St. Louis Post-Dispatch
February 4, 1928

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COMIC PAGE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 32, 1923. ORGE BUNGLE AS USUAL, YOU NO ATTENT ION TO — ERY TIME YOU TRO GAS iF YOU jie OUT SINGING VW YOU HAVE Som LLIER PLAN FOR ROUBLE. WELL Air T REMEMBER You RE ae ae 2 _ ~~ meme of the spatch AT Scott! 'T TELL me WOu'RE CEGINNING | ONDER .TOO! P TODAY cx =e@6e¢ Vv & FAT OFe | ST.LOUIS POST-DISPATCH [ The Onty Evening Newspaper in St. Louis With the Associated Press News Service. PRICE 2 CENTS iz Sie ARLAW AGAINST FNCEENT ON IONAL RIGHTS eyrredon at Havana De- “dare : Diplomatic or femed Intervention Is ‘Blow to Independence. TACKS REPORT HUGHES INDORSED That Persons Ge Into Country t Themselves to Its ib the Associated Press. E IAVANA, Feb, 4.—Honorim refon. head of the Argen- ee eeasstion to the Pan-Ameri- 4 Conference, today demanded ¢the sovereignty of states, con- of “absolute right to entire autonomy and complete independence,” must be vated in law and practiced p fact or “international juridical mony no longer exists.” alot or armed interven- Yon, permanent or temporary, is = attempt acainst the indepen- of states without finding its am Heation in the duty of protect- ig the rights of its nationals since pt same rights could not be exer- ‘weed in their turn by weak coun- tie should their subjects suffer ' fem convulsions in strong coun- fries,” he said. Considering the rights of for- @igners abroad, Senor Pueyrredon gmtinued: “The citizen who leaves | fis country to go under the say- 1 peeaty of another civilized coun- t is preferable to establish this ‘iple despite its possible draw- h account of the infinite E seacfite deriving from the respect of the sovereignty of most na- tions,” he continued. “The Argen- ‘tine Republic considers that this t is necessary so that the American nations may g0 Through the experiences of home /geovernment which naturally is 3 id to the teachings of politi- ta institutions to reach finally, without foreign interventions, to “the perfect maturity of democracy a must finally control] its des- tikes in internal peace and inter- donal concord.” ” The reply of the Argentine dele- : @ was to a report on the funda- Menial rights and duties of nations Which Dr. Victor Maurtua of Peru presented to the Public In- ational Law Committee. The had received unqualified ap- fal by Charles Evans Hughes, of the American delegation, ‘who spoke before Senor Pueyrre- and in northeast portion tomorrow. Weather Outlook for Next Week. WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.—Upper Mississippi and Lower Missouri Valley and the Northern and Cen- tral great plains — occasional periods of precipitation through- out week; temperatures mostly above normal in southern portion and near normal or above in north- ern portion, but becoming colder about close of week over both dis- tricts. TO PICK ALPHABET FOR TURKS By the Associated Press. ANGORA, Turkey, Feb. 4.—The long-debated question of scrapping the Arabic alphabet and replacing it with Roman characters is to come to a head shortly. The Government has created a language commission under the De- partment of Instruction. This com- mission, which is to have its first meeting soon, will take up the ques- tion of the change in alphabet. Contractor's Outfit For Sale Ever watch a small boy at the grab bag? Surprises keep him thrilled. Business men get similar thrills from the miscellaneous for sale columns of the Post-Dispatch. One man seeking a contractor's outfit found there just what he wanted. Another bought a restaurant outfit. | The list changes daily. The Post-Dispatch regularly prints far ooh gr For Sale adver- tisements than appear in all other St. Louis newspapers NO SUNDAY FUNERALS EXCEPT FOR NEGROES Undertakers and Chauffeurs Reach Agreement Similar to Those in Other Cities. After tomorrow there will be no more Sunday funerals in St. Louis, except for Negroes. An agreement to that effect was reached yester- day between the Mound City Un- dertakers’ and the Chauffeurs’ Local Union No. 405. Negro undertakers were not in- cluded because they employ non- union drivers and are not under the jurisdiction of the union or the Mound City Undertakers’ Associa- tion. The proposal that Sunday fun- erals be discontinued was made by the union and agreed to almost unanimously by all of the 1190 white undertakers in the _ city. Some objection to the proposal was raised by the three Jewish under- takers in the association on the ground that their religion does not permit burial on Saturday and the rule would operate as a five-day business week in their case. Two of the objectors withdrew their op- position and the third is expected to abide by.the decision of the Association Jmajority. The rule against Sunday funerals has worked out successfully in Chi- cago, Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati and other large cities, Herman Rindskopf, president of the under- takers’. association, said. Under agreements with employes, funer- als may be conducfed on Sunday in the event of an cpidemic, tornado or other emergency. Prior to the signing of the new agreement dri- vers were granted a day off each week on days other than Sunday. The agreement also provides for a wage increase for chauffeurs of $1.50 a week, from $32 to $33.50, for this year and an additional in- crease to $35 effective Jan. 1 next. The contract is to be in effect three years. There are about 200 chauffeurs in the union, the ma- jority working for a limited num- ber of the larger undertaking con- cerns, which supply vehicles to other members of the association. U. S, FLYERS LEAVE MIAMI ON NON-STOP TRIP TO NICARAGUA Huge Fokker Plane to Be Used in Service With Marines Against Sandino, By the Associated Press. MIAMI, Flia., Feb. 4.—In a thfee-motored Fokker monoplane destined for service with United States marine troops in Nicaragua, Lieut. George H. Towner and two fellow flyers took off at 6:15 a. m., Eastern standard time, today on a projected non-stop flight to Managua, capital of that Central American country. Second Lieutenant James B. Mc- | Hugh, radioman and relief pilot, and Corp. Robert Wenc, mechanic, were the other occupants of the plane on its 1000-mile voyage. Ideal weather conditions prevailed along all the route, alded by a. northeast breeze. delivered today, | _girl victim. pelose of court last night. It was “TMNOT INSANE,” HIGKMAN WROTE FELLOW PRISONER Slayer Disclosed Plan to Stage ‘‘a Laughing, Screaming Diving Act” in Courtroom. STATE OFFERS NOTE TO PROVE SANITY Alienists on Opposing Sides Disagree as to Youth’s Mental Condition — De- fense Rests. | Ey the Associated Press. . LOS ANGELES, Cal. Feb. 4.— A letter written by William Ed- ward Hickman, confessed kidnaper and slayer of 12-year-old Marian Parker, to another prisoner in the county jail, today is being used by the prosecution to attack his in- sanity defense. : The letter was introduced yes- terday in the State’s cross-exam- ination of the defense’s last wit- ness—Dr. A. 8S. Skoog of Kansas City. It disclosed Hickman’s intention to put on “a laughing, screaming, diving act’’ jn the courtroom per- haps in front of ‘old man Parker,” the father of the slayer’s school “All these depositions aren’t enough to prove me insane,” said the letter, written after the pres- ent sanity trial was well under way. “I’ve got to throw a fit in court and I intend to throw a laughing, screaming, diving act before the prosecution finishes their case—maybe in front of old man Parker himself. “Then, to bewilder the jury, be- fore the case is ended, I'll get up and ask the Judge if I can say something without my attorney butting in. Then J'll get up and give all that stuff about me want- ing to do good by living. * * * Defense Admits Hickman Wrote It. “For God's sake tear this thing up, because it would ruin me if it got out.” The letter was signed “William Edward Hickman, alias the Fox,” with a few “ha ha’s” attached and a postscript: “You know and I know that I’m not insane, how- ever.” Confronted by that letter, Dr. Skoog, who had declared Hick- man insane, conceded that the writer might be either sane or in- sane. Shortly afterward, the de- fense rested and the prosecution began its rebuttal. The prosecution’s first witness, a handwriting expert, took the stand to identify the letter. Hick- man’s counsel interrupted with the declaration that the defense was ready to stipulate that the letter had been written by Hickman to Dale Budlong, a fellow inmate of the jail. Hickman Sane, Says Alienist. The State’s witness, Dr. Cecil Reynolds, then testified as the first of seven alienists contradicting the opinion of defense experts that Hickman was unaware of wrong- | doing when he killed Marian Park- er. Hickman’s dominant characteris- tic is callousness,”’ testified Dr. Reynolds. “And callousness long has been recognized as a hall mark of the criminal. “He presents no signs of insanity from the medical standpoint and even less from a medical-legal standpoint. It is abundantly clear that he knew the nature and qual- ity of his act at the time it was committed and that he knew it was wrong and was in no sense dis- oriented.” The fact that Hickman possessed a “sardonic sense of humor” was cited by Dr. Reynolds as proof that he was not suffering from demen- tia praecox as contende@g by the de- fense. Some of the young prisoner’s witticlsms recounted by the alien- ists was Hickman’s smiling descrip- tion ofethe “special Providence” that wilied his crimes as “looking like a lion with three heads.” The doctor quoted the youth, indicted for two slayings, as saying that “Keyes (the District Attorney) is a@ generous guy. He eays if he hangs me for killing Marian he’l! let me off for shooting the drug- gist.” The druggist was C. Ivy Thoms, killed by Hickman and his accomplice in their attempt to hold up his store. Hickman Grins at Witness. Hickman, who had flushed hotly during the reading of his “fits” letter, grinned as his sayings were repeated by the witness. Cross-examination of Dr. Rey- nolds by Jerome Walsh, chief de- fense counsel, was cut off by the -rendered in trial STEWART GETS HABEAS CORPUS WRIT; MORE BONDS OF CONTINENTAL TRACED SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS NO-PAR STUCK VALUATION Also Decides That Work- men’s Compensation Law Became Effective on Nov. 2, 1926. POLICEMAN’S SLAYER GETS NEW TRIAL Conviction of Promoter Under State ‘‘Blue-Sky” Law Also Is Remanded for New Trial. By the Jefferson City Correspond- ent of the Post-Dispatch. JEFFERSON CITY, Feb. 4. The State Supreme Court today gave opinions in the following St. Louis cases: Decided Missouri workmen’s compensation law became ef- fective immediately upon its ratification at general election. Upheld constitutionality of State law placing arbitrary valu- ation of $100 a share on no-par value stock of corporations in Missouri, for corporation fran- chise tax purposes. Reversed the conviction of Julian G. Wolfner, promoter, for alleged Blue Sky law violation, and remanded the case for new trial. Reversed the life sentence ‘of Albert. Gregory, convicted of Tmurder ~ of Police-Sergeant E. Woody. and remanded case for new trial. Declared unconstitutional the city’s method of adding 20 per cent to assessments of several classes of personal property. Workmen's Compensation Law in Effect Since Noy. 2, 1926. As to the workmen’s compensa- tion law, the Supreme Court ruled that the law, ratified in a referen- dum at the genera] ¢€ election of Nov. 2, 1926, became effective as soon as the. polls closed that day, and not by piecemeal over a pcriod from Nov. 16, 1926, to Jan. 9, 1927, as contended by the Workmen’s Compensation Commission. The decision was wfitten by Judge W. W. Graves. The Court held invalid a law pro- viding that measures referred to the people and ratified shall not become effective until the Gover- nor issues a proclamation announc- ing the official vote and declaring them in effect. The decision also will bring un- der jurisdiction cf the commission a large number or claims for acci- dents occurring between Noy. 16, 1926, and Jan. 9, 1927, which the commission heretofore has refused to entertain, on the ground the law did not apply to them. Assessment of No-Par Stock $100 a Share Held Valid. The Supreme Court’s decision upholding the constitutionality of the State law which places an ar- bitrary valuation of $100 a share on the no-par stock of corporations in Missouri, for the purpose of assessing the State corporation franchise tax, was made in a suit by the State against the Pierce Petroleum Corporation, in SBt. Louis, to collect franchise taxes. Similar attacks on the validity of the law, made by defendants in several franchise tax suits filed by Attorney-General Gentry against corporations, are disposed or by the decision. The court held, in effect, that the Pierce Corporation must pay the tax on an assessment of $100 a share for the no par value stock allotted as Missouri capital, in- stead of the book value, as ten- dered by the company, which is a Delaware corporation. The tax is 50 cents on the $1000 of outstand- ing capital and surplus. A judgment for the company, of the case in St. Louis Circuit Court, was re- versed and remanded for action In. accordance with the Supreme Court opinion. The contention that the law was unconstitutional and discrimina- tory, on the ground it did not ap- ply equally to corporations with par value stock and those with no par value stock, was overruled by Judge W. T. Ragland, who wrote the opinion. He held the constitutional re- quirements as to uniformity and equality of taxation were met by at Continued on Page 3, Gblumn 6. Continued on Page 3, Column 3. Wife to Hang for Murder SSE Pa. Sars 5 ow ~~ aoa SORIA AER ARN a6 SS”. SS Sansa as ox S » SRA es ae Seen aes Ss . ranted . — Soe ae > . ~~ * ay a _ > * . a en a “ —— ee A ie ale aca . their cells. singer in New York. G. C. McDONALD AND HIS WIFE, DORIS. THEY are awaiting execution in Montreal, March 23, for the murder of a taxicab driver and have been. exchanging love notes from Mrs. McDonald, 2: years old, formerly was a cabaret KANSAS GITY MAY LOSE ThE NATIONAL G.0.P. CONVENTION Failure to Provide the Re- quired Number of Rooms for Visitors Disturbs Com- mittee. By CHARLES G. ROSS, Chief Washington Correspondent of the Post-Dispatch. WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.—Politi- cal Washington was keenly inter- ested today in the possibility thet the Republican national coaven- tion will be taken away from Kan- sas City, Mo., because of the fail- ure of the hotel keepers uf that city to make available a sufficient number of rooms. Cleveland was mentioned as the city most likely to get the conven- tion sholud the Republican Nation- al Committee reverse its previous decision in favor of Kansas City. Strong dissatisfaction with the room situation was voiced at a re- cent New York meeting of Chair- man Butler and other members of the committee directly concerned with the making of arrangements. The number of rooms which had then been listed with the commit- tee as available for officials, dele- yates and newspaper men was less than 2000 as compared with an estimated minimum requirement of about 4000. In asking for the con- vention to Kansas City boosters had promised a total of 9000 rooms, Notice was immediately served upon the Kansas City committee arranging for the convention that more rooms would have to be forthcoming. A meeting of the Arrangements Committee of the National Com- mittee will be held here Thursday. The room situation will be the chief topic discussion. Several Congressmen complained loudly today that they had been unable to get rooms at Kansas City, and declared if the shortage were not remedied they would en- deavor to have the convention taken elsewhere, Can’t Use “Pocahontas” Name. By the Associated Press. WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.—An or- der directing the Meteor Coal Co. of St. Louis to cease using the word “Pocahontas” as a trade name for coal was d today by the Federal Trade C@inmission. KFLLOGESAYSU.S WOULD SIGN PAGT TO BAR SUBMARINE Secretary of State Informs House Committee of Government’s Desire for World Treaty. Ey the Associated Press. WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.—Secre- tary of State Kellogg today advised the House foreign Affairs Commit- tee that the United States Govern- ment would be “willing to sign a treaty with all powers of the-world prohibiting the use of submarines entirely.” Kellogg’s views were set forth in a letter to Chairman Porter in response to a request for an ex- pression on a resolution by Rep- resentative Frothingham (Rep.), Mass., to prohibit the construction of submarines. “There is no objection to the resolution,” Kellogg said, “‘provid- ed it expresses the opinion of Con- gress that submarines be abolished and their construction prohibited by all the nations of the world.” “Of course, it.would be impos- sible for one country to abolish submarines and leave any other country free to operate and build them. The United States would be willing to sign a treaty with all the Powers of the world prohibit- ing the use of submarines tirely.”’ After a study of the resolution Kellogg recommended that it read as follows: “That it is the opinion of the Congress of the United States that all nations of the world should unite in prohibiting the use of sub- marines and discontinuing the con- struction thereof in every country. That the Government of the United States continue to use efforts to bring about these results.” The resolution will be taken up nxet week by the committee. Press. NIAGARA FALL&, Ont., Feb. 4. -—Two men were killed and seven hurt in a dynamite explosion on the Welland Canal construction job near Allanburg. five miles from this city this afternoon. COURT'S ACTION SAVES FIM FROM JAIL SENTENCE Released on $1000 Bond Half Hour Before He Was to Be at Bar of Senate—Hearing Tuesday J. E. O"NEIL TURNED $800,000 BACK Made Restitution to Prairie Co. of His Share of Con- tinental Profits, W. 5S. Fitzpatrick Says. BY PAUL Y. ANDERSON, A Staff Correspondent of the Post- Dispatch. WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.—One explosion followed another today in the spectacular progress of the Senate’s inquiry into the s:nister events leading to the Teapot Dome lease, and its effort to punish the oil magnate who defied its au- thority to question him, First came the sensational dis- closuré that James E. O'Neil, for- mer head of the Prairie Oil é: Gas Co., and now hiding in kKuyrope from a subpena, received $800,006 of the Continental Trading Co.'s tainted Liberty Bonds, and later made restitation of the wae | amount to his company. Next followed the issuance of a writ of habeas corpus, which tem- porarily freed Robert W. Stewart, chairman of the board of the Standard Oil Co. of Indiana, who had been under arrest since late yesterday afternoon, following his tefusal to answer questions put by the Senate Investigating Commit- tee, Stewart hematin Changed Plans. Stewart’s successful application for a writ of habeas corpus free- ing him from the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms was made half an hour before he was scheduled: to be taken before the bar of the Senate, there to receive a final op- portunity to tell what he knows about the disposition of the bogus Continenal company’s bonds, and . after it had been announced that he would not apply for a writ until after his appearance there. It seemed likely that the morning's disclosures concerning O'Neil and others had caused Stewart to alter his plans. The writ was issued by Justice . Bailey, of the District of Columbia Supreme Court, and is returnable Tuesday. Until then Stewart is free on $1000 bond. The bond was signed by Robert F. Fleming Jr., president of the Rigus National Bank, one of the largest financial institutions in the East. Thanks His Bondsman. A pleasant colloquy ensued be- tween Stewart and Fleming at the clerk's office. “That's mighty nice of you, old man, to leave your office and come down here like this,” said Stewart, smiling genially. “Oh, it’s nothing at all,” Fieming, as he signed the surety for the oil man’s release. Stewart and his lawyers left the courthouse immediately te take Mr. Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms back