St. Louis Post-Dispatch
July 18, 1912

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“- to neighbor, but all he will have to do and bord to mec from in | Count of Béarding Wants last week: “ATION. — who are in fe Louis will find the largest sele Three ° bs BO yao combined ....ceccesess: 1920 ction of rooms Post-Dispatch Only Evening Paper in St. Louis W ith the —— Press News Service. VOL. 64. NO. 333. ST. LOUIS, THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 18, 1912—20 PAGES. - SUNT WT ~ CONFESSION THEN KILLED INSEL ) Slayer of Fourteen-Year-Old ‘New York Girl, Who Was .Found Asphyxiated in Tenement Room He Rented, Declared in Note He Was “Guilty and In- sane.” SOUGHT TO DRY MOTHER’S TEARS Declared He Could Not Be Blamed for Crime He Re- gretted Immediately After- ‘ward — Left Order for Wages Due to Him. By Associated Press, NEW YORK, July 18.—The body of Nathan Swartz, whose father informed the police that his son was the slayer of 14-year-old Julia Connors, was found “early today on the fourth floor of a tenement house on Christie street. Swartz had ended his life by inhaling gas. The body was identified by Detec- tive Joseph Brennan. Swartz hired the room eight days ago under the name of Max Hirskowitz, from Max Kaplan. Early today Kaplan smelled gas. On investigation he found Swartz in bed with the end of a gas tube that ran from the middle of the ceiling tied to his mouth. Examination by a hospital physician showed the man was dead. Written in lead pencil on his collar were the words: “I am guilty and in- _gane.” There were several pleces of news- _lying around and on one of these’ was written the sentence: “— was sorry the minute after I did it. ‘So don’t cry for me.” Letter for His Mother. A letter was found addressed to wartz’s mother, in which he confessed his guilt, and telling her not to cry her eyes out. - The note was as follows: &*Jaly 17.—This is only to my dear old mother, who I am always homesick for, and same to the rest and pa, whose word I am taking by doing this. ' “% want to say that if I was happened to be revived, in order to be executed, ‘J will take that medicine just the same. “My last job was at the Pocketbook Aanutaeturins Co., at 74 Grand street. He owes me for two days’ work. Please *pecure pay and give it for me to my smother, for she is very, very poor, and for the truth my brother has lots of money and doesn’t want to settle the ‘91d folks on a farm for simple life. +)“ am very sorry to cause the trouble ‘Ys to call a cop. . “Tell mother again that I am really guilty and she shall not cry her eyes out and break her heart. I know she thinks I am innocent. “T am sorry I done it, but I got crazy, ‘as I often do, and you can’t blame me _ mae anyone else for what I have done.” . The confession was dated yesterday end apparentiy was written with the {dea to comfort his mother with his last word. ‘Philip Swartz, a brother of the slayer of the Connors girl, identified “ the dead man as his brother. v cig Father Told Police of Crime. : oa @ few days ago Swartz’s father fa the police that his son had that he had killed the Con- to which the father responded nothing left but for the belief that the body of a man i floating in the Hudson River on day and taken to a morgue in Ho- was that of Swarts was un- ~founded. Henry Alexander, brother-in- lew of young Swartz, first indentified _ the body as that of the youth accused . . @f the Connors crime, but after a sec- Onda inspection of the body, declared sitively that it was not his brother- 0 rbus’ Ledgers Found, Show ~ His Sailors Got $1.25 ee a Month. |GENERALLY FAIR AND SOMEWHAT COOLER THE TEMPERATURES. Wash neckties and high collars will not suffer greatly from either the heat or the humidity with- in the next 2 hours, the weather man believes. It will be cool enough for com- fort by day and cool enough for a comfort, or may- be a blanket, at night. Shines may be bargained for with the serene expectation that rainy skies and muddy streets will not spoil them be- fore the glisten has ceased. Official-forecast for St. Loulg and vicinity: Generally fair and some- what cooler weather tonight and Friday. Stage of river: 15.1 feet, a fall of 2 of a foot. At 7 a. m. these temperatures were re- ported in the following cities: New York, 72; Chicago, 68; Boston, 66; Atlanta, 70; Detroit, 64; Portland, 68; Los Angeles, 70; San Antonio, 76; Indianapolis, 70; Kansas City. 66; Atlantic City, 70. WHOLL GIVE A BULL MOOSE TO OUR \Z00 2 * Missouri—Generally fair tonight and Fri- day. except probably scattered showers in the east portion this afternoon or tonight; cooler tonight and in the east portion Fri- day. Illinois—Generally fair tonight and Fri- day, except probably scattered showers in south and center portions this afternoon or tonight; cooler tonight and in south portion Friday. LOSES SENSES AND WALKS 20 HOURS Woman Regains Mental Facul- ties and Asks Police to Send Her Home. Losing control of her mental faculties while on her way to market, Mrs. Mag- gie Kennedy of 2320 Hebert § street, walked the streets of St. Louis contin- uously for 20 hours. She regained her faculties at Twelfth street and Clark avenue at 3 a. m. Thursday, and went into Central District Police Station and asked to be sent home. Her feet were blistered from the continuous walking. Mrs. Kennedy said she was going to a market at Twenty-third and North Market streets, and that her mind sud- denly became a blank. “I do not know where I went or what I did,” she said. “All that I know is that I felt that I must walk, walk, walk all the time. I kept going until I regained my faculties."’ Emanuel Kennedy, her husband, said he thought his wife was affected by the heat. LOSES TEETH, DELAYS TRIP Woman Jumps at Blowing of Whistle on a Steamer. NEW YORK, July 18.—The blowing of the all-short whistle on the steam- ship Metapan, about to cast off for Jamaica, caused a peculiar accident. A woman was following a man up the gang plank. She was nervous and the whistle let out a piercing blast that caused. the sensitive traveler, midway up the plank, to jump. Her mouth opened involuntarily, the | muscles relaxed and out fell a com- bination of four false teeth, which struck the railing of the gang plank and were broken. She picked up the pieces and, after a few seconds’ re- flection, decided to postpone her trip until the New York dentist who fitted the cluster could make repairs. NEGRO BABIES THE BEST Pickaninnies Are Philosophical and Seldom Cry, Say Officials, NEW YORK, July 18.—Negro babies, acaprding to the Child Hygiene Bureau of the New York City Health Depart- ment, are much better humored than other babies. A large number of pickan- ninnies are being cared for this summer in connection with the department's in- fant milk stations, and a report by the head of the bureau comments on their conduct as follows: “The little negro babies seldom are fretty. They are the most philosophical baby patients we have. You rarely hear one cry, but the white babies cry a great deal, especially when they are being weighed.”’ — — Within a Few Hours After your help want ad reaches the Post-Dispatch one of the several appli- cants may be ‘‘han his hat on the peg’’ and his place at dex bench or behind the The Post - Dispatch $1,000,000 IN THE - DEMOCRATIC FUND WHEN PARKER RAN Sheehan, Chairman of Executive Committee, Says That Was About the Sum. NO TRUST CONTRIBUTIONS Appeal for Money General—Aid Sent Especially to Colorado, Maine and Nebraska. WASHINGTON, July 18. — The Democratic campaign fund's total was about $1,000,000 when Alton B. Parker ran for President in 1904, ac- cording to W. F. Sheehan of New York, who testified today before the Senate committee investigating cam- paign funds. Sheehan was then chairman of the Democratic National Executive. Money was sent by the committee, he said, to — Colorado and Ne- braska. “To Maine, did you say?’ asked a Senator. “Yes, with very gratifying results to the Democrats.” “Iiow much was sent to Nebraska?” inquired Senator Oliver. “I think about $15,000.” “Mr. Bryan was the candidate*for the Senatorship that year, was he not?” “I don’t remember exactly; dates for the Senatorship not” \ “Well, I think he was,” interrupted the Pennsylvania Senator. Sheehan said he had remembered August Belmont was a large con- tributor that year, and Senator Oliver asked if Thomas F. Ryan con- tributed in the same campaign. The witness responded that he did. Sheehan wanted the committee to un- derstand when he estimated the Demo- cratic fund in 1904 at $1,000,000, he was not contradicting August Belmont, who “guessed” on the stand that the amount was $600,000 or $700,000. “Tt is all a matter of memory,” in- sisted Sheehan. “I think the National Committee used directly about $300,000. I think there came through the commit- tee some contributions for specific use in New York State. I have an impres- sion that amounted to about $200,000.” The witness declared the committee made a rule at the beginning of the campaign not to accept money from any trust. He believed no such contri- butions were made directly or. indi- rectly. “There was $10,000 contributed,’’ began Sheehan, Py the American Sugar Re- fining Co.—not by Mr. Havemeyer—to the State Committee. Before the check was cashed we heard about it and it was returned.” Senator Clapp asked the witness for the names of contributors of more than $5000. “IT recollect Mr. Belmont chiefly be- cause of his testimony,’’ replied Shee- han. “I was away up in Maine much of the time and did not have so much to do with the raising of funds. There were others who contributed more than that sum, but I cannot remember them.” General Appeal for Funds, “Who was most active in securing money?” asked Mr. Clapp. “Why, Senator, various people were soliciting on their gwn responsibility. The members of the committee were active. People were circularized. We published requests for funds. Demo- crats or others interested in the suo- cess of the ticket came in to inquire if it was satisfactory for them to get out and raise some money.” “Did you solicit?’ ‘Not much. I devoted my energies to other work.”’ Sheehan said the late Daniel 8. La- mont assisted him in collecting money. Col. Lamont had been connected with corporations, he said, but he could not remember what ones. Asked if he could tell the committee where it could find Charles Hall, assist- ant treasurer of the National Commit- tee in 1904 and in charge of the finance books, Sheehan said he thought Hall might be in Albany. “He is a lawyer and a perfectly re- spectable man,” added Sheehan. Chairman Clapp returned he meant no reflection on Hall but that the commit- tee had been unable to get in touch with him. “Did you take any part in the cam- paign of 19087” Sheehan was asked just before he was excused from the stand. “Only as a contributor,” he replied. Other witnesses will be called later. They will include Representatives LioyT and McKinley, chairmen, respectively, of the Democratic and Republican Con- gressional Campaign Committees. The date of further hearings and the extent to which the Inquiry will go have not been decided. GERMAN AVIATOR KILLED candi- were Aeroplane Turns Over as He Is Making a Landing. IST. LOUIS SEERESS S NOT GUILTY OF ALABAMA SWINDLE Birmingham Woman After One Look at Mrs. Minnie Martell Absolves Her. DENIES CAUSING ARREST Fortune Teller in Court Recog- nizes Mrs. Dillard as Visitor of Wednesday. — ——— Brief and formal proceedings in Judge Milier’s division of the Criminal Court, Thursday, relieved Mrs. Minnie Martell, a fortune teller of 612 North Broadway, of all suspicion cast upon her by the police of Birmingham, Ala., who 2aused her to be put under an $80 commun law bond July 2 to answer any charge that might be brought against her. Long before court opened Mrs. Nellie Dillard, who came*here from Birming- ham to look at Mrs. Martell, had let the authorities know that the St. Louis fortune teller bears little if semblance to the “Mme, Page,’ who, in the fall of 1909, swindled Birmingham women out of $7000, including $2000 of Mrs. Dillard’s money. Tells Name, Is Discharged. Judge Miller called Mrs. Martell and her bondsman before him immediately on convening. “Are you Mrs. Minnie Martell, North Broadway?” asked the Judge. “TIT am,’ was the answer. “Mrs. Martell, you are discharged,” said the Judge. Mrs Martell walked from the court- reom, accompanied by her attorneys, Baker and Gernez. Mrs. Dillard, who had occupied an inconspicuous seat in the rear of the room, also arose and went out with her mother, her little son and a Birmingham detective. In the corridor, Mrs. Martell said, “I would like to see that woman who caused my arrest,’’ and Gernez pointed out Mrs. Dillard. “Oh, you are the woman who was at my house yesterday?” said Mrs. Mar- tell, as the two shook hands. Denies Causing Arrest. “I didn’t have you arrested,’ said Mrs. Dillard, almost in a whisper. “I was almost compelled to come here and look at you. I. never have made the slightest charge against you.” Mrs. Dillard then departed immedi- ately for the American Hotel, where she registered Wednesday on arriving in St. Louis. She wore a black suit, a gray silk traveling coat and a black straw hat with a very broad brim. Mrs. Martell said she was unable to understand why she had been arrested, but had learned that a woman looking something like her had used her name while posing as a fortune teller in dif- ferent cities. It was learned from detectives that Mrs. Dillard, with her. mother and Wil- liams, went to Mrs. Martell’s home Wednesday afternoon. While the older woman had her fortune told, Mrs. Dil- lard stood behind Williams and looked intently at Mrs. Martell. On departing Mrs. Dillard told Williams she was posi- tive Mrs. Martell is not the Mme. Page sought by the Birmingham officials. Lost $2000 by Buying It. Mrs. Dillard, dispatches say, tost ner $2000 by burying it in compliance with an order from Mme. Page. It is believed that the fortune teller or an accomplice spied on Mrs. Dillard and watched her bury the money. When Mrs. Dillard learned and report- ed a short time later that the money was gone, many prominent women of Birmingham rushed to the police with stories of lost money, gold and silver jewelry, diamonds and other precious stones. The police searched everywhere. Mme. Page had vanished. Among the papers left in the house she had occu- pied was found a postal card sent to her from St. Louis and reading as fol- lows: “Mother can’t sit up and is dying. Your sister, “ANNA.” Seeress Moved in Good Soctety. Mme. Page, according to the dis- patches, operated very cleverly in Bir- mingham. For five months, the police say, she moved in the best society as a woman gifted with clairvoyant powers and collected from her new friends many valuable jewels to be held as “charms” while the wishes of the client were being worked for. She always returned the “‘charms’’ to their owners and in this way gained the confidence of some of Birmingham’s wealthiest women. The wife of a Birmingham banker gave Mme. Page a diamond neaklace to hold as @ charm. The claizwoyant wore it a week and returned &. The charm had worked. When ghe had be- come thoroughly trusted by her asso- ciliates, she collected an unusually val- uable lot of “charms” and disappeared. The woman who had loaned the diamond necklace lost a ring set with a large diamond. Other women ‘lost necklaces, brooches, precious stones in rare sét- tings, and money. It is estimated that Mme. Page got away with about $7000 in money and jewels. 612 “any re-} ST. LOUISAN IN HONDURAS PRISON FOR KILLING AN AMERICAN. Mrs COURTLAND B. VAN SICKLER, Va . VAN SICKLER MUST ENDURE GHAINS IN HONDURAS PRISON State Department Says Irons Are Customary There Because of Insecurity of Jails. State Department officials, according to dispatches to the Post-Dispatch from] Washington, say that Courtlandt B. Van Sickler, the St. Louis young man in prison at Truxillo, Honduras, story. was told in the Post-Dispatch Tuesday, may have to endure the. 35- pound weight attached to his left leg. This treatment, the department has learned, is the one customary for pris- oners accused of capital offenses. Van Sickler, accused of murder, having shot and killed F. P. Shaw at Iriona, June 4, says he fired in self-defense after Shaw had threatened him with a revolver and had applied an offensive epithet to his wife. When he gave himself up to the au- thorities, Van Sickler was put in chains. The judge who is to try him ordered the chains riveted on securely, Van Sickler says, remarking that the pris- iner had caused him to lose a good in- come as Shaw had much influence in official circles. Thorough Inquiry Ordered. The State Department has instructed its representatives in Honduras to in- vestigate thoroughly the prospect of Van Sickler’s case. They also have been instructed to do all they can for his comfort, and this may mean that he will have a cot, instead of continuing to sleep on the floor. ' But the leg irons, the department of- ficials say, are a part of the regular treatment of prisoners in Central Amer- ican countries, when the charge is a capital one. The insecurity of prisons there is said to be the principal reason for this practice. The Truxillo prison is 4% long, low, whitewashed building. Van Sickler is a nephew of Mrs. George H. Augustine, wife of the vice- president of the Carleton Dry Goods Co., and a son.of Mrs. W. H. Van Sick- ler of 6916 Yon Versen avenue. Friend Defends Van Sickler. Harry Ehlers of 5874 Clemens ave- nue, a close friend of Courtlandt B. Van Sickler, while Van Sickler lived in St. Louis; says he always found that Van Sickler was peaceable in his ways. Tragedy has thrice, in the last year, befallen Americans living in Henduras. Last September Consul Gard, who rep- resented the United States at Ceiby, shot and killed himself, three days after the arrival of his successor, George F Davis. Davis, a St. Louisan, was drownte. last February, and Shaw, wno witnessed the drowning, was killed by Van Sickler in June. A 8t.. Louls man who lately returned from Central America was in Truxillo, Honduras, shortly before the killing of Shaw by Van Slickler. The St. Louisan, whe, because of business re- lations, did not wish his name to ap- pear, told a Post-Dispatch reporter Thursday of the circumstances under which he met Shaw. Davis, United States Consul at Ceiba, — TEP on Fe —* — tee ow athe — mani whose COURTLAND B. VAN SICKLER . PRICE ONE CENT —_—_—_—_—_—_——— AND. HIS WIFE LAUGHS AT NEGRESS SHAMPOUING. BOY, HELD AS A MASHER Dr. Albert H. Bradley, Waiting for Car, Looks at Window, Smiles at Boy’s Grimaces. By smiling with amusement when he saw a negress shampooing her child’s hair in a window, Dr. Albert H. Brad- ley of 3714 West Pine boulevard got himself arrested by the woman's hug- band, a negro special police officer, on the charge of attempted mashing. The charge of disturbing the peace, made against the physician by Charles I. Johnson, the negro officer, and his wife, Tina Johnson, was dismissed with- out a hearing by Judge Sanders of the Dayton Street Police Court, who entered a nolle prosequi in the case. Dr. Bradley, who has offices in the Metropolitan Building, told a Post-Dis- patch reporter at the courtroom of the circumstances of his arrest. He said he had occasion several days ago to transfer from a Jefferson car to one of the Hodiamont line, and stood near 2339 Wash street. He saw a negress in the second-story window at that num- ber, shampooing her boy’s head over a basin, and laughed as he.watched the child’s grimaces. Laughed at Child’s Grimaces. Wednesday, he said, he had occasion to change cars at the same point and again saw the shampooing process. He laughed, and his glance met that of the mother, who seemed also to be amused. As he was about to board his car, Dr. Bradley said, a negro came fom the house and demanded to know why the doctor was flirting with his wife. Dr. Bradley denied that he was doing any- thing of the sort, but the negro, dis- playing his badge of authority, said, “You'll have to tell the Captain about that.’’ They went to the Dayton Street Sta- tion, where Jobnson told Capt. Hess that the physician's alleged offense ha7 been repeated several times. This Dr. Bradley denied. Capt. Hess ruled that the case would have to go to Police Court. Dr. Brad- ley told his story before court to Acf- ing City Attorney Seidel, and after Seidel had conferred with Judge San- ders the case was stricken from the docket. GIRL, 4, IMPRISONED IN BURNING WIGWAM An Indian wigwam, erected by boys in the rear of J. R. Clow’s grocery in East Alton, almost caused the death of Clow’s daughter, Juanita, 4 years old. The child WITH TWO GIRLS LOGAL AVIATOR MAKES A FLIGHT Jannus Believes He Has Closely Approached American Récord } “for Two Passengers. quaweeipeeeeee oe Aviator Anthony Jannus believes he closely approached the American rec- ord for carrying two pagsengers when he flew over. Kinloch Field in a Benoist type biplane Thursday morning with Misses Helen Hudson and Katherine Allen, actresses playing at a local sum- mer garden. Jannus estimates that, for the great- er part of the 12-minute flight, he kept the biplane at an elevation of about 2500 feet. Misses Hudson and Allen were delight- ed by their firet trip into the sky, and wanted to make another flight at once. Jannus said they did not dispjay the slightest uneasiness at any time in the flight. He circled the fleld several times and flew over the country toward Floris- sant and retirn. The flight was begun at 6 a, m. SOAP WAREHOUSE BURNS; LOSS, $35,000 William Waltke & Co. Lose} Plant at 4620 Benedict Street. A two-story warehouse at 4620 Benedict street, owned by William Waltke & Co., soap manufacturers, was destroyed by fire early Thursday morning. The loss, as estimated by Louts Waltke, presi- dent, was: Building, $10,000;- machinery, $15,000; stock, consisting of grease and Olls, $10,000. The owners do not know how the fire started. Harry Zimmer, a teamseter, discovered the fire. He turned in an alarm, and then took from the com- pany’s stables 24 horses whose tives were endangered by the fire. The burning soap and oll made a fire St. Louis. appeared. on the case. trail. previous. so hot that firemen couldn’t get withing “"* 100 feet of the building when the flames were at their height. A dense smoke arose that could be noticed over a large part of the neighborhood. The burning grease gave out an almost unendurable odor. * TARIFF ON SNAP SHOTS — Customs Department Holds Films Are Improved Abroad. NEW YORK, July 18—A ruling of tn- terest to American tourists has been made by the New York customs offi- clals. It directs Harry Whitney, the! arctic explorer, to pay duty on pictures} of seals which he took several months ago on a trip to the Far North. "whee Tie 3 gg a : ilk with a-letter of introduction mutual friend in Philadelphia his pleasing manner had won come. He even went so far as 8 ter in —— up the mystery of ee diamond robbery. A Mrs. Margaret. Vv. re of on Maryland avenue was robbed of about 30000 worth of diamonds last Aprila by well-dressed man who posed as & pective purchaser of her home Under the pretext that his mother would * the parlor, and when Mra, * was occupled in another part of t house, ransacked her jewel case and aim | = 3 The case baffled the police. eyes might reach the eyes of S07 —— might be in @ —— — —_ of the thief, but he — city when the detectives cavgnt Woman’, Detective suctinal:: The deductive instinct of woman serted itself when Mra. Dan Sache Manchester, St. Louis County, read newspaper accounts of the robbery. had entertained an Albert Miller of delphia in her home just a short He had come to her : * ei tr: a fhe: — — —* ———— — and’ .