the econom
ic structure of the country. He called
for a new deal in 1032 for the labor
ers and common people and freer lend
ing to the producing classes. His talk
so ;nded as if he were suggesting him
self for President, as the candidate of
a new party, for he assailed Repub
licans and Democrats alike. So watch
out for “Alfalfa Bill."
■YX/HILE the London Bobbles
V » with rubber batons struggled
to disperse a mob of jobless men
and Communists, British parliament
opened its special ses-
* Sion called to try to
.jr balance the budget,
^ After the usual speech
from the throne had
been read, Prime Min
ister MacDonald, bead
of the new national
government, offered a
motion that the house
resolve itself into a
H committee of the
whole for the speedy
passage of the econ
omy measures devised
by the cabinet. He insisted on
a division, stating the resolu
tion was considered as a test
of confidence. The result of the vot
ing gave the government a majority
of 59, the figures being 309 for and
250 against It. The Conservatives and
most of the Liberals lined up with
•MacDonald, as did twelve members of
the Labor party. Sir 0-swald Moseley
and his “new party"in .opi>osl
tion, together with Arthur Hender
son’s Laborites.
The economy budget, as presented
by Ciiancellor Snowden and accepted
by the house, caused groans from the
Laborite benches. Its principle fea
tures, summarized, are:
Taxes.
Income—Standard rate raised six
pence, bringing it to five shillings in
the pound (about $1.25 In $5), or 25
per cent.
Beer—Increased one penny (two
American cents) a pint.
•Leaf tobacco—Increased eight pence
(16 cents) a pound: other forms of
tobacco proportionately.
Gasoline—Increased two pence (4
cents) a gallon.
Entertainment—Movies and legiti
mate theaters, increased 16 2-3 per
cent.
Total new taxes this year, $202,500,-
000; next year, $400,000,000.
Savings.
Dole—Cut 10 per cent.
Police wages—Cut to a sliding
scale upward fi-oin live shillings
(about $1.25) a week.
School teachers' wages—Out 15 per
cent.
Civil servants of all kinds, from cab
inet ministers down—Pay cuts ranging
as lilgh as 20 per cent.
Heavy reductions in outlay for de
fense services, education and road
fund.
An interesting Incident was the an
nouncement by King George that he
desired a reduction of $2.10,(MX) in hi.s
civil list of $2.350,0(X), which is the
annual income paid by the government
to the crown.
Queen Mary and other members of
the royal family joined the king's re
quest for cuts in their parliamentary
grants, and Che prince of Wales, who
derives his income solely from his
duchy of Goriiwall, estimated to be i
about $350,000 per year, announced he
Intended to contribute $50,000 to the
national exchequer.
L owell Bayles of Springfield,
.Mass., who a few years ago was
a miner working underground. Is the
new American king of the air, for he
won the Thompson trophy race at the
national air races In Cleveland, mak
ing the new record of an average
speed of 236 miles an hour in his Gee
Bee supersportster over the 100 mile
closed course. His money reward was
$0..300. Among the seven rivals he
beat was Maj, Jimmy Doolittle, whose
achievements at the meet earned for
him $10,000. Of the women flyers
Mrs. Mae Halzlip of St. IjOuis was the
biggest money winner, her share being
$7,750. John Livingston of Aurora.
Ill., captured six trophies and a lot of
coin.
T rouble between japan and
China, always in the ofliiig, seems
to be getting nearer. The immediate
reason is the shooting of Capt. Shin-
taro Nakamura, Japanese, as a spy by
Chinese troeps in Manchuria some
weeks ago. The .Tapanese cabinet met
early in the week to consider the mat
ter and Minister of War Jiro Minaral
set forth the army’s attitude. Re
cently he urged the government to take
N. Tituiescu.
a firm stand In dealing with the
Chinese rulers of Manchuria, who hav«
sought pretexts to delay answering
queries from Tokyo. The vernacular
press in Japan insists on strong meas
ures against China.
Six military planes of the Ninth
division at Kanazawa dropped 100,000
handbills that called the attention of
the nation to the danger of Japaness
Interests in Manchuria being jeopar
dized. This is the first time the army
has taken such unusual measures. Tbe
handbills said;
“Countrymen, awaken. The national
defense is endangered.”
TI^HAT the members of the League
»F of Nations assembly termed a
“lamentable error” was rectified when
the assembly met in Geneva and
almost Immediately
adopted a resolu
tion Inviting Mexi
CO to join the league.
The first business
the election of a
president, and this
honor was conferred
on Nikolas Tituiescu
of Rumania, former
foreign minister and
now Rumanian am
bassador to Grea:
Britain. Then the mat
ter of Mexico
taken up.
Lord Cecil of England said the ad
mission of Mexico would rectify an
error in the formation of the league,
adding “I must admit I personally had
a part In committing this eiTor.” He
said the aid of Mexico was needed in
the league's efforts to solve world prob
lems. These sentiments were echoed
by .\I. Briand of France, Signor Grandi
of Italy, Curlius of Germany and
Yoshizawa of Japan, and the resolu
tion was adopted uiBanimously.
While the statesmen were' paying
tribute to Mexico, her observer at
Geneva, Martinez de Alba, walked
about the auditorium smiling and shak
ing hands with the leading delegates.
The Mexican senate accepted the In
vitation and cabled its action to
Geneva. The Mexicans feel that her
position in the league will give Mexico
prestige in tbe eye of other Latin
American nations.
F OLLOWING clos6 on the announce
ment that the farm board will sell
15,000,000 bushels of its wheat to
China comes the news that Germany
is dickering for the purchase of 200,-
000 tons from the same source. Of
course both lots would be sold on
long term credits, and many Amer
icans doubt that we ever will receive
payment.
Of the wheat for China one-half
will be turned into flour before il
leaves the United States, lo order to
pacify the American millers. The
shipments will '■e 50.000 tons month
ly, the first to go before October 1.
Carl Williams said American shipping
lines would have a chance tc carry
this wheat and flour, but
competition; In other words, be will-
to carry the grair across ‘he Pa
cific at the lower rates bid by other
ilnes.
M ore than sixty experts on rural
problems met at the University
of Chicago to try to formulate
economic policy for farm relief. Their
sessions were behind closed doors,
but those who consented to be inter
viewed ’between sessions held out lit
tle immediate encouragement for
farmers, especially those depending
on cotton and wheat.
The policies of the farm board came
in for condemnation on the part of
man.v representatives, who declared
that the board’s policy of dlscourag.
Ing production of such crops a-wheat
and cotton was detrimental.
CHILE'S naval mutiny ended al-
^ most as suddenly as it began and
peace once more reigns In that coun
try, officially, at least, 'Che rebels,
who objected to vari
ous government meas
ures, held out until
the air force went in
to action against
them. Oue hundred
planes circled over
the warships held by
the mutineers, drop
ping bombs that sank
some (iestro.vers and
damaged the baifle-
sliip I.a Torre. Then
Rear Admira’ dropped telling the
Gomez.
chance, so they gave up. Their of
ficers, including Rear Admiral Gomez
commander of tlie fleet, were set free
and .resumed their commands and the
craft were taken to Valparaiso and
Port Tongoy.
The government has started ai- in
vestigation into the guilt of those in
volved, more than 2,700 enlisted men
and petty officers. Other hundreds
of men, some of them in the army,
took part in the seizure of the bases
at Talcahuano '■nd Valparaiso. It Is
alleged that Communists stirred up
the whole affair.
The nation was generous In praise
of the conduct of the aviation division,
and attaches of embassies and lega
tions remarked that It was the first
time In a Latin-Anierican revolt that
aircraft had conquered a navy to pro
tect a government.
The senate proposed to the cabi
net that one of the outstanding he
roes of the rebellion, Lieut. Fernando
de La Paz, be raised to the rank of
major. Tjie lieutenant defended
single-handed the powder magazli j
at Talcahuano and killed seven in
surgent soldiers with seven shot*
when they tried to rush him.
(ffl, 1931, Western Newsoaper Union.)
FINDS OPTIMISM ALL
OVER THE COUNTRY
CROP ACREAGE CUTS
ARE CALLED USELESS
KING GEORGE
General Gibbs Says Leaders
Have Confidence.
New York.—After touring the coun
try, Gen. George S. Gibbs, vice presi
dent of the International Telephone
and Telegraph company, ‘“ild he felt
“profoundly optimistic” over the gen
eral business outlook and the ability
of communities to cope with unem
ployment in the coming winter.
The former army officer, a native of
Harlan, Iowa, who on July 1 retired
from the service to take charge of all
communications in the Internationa!
system, visited thirty principal cities
from coast to coast on an air and rail
trip.
He said in nearly all places he found
the local business leaders confident of
the outlook, and in mos*’\owns the
bankers, manufacturers, and merchants
lie interviewed seemed lo feel that
their position was strongly encourag
ing “as compared with other towns."
“After I had been told this In half
a dozen cities," General Gilibs added,
“I began to realize that In every com
munity there were financial-and indus-
trla’ Interests who were practically un
aware they were being affected by
nation-wide economic slurap.
“That was the viewpoint expressed
to me In Omaha, Kansas City, Seattle,
Dallas, Atlanta, and many other large,
centers. In some cases the reports of
several towns would be alm’ost identi
cal in phraseology.
“Nobody could make tlie swing
around the country which I have just
completed without feeling encouraged
over general business conditions.
“In Dallas particularly I found as
much hustle and energy being dis
played as In normally prosperous
times. The man in the street seemed
unmindful of hard times.
“Los Angeles business men told me
they had only in the last few weeks
begun to see a tapering oft in busi-
ne.ss, but did not feel that it was go
lug to be really serious.
“In every city where I litqulred into
unemployment relief plans I was as
sured that the local comm inity would
have ample means to meet existing
or expected unemployment.
“In the northwest the lumber and
grain interests naturally are feeling
the letup, as are the mini, z Interests
of Utah. I was delig>^'';i_Mj; h Char
lotte, N. C., Tn the midstjt^ a’busj
season despite the cotton surplus, in
Atlanta. Clark Howell, publisher of
the Atlanta Constitution, told me there
was a better feeling all over the South.
“In Chicago we found bankers
gloomy over low interest rates, with
large surpluses of funds seeking prof
itable outlets, but the city generally
gave no outward evidences of eco
nomic prostration.
“Nearly everywhere throughout the
West business people took the atti-
tud ^ that the East must be very hard
hit because of the extensive projects
being undertaken there for relief of
distress among the jobless. The view
point out there was that unemploy
ment must be confined largely to New
i’ork and other eastern manufacturing
centers.”
Mr. Gibbs made an informal report
of his tour to President Hoover at the
White House, and he said the Chief
Executive seemed greatly Interested
In his findings.
Hoover Plans Aid to
Cotton Men by Export
Washington,—A program mapped
out by President Hoover and other
administration officials for the relief
of southern cotton growers through
the facilitation of their exports to
European countries Is under way.
Under the direction of Eugene
Meyer, governor of the federal reserve
board, negotiations have been started
with the representatives of three coun
tries, Germany, France and Poland, in
an effort to arrange a reciprocal agree
ment whereby cheap cotton and am
ple credit will be made available in
the United States in return for buyers
with good security in Europe. Pres
ent plans call for the disposal of at
least 1.000.000 bales of surplus Amer
ican cotton.
The farm board is not concerned In
Mr. Meyer’s program at all—a fact
which raised considerable comment ,
about the capital,
Policies of Farm Board Are
Attacked by Experts.
Train Flagman Is Killed
by Water Tank Spout
Lima, Ohio.—M. D. Beverly of Hunt
ington, Ind., was killed here when
knocked from an Erie railroad train
by a water tank spout. He was a
flagman on the train.
Louisville Paper Is Sold
Louisville, Ky.—The Louisville Her
ald-Post was sold by the 'receiver on
the bid of John B. Gailagttier, of New
York, for $175,000 and the assumption
of $140,000.
Brothers Killed by
Hudson, Wls.—Two brcil
killed by electricity while
a contractor at the local d'
They were Einar and Arthbi
ictricity
tilers were
■orklng for
ower plant
ir Sandeen.
Dishonest Banker Sei^tenced
Platte City. Mo.—Bgber^ M. Hard
esty. for many years hfead of the
Railey & Brothers Bankiilig company
of Weston, Mo., was sentenced to
serve ten years in the ^penitentiary
after bis pleas of guilty toi two counts
of embezzlement ]
Chicago.—Permanent relief for the
American farmer can come only
through world-wide stabilization and
readjustment of finance and trade, ac
cording to Dr. E. G. Nourse, direc
tor Brookings Institute, Washington,
D. C.
Doctor Nourse addressed GO agri
cultural economists and farm leaders
gathered at the University of Chicago
for a three-day conference on “An
Economic Policy for American Agri
culture.”
The federal farm board and its
policies were criticized by Doctor
Nourse when he charged curtailment
of production as a remedy for the
farmer’s ills Is a useless measure. He
said:
“What the farmer needs Is some
thing constructive instead of meas
ures which are negligible in their
effect. Farmers cannot be expect
ed to cut down their acreage in the
hope of raising prices to the point
where they will receive a living
wage.”
Tinkering with the tariff on agri
cultural products in an effort to aid
the farmer was I'ssalled by Doctor
Nourse as a “negative” measure
which can bring no permanent relief.
Instead he urged a rebuilding of pur
chasing power at home and abroad
by the development of new'markets.
This view was seconded by Dr.
M. .T. B. Ezekiel, senior economist
of the bureau of agricultural eco
nomlcs, who pointed out that for
eign countries have had to pay their
debts to the United States in gold
shipments because of our high tariff
.walls.
Washington.—President Hoover an
nounced the consummation ol an
agreement between the farm board
and the Chinese government by which
15,(>00,CK)0 bushels of wheat out o' the
farm board’s holdings will be sent to
China.
The transaction will give business
to shipping lines which have been in
hard straits, and American flag ships
are given assurance of an equal op
portunity in getting the business, al
though the Chinese government un
dertakes the transportation.
Satisfying American millers, about
half.of the wheat will be turned into
flour before it leaves the United
States.
It was unofficially reported that
Germany had sent a special repre
sentative to the United States to ne
gotiate with the federal farm board
for 16,500,000 bushels of the farm
board’s stabilization wheat.
Asks Special Session
for Big Hunger Loan
New York.—The 'eague for Inde
pendent Action, of which Dr. John
Dewey Is the head, addressed to Presi
dent Hoover a plea for a special ses
sion of congress to deal with unem
ployment, and for a “hunger loan" of
“at least $3,000,000,000,” •
The letter, forwarded by Howard Y.
Williams, executive secretary, urged
that thA money be appropriated for
public buildings to include bousing of
workers and construction of road.s,
river development and electric power
lines in agricultural regions. In part
the communication said:
“Hundreds of men and women are
taking their lives every month In
America because they will not face
little families that they cannot feed,
and so they end their lives. There
have been over 1,800 suicides this year
in New York city alone largely due to
this cause.”
Wife Swapper Weds
His Original Spouse
Edgewater Park, N. .T.—Binney
Woodward Earl, whose “wife swap
ping” with his friend, Emil Reinbold,
in 102S attracted nation-wide notice,
has remarried his original wife, the
former Maj'belle Stillson, It is an
nounced.
The ceremony took place soon after
Earl was divorced from the first Mrs.
Reinbold and Reinbold from the first
Mrs. Earl in Tampa, Fla., two weeks
The Earls are reported to he on
their second honeymoon in Canada.
This is Earl’s fourth marriage. Hts
mother, who died in November, 1930,
left him a fortune.
Mary Pickford Catches
Swordfish, Shark, It’s Said
Hollywood, Calif.—Mary Pickford
needn’t listen In awe any longer to the
stories of her energetic husband,
Dougles Fairbanks. Cruising with a
party cf friends off Santa Monica
Miss Pickford caught a 150-pound
marlin swordfish and a 175-pouDd
hammerhead shark. She refused as
sistance in both catches, playing the
swordfish for half an hour.
Huge Crop in Rumania
Bucharest, Rumania.—An official re
port said Rumania was harvesting a
maize crop of 5.800,000 tons, more than
1.000,000 tons greater than in 1930 and
the second largest in her history.
Three Children Die in Fire
Northboro, Mass.—Three children
.•ere burned to death here when
flames destroyed the farmhouse In
which they lived. Two others were
burned severely, but were rescued by
their mother, Mrs. Mary Ouimet.
MYSTERY MAN’S WIFE
TELLS ABOUT PLOT
When the British parliament met
to take measures to balance the budg
et, King George sent a request that
the civil list of $2,350,000, the crown’s
annual Income from the state, be re
duced by $250,000. The queen and
other members of the family joined
the king in asking this.
BANK CLERK’S THEFTS
TOTALED $3,666,929
Chicago Institution Tells of
Huge Embezzlement.
Chicago.—The total defalcations of
Waiter E. Wolf, manager of the cou
pon collection department of the
Contlnental-Illinois Bank and Trust
company, amount to $3,600,929.06.
The sum of the embezzlement, down
to the last six cents was announced
by Arthur Reynolds, chairman of tbe
board of directors of the bank, at a
conference with newspaper men fol
lowing the regular monthly meeting of
the board.
On the basis of Mr. Reynolds’ fig
ures, Wolf, a department manager
earning $75 a week, by systematic
thefts over a period of 12 years, com
mitted the second largest embezzle
ment in American banking history.
His exploits were exceeded only by
those of a group of 12 men in the
Union Industrial bank of Flint, Mich.,
who, by working in collusion, looted
the bank of $3,694,266.43 for market
speculations a year or so ago over a
period of a few months. All 12 were
sent to prison. j- ' '
At their meeting pff6r“f6 the-pre^
conference directors of the Conti
nental, being advised of the sum of
Wolfs defalcation and informed that
the bank was protected up to $2,000,-
000 by an Indemnity policy with
Lloyd’s, voted to write off the remain
ing shortage Immediately.
This shortage, amounting to $1,666,-
929.06, will be charged against the
bank’s special reserve fund, the di
rectors decided. The bank has re
sources above one billion dollars, the
reserve fund alone amounting to $10,-
000,000.
In his statement Mr. Reynolds made
It clear that the shortage did not
represent the actual loss, declaring
that the bank had already recovered
one block of the stolen securities, ex
pected to recover another $500,000 Im
mediately, and was prepared to resort
to lawsuits if necessary to secure res
toration of the remainder, all of
which are believed to be held by brok
erage houses where Wolf traded.
Italy Terrorist Is
Killed by Own Bombs
Rome.—Domenico Bovooe, twenty-
eight-year-old Genoan, said by police
to be the author of a series of 10 bomb
explosions in Italian cities this sum
mer, was blown up by his own infer
nal machines. Some high explosive
bombs with which he had been experi
menting In his own home went off
with a terrific explosion, killing Bo-
vone’s mother and badly mutilating
him.
An Investigation revealed much ma
terial for fabricating bombs, and se
questered correspondence showed that
Bovone was in touch with enemies of
the Fascist regime in foreign coun
tries, and that he was the probable
author of terroristic bomb explosions
in Genoa, Turin, and Bologna in which
several people lost their lives.
Texas “Oil Army” Is
Sent to Its Homes
Kilgore, Texas—The east Texas oil
field's “army of occupation” was re
duced materially. Nearly 600 men
and officers of the Texas National
Guard called out by Governor Ster
ling August 17 to enforce a shutdown
decree were demobilized to return
home.
Brig. Gen. Jacob F. Wolters, com
mandant, kept 120 men and 32 officers
to help enforce the state railroad com
mission proration order setting each
well’s daily allowable output at 225
barrels. They will serve as inspectors
and massengers.
Says Iowan Faked Death to
Get Insurance.
Perry, Iowa,—The solution of the
case of John M. Smith, one time can
didate for the Ohio governorship, took
a rapid step with the announcement
that Mrs, Smith In a signed statement
said the pair had discussed a plan by
which the husband was to disappear
and she was to collect $60,000 in life
Insurance.
In the affidavit, released in part by
County Attorney George Sackett, Mrs.
Smith declared the insecticide manu
facturer left Perry February .3, and
that night she was toid he had been
killed in his burning tnirt». She said
she was toid the body found in bis
blazing truck was In no condition for
her to see.
The statement was said by state-
agents to have cleared up several an
gle's of the involved case, which In
cludes a hunt for Smith in several
state, his bigamous marriage to
Pauline Shaw, eighteen. In Elgin, Kan.,
March 11, and a narrow escape from
deputies when he sought to see Mrs.
Smith here late in March.
Mrs. Smith did not mention the
most baffling element In the mystery,
that of the origin of the charred
corpse found in the truck, which was
buried ns Smith’s and later when in
surance companies demanded an ex
humation proved to be embalmed and
not his.
“My husband took out a large
amount of life insurance,” Mrs.
Smith’s statement road. “1 talked to
him about it. and he said I might
benefit some day.
“Under our plan I was to collect
the insurance or accept It when the
insurance company paid it to me and
then meet Joi>n when he got into com
munication with me, which might be
from one to two years.”
The statement then told of the only
meeting she said took place between
the disappearance and July 3, when
Smith was brought from the Ularinda
insane hospital, where he was com
mitted June 30. He had been found
near a Garner (Iowa) roadside, bound
with wire .Tune 23.
“I received a note asking me to
meet a certain party near Fremont,
Neb., on. the nlDeteenth day of June,
19.31. .1 drove,to ^remonr with my
son, and met my husband, John Smith,
on the road near Fremont, and spent
the afternoon with him. He told me
that he would come back and take
care of me.”
Sues President Hoover
and Many Other Persons
Bradenton, Fla.—A suit was filed
here by V. D. Alston, Bradenton, nam
ing Herbert and Mrs. Hoover, Al and
Mrs. Al Smith, .Tack Dempsey, Es
telle Taylor, Clara Bow, Airaee Sem
ple McPherson, O. O. McIntyre and
wife, the bey of Algiers, the bashaw
of Turke.v, and George O. Lea, south
Florida newspaper columnist and leg
islator, to foreclose a mortgage of
$2,000 on a farm ■ owned by Lea and
the above named.
Lea had' previously deeded a one-
hundredth Interest to each of the per
sons named. Lea stated when threat
ened with foreclosure that he wished
to have the above named as co-defend
ants. The bill of complaint says:
‘You and each of you are hereby
required to appear before the Circuit
court of the Eighteenth judicial dis
trict of Florida in Bradenton, Manatee
county, Florida, on the fifth day of Oc
tober. 1931. to answer a bill of com
plaint filed by V. D. Alston seeking to
foreclose a certain mortgage of
$2,000."
Pebblestone Wins Derby,
and Without a Jockey
Ponca City, Okla. — Pebblestone
joined the roll of hard-shelled immor
tals here, conquering 49 other turtles
in the eighth annual waddle of the
101 Ranch Terrapin Derby and win
ning $3,500 for his owner, T. F. Boett- .
Cher, Hollis (Okla.) merchant. There
were3,500 entries. Two daj-s.of elim
ination heats preceded the finals.
Doolittle’* New Record
Newark, N. J.—Major James Doolit
tle won a new triumph by flying from
coast to coast in the record time of
11 hours and 15 minutes. ’
Chiang Asks Peace
Shanghai.—An appeal to shut down
on civil war, which now looms between
the factions of South China, in order
that the nation i^.ay relieve flood dis
tress, has been made by President
Cbiang Kai Shek of the Nanking gov
ernment.
Postal savings system deposits have
reached an all-time high record, with
$408,317,703 on record as of Septem
ber 1.
Appointment of Floyd R. Harrison
to be assistant to Gov. Eugene Meyer,
Jr., of the federal reserve board was
announced.
Purchase of Bluecher Palace, Ber
lin, now occupied by American em
bassy offices, has been negotiated by
the American government for $1,705,-
406.93.
Boston City Employees to
Go on 5-Day Week Jan. 1
Boston.—Boston municipal em
ployees will go on a five-day week be
ginning .January 1 next In an effort to
start a five-day-week movement in
communities throughout the country
to relieve unemployment. Mayor Cur
ley announced. About 7.000 of the
city’s 20,000 employees will he includ
ed In the five-day week, which will not
include the 13.000 in the fire and po
lice departments, the schools, city hos
pitals and institutions.