Nebraska Newspapers

    I *
' The Omaha M’orning Bee
_ - - tho Kn,unil of expedient). Iheoduie
- CITY EDITION _—_- tA -.---- ------....'V~r^T~
__, VOL 54-NO. 233. „ «,<&', FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1925. • TWO CENTS- ‘fliftSS WSX™ ■ -
“V* --- - "~" --. -=-1
EdWickham
Found Dead
in His Horae
Millionaire Found Hanging
From Beam in Basement bv
Brother and Police
Chief.
Ends Three-Day Search
The body of E. A. Wickham, Coun
cil Bluffs millionaire contractor, was
found hanging from a beam In' the
basement of his own palatial home In
Council Bluffs at 11:30 p. m. Wednes
day.
He had banged himself by a small
clothesline in a seldom used room,
which had usually been kept, locked,
lie bad locked the iloor from the in
side to prevent interference.
The body was found by his brother,
l.eo Wickham, and Police Captain J*
^ C, Shafer during a second search of
the house made at the urging of
newspaper men.
The discovery which ended a na
tion-wide search for the missing mil
lionaire was the outgrowth of a casu
al conversation. Leo Wickham, who
had been in Chicago at the time the
house was first searched, was dis
cussing his brother's disappearance
with police and newspapermen at the
police station.
.Second Search Freed.
Discussion turned to the fact that
no one had seen Wickham leave his
home after he entered it at 6 p. m.
-Monday. Newspapermen urged Leo
Wickham to make a second search.
-Mr. Wickham went to his brother's
home and asked N'ell Wickham, the
dead man's sister, If the house had
been thoroughly searched.
"Every inch,” she replied, "except
the motion picture room, and it's al
ways kept locked.”
Still unconvinced. Leo Wickham be
gan a new search. When they
reached the basement they came to
lite locked door of the motion pic
ture room, which had been fitted up
for the amusement of Bernard Wick
ham, the dead man's 15-year-old son.
Bernard was sent for a key to the
room, and when it was tried Leo
Wickham found* that the £por was
locked from (he inside.
Keeling surik that the search was
. -Mr. Wickham sent Bernard
1 Nr-ll Wickham upstairs, and
led <'apt. .1. C. Shafer. When
arrived they battered In the
.oat Neatly Folded. ,
- b™ " mom they found the
^dangling from the beam. One
:"c^Hgted lightly on the box which
lie had mounted to adjust the rope
to * the. beam. After adjusting the
noose about his neck, Mr. Wickham
had stepped from the box.
'■w The knot by which the rope *wa s
fastened to the Joist was immediately
below the beam, apparently as high
as Mr. Wickham cguld reach.
On a small table in the room lay
thevdead man's topcoat, neatly fold
ed. Jt was the coat whleh he was
■wearing when last seen alive, when he
left Eugene Sullivan, foreman, at 6
p. m. Monday, after a walk together.
Coroner L. Henry Cutler was called
and he removed the body to the Beem
Belford mortuary. He said no Inquest
would be held. He said Mr. Wickham
t ad apparently been dead since Mon
day.
This statement positively refuted
i he declaration of Omahans that they
had seen the missing millionaire in
Omaha Monday night, and the reports
that he had been seen In Fremont
Tuesday.
Failing Health Mamed.
Relatives of Mr. Wickham attrib
uted his suicide to his falling health
He had suffered both mentally and
physically under the strains of bust
ness and finance and for montha had
been a virtual invalid under the care
of special attendants In sanitariums
and at his home.
The shock of the death of Ills wife
is believed to have been the direct
cause of his act. Mrs. Wickham died
as the result of injuries received In
an automobile crash Christmas eve.
in which her husband's special nurse.
Florence Brodahl. was killed.
Funeral services will be held at 9
o. m. Saturday at St. Francis church,
when Monsignor F. I’. McManus of
Kouncll Bluffs will celebrate requiem
mass. A number of dignitaries of
Catholic churches frum outside Coun
cil Bluffs will assist In the cerei*pr>y.
Burial will be in St. Joseph cemetery,
beside ch# body of ids wife.
It was considered certain that the
services would he held In St. Francis
• hurch, which was erected largely by
contributions from E. A. Wickham’s
lather, James, and Ills unde. Owen.
Tlie church was recently redecorated
at Mr. Wickham's expense.
• lose friends of Mr. Wickham, fa
miliar with his financial affairs, said
Thursday that his estate would proba
bl.v be more than 31,000,000.
Ills attorney, John I'. Organ, nnd
r-datives suld Thursday that no will
bus been found as yet, and that they
did not know whether or not he had
(Turn t«> !'»«• Thrrr. Column Two.)
We Have
With Us
. Today
W. II. Nlrwirt,
i.ravlty, la..
Merchant.
Mr. Stewart comas from a rlry of
f..M) person* and la In Omaha buying
lila spring mn’ihandle*. Ila «aya con
dition* In low* for the last faw
month* "ha\* not hern tha worat.'1
In tha little city whara ha la In
ratad hi* general marrhandlaa alora
rlld a bu.atnr** In 1924 of more than
I "0,001.
I
Kick of Mule Is
Fatal to
Man
Special UppJtrh to The Omaha Bor,
Beatrice, N e b., March 12.—.Gus
Baumfalk, who was kicked in the
stomach by a niuie Monday evening
while doing the chores at his home
near Holmesvllle, Neb., died at a
hospital here today.
After receiving his injuries,
Baumfalk crawled to his house and
phoned the neighbors for help. An
operation was performed in the
hope of saving his life, but of no
avail. Baumfalk was 2" years of
age and single. Ills father, three
brothers and three sisters survive.
Death of Victim
Elated Griffith,
Physician Says
mf "
“Never Felt Better in My
Life," Slayer Suspect Re
is.. ported to Have
Declared.
i -
Kimball. Neb., March 12.—With
neither the state nor defense allow '
ing the minutest detail to escape un
noticed, prosecution witnesses in the
l
trial of E. I., Griffith on charges of
murder in connection with the death
of Jerry Mtmdrell in the home of the
latter here, February 2, underwent a
vigorous examination «ml ... cross-ex
amination at today's court session
When court adjourned until tomor
row, seven witnesses had taken the
stand.
Sheriff Swanson, among the first
to be 'called to the stand, told of the
arrest of Griffith and of the defend
ant remarking, "X have just shot
Mandrell and Mrs. Griffith, and I
hope I did a good job of It,”
Mrs. Mandrell. wife of the slain
man, told of Griffith and his wife
entering her home, and said that Grif
fith opened fire on her husband im
mediately.
One Or. Miller, who was sum
myied following the shooting, testi
fied that Griffith had asked him If
Mandrell was dead, and upon being
told that he was, replied: “Fine; I
never felt better In my life.” Or. Mil
ler also stated that Griffith appeared
to be In a normal state of mind when
he reached the scene, and that the
defendant was getting supper when
he went to attend Mrs. Griffith, also
wounded by bullets from Griffith's
gun.
All witnesses were severely cross
by defense ^nuusel, but
Were not shaken from their direct
testimony.
Griffith and his wife are expected
to be the principal defense witnesses
when that side of the case Is opened.
MARRIAGE CLERK
KILLED IN FALL
New York, March 12.—Thomas J.
McCabe, deputy county clerk, in
charge of the marriage license bureau
in the Bronx, was killed late today
when he either fell or jumped before
an elevated train of the Third Ave
nue line. McCabe was to have ap
peared as a witness before the Bronx
grand jury tomorrow in connection
with the investigation Into the al
leged issuance of marriage licenses to
minors. *
Supreme Court Justice Tierney,
who ordered the marriage license bu
reau Investigation, said that the In
quiry- had not been directed at Mc
Cabe. but was rather a general in
vestigation of the under age mar
riage situation in the Bronx.
NEW EUTHANASIA
CASE IN ENGLAND
By HAYDEN TAI.BOT,
I iilvermil Nervlc# Mtnff I orr»*|M»ndent.
London. March 12.—"I did it to put
him out of his misery,” declaretf Flor
ence Ada Steel, a spinster aged 30,
flbei^* *he was charged in Kondon
todu^ with attempting to murder her
brother, Clarence, 24. who was blind
from birth and salt! to be an epileptic.
This is the second "euthanasia
case” in England in the last few
weeks following the release In Farls
of the woman who shot and killed her
dying lover to relieve him from his
Agony.
Miss Steel wgs remanded and, ow
ing to her physical condition, was
taken to prison ten cab. p
COMPROMISE IN
SUjWJPOll TRADE
Keattl^kM^h.. 12.—A com
promise li^Sbeen v*Sth‘-<l. i( was dis
closed todojUn a suiAclitirKliig com
bination In rwtrnlnt or trade that the
federal traikp commission filed here
July IS ai',4t'.t the ftefcttJ* Produce
association and Its members.
Federal Jtdlge Neterer announced
In court tliA the yase, which was
scheduled UYfrome up next week,
would not 1/4 tiled then. Cornelius
Hugliee. *pe*al assistant attorney
general, apd Henry i A. Ouller, In
charge of anti trust! rase* on the
Pacific coast, said that, ^agreement
ha* been reared for a consent de
cree.
Married in Council Bluff*.
Tha following p*o»on* ob*alnad marrlag*
Hear*#* In Council Bluff* yi»atarday:
!***• McOae, Omaha ... ... *5
I.ulh Wooda Omaha .... ' ■*
Paul FJulkatna •'ounrll Mluffa. '
t'lara Rtraj#r Council Bluff* ......... I*
Ion Kroon Panama. Nab .........
.f *•**;•» llo'-tafia, Adum* .Nab...
Chart** C* Qaih(l|fi ubithi . II
i pitin NotIill . Ilthi.i . «• * ik
llohari <* in roam Kandoltth, Nab-. '-I
Minnl* T.nng Ftamllph, Nth . H
Willi* Mhnttlaa. Omaha .
Myrtla r»avia, Omaha .51
Clyda Rflnaman, Rialng city, N*h i
Mum)* .furffon. flhalby, Nab.
.lama* fimmatt. Pop*. P>#mon*. Nab. . 5)
Inairna Adiiaon, Framont, Nab........ Ik
Trial of j$j
Lease Case
Is Tangled
Judge \djourns Court to (rive
Lawyers Chance to Smooth
Out Snarls of
Technicalities.
“Pivotal Point” Is Out
By The Associated Press.
Cheyenne, Wyo., March 12.—Hitting
the high spots for the first time since
the trial began, attorneys In the Tea
pot Dome lease annulment case to
day brought out the “pivotal point”
ir tlie litigation and then wound up
0
the case in such a tangle of ob
jections, technicalities ami contentions
that Judge Kennedy abruptly ad
journed court in the rniddlfe of the
afternoon in order to give govern
ment lawyers time to get it fresh
start.
The principal developments were
these:
The question of admitting bank ac
count records of Albert B. Fail,
former secretary of the interior, who
leased Teapot Dome to Harry F. Sin
clair's Mammoth Oil cCanpaiiy, to
show In exchange of Liberty bonds
between Sinclair and Fu)l was taken
under advisement by Federal Judge
T. Blake Kennedy.
First Objection.
J. IV. Ietcev of defense -counsel ob
jected to the testimony of A. J. Con
way, cashier of the federal reserve
branch lxink of Denver, on the
ground that it was "double hearsay”
because Conway himself did not
actually make the records sto which
he was testifying. The objection took
government counsel by surprise when
Lacey declared be could quote suf
ficient legal authority to show Con
way's testimony was incompetent.
When Owen J. Roberts of govern
ment counsel told the court he was
not yet prepared to cite his authority
for so' conducting the examination of
Conway, Judge Kennedy ordered an
adjournment until tomorrow to allow
the government to prepare its argu
ment sustaining the calling of the
Denver witness.
Lacey declared government counsel
was asking Conway to answer ques
tinns he did not know alsnit, and that
such testimony was "double hear
say.” He originally bad objected to
the Introduction of bank records of
Kail's deposits as Inadmissible, on
the ground that they had no con
nection with the defendant In the
case and that they would not be
classified as direct evidence. His
second objection was that Conway
was testifying to records made by
other persons than himself and that
he, therefore, had no personat knowl
edge as to their actual connection
with Fall or any other person in
volved In the case.
IFrishrn Reserved.
Roberts had told the court earlier
In the day that he w-as questioning
Conway and employes of other banka,
where Fall's transactions were r<y
corded, that he was attempting mere
ly to Identify the process of routine
through which Liberty bonds and
coupons passed, and that he would
later cite his authority for such. It
was then that Judge Kennedy re
served decision on the question of ad
mitting bank records of Fall In the
case, upon which the government
hinges Its attempt to prove that bonds
from Sinclair eventually found their
wav to the credit of Fall.
I,. C. Dunbar, cashier, and J. E.
Gonzales, on employe of the First
National bank of El Paso, Tex., and
Harland J. Smith, cashier of the
First National bank of Pueblo, Colo.,
Identified accounts of Kail and the
Tres Rltos lauid and Cattle company.
In which Fall Is Interested, and Liber
ty bond coupons alleged to have been
cashed by Fall. This testimony was
taken, subject to being stricken, on
the objection of defense counsel.
Judge Kennedy has the objection un
der advisement. Evidence was taken
In this way In an attempt to trace
from Fall back to Sinclair the Liberty
bond* involved, which are said to to
tal approximately $90,000.
Start Again Today.
Before the rns* proceeds further
the court will await the Argument of
gol’frnmeiH counsel on Its* authority
for proceeding vvlth testimony of
'bank officials nod employes, and the
competency of bonk officials to testi
fy regarding fcunk records made by
other Employes. Lacey told the court
lute today that he was ready to ar
gon against t^e admtsiSon of nurh
testimony ami rewdy tf> quote authori
ties. It Is prohiUde that Roberts will
be prepared fnr^he argument when
court convene* tJ JO b M >ijMW morn*
“r ■' r .
Jiiir rare jjinzcvji«r{*r.
Morton, March . 11?.—Tnw federal
grand Jury returned Indictment*
agalnat .loaeph l>|t^^Vif Chicago and
three employe* at hi* ViqrtBPr J/miir
at neterly, ''Imrglnut-auAth^jiig nf
liquor, facilitating the;HgBg^g^Jnn
and concealment of llqtldr an.TTlli'gal
poa*e*Hon. ; ",
..... ..._ * .. —
Say* Health SaLihlc.
I'iilcugo, March 1". Mealtti la "«
'liable commodity and there I* an
eager market for It," l>r. Hundeaeu,
(hi. ago health commit met", da
■ lined at the cloalng *e**|on of the
nntml congreaa <qi rneillrtnl eduen
lion of the American Medical aaao
'lilt loti
t.loria Coiiltl la Mother.
New York, March 12. Mr*. f?4*nr>
v. Rl*hop, ,11’., formerly Mia* < Until*
Gould. daughter of the lata Gauig*
J. Gould, gave birth to a daughter.
A>fces Mav Be Darned Old Fool/
Says Counsel. “But in No Conspiracy
Trial of New York Millionaire on Charge of 'Defaming
Character of Pretty Young Wife, Will Be Brought to
Close Early on Friday Afternoon.
Chicago, March 12.—The trial of
\V. K. 1). Stokes 73-year-old New
Turk millionaire, and Robert F.
r,ee, Chicago negro, charged with
conspiracy to defame Mrs, Helen
Klwood Stokes, will end tomorrow
afternoon shortly after 2.
At the end of a full day of argu
ments to the jury today, the atter
neys agreed with Judge W. N.
Gemmill on procedure which will
place the case in the jury's hands
shortly after the opening of tomor
row afternoon’s session. C. F.
Rathbun, counsel for Stokes, ad
dressed the jury three and one half
hours today after Milton D. Smith,
assistant state's attorney, had
ended a conviction plea oY the same
length. Tomorrow Ruthhun must
conclude his argument by 11 a. m.,
after which W. \V. Smith, assistant
state's attorney, will ,be given ap
proximately one hour and a half to
close for the prosecution.
Judge Must Kxplain.
After the luncheon recess Judge
Gemmill will read his charge to the
jury. He would not indicate the
time necessary for that, but indi
cated it would not be Unusually
long.
The court, in addition to the usual
citations of the law, has two diffi
cult problems to explain to the jury,
the permission to Mrs. Stokes to
testify and his statement In open
court that he thought the prosecu
tion had committed a reversible
error In asking the aged defendant
unsupported accusatory questions.
After M. D. Smith had concluded
his arraignment of Stokes as a dol
lar marke(^)cti'pus with long ten
tacles whitm reached Into the old
. underworldj of Chicago and else
where to "flirty up” his wife in an
effort to fflwter uf> a divorce suit,
Rathbun flainled his client ns an
“old man obsessed by one idea, that
his wife had done aomelhlng
wrong,'' and who legally and with
out rfial|<Jous intent sought to get
the strafi^i! of the matter.
"Darned Old Fool.”
"There may he a lot of evidence
in this case that will make you say
Stokes was a darned old fool, but
you can't say there was evidence
of criminal conspiracy,” said Iluth
bun. a speech that brought the red
to Stokes* face as he shifted in his
chair.
The spectators broke into quickly
stilled appla ,se aw Kathkun pointed
to Mrs. Stokes and shouted:
"She is here trying to convict her
husband, the father of her children,
to get vindication.
"If it is vindication she wants,
I'll givfc it to her now. I don’t be
lieve she ever was a member of the
Everleigh dull, or that she was an
associate of colored men.”
It was ills investigation of reports
to him that his wife formerly was
known in the long suppressed dull
which led to tile indictment "f
Stokes nnd l.ec.
The burden of Rathbun's pica for
tlie acquittal of ills two clients
was:
"If Stokes and ills agents were
honestly trying to discover the
truth, they were Innocent of any
wrong doing.”,
Stokes Is Sued.
He also asserted'that it was -Mrs.
Stokes’ agents who made public tile
Information the aged defendant ob
tained, and that he never had pub
dislied or announced any of it.
a Stokes this afternoon was made
•defendant in a civil suit tiled by
Joe Bruner, taxicab driver, who in
the conspiracy trial testified that he
piloted the aged millionaire through
the old restricted district in search
of information against Mrs. Stokes.
The suit was for $2,&j5 for "serv
ices rendered.” Stokes was served
With notice of the suit as lie en
tered the criminal court. His valu
ables at the hotel where lie is stay
ing also were attached pending de
cision of the Bruner case.
Another sidelight to the Stokes
criminal trial was seen In the re
lease from the psycopathir. hospital
today of Robert !j. Corbitt, Chicago
printer. He posed ns a world-fa
mous detective and recently tried to
obtain $1,000 from Mrs. Stokes for
work he said lie had done for her.
Rock Islafld Has
Strategic Place
Road Fortifies Petition by
Obtaining (!<^jilrod wLCot
ton Belt,
. A.
New York, March 12.—Recovering
from their surprise over the »cqulsi
tion of tile St. Louis-Southwestern
railway tiy Jlock Island Interests,
bsnkei-g i*nd railroad men today be
gan to conceive the^ transaction as
another step In the development of n
vast southwestern railroad system of
more than 20,000 miles, headed by
the Southern Pacific.
The Rock Island, according to Wall
street's belief, has fortified its strate
gic position by obtaining control of
.the "Cotton Belt” lines, which pro
vide important traffic connections at
Fort Worth. Shreveport. Memphis
and St. Louis. The addition of the
"Cotton Belt s'’ 1.700 miles of track*
It was said, would not prevent* the
Rock Island's eventual Inclusion In
the Southern Farlflc system, as sug
gested hv the Interstate commerce
commission, although the latter would
therebv liecorne one of the largest
railroads In the country.
Neither Southern Pacific nor Rork
Island officials would comment today
on the possibility of a consolidation
of these roade, but It was unofficially
Intimated from Rock Island sources
that this company would not attempt
further expansion.
Rock Island's control of the “Cot
ton Belt,” It was said, has been ac
quired largely through the purchase
of about 150,000 abates of preferred
stock, most of which represented the
holdings of Edwin Gould.
RESTRICTION ON
COAL CARS FOUGHT
Philadelphia, March 12—A Mil In
equity, signed by 3a railroads, attack
Ing the order of the interstate com
meree commission prohibiting the use
of private coal cars for the tranapor
tntion of bituminous coal, was filed
today In the l.’nlted {States district
court.
The commission's order, It was
averred,* van illegal and nrbittiir\.
and if allowed to stand would sail
oualy hamper operation of the roads
through making It difficult to obtain
sufficient fuel for their locomotives.
Heirs to Kstato Sued
for Income l ax Payment
Cleveland, o., March 12.—Si * helm
!o the $809,909 estate of the late Wll
Ham \V. Hllliion of Duluth. Minn .
were sued here In federal court for
$197,000. claimed by I he government
to the due on Income taxes Rille»»n
shuttle! have paid before Ids death fur
the year 1919. Defendants named In
eluded Hartford M.. and Alice I,. Hill
son of California.
'iGivci Bonn* to l'iind.
Trills na polls, March 12 Fred K
Alexander of Vewtonvtlle. Mass . was
the first ex service man In the Cnlted
Rtjfea to contribute his cnsli bonus
from the government to the American
Meglon $8,000,000 endowment fund,
his bonus check for $48 being received
l,»y Robert Tyndall, bkl"n treasurer
l)rr»<m«krr« on Slrik«\
New Turk, Mar* b 12 Work on oi
■ let s for Master dresses In 2,000 shop*
here whs at a statulstlll ss numufst
Hirers and the (doau and drees unions
e.nalned deadlocked In tilth wage
ale pule.
Larjje Utilities
Merger Completed
-- - - •
Electric I.iplit anti Power Cor
poration Organized l mler
LawfOEMaine.
New York. March 1?.—Ineorpom
Uon of the Klactric Power unit Light
corporation under the laws of Maine
to take over the assets of the Utah
Securities corporation, as well ns
the common stocks and certain other
securities that are now owned by the
Klectric Bond and Share company of
the New Orleans Public Service in
crease, the Dallas Power and Light
company, the Dallas Railway com
pany, the Texas Interurbarj Railway,
and the Power Securities corporation,
the last named company owning the
common stock and certain other se
curities of the Idaho Power company,
was announced here tonight.
The new company will have an
authorized capital stock consisting of
500,000 shares of cumulative 57 per
share voting preferred stock, 120.000
shares of cumulative $7 per share
non voting second preferred slock
and 2,400,000 shares of common
stock, all without par value.
The companies whose equities will
l>e held by the new company supply
public utility service in 253 commun
ities, including the cities of New Or
leans, ]-a ; Dallas, Tex; Salt I.ake
City, Utah, and Ogden, Utah; Duran
go and Montrose, Col., snd Boise and
Pocatello and Idaho Falls, Idaho. The
electric transmission lines owned and
operated aggiegated 3,541 miles and
electric distribution systems 5,287
mile*. *
Under the provisions of the plan,
the Utah Securities corporation will
distribute to the holder of each share
of It■ capital stock 510 In cash, plus
four shares of the common stock of
the new corporation. The directors
of the T'iah Securities corporation to
day approved this plan, subject to
confirmation by stockhohlei s at a
special meeting to he called laier.
NEW SCHEDULE ON
SANTA FE SYSTEM
Chicago, March 12. Several hour*
will lx* cut from the running time of
paatenger train* on the Santa F* *n n*
in between I’hlcago and the Pacific
i'oHfft, l>y a new mhedule effective
next Sunday. The time of one pax
*cnger train, which depart** from Chi*
•ttfo at 10a. in., nvill he reduced
9 hours and 50 mtnutoe, and the
mhoctulo of the Mlxalonaiy, one of
the night trains from Chicago, will
In* reduced 2 hours and f»0 inlnut***
to the <ohM. Kastbound running
time will hr similarly cut.
The re nrraligament will also mean
putting an additional morning train
out of Chicago f«»r the Pacific const,
giving two through morning and two
through night trains between Chi
cago and the Pacific coast.
Aclrpss (»et« Decree.
New Yuri, March 12 Mrs. Marls
linspur Schwab, actress, was award
ci| a ssptt liltin with $ I ort weekly all
tnnnt ind 55(1 adilKMnU fur tha care
nf hrr a,'.Ull'l ngMul^t l-awrancr
S-I.wri 0ti. ndw <x-thViirh I pn'
duc*r,
1 !nnle 1 >il Price Plop*.
sltrr> spin t, La , March 12 I'lis
plies of smackovsi- and cotton Y a I lay
cruda oil. all giadss wss cut 15 cants
psi- liarrat. th* Standard Oil oonipan)
announced. .
g j
rfl.
Senate Not
*
to Adjourn
This Week
World Court. Ule of Pine*
and Warren Confirmation
l pnet C. 0. P. Plain* for
Karly Confirmation.
Unable to Conclude Now
Washington, March 12.—Develop
ments today * with respect to the
world court Issue, the Isle of Pines
treaty and the Warren nomination
were believed generally at the capi
tol to have upset plans of republican
leaders to end the special session of
the senate .Saturday night.
The world court question was dis
• ussed at conferences both of senate
democrats and republicans, with the
latter deferring decision as to their
course and the former agreeing to
Insist that the senate make this mat
ter a spe> in 1 Older early In the firs!
session of the new congress.
The democrats decided also to join
forces with the requblican leaders in
pressing for an early vote on the
Isle of Pines treaty, but glegpite this,
one of their number, Senator Cope
land, New York, went ahead with his
almost single-handed filibuster against
the convention.
The resubmission of the nomina
tion of Charles U. Warren to be at
torney general was not discussed at
either conference, it was stated, but
leaders on both sides were agreed
that with this fight reopened, the
senate would be unable to conclude
the business for which It was called
In special session within the next two
days.
Situation Canvassed.
While the world court discussion
occupied much (if tile time of the.re
publican conference, Its chief decision
whs against a proposal to reduce the
patronage of the four Insurgents read
out of the party councils—Senators
I.a Pullette of Wisconsin: Indd and
Krazler of North Dakota, and muster
a clear majority against confirma
tion.
After Coolidge had returned the
nomination to the senate without
comment when it convened at noon,
he summoned Senator Curtis of Kan
sas, the republican floor leader, to
the While House for a conference
with himself and Warren. Tlie meet
ing lasted an hour and the whole sit
uation in the sennto was carefully
canvassed.
I'pon leaving the White House. Sen
ator Curtis said lie tielleved the tmenl
nation could be confirmed. Other re
publicans did not share Ills optimism,
however. Senator Heed of Pennsyl
vania. who made the motion Tuesday
for reconsideration, saying that he
was afraid the appointment would be
rejected again by three or four votes.
Pome of the otbc- senators who bad
advised the president against resub
mitting the nomination expressed a
like apprehension.
Action Kxported Soon.
There were Indications that neither
side would he disposed to delay a sen
ate vote and the consensus seemed
to be that action could be had within
two or three days.
A third favorable report on the
nomination by the iudlciary commit
te* tomorAwv is the plan, but the sit
uation as to immediate senate con
sideration j* complicated somewhat by
the filibuster on the Isle of Pines
treaty.
There were suggestion* today tiiat
Mt. Warren might be Invited to ap
pear before the committee to reply to
the attacks made on him in the sen
ate with respect to his former con
nections with the sugar interests, but
there was no official information on
.the subject.
Chairman Cummin* said he had no
Intention of inviting Warren before
the committee unlcas lie indicated a
desire to appear, and that 111 any
eieni the mHtter ons one for the
committee itself to decide.
RUMOR ON EBERT
LABELED HOAX
n> KAKI. II. VON WIBGAM),
I ahrniil service Staff t arreepomlenl.
London, March 12 Fantastic and
grotesque rumors and reports now
'irfuladng In Germany about the
cause of President Kbert's death ap
pear to have reached America.
The rumor that President Rbert
was poisoned and that German detec-,
tlve- have found a due In New York
is characterized in high governmental
quarters as a "grotesque hoar."
Similar rumors have come from
German towns and villages where
there was also spread the rumor that
the German government spent over
II,no®,OiH) for the president's funeral.
There ts. however, a severe criti
cism of the failure of physicians, who
had long been treating President
Khert, to discover that lie had appen
dicitis instead of diagnosing his
trouble ns gall stones.
list* FU in lluliuii
• lutmlicr of |)r|Milit's
Rente. March 12. Signor Maffl. the
communist deputy, was responsible
for an uproar In (he chamber of
deputies today, his accusation*
tgalnst the fast 1st 1 bringing a mint
her of deputies to a brief fistic en-,
counter, lie charged the fasdstl
with ''enriching themselves ' and with
having committed acts of violence.
r inn Kcor|igiii;i’>.
Neva York. March n‘ - Plaits for II..
t eot-gaiilzittloit of the Flets, hntsnn
• ir-ault of tilt
or Juloi* KM^hmajin. w #r#
j afuu>uth’o«1 In hi* lm*lhci. Max. who
i vhalrmftn of th# h«w%rt! of
| director* muI ->f th* board m^nagti
i 'oseph VMlahirt nil! b« prykltnb
f——
Goose Hunter Found
Shot, Killed
in Barn
Special Dtsimtcll to Tile Omaha Iter.
Hastings' -Neb.. March 12.—Jo
seph J. Daugherty, tenant on one
of the farms of the John O'Connor
estate, was Instantly killed at noon
today by the accidental discharge
of a rtlle he was currying. He was
found dead In a haymow In his
barn. It Is supposed he climbed up
the mow to sight some geese which
had come down nearby. The bullet
entered (be chin and came out back
of the light ear. He leaves a wife
and 15-year-old daughter.
Raiders Lead to
Death of Father,
Is Son's Charge
i
Declares Kerosene Pul in
Licjnor In Dry Agents t«»
Render ll l lifit—Pois
oned Aged Man.
special l>i<q,atrh to 1 lie Omaha Bee.
Cedar Rapid*, la.. March 12.—Fed
eral prohibition agent* of this dis
trict will face charges of manslaugh
ter should a chemical analysis of a
man's stomach show that death was
caused by poison.
The officers raided the farm of Jo
seph Navratils. wealthy fanner liv
ing near here, yesterday, and found
a quantity of illegal whisky.
Hatlier than carry the stuff away,
they took enough to serve as evi
dence and poured kerosene In tvhat
was left.
Warns His W ife.
Mrs. Navratils was at home alone.
The officers told her that the whisky
had been “doctored” and instructed
her to t‘-11 other members of the fam
ily not to drink it.
Navratils was visiting in Cedar
Rapids and Mrs. Navratils started for
town to warn him. In some way she
missed hint.
When Mis Navratils returned
home she found her huaban-1 writhing
on the floor in intense agony. Hit*
called a physician, hut aJ! efforts to
revive Navratils were futile.
Coroner Orders Inquiry.
Physicians say that it 1* Impossible
for anyone to drink enough of a
mixture of kerosene 3tid whisky to
cause death. Th- agents who made
the raid Insist that they had been in
formed of the same th.ng.
R. A. Vorphal. coroner, however.
'.cBifth. an examination of the stair .
A son of Navratils ha* expressed,
* xgletermi nation to pres- charge*
manslaughter should the analysis
prove that poison in the whisky
caused death.
COPELAND STOPS
HIS FILIBUSTER
Washington. March 12.— The one
man filibuster, conducted by Senator
Copeland, democrat. New York,
against ratification of she treaty for
mally recognizing Cuba's sovereignty
over the Isle of Pines, was broken in
the senate tonight, and proponent.
Immediately made plane to force a
vote if possible, before adjournment.
Beginning soon after, noon, when
the senate met, Copeland continued
speaking until 8 p. nr., when he yield
ed to Senator Shipstead, farmer-labo--.
Minnesota, another oppoonent of the
treaty, who began a speech he had es
limated would taa* no less than an
hour.
. Declaring lie had made hi* fight
"solely on principle” for the protec
tion of the tight* of American rtti
tens who have settled on the island.
Senator Copeland conceded that the
treaty, which has iieen pending ntors
than 20 year*, would be ratified if
brought to a vote.
JAPAN TO BUILD
NINE BIG LINERS
Seattle. Wash.. March 12. The S«
attle Times' oriental advices today
suy nine huge liners are to be built
by Japan in the next two years to he
added to the Japanese fleet plying in
the transpacific trade between Se
attle and the far east The cost of
the fleet was estimated at 127.SJtl.000.
The Nippon Yusen Kaisha line has
planned to construct five 15.000 ton
liners while ihe Japanese government
ha* drafted a bill to build four 17,000
ton vessels.
The government has planned to
merge tile Nippon and Toyo Kiser
Kntsha line*. A government subsidy
to the latter company 'em the tran*
Pacific route is oxpe< ted to Is- termi
nated by the end of the next fiscal
> ea r.
COLORADO LIMITS
SERVICE ON JURY
l'enver. Colo.. Mart'll I?—Only per
sons having knowledge of the Kng
Hall language ate eligible for Jury
service In t'olorado under provisions
of a hill signed today by Ooxerno:
ilorley.
Tlie measure, introduced in the low
er house, was finally .passed in the
senna tills week aft. a sharp fight
and oxer the opposition x'f legislators
who declared that it was a "reflection
on the Snanish speaking population,
of tlte state "
t---‘"“"'s
Hie Weather
v-/
f M Toi-n « m • M*rch y*
p! ft ttrtn mill hll^ij^ij r<« I
tut. tot«! *»'«•♦ 1 1 *
ri; l»mn i' s*
Vt’wiitfmliirr*
». n*. %i- I n • '
* « m. * r m . - «
? * m r 5 r.no .
* • m . « r r> j
« A. m ot
1 * ft *. o m
15 DdOU t * ...... *1
School Levy
Bills Face
Hard Fight
killt-'l in Committee ami
Then Revived by li to 1(»
\ ote \\ hen Brought l p
in Senate.
House Passes Gas Ta^
Ky P. C. POWELL*
Stuff ('(irrcxpitwItBt The Omaha Bee.
Lincoln. Man li 12.—While Nebras
ka's house of representatives wag ad
vancing Governor Adam McMullen s
hill for a reduction of f: <in lfi to 20
per cent In auto and truck licensee,
two of the .uvernoi - pet Mils were
havin'- hard Molding id the .senate.
The two l>ll)g called for placing flat
levies for the next 10 years for build
ing programs a| the university and
normal schools.
The measures were killed in the
morning by the -o*nat~ committee on
finance after they had passed the
house with little opposition. The
field occurred when Jeary of Ranch
ter moved to place them on general
file over the committee's veto. The
McMullen forces won by thp narrow
margin of 17 to . Hi. Following :
the vote *
Vole Is ( lose.
For the bill:
Banning .leary
C'hallil-e; «
Cooper
Bulez.il i 'f k •
Byzart I'nbbir.s
tlriiwoiil -cot -
HnlM-ua Wa-nt
Huy..
Against
Behrens ft- -* ■ i
OoodricU t’oPet tsun
Heckt Kh-lleiigr,-y
Humphrey Vane*
Illlalt Wat»,.n
Mibimv.in tViikit s
M-a chain Water)
Purcell IVfitfd
Jeary demanded that i hill "f such
j importance should lie considered by
The entire senate, rather than u com
mittee. lie asserted many fa' ts and
figuies were available for both sides
in tits controversy and the *ennte
Itad a right to ^l-tost them Ix-fore
making a decialcA
McMullen Work* for llills.
Reed of Henderson, chairman of
the committee, challenged the legal .
right of the state to place any levy
or the people for more# than two
years. X
‘‘It will be a repetition of our capi
I to! levy which promised p., raise only
j $3,«00.000 for our new state house
and now we ate :isked to ■ vy 13,000..
I * 00 more." Behrens of t'umings said.
A ft A the session the senate finance
committee receive! an invitation' to
call on Governor McMullen. The
governor urged favorable con*idera
tion. When tlte bills come up for
consideration there is certain to
a battle royal.
The house spent nearly the entire
day In discussing the auto and truck
license reduction bill. Many amend
ment* to cut below the' figures rec
ommended by Governor McMullen
■sore pr..p—ed. All s anjerd
ments failed.
(ias lax Passes Kasih.
This bill also provides for Hcens
payments semi-annually Instead of
annually and forces second-hand ca
dealer* tq register all sales and pu- ,
chases with‘the state department of
public works. The bill was one c-t
the longest considered at this session
The house passed the gasoline ta r
bill on third reading by a teje of 72
to 23 ft now goes to the senate
The negative votes follow
Adam* Iftltot*
Aftdf’aon N’«:b«ur
Auxl#r
Bock OMil!»r
Dwtrhar <"Vt*rn*n
Hermann
John*on «Ph*iar-» S^h^pmin
.v«i||n*on (Wuh'i^
Keck Thompim
l-au^rren MTiR#
Martenion W*|!*
Mlt* hell
Absent and not voting:
Auien Main
A a tel l Follcek
Hefferaan
The intangihle tax bill passed o>
the lower house, was re 1st r ted otit
by the senate committee on revenue
and taxation today.
The bill is unchanged, ex- ept for an
nmendmeutt by Robins of Omaha
which would leave the tax on hank
and building and loan stock a* if i*
The house. In passing the hill, cite
this tax for repeal with all other i'
tangible t«xe«
l . I\ I OsC* Suit.
Special Itispatch to Tbe Omaha flee
H -«tii s« Neb . March 12-M s
Hess Stanley -f Hastings was glaen
a verdict of 14,170 in federal court
today against the l'nion Pacific rail
Head to cover damages sustained in
allghling fn>m a train which she *1
leged was negligently stopped at the
wrong place. 8lie asked $2' 000.
Summary of
the Day in
Washington
President Coolidge catihinitted t «’
name of Charle* H Warren to l*c At
tornev general.
The treaaurj prepared an arNtra
ry tax aaarsament fx»r Senator Cbux
en*. Michigan,
Barx'n ven MaJtran. new German
ambassador. presented his credentials
to president VVolldge.
Senator Copeland's filibuster on the
isle of Pines treatx threw the senate
Into a night session.
\ Ice 1‘resident Its we* a me in ?c*
a hardnjt In the senate. hosed on his
failure tp vote on the \\ .mtn eon
hltnatiotl.
Senate democrat* m inference x*
ed »*« tnd«t en consideration of tM
world court question early in the next
session.
Senate republican* decided again**
nedu'’ on of the patronage ot fh*
f«ur ins !• ,ems e t* %‘u; of the p
d Council*
$