Newspaper Page Text
®be JMlmita Wurnal
VOL. XXVII. NO. 35
LISTING LIABILITIES,
iJRENCH MINISTERS
IGNORE WAR DEBTS
No Intention of Repudiation,
elemental Says, but Burden
Should Be Eased
FARIS, Dec. 27. —(By the Asso
ciated Press.) —France's war debts to
America and Great Britain, amount
ing close to 31,000,000,000 gold francs, (
are absent from the liabilities of the
French treasury as shown Saturday
in a balance sheet issued by the :
French ministry of finance.
The amounts due Fiance from oth
er countries, including Russia, for
war and post-war advances, amount
ing to about 15 billion gold francs,
also are not included in the assets.
The inventory was issued “for non
. party purposes,” with the view of
* creating confidence by a clean breast
of the facts, ;is the document says.
On the other hand, 103 billion pa
per francs, ns the capitalization of
the French share in the'Dawes plan
annuities, are included in dhe as
sets.
Although the figures are omitted
from the balance sheet, inter-allied
debts are freely discussed throughout
several pages of inventory. Finance
Minister Clementel, renewing the
I French thesis that these debts form
part of the general allied resources
pooled in war time, argues that a
strict equity would seem to demand
a general addition of war expenses
and their distribution among lhe al
lies in proportion to the wealth of
each, without takifrg into account
special undertakings imposed by
monetary necessities.
Argues for Reduction
The finance minister insists that
France, therefore, is entitled to spe
cial treatment. He remarks in the
inventory that the choice of French
soil as a battlefield saved the allies
much blood and money. He also
avers that America and Great Brit
ain pocketed duties on profits made
hy American and British firms which
fulfilled French war-time orders. He j
suggests that the amount of these i
duties should be deducted from the I
French debt.
M. elemental concludes his state
ment by declaring. France has no
intention of repudiating her debts,
but that she Is convinced an appeal
tn conscience, and the sentiments of
justice of the allies will not be in
vain..
The French government as a “go
ing” concern, is valued at 796,830,-
. 000(400 francs, according to the bal
ance sheet, Issued to show the
terrors and weaknesses of our
financial policy,” blame for which
Is put on. the preceding govern
ments. Against this total of assets
the finance minister lists the debts
and pending obligations, exclusive
of American and British debts, at
660,320,000,000 francs*
) The statement, which is under
the date of July 31 this year, gives
the Internal debt in round numbers
at 278,000,000,000; the external debt,
not Including inter-allied debts, at
19,500,000,000, and pensions, capital
ized at five per cent, at 64,100,-
000,000 francs.
In addition there are obllgatons
listed such as completion of nsto
ration of the devastated reguns,
which is placed at 22,000.00'000
francs: permanent military chaijes,
capitalized at 5 per cent, 111.W0,-
' 000,000; permanent civil chaises,
146,000,000,000, and other ittips
amounting 19,500,000 francs.
Assets Then Listed I
The listed assets have as* tneir
largest items, permanent taxes. e.pi
talized at 5 per cent. 596,000,0001)00;
railroads, 70,000,000,000; Saare mpes,
1,400,000,000; public buildings hnd
other properties, 10,650,000,000; for
ests, 5,300,000,000, and income t|om
l Dawes’ plan operations, 10,300,t00,-
k 000 francs. The statement doesnot
”, Include property such as caiHls,
\ which are unsalable and difficul to
value.
A discussion of inter-allied <|bts
Is utilized In tlie statement to rpbi
lize arguments for a reduction of
these obligations. In this resect,
the statement says:
“If one leaves the juridical grand I
v to rise to higher views of co-opra-
Vition and equity, strict justice wuld
‘ seem to demand a pooling of tar
expenses and their distribufon
among among the allied states |ro
portionally to the riches of ekh,
and without keeping account of Ihe
particular engagements undertrien
because of momentary »necessitls.”
* Another argument for a reduifion
A is that the United States and <4eat
\ Britain collected taxes on business
done with the money loaned Frace,
and, therefore, that amount sltuld
at least be deducted. The reduc
tion of German reparations ahi is
advanced in support of better tinis
for inter-allied debts, but "Friice
\does not mean” the statement jon
cludcs, “to repudiate any confect |
she made, and her signature kill |
always be sacred to her.” Nevenie-1
less, the statement insists hat
France “is convinced an appea to
the sentiment of the just will nolbe
in violation.”
Finds Only $74 Bill
Y Instead of $900,00$
Inheritance Expectd
RICHMOND. Va.. Dec. 2>-
Commg here to collect a repotid
million dollar inheritance. Emntt
1.. Griffin, factory worker of Da
ville, Va„ found his “estate” a n»0.
and instead a $74 clothing bill stars
v him in the face.
* "We'll sue him if he doesn't r. v
it, sure, now that we've found hit’’
Griffins creditor of many month
N. Askin, proprietor of a chain-stv
system, said Saturday night.
Griffin was notified of his inh«l
lance of the "900,000 Flora esta”
by E. Kadison, one of Askin's crctt
men here On the strength of te
promise that the estate would c
y probated next month, Griffin beust
l an automobile, toured North Ca»-
’ llna. and returning, promised all s
friends here and in Danville “st
jobs and businesses of their own r
the rest of their lives.”
"I don't know anything about *’
Askin smilingly salil when told oi
rial records showed no "Flora s*
tate” existed. "But I'm mighty gd
we found him "
X Griffin left Saturday (or T’an'le
W n his new car. better it Hiked «*
jp that his ‘‘estate" was an aircastlef
r the eredlt man.
Published Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
MAINE GOVERNOR
WINS FIGHT FOR
DOG’S MEMORIAL
(Copyright. .1924, by the Consolidated Press
Association —Special Leased Wire
to 'Die Atlanta Journal.)
BY JAMES CARSON
AUGUSTA, Me., Dec. 27.—The un
| thinking protests of mere man can
‘ not deprive a dog of his last and
I well won honors. The dog Garry,
; the Irish dog. chief pal of Governor
' Percival P. Baxter, and known as
“assistant governor of Maine” dur
: ing his lifetime, will have his of
: ficial and monumental “in memori
am” after all. *
Despite the criticism of numerous
persons and organizations who de
clared it disgraceful for a dog to
’ be given higher honors than most
men, a large bronze tablet is to be
• dedicated to the memory of- the dog,
1 the governor's faithful friend, who
, unlike many of his friends, never
betrayed or thought ill of him. The
most conspicuous site obtainable in
the state house,, at one end of the
; museum in the basement where hun
dreds of children and adults passed
daily, has been assigned for the tab
let.
The controversy over the reaction
of a memorial to Garry arose more
i than a year and one-Jjalf ago when
' Go', —nor Baxter o'-Here,] the official
( flag on the state house lowered on
' the death of his dog Garry, and kept
it at half mast in token of mourn
ing until he had returned from his
summer home on Mackworth island,
near Portland, after “the funeral.”
Officials of i l.u G. A. R. made and
later retracted a protest that , the
tribute 19 a dead dog was “an in
sult to every soldier.V Discussions
waxed heated then, and a few weeks
ago the governor induced his coun
cillors to vote unanimously for the
erection of an official memorial and
the dog. Although the governor was
to defray all expenses. Objections
were raised from many quarters.
The protests were so numerous that
the original plan to place a boulder
bearing a bronze tablet on the state
house lawn was abandoned.
But now it has been settled. The
tablet is being made by a Providence
firm, and will hang on the wall of
the musqum where students, animal
lovers and careless h”mnns who do
not love their animal friends well
enough must see it. ,
jury will probe'
SHOOTING OF WIFE
OF‘RAIDING PASTOR’
I
BUCHANAN, Ga., Dec. 27.—The
Haralson county grand jury, which .
meets during the third week of Janu- )
arv, will Investigate the slaying of
Mrs. Robert Stewart, wife of “the
raiding pastor” of Draketown, and if
indictments are returned against the
five men now held in jail here on
commitments charging them with
murder In connection with the case,
they will be placed on trial during
the'following week, according to an
nouncement today by Solicitor Gen
eral Ed Griffith. (
The men in jail are: O. J. Hen
derson and his sons, Otis and Her
bert; Thomag Fober, Jr., and Cab
Bishop.
Men Ordered Held for Jury
The were ordered hejd for the
grand jury following a preliminary
hearing several weeks ago on war
rants sworn out by Mr. Stewart.
Mrs. Stewart; was shot down about
a week before by a group of men
when she went to the rescue of her
husband who was about to be ab
ducted. She died two days later at
the Wesley Memorial hospital, in
Atlanta.
Since the slaying, Mr. Stewart,
who had been active in the prosecu
tion of prohibition law violators,
has been transferred to another sec
tion of the state by the North Geor
gia conference of the Methodist
Episcopal church, South, of which
he is a member. He will be in at
tendance before the grnad jury, it
was stated, as he is the state's prin
cipal witness.
Speedy Trial Wasf Asked
The announcement by Solicitor
General Griffith is the first since
the hearing, at which time defense
attorneys stated they would put up
no testimony, but requested a speedy
trial.
Judge Irvin, of the Tallapoosa cir
cuit, who presided, stated he would
try to give the men a speedy trial
before Christmas if the grand jury
indicted them. The delay, it was un
derstood, hag been occasioned be
cause the gr.fhd jury has not met.
Jap War With U. S.
Almost Impossible
Lansing Declares
WATERTOWN, N. Y., Dec. 27.
| Japan never will make war upon the
1 United States, in the opinion of Rob
ert Lansing, former secretary’ of
I state, expressed here Saturday.
“Japan can not afford to make
■ war upon this country, he said. “She
I has no money and no one is going
,to lend her any. Furthermore, she
! has no iron and other raw materials
! necessary for such a conflict."
The former member of the "Wilson
■ cabinet declared Japan may take the
Philippines from the United States
some time, but that if she does she
I can not hold them. He advocated a
stronger navy.
Gen. Foster Is Slated to
Succeed Gen. Cochran
DALLAS. Texas. Dec. 27.—Gener
al James C. Foster, of Houston,
| commander of the Texas state
United Confederate Veterans prob
j ably will be named to succeed Gen
eral James Monroe Cochran as com
mander of the trans-Misslssippi de
partment, U. C. V., it was said Sat
urday by well-known veterans in at
tendance upon the latter's funeral
here. The appointment of General
Cochran's successor would be made
by General James A. Thomas. Dub-
I lin, Ga , commander-in-chief of the
’ U. C. V.. to continue in effect until
the regular elections of officers at
the forthcoming reunions of the
veterans, to be held in Fallxs neat
j Mi}.
GERMANY REARMING.
ALLIES AGREE; HALT
EVACUATION PLANS
French and Belgians Alarm
ed as- Arsenals Are Uncov
ered —British Skeptical
\PARIS, Dec. 27.—(8y the Associ- ,
ated Press.) —Germany's alleged vio
lations of the treaty of Versailles in
respect to armaments were regis
tered today by the allied council of
ambassadors. The council instruct
ed its secretary to draft a note noti
fying the German government that
the Cologne bridgehead will not. be
evacuated, as stipulated in the treaty
January 10.
The allied ambassadors are unanl- ;
mous in recognizing that Germany is j
rearming and that progressive with- |
drawal from the Rhineland must
await further investigation of the
interested governments. There was
a difference of opinion, however, as j
to the importance*of the treaty vio- |
lations- and consequent menace j
to the security of the allies.
Great Britain seemed inclined to '
minimize specific cases of violation |
) eported by the military control mis- I
sion, although agreeing that further I
light must be had on this matter
before a final decision is reached.
The French an J Belgians, on the
other hand, regarded the alleged dis
coveries of newly prepared parts for ,
40,000 machine guns, camouflaged in j
various ways, as alarming.
The stiff attitude of the French
government, which favored an im
mediate decision that the Cologne
bridgehead be held indefinitely pend
ing absolute compliance with the
Versailles treaty by Germany, sur
prised the diplomats in view of the ,
fact that Premier Herriot’s foreign [
policy has been based largely on a
Franco-German entente.
This attitude of the French is ex- ;
1 lained in political circles as pro- j
ceeding from a conviction on the
part of the premier that responsi- |
bility for the so-called violations of I
the aiYnament clauses of the treaty ■
will be fixed upon the nationalists of |
Germany and that the final reaction '
will favor the social-democrats in
Germany and facilitate the formation I
of an anti-nationalist government in
Berlin.
” he socialist organs here, which are
supporting the Herriot government,
back up the prern'er strongly in his
firm stand, although the press gen
erally considers that the exposure of
Germany’s persistence in ignoring
her agreement to disarm has greatly
weakened the position of the French
government because of tjie confer
ence on which it had banked upon
, the disposition of the Germans to
reach a omnl.*te entente with France.
BERLIN OFFICIALS AWAIT
FORMAL NOTIFICATION
BERLIN, Dec. 27.—(8y the Asso
ciated Press.) —Until it is in posses
sion of formal notification from the
allied council of ambassadors that
the Cologne brideghead would not
be evacuated January 16, in accord
ance with the treaty of Versailles,
the German government. will not
undertake diplomatic action in the
nature of a protest or suggestion
that the issue be made the subject
of negotiations for the purpose of
reaching a definite understanding
with the occupational powers re
garding their future attitude on ths
whole range of problems affecting
the Cologne zone and the Ruhr.
Official quarters also declined to
I discuss the action taken at Paris
today, and for-the present, are con
fining their comments to sharp refu
i tation of charges that Germany is
! still harboring concealed* arsenals,
and that her steel plants are equip
ped to turn out big guns.*
Whether the Marx-Strescrnann
cabinet will still be at the helm when
the issu ecomes up for formal ac
tion is still a matter of conjecture,
as the newly-elected reichstag will
convene on January 5, and Presi-
I dent Ebert is said to be desirous of
j bringing the present cabinet crisis
Ito a definite conclusion by that
time.
The nationalist organs, which afe
clamoring for the entrance of the
VVestarp-von Tirpitz party’into the
next government, now support their
! demand on the alleged change in the
attitude of Premier Herriot in con- .
nection with the existing foreign i
problem. The German reactiona- i
ries are insisting thta the Anglo- i
French procedure in connection with
the evacuation of the Cologne j
bridgehead proves conclusively that j
I a liberal cabinet in Germany would [
be accorded no accommodation in I
London and Paris.
Several of the newspapers, which
question the sincerity of the allied
intentions respecting the various
dates fixed for vacating the Rhine
land and the Ruhr, suspect that if ,
I the January 10 date is* arbitrarily I
I violated there is no assurance that i
I the last French soldier will be out !
jof the Ruhr by August 15, which I
■ was t"he extreme limit accepted by I
1 Germany at the London conference. ,
The German newspapers, regard- !
; less of party affiliation, are unani
| mous in their protest agajnst the
i continued occupation of Cologne, al-I
| though private sentiment, so far as \
' they are given untrammeled expres- j
I sion, admit thta the presence of the
’ English on the Rhineland might, |
I after all, be desirable so long as the
I French and Belgians are in the
I Ruhr.
The prospect of immediate compli
cations in Germany's foreign rela
tions has quickened the demand in J
various quarters tht the national- ;
ists be asked to participate in the I
new government in order to force |
them to assure active responsibility I
in the formulation of Germany's
> foreign policy. 1' oreign Minister ,
I Stresemann, in the course of a
I lengthv defense of his espousal ol |
the nationalists as members of the
I government, argues that since this j
j party acknowledged the London
s agreement was a binding past, it vas j
fairly entitled to participate in the I
i government, especially as the social
i ists. in his opinion, are not always j
I dependable when questions of for
eign policies await decision,
German Phones for Japan
SIEMENSTADT, Germany, Dee. I
127.—The Japanese government has I
'ordered 12.0U0 automatic telephones)
from a manufacturer of this city..
They are to be installed at Yoko-;
I hama to replace the equipment de-'
j stroyed by the earthquake. The nets
apparatus will be equipped with a
I device for insuring the service)
i against earthquake dh-turbances,
i i
PUBLISHERS WANT
TIME TD SUBMIT
OWN POSTAL DATA
Second-Class Rate Increases
Will Fall on Farmer,
They Tell Committee
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27.—Protest
ing against increases in second class
mail rates provided in the adminis
tration measure designed to meet
salary raises of postal employes, rep
resentatives of the American News
paper Publishers’ association pro
posed to a joint congressional post
i office committee Saturday that they
i be permitted to draft a rate scale to
1 cover the cost of.their use of the
j postal service.
The publishers entered vigorous
; objection to the haste with which
j they contended congress was treat
i ing a problem important alike to the
j newspapers and public. They said
i insufficient time had been given for
I the study of cost ascertainment re-
I port of the postoffice department on
) which the proposed rate increases
are based and that if given time
they would draft a schedule which
in their judgment would more nearly
meet the equities.
I While individual members express-
I ed interest in the publishers’ offer,
I the committee took no formal action.
I Chairman Moses announced the
hearings would be pressed early next
week with a view to presentation of
a report to the senate committee in
time for the reporting of the admin
istration bill to the senatd before
President Coolidge's veto of the pos
) tai pay bill is taken up January 5,
under an unanimous consent , agree
ment.
* Would Hurt Farmers
Denouncing the proposed increase
in second class rates, spokesmen for
the publishers’ association insisted
that the administration bill would
curtail rural circulation of newspa
pers and at the same time fail to
bring in additional revenue to the
I government.
S. E. Thomason, of Chicago, pres-
I ident of the association, declared the
I increase would hit one class —“the
rural readers of metropolitan and
other city publications.” Only about
ten papers, he estimated, would be
able to absorb the proposed increase,
while other newspapers would be
forced to pass it on to the subscrib
ers.
“We have an off-peak load regular
and continuous, for the postoffice
department,” Mr. Thomason said,
“and we feel we should receive a
preferential rate as other concerns
give similar business.”
Mr. Thomason approved the the
ory of a. suggestion by Representa
tive Kelly, Republican, Pennsylva
nia, for a graduated scale of rates
on secnod class mail, fixed so that
larger papers with greater circula
tion would be taxed heavier.
Volume Suffers as Result
Elisha Hanson, Washington repre
sentative of the association, and
Jerome D. Barnum, of Syracuse, N.
j Y., chairman of its postal commit
tee, presented data showing that the
previous increases in second class
rates had curtailed the mail circula
tion of daily newspapers from 15 to
40 per cent.
Pointing out that since 1912 second
class mail was the only class on
which congress had raised the rates,
they contended that Jiliese advances
had increased the revenues 125 per
cent but had been accompanied by
a large withdrawal of volume from
the mails, due to the rate increases.
The argument was presented that
should congress vote the increases
recommended by the postoffice de
partment it would find it necessary
to revise them downward within two
years because the revenues of the
department are increasing suffi
ciently’ on the present rate struc
ture to provide for he salary in
crases within that time.
FATHER AND SON
DIE WHEN TRUCK
GOES INTO DITCH
ATHENS, Ga., Dec. 27.—Mr, R. C.
Adams,, a farmer residing near
J here, and his twelve-year-old son,
i Alton, were killed early’ Saturday
I night when the automobile truck
' driven Wy the boy ran off a stccai
I embankment at the Simonton
) bridge on the Athens-Watkinsville
) highway. Cullen Adams, 15, was
1 in the car but escaped with slight
' injuries.
According to witnesses the truck
! went off the highway w hen at
tempting to pass another car. Adams
and his son were crushed to death.
New Estimate of Toll
In Dynamite Blast
• Puts Deaths at Fifty
TOKIO, Dec. 27.—(8y the Asso
; dated Press.)—lt is estimated that
I fif/y persons were killed and 300 in
jured when a dynamite cargo ex
ploded Saturday in the harbor of
) Otaru. Hokkaido island,- northeast
j ern Japan. The explosion occurred
i while six hundred cases of dynamite
wore being transferred from a
lighter. One large vessel was dam
i aged, several small boats sunk and
the waterfront was wrecked,
This Bible May Be
Over 200 Years Old
ADEL, Ga., Dec. 27. —W. W. H.
) Dunn, of Cook county, has perhaps
I one of the oldest Bibles in this part
of the state. It is not known just
■ how old it is, but a birthdate in it
i wa« recorded in 1766. Mr. Dunn's
I great-grandfather was the original
I owner of the Bible, and it has been
I handed down. He believes that the
j book is at least 200 years old. It
j is in a very’ good state of preserva-
I tion.
~G ENTLbTSPEEC 11 ~
Two men were becoming abusive
lin the course of a political argu
| ment.
j “I think,” cried one of them.
I "that there is just one thing that
saxes .m?u from being a barefaced
I liar:"
"What's that?" asked the other.
Your whisker waj>ths replj
I li’. Ei.s (Louden).
V
X MOW SIGHING OFF \ '
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ttt| bi J i
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NATION’S BUSINESS
IS BEST SINGE ISIS.
0. S, OFFICIALS SAY
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27.—The
new year begins next Thursday with
economic conditions set for the most
prosperous period since before the
World war, many government offi
cials stated Saturday night.
Stabilization of American business
has been effected to/ an extent un
realized since 1913, and the big to
tals of business during the war days
are being approached by the heal
thy and solid expansion now under
way, reports from a dozen govern
mental fact-finding agencies show.
“The outstanding event of 1924
was the improvement in agricul
ture,” Secretary of Commerce Hoov
er said.
Farm production of the year will
be greater in volume and value than
last year. The federal reserve board,
in a statement today, notified bank
ers of the nation that increases in
value of farm crops is officially es
timated at 9 per cent, corn and to
bacco showing the only decreases in
yield. *
Stabilization of business proper is
shown by reports of new business
and failures compiled by financial
agencies. Firms that failed during
the first 11 months of 1924 had to
tal liabilities of $497,946,000, blit the
decided rising tone of early Decem
ber reports will cut the total for
the year proportionately lower, it
was said. The failures in the same
period last year totaled $487,028,000,
but the over-expansion of late 1923
had to be absorbed by the deflation
of early 1924, when many businesses
closed down.
Firms capitalized at more than
SIOO,OOO which entered the field
took a healthy drop in 1924, indicat
ing conservatism in expansion. To
tal capital of these new firms in the
first 11 months of 1923 was $8,415/
021,000. but a more normal rate was
Restored this year, when the figure
was $6,419,866,000.
Secretary Hoover regards the
Dawes plan for economic recovery of
Europe, and the “complete recovery”
f American Industry, as “most hope
ful” and nearly as important as the
farmer’s recovery. Other "outstand
ing features” were “great stability
of prices, high production, full em
ployment, and expanding foreign
trade,’’ he said.
Brandon Signs Paper
For Own Extradition
To Georgia Convention
MONTGOMERY, Ala., Dec. 27. —
Governor William W. Brandon today
affixed his signature together with
the seal of the state to extradition
papers, when served with a requisi
tion issued by Governor Clifford
Walker of Georgia “to return to
Georgia, William W. Brandon, a fu
gitive from justice, now said to be
.? the state of Alabama.”
When infoin.ed the “William W.
Brandon” was none other tl;an the
Alabama chief executive himself,
Governor Brandon said:
"The governor of Alabama believes
in law enforcement even when it in
volves his own person and the requi
sition of the governor of Georgia
si all be recognized. - ’
The requisition was issued by Gov
ernor Walker to assure the attend
ance of the Alabama executive at
the rational convention of the Sigma
Alpha Epsilon fraternity in Atlanta
on December 29. It was made upon
the applicaticn of Roy Dorsey, solici
tor of the Atlanta criminal court and
W. D. Thompson, president of the
Atlanta alumni chapter of the fra
ternity.
The specific charge against the
governor of Alabama was that he
failed to carry out a commission to
pin a fraternity badge on Governor
Walker when he was inaugurated tn
January, 1923. and was thus “guilty
of conduct prejudicial to the good or
der and discipline of the fraternity."
Atlanta, Ga., Tuesday, December 30,1924
THE NEW BROADCASTER AWAITS
GOVERNOR DENIES
FINAL APPEAL OF
2 YOUNG SLAYERS
Refusing for the second time to
commute their death sentences to life
1 imprisonment, Governor Clifford
' Walker on Friday replied to the let
ters recently written to him by Wil
lie Jones and Gervis Bloodworth,
I Taylor county youths, who will die
on the gallows January 9 for the
| murder of Howard Underwood, a
traveling salesman, in December,
1923..
’ The condemned youths, whose ap
peal for clemency was disapproved a
few days ago by the state prison
commission, and the same day de
nied by the governor, wrote letters
■ to the governor immediately after
they had been notified of the failure
of. their plea.
In these communications, the
I young men urged that they be per
mitted to spend their lives in prison
rather than pay the extreme penalty
of the law, ascribing the crime to
bad associations and bad habits.
Mr. Underwood was shot and kill
ed after he had picked up the two
youths in his automobile on a lonely
road in Taylor county. Robbery was
the motive for the crime.
The text of the governor's letter,
a, copy of each being sent to the two
defendants, follows:
“1 have carefully considered your
favor of December 19, and deeply
regret that I cannot meet your views
in the matter.
‘‘There are two elements Involved
in punishment under the law; first,
that the criminal, himself, may be
converted. I am certain from your
representation that you have repent
ed of your wrongs, and are willing
to do right in the future. However,
the second clement is, the element
of discouraging others from com
) mitting crime.
“The law does not seek to get
revenge on those who violate the
law, but it does seek to teach a
lesson to all others that the viola
tion of the law will be followed by
certain and proper punishment.
“In this respect, then,* it may he
that your suffering will result in
good to your fellowrnan.
. "I respect and admire you for
your desire to do good to others, and
) again I commend you to the mercy
of an all-wise and forgiving God who
will bring pardon to the repentant,
in my judgment.”
“Verv sincerely,
“CLIFFORD WALKER,
“Governor.”
Seeking Death Thrill,
Girl Swallows Poison
I CLEVELAND, Ohio. Dec. 27.—A
I sixteen-year-old girl who. police say,
; wanted to “experience the thrill of
death.” died here early today. The
girl, Ruth Williams, drank poison
in the home of a neighbor. Her par
ents say they believe she took the
poison by mistake.
"I'd love to experience the. thrill
of death,” 'Ruth said, according to
Mrs. Ann Stann, whom the girl was
i visiting. A few minutes later the )
girl swallowed poison.
5 Reported Killed
In “Trotzky ’ Clash
COPENHAGEN, Dec. 27.—Five ;
workmen were killed and seVeral oth
ers wounded in a clash between sup- j
porters and enemies of Leon Trotz
sky, Russian minister of war, near
Kursk, according to dispatches from i
Stockholm, quoting advices to the
newspaper Tidigens.
There have been, repeated reports ,
from points outside Russia of dis- (
orders within that country but there
is no confirmation of these in dis
-1 patches direct from Moscow.
Mississippian Held as
Slayer of Father-in-Law •
GULFPORT. Miss., Dec. 27.—Lase
i Shirley, held for the murder of his
father-in.law, SamueY W. Price, was
i remanded without bail, to await the
action of the Harrison county grand
■ jury, after a preliminary hearing
' Saturday before Justice Evans.
j Shirley is s*id to have struck
. Price xvith a yifle during an alter
. cation, the injur; provgxf lataL t
NOTHING ILLEGAL IN
HOME-MMEWINE,
0.5. JUDGE MS
CLEVELAND. Ohio. Dec. 27.—A
person with two hundred gallons of
home-made wine in his home is not
subject to arrest, or if arrested and
haled before Municipal Sourt Judge
Frank L. Stevens, will not be fined
providing the Wine is for home -con*-
sumption\ and the owner is not sel
ling or disbursing the wdne for
profit. Judge Stevens declared Sat
urday in outlining his policy in
handling liquor cases in city court
for the coming term.
“Federal interpretation of the
law was held that one may possess
two hundred gallons of home-made
wine in his home,” Judge Stevens
said, “and hereaftei’ when police
bring in citizens for possessing such
wine they will be discharged in my'
court.”
Judge Stevens explained that his
interpretation of the law is' made
from the section of the Volstead
act that permits a householder to
make fruit juice if not more than
one-half of one per cent alcoholic
content.
“And everyone knows that such
fruit juice if allow'cd to stand will
ferment and become wdne,” the
judge adds, “And who can say we
must regulate the laws of nature.”
It has been the custom to fine
all persons haled Mnto city court
for possession of home-made wine
of more than one-half of one per cent
alcoholic content.
Three N. C. Children
Electrocuted as Wire
Is Broken by Bullet
HAMLET, N. C., Dec. 27.—Three
children of Mr. and Mrs. Pearl Mar
tin, of Hamlet, were electrocuted at
Roberdell, near here late yesterday
when they came into contact with
a high-powe< electric ttransmission
wire which fell to the ground after
being severed, according to reports
reaching here, by a bullet from a
rifle fired by the older of the three
children.
The dead are: Arthur Martin, 16;
Ethel Martin, 11 and, Willie Mar
tin, 9.
The three children left their home
here early yesterday to visit their
grandparents at Roberdell. Accord
ing to reports from there last night,
Arthur was firing a rifle at a target
when a bullet struck the electric
wire and it fell to he ground, com
ing in contact with the fed. Seeing
his plight the younger brother and
sister tried to rescue him and they
also were electrocuted. All three
were dead when other persons
reached them.
Upon brief inquiry, the county cor- j
oner decided that a formal inquest
was unnecessary.
$2o;ooo;ooo inTGoid i
Minted at Denver
DENVER, Colo., Dec. 27.—A1-.
though more than $20,000,000 more
precious metal bullion was coined in
the Denver mint during 1924 than- in
1923, not a single silver dollar was
turned out, Frank E. Shepherd, su
perintendent of the mint, announced
Saturday.
More than 3,00 n ,OOO double eagles
were minted.
Knoxville Child
Is Killed by Auto I
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 27. j
While crossing a street en route to ]
1 store to get a bottle of milk for his
mother*, Milton Allen, eight-year-old
lad, was run down and killed by an
automobile driven by Miss Myrtle )
Mattes, 21, here today. The woman j
stopped Ler c4r after the front wheel 1
hid run oxer the boy's head. The'
dead boy was identified at a morgue
an hour later by hu
brother, Edmond, sent by hu Riother
19 hunt ioXg brother,
9 .* COPY,
fl A YEAR.
SHEPHERD DENIES
WTHffi UNUSUAL
IN OmrSILLNESS
Will Was Drawn Entirely on
Youth’s Initiative, He
Tells Questioners
CHICAGO, Dec. 27.—(8v the As
sociated Press.) —Circumstances at
tending the death of William Nelson
McClintock, “millionaire orphan,” as
he knew them, were laid bare Satur
day night by William Shep'ierd, into
whose care the boy was ntrusted
by Mrs, Emma Nelson M- Clintock,
William’s mother, before x’i-e died in
1908.
Shepherd, interrogated b-y George
R. Gorman and Joseph P Savage,
assistant district attorney, denied
he was aware of any unnatural cir
cumstances surrounding the boy’s
death in the Shepherd’s Kenilworth
home, Deu-mUc. 4, declaring em
phatically that every possible effort
had been made to save him.
The will, which gave him and his
wife; legal guardians of the boy, the
bulk of the $1,000,000 McClintock
estate, was drawn entirely upon the
initiative and suggestion of Billy,
She/herd asserted.
He and his wife had only the kind*
liest feelings for Miss Isabelle' Pope,
William’s fiancee, he declared, in
denying the statement attributed to
him, in which Miss Pope was de
scribed as “mercenary.” Under the
terms of the will Miss Popo was left
an annuity of SB,OOO, although no
provision was madq for payment of
this sun? - .
Wait on Coroner
No further report by coroner's '
physicians concerning their autopsy,
started Christmas eve when the' body
yas exhumed, was made public Sat
urday, although Coroner Oscar
Wolff, through An assistant, denled-a
report which had gained wide circu
lation that a trace of solid food
had been found in the stomach.
Reception of solid foods by typhoid
patients usually proves fatal, the
coroner’.; office had announced pre
viously. *The death certificate gave
typhoid fever- as the cause of young
McClintock’s death.
Shepherd went to the office of
State's Attorney Robert E. Crowe
late Saturday, accompanied Vy his
attorneys, Robert ii. otoll and Ed
ward Hedrick. Crowe, Hedrick and
Stoll withdrew fter a few perfunc
tory questions and Shepherd remain
ed to be by Assistant
Prosecutors Gorman .and Savage.
Shepherd and his wife first came
to Chicago in 1907, at which time he
first met Mrs. McClintock. Mrs-
Shepherd and Mrs. McClintock had
been schoolmates in Kansas, he said.
After their social, visit with the Mc-
Clintocks Shepherd went to Texas to
dispose of- somft land holdings for
Mrs. McClintock, for which he re
ceived a salary. Later hf> built 4
winter home for the McClintocks at
Bayview, Texas, to which place Mrs.
McClintock went in 1908, although
she was ill. She rqturned to Chicago
after a month and then telegraphed
the Shepherds to come to her. Mrs.
Shepherd a 1 rived the day Billy’s
mother died.and Shepherd an hour
after the funeral was held.
Used McClintock Funds
Mrs. McClintock left tue estate to
Billy, naming Mrs. Shepherd as ex-/
ecutrix and Mrs. Shepherd and A. P.
Reichman, attorney, as guardians of
the boy. The Shepherds then moved
to Kenilworth, where their present
home was built by funds from the
McClintock estates. The house was
kept up by funds from the same
source, a court having allotted
SI,OOO a month for this purpose.
Billy McClintock lived with them
as their own son. Shepherd declared,
and a great affection sprung up be
tween them. Filly always came to
him for advice,' he said, and at
Christmas, 1923, he told Shepherd he
was thinking of making a will. He
asked Shepherd how his estate would
be disposed of if he were to die in
testate, and when informed that the
money and property would go to his
next of kin, he declared he did not
wish to leave anything to ( hls
cousins.
Seven cousins recently engaged an
attorney with the intention of taking
legal steps to test the will.
Shepherd declared Billy returned
to Dartmouth, where he was a stu
dent, with the announcement that
j he would draw a rough sketch of
1 the will. This he did and gave to
) Shepherd upon his return home two
; days before his birthday last April.
! The will was put into legal form by
i Shepherd and its signing witnessed
I by two servants of the Shepherd
I household. The will then was re
i turned to Shepherd’s office where it
was kept in an unlocked file.
Asked About Marriage
In their discussions of the estate,
Shepherd said Billy asked if the will
i would be automatically annulled in
the event of his marriage and was
‘.old that it would be.
At the same time Ellly decided to
lcav e college and take up a business
training course here. He said he
and Isabelle Pope were arranging
to be married in February, 1925.
To the best of his information,
Shepherd declared, Billy took sick -
at the Dartmouth-Yale game this
fall, but did not take to his bed un
til ten days later. Dr. R. H. Stolp.
the Shepherd family physician, was
called, and when he realized the v
riousness of Billy's condition, asked
that he be permitted to call other
physicians into consultation. Shep
herd answered that he should do
everything in his power to save the
boy. Dr. James Herrick, Chicago
specialist, was called, and Billy's ill
ness diagnosed as typhoid fever. The
boy became delirious soon after this
announcement was made and remain
ed eo, except for a few minutts, un
til his death a week later.
When he knew that he waz seri
ously ill and before he became de
lirious, Billy told him, Shepherd de*
dared, that Miss Pope had suggest
ed that they get married. Billy
opposed to this, but thought they
could get married when he became
convalescent, so that Miss Pope
could nurse him t>n a trip to the
south, which they had planned. To
carry this, plan into effect they de
cided that/Shepherd was to tell Miss
Pope that the presence of both con
tracting parties was necessary in
this county to obtain a license to
marry. In conveying this informa
tion Shepherd also stressed the so
cial distinction which a church wed-
(CopLi&ued on i, tfilusßa I)