St. Louis Post-Dispatch
April 12, 1928

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TODAY wax . =ec vt &AT oFr ST.LOUIS POST-DISPATCH The Only Evening Newspaper in St. Louis With the Associated Press News Service « aT OUT- GUT SIDE 4 eae ee YOu MAKE OF THAT ‘™ Tnment might sell the Texas ME SICK: ALL RIGHT ey pe *0me of the royalty oil which 4 | HOF as getting from leases in Salt k field. A few days later Fall d to Beaty on that Lubject. Mty replied on April 6 that he interested in the Salt Creek MNly in connection with a pos- M® lease on Teapot Dome. Fal! rt replied, and a few days later Mty heard that -Fall had leasé@d reserve to Sinclair. : ‘© defense had made a great | ' Of the circumstance that Sin- * 8greed to build a pipe ™ Teapot Dome, and also coor Storage tanks for the iment along the Atlantie Beaty testified that Fall hot intimate to him that a pipe and tanks were requisite to the YG agreed Birch Helms, who was head of “alnued on Page 2, Column “ee | 14 KILLED, 40 INJURED BY EXPLOSION OF BOMB MEANT FOR KING OF ITALY Delay in Arriving to Open Milan Fair Prob- ably Saved Life of Monarch—He Cuts Cere- mony Short to Visit Wounded. Ey the Associated Press. MILAN, April 12.—King Victor Emmanuel narrowly escaped death at the hands of assassins. this morning, when a powerful bomb exploded in the Piazza Giulio Ce- sare. The King was on his way to open the Milan fair, but owing toa slight delay did not reach the spot at which the explosion occurred until 10 minutes later. Fourteen persons were _ killed, most of them blown to pieces, and about 40 were injured. The in- fernal machine, a tube filled with high explosives, and controlled by a clock had been concealed inside the base of a lamppost. The route which the King’s par- ty was to follow has been printed in the newspapers and the police think the bomb was set to explode at the precise moment the King was scheduled to pass. King Opens Fair, Nevertheless. There was a scene of terror and utter confusion when the sovereign appeared, accompanied by his suite and the municipal authorities. The bodies of the dead and _ injured were taken into the exhibition grounds, and King Victor immedi- ately proceeded to carry out his duties of opening the fair. As soon as possible the injured were removed to the hospital. The King displayed | coolness, but showed anxiety for the wounded and for the families of the victims. It was in order not to disappoint the organizers of the fair and the exhibitors, particularly foreign ex- hibitors, that he officiated at the inaugural ceremonies, which were cut short. Visits the Wounded. After making a hasty inspection of the exhibits, the King exclaimed: “Now, I feel my duty is elsewhere; I must go to the hospital.’’ When the King visited the hospital he spoke to each of the injured, expressing sympathy and saying he would take a personal interest in their recovery. On leaving the hospital he was greeted by an almost delirious demonstra- tion from the crowds, which seemed unable to express suffi- ciently their joy at his escape. Most of the killed and injured were women and children, who were awaiting in anticipation the coming of the King. The head of a girl who stood near the lamp post was severed. flying pleces, together with the slugs contained in the bomb, were largely responsible-for the slaugh- ter. Thirteen civilians and one soldier of the Fifth Alpine Regiment were killed. A baby girl, two brothers and a sister ranging in age from 5 to 8 and at least six women were among the dead. Three boys were seriously injured. The King had arrived in the city about half an hour before the outrage, and had received an en- thusiastic welcome. On his trip from the station -to the royal pal- ace, where he was received by the Milan authorities, all the streets were crowded. School children were lined up behind cordons of troops. A preliminary list of the wound- ed received at the military hospital contained the name of Private Pietro Ratti of the Fifth Alpine regiment. Inquiries were imme- diately instituted to ascertain whether he is a relative of the Pope. Newspapers published special editions displaying pictures of the King and printing enthusiastic ar- ticles paying tribute to the royal house. Mussolini Personally Directs Hunt for Assassins, By the Associated Press. ROME, April 12.—Premier solini personally supervised me ures for disc overy of those sible for today’s bomb explosion at Milan as soon as he received word of it. The Premier had an audience with Prince Potenzi- ani, Governor of Rome, when his direct wire connecting him with Milan brought news of the exv!‘o- sion. He gave instructions him- self for the search for the bomb- ers. He also announced the iils- patch of various inspectors-gener- al of police from Rome to Milan. The Premier sent congratu!a- tions to King Victor Emmanuel on his escape. Imposing loyalty broke out all this afternoon and gathered in front of and cheered the King royal family. Mus- aASs- just finished demonstrations of over the Quirinal and the CLOUDY TONIGHT, TOMORROW: NO CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE THE TEMPERATURES. 53 4p. m 64 (3:30 Pp. m.). Official forecast for ‘St. Louis and vicinity: Partly cloudy tonight and tomorrow ; not much change in temperature. Missouri: Part- ly cloudy tonight and tomorrow, not much change in temperature. Illinois: Partly cloudy tonight and tomorrow; slightly colder in extreme northeast portion tonight. Sunset 6:35; sunrise (tomor- row) 6:27. Stage of the Mississippi 22 feet, a fell of 1.8. FOUR GIRL STOWAWAYS FOUND ON U. S. CRUISER WHILE AT SEA Waitresses Put | Off at Key West; 15-Year-Old Landed From Destroyer at Mayport, Fla. Yesterday” ry high m.} 39 (6 a. Now WHO'LL SAVE US FROM KING GEORGE? line | KEY WEST, Fla., April 12.— Four girls, who stowed away on the light cruiser Concord i Saw, Orleans, were discovered while the vessel was at sea on the way to Philadelphia and landed here last night. — The girls, who said they were waitresses, told local authorities they were in New Orleans without funds and that they slipped aboard the Concord as the only available meang of transportation to their homeg in Philadelphia, Their presence {n the vessel’s hold was discovered by officers yesterday and a wireless message was sent immediately to the naval _§ station Here for a boat to meet the Con- cord off Sand Key and take them off. The ship’s officers, the girls told naval authorities here, supplied them with funds to return to New Orleans. They gave their names as Billy Lacer, Rose McGuire,. Flos- sie Rice and Ramilda Avary. ST. PETE RSBURG, Fla., l2.—-The police today announced receipt of information that 15- year-old Alberta Pool, missing hign school girl, had been found aboard the destroyer Billingsley, which sailed from here Tuesday, and put ashore at Mayport, Fla. An _ in- vestigation has been asked of See- retary of the Navy Wilbur by the April Sirl’s father, Yeoevh Pool, SKIPPER SAYS:RADIO WAVES INCREASE VIOLENCE OF STORM Capt. Parker of the Homeric Thinks Wireless Is Up- setting the Weather. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, April waves are 12.—Radio increasing the violence of storms on land and sea, ‘in the opinion of Capt. W. H. Parker of the White Star Homeric, which ar- rived 24-hours late today after a buffeting from 40-foot waves which broke three windows on the prom- enade deck. The atmosphere of the world. contends, has been so disturbed and upset by wireless. electrical waves that clouds have been pre- cipitated as rain with resulting strong winds. He declared there was no precedent for the continu- ous storms on the ocean, the snows in Egypt and the cold along the Riviera. March 7 was the coldest day of that date in Cairo and the hottest ever recorded in London. As radio activity increased the storms would increase in violence, he said. Wireless officers were treat Parker's theory Alfred Goldsmith, cast engineer of the Radio Corpo- ration of America, said: “The power received from wireless waves over a considerable portion of the ocean would not be strong enouch to wake a mosquito. To blame ra- dio waves for storms is as fantastic to suggest that the cheeping Of a canary could start a cyclone.” ILLINOIS COAL FIRM TO REOPEN SEVERAL MINES IN FEW DAYS WEST FRANKF ORT. 12.—The Old Ben tion, Owning 12 he inclined to facetiously. chief broad- ocean as Til., April Coal Corpora- mines in Franklin and Williamson counties, will re- sume operation of one or more mines within the next few days, under the terms of the Jackson- ville wage agreement. In an open letter to Old Ben employes, which will he given out with the pay checks Saturday, the company announces: ‘“‘We expect to reopen One Or more of our mines within the near future under the terms and conditions of the sOo- called Jacksonville agreement. Our plan is to keep as many mines open as the business we secure will per- mit.” The Franklin County Mining Co. announced previously that it would reopen its mine at Benton. r The lamp post. was blown to fragments and the | respon-| Rome | great crowds, PARDONS BOARD REFUSES TOSTAY BIRGER EXECUTION State’s Attorney Boswell of Williamson County Makes Appeal in Murder- er’s Behalf. ‘WANTED TESTIMONY IN PRICE KILLING Franklin County Prosecutor Scores Colleague for Seeking to Block Hanging Tomorrow. By a Special Correspondent of the Post-Dispatch, SPRINGFIELD, IIL, April 12.— The State Board of Pardons and Paroles today refused to stay the execution at Benton tomorrow, of Charlie Birger, Illinois ES. for the murder of Mayor Joe Ad- ams of West City. State’s Attorney Arlie Boswell of! Williamson County had appeared before the board during the three- hour session this morning, in an effort to keep Birger from going to the gallows: Boswell, renomination in last Tuesday’s primary, aSked for a stay of exe- cution until May 6, asserting that j . } i | who was defeated for) GERMAN PLANE WITH THREE FLIGHT, IRELA DTONE NICK POLITO'S SON SHOT: IS DETANED FOR INVESTIGATION Youth Declares He Was Wounded While Fleeing From Robbers in South St. Louis. WELLSTON SHOOTING ALSO UNDER INQUIRY Deputy Sheriff Reports Firing at Two Men Who Were Prowling Around Shoe Store. Raymond Polito, 19-year-old son | of Justice of the Peace Nicholas | Polito, ‘early today under he thought that by that time he | could get Birger to give him valua- ble information for use in the trial of the slayers of Mrs. Lory Price, wife of the State Highway patrol- man who also was killed by the Birger gang. Martin Opposes Delay. Vigorous opposition to postpone ment of Birger’s hanging was made by State’s Attorney Roy Martin of I’ranklin County, who successfully prosecuted Birger. “Until some time yesterday,” State’s Attorney Martin said,. “I never dreamed that any State’s At- torney in Illinois would appear here and ask anything for Charlie Birger. I have here an affidavit from a Deputy Sheriff in my county tending to show that Bos- well knew eight months ago just what he knows now about the Price murders. Eight months ago Boswell told a Deputy Sheriff in Williamson County that he would prosecute Art Newman for the murder of Mrs. Price, and would use Birger as a witness against Newman.” In response to Chairman Cla- baugh’s inquiry if there was any- thing inconsistent in Boswell’s ap- pearance before the board, State's Attorney Martin said: “In my opinion the majority of the people in Williamson County don’t think that Arlie Boswell wants to pros- ecute Birger and Newman.” Robert Smith, chief counsel for Birger, also pleaded for a stay of execution, presenting petitions signed by residents of Franklin and Sangamon Counties urging the Governor to grant a reprieve. He said about 3000 persons had signed the petitions. Says Boswell Had to Go. Martin presented an affidavit by Jesse Wheat, a Deputy Sheriff of Franklin County, who told of over- hearing one of Birger’s relatives tell him yesterday that Boswell was going to Springfield in his behalf. Wheat deposed that birger replied that he knew Boswell was going, that ‘I’ve got plenty on. him and he’s got to go.’ Boswell told the board that he had visited Birger in his cell yes- terday at Benton and that Birger had given him some important new information on the Price murders which he wanted time to investi- gate, with a view to preparing the State’s case in the trial of the mur- derers of Mrs. Price. He _ tele- phoned a Circuit Judge at Marion, asking him to set a trial date be- fore May 6 in event the Governor granted a stay of execution. Roswell did not explain why he waited until yesterday to talk to) anyone for the murder of, a oe | Waymen in South $t. was shot in the right leg circumstances whichs police are investigating. Two hours before young Polito was taken td city hospital, a Depu- ity Sheriff guarding a Weliston bank had exchanged shots with two men who were breaking into a nearby shoe store. The burglars escaped. The wounded youth denied he was in Wellston, He declared he was shot when he ran from high- Louis. Deputy Fires on Burglars. At 12:05 a. m., Deputy Sheriff John .Cosimidys, guarding the Wellston Trust Co., 6212 Easton avenue, Which was robbed rccent- ly, saw two men prowling outside the shoe store of J. Alberts, 1489 Cockrill avenue, around the corner. The deputy called on the men to halt. They fired at him. back. The pair escaped—presum- ably in an automobile, parked in an alley. A padlock on the shoe store door had been broken and the door forced open. At 2 a. m. Polito was taken to .the hospital by his elder brother, 'John Polito, 4221 Osceola street, Birger about the Price murders. | Martin insisted that Boswell had | no intention to use Birger as a. witness, and that if all Boswell wanted was “information” from Birger he could have obtained that by staying with Birger last night and today, instead of rushing to Springfield. $1000 IN GOLD PIECES DUG UP BY LABORER WITH HIS PICK By the Associated ed Press. CHICAGO, April 12. — A day laborer gained $1000 by his work yesterday. His pick unearthed some forgotten miser's horde of gold pieces. The gold was found on the site of a high school in Evanston, in- eased in a leather bag inside a tin box. ' Authorities have nn clew to the person who buried the treasure. Gold pleces of. $5, $10 and $20 de- nominations were found. a Deputy Cicrcuit Clerk, Pending investigation the wounded youth was ordered held a prisoner. Deputy Cosimidys viewed the wounded youth at the Hospital and identified Polito’s gray cap, suit and overcoat as similar to those worn by one of the burglars, po-| ; | lice reported. Mr. and Mrs. Lory Price, especially | : . 1 Deputy Cosimidys said that after the burglars fired two shots at him and he fired back six times, the youth in gray sank to his knees, but was assisted up by his com- panion, and both got away. When Polito arrived at the hospital his hands and knees were bruised. Young Polito’s Story. Polito, who got a job yesterday in the city lighting department and lives with his father at 2708 Day- ton street, related this story: After playing cards with his brother at the Osceola street ad- dress from 8 p. m. until midnight, he started to drive home in his coupe and had reached Morgan- ford road and Bingham avenue when two men in another car crowded him to the curb-and or- dered him to stop. Anticipating a holdup, he jumped from his coupe and ran. The men _ fired two or three shots at him one striking his leg. The men then drove on, and he got back in his coupe and returned to his brother's, house. The brother said he heard a noise at his front door about 15 minutes after Raymond had de- parted. He opened the door, anid Raymond, weak from loss of blood, staggered in. After John Polito had called a_ doctor, the youth was taken to the hospital. A younger brother, Girard Polito, employed as messenger for the Chief of Police, -was ar- rested last November after he had participated/in six rebberies, and was let off) with hanishment from Missouri for three Pears. He was tried in juyenile court because his parents glaimed his age was only | Rea Another brother, Elmer Polito, is a clerk at the Carr Street Police Station. The father is Republican City Committeeman " the Fourth Ward. | , Hughes Grandpa Again on Birth- day. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, April 12.—Charles Evans Hughes, former Secretary of State, now will have to share his birthday cake with a fifth grand- son. The boy was born to Mrs. Chauncey L. Waddell yesterday, the sixty-sixth birthday of her father, the former Secretary. Sa al He fired TWO MEN HELD AFTER DEATH Or WOMAN Eleanor K. Guthrie of New York Dies at Miami, Fla. Mrs. By the Associated Press, MIAMI, Fla., April 12.—Two men were held here today for in- vestigation in connection with the death Tuesday of Mrs. Eleanor K. ruthrie, 40 years old, of New York, said to be socially prominent in New York and Virginia. She died from what attending physicians said was inflammatory rheumatism aggravated by an alcoholic condi- tion of the heart. The men, who gave the names of Ssdward Durant and J. Tunstall, were arrested by Federal narcotic agents after hospital authorities said Mrs. Guthrie had admitted she formerly was addicted to a drug, and a nurse had told officers she saw a white powder on the wom- an’s lips after a visit from Tunstall at the hospital in Miami Beach, to which she was taken Sunday, Police said they had found that Durant and Tunstall had been al- most constantly in Mrs. Guthrie’s company since Feb. 4. The County Physician ordered an autopsy this afternoon to fix definitely the cause of death. Two pawn tickets for diamond rings belonging to Mrs. Guthrie, valued at about $2000, were found on Tunstall when he was arrested. Police said he had represented him- self variously as her brother, cousin and a physician. Hugh J. Guthrie, the woman’s husband, who arrived here last night to take the bedy to New York, said he knew nothing of her acquaintance with either man. Mrs. Guthrie spent between $1500 and $1809 in the last few days of which the police said they could find no account. They learned also that she had bought a small automobile which was regis- tered in Tunstall’s name. Police said Tunstall accounted for the rings by “temporary finan- cial embarrassment” which caused Mrs. Guthrie to lend him the jew- els, and for the automobile by say- ing Mrs. Guthrie had it registered in his name so she would not be connected with the matter “In case of an accident.” > & x Qty. Sian nrneerttblpitotne. . AE i hlprtptelliotl end. ee At top, Capt. Herman Koehl (left), Baron Ehrenfried Gunther von Huenefeld, and (be- low) Col. James Fitzmaurice, who are in the German monoplane Bremen attempting a flight from Ireland to the United States. POOR FLYING WEATHER ON THIS SIDE LIKELY Forecast Is for Gales Off Amer- ican Coast at Time Bremen Is Due. By the Associated Press. ST. JOHN’S, N. F., April 12.— Poor flying conditions in the New- foundland area were forecast early this morning, although when the report was given out the weather was excellent. The forecast predict- ed an easterly gale with rain. By the Associated Press. WASHINGTON, April 12.—QOn the basis of present forecasts, the German plane Bremen is due to buck unfavorable weather on the western side of the Atlantic. A strong wind was reported by the Weather Bureau to be passing northeast from New England to- ward New Foundland where it was expected to assume gale propor- tions by tonight. Moving north- eastward off into the Atlantic, the storm was expected to gather force and cover a wide area. The Bremen is due in the New Foundland area tonight. Weather Bureau offiicals here were of the opinion that it would be difficult for the Bremen to escape strong winds in the West- ern Atlantic and considered it like- ly that the plane would buck winds continuously after passing mid-At- lantic. Ideal Weather Conditions Report- ed Off Harbor Grace, N. F. HARBOR GRACE, N, F., April 12.—Ideal weather conditions pre- vailed in this section of Newfound- land, as the Bremen plane started its flight westward across the At- lantic. The westerly gale which was blowing yésterday had ended and today there was no wind. The sky was clear and Cape St. Fran- cis, 18 miles east across Concep- tion Bay, was clearly visible. The local airport was safe for use in event of a forced landing but the lakes in this vicinity were not. No Arctic ice was reported from the Grand Banks or along the ship- ping lane. LEVINE SETTLES $500,000 FEDERAL SUIT FOR $150,000 By the Associated Press. WASHINGTON, April 12.—The Government’s case against Charles A. Levine, trans-Atlantic flyer, over war contracts, has been set- tled out of court, The Government had alleged that Levine owed ap- proximately $500,000 in connection with the sale of surplus war ma- terials but the case was settled for about $150,000. The case against Levine grew out of a war material transaction contract In which the War Depart- ment turned over a large quantity of .ammunition salvage to Levine to be sold on a percentage basis. When the case was sent to the De. partment of Justice by the War Department, it was charged that Levine owed the Government more than he had turned in. One phase of the case hinged on whether Le- vine or the Government should pay the freight on the shipment of the material. ABOARD OFF ON NON-STOP W YORK IRISH ACE FITZMAURICE AND KOEHL AT CONTROLS Nivowle Acckh Chai as Take-Off at Baldonnel, Ireland, at 11:38 P. M. Yesterday. DUE AT 10 P. M. TODAY NEAR NEWFOUNDLAND Passed Out to Sea at Gal- to Mid - Atlantic, Then Gales Forecast. By tHe Associated Press. NDON, April 12.—The Since ociation late today issued a re- port, without stating the date of origin or the source of the news, that the trans-Atlantic plane Bre- men was seen 880 miles west, dead on its course, | The report was not confirmed from any other source, The Press Association Is a promi- collects news of-the British Isles. By the Associated Press. aspirations German single engine monoplane Bremen sped westward today on what was hoped would be the first spanning of the Atlantic from East to West by airplane, a flight of approximately 3000 miles. Essaying the same feat, seven cviators have lost their lives/ since last May.’ Spectators watenua the heavily- laden plane speeding runway but failing to rise at first. After running 900 yards the plane took the air at 6:38 a. m. (11:38 o'clock Wednesday night, St, Louis time). Sighted Out Over Atlantic, Two hours after the start the Galway Coast Guards saw the Bre- men going strong, well out over the Atlantic and headed in a north- westerly direction.’ The! Costello, Galway, having traveled the 135° miles be- tween Baldonnel and that point at the rate of more than 60 miles an hour. Michael MacDonagh ef Costel- loe Station Coast Service in Gal- way Bay, said the monoplane was hugging the coast and apparently because of the dense fog was mak- ing for Slyne Head, the most west- erly Galway point, from which to take her bearings. The fog later vanished and fine weather pre- vailed. $0 far as known the last glimpse of the Bremen caught. off the coast of Ireland was at 7:30 when civic guards West of Carna in Gal- way saw the plane passing over Sline Head, the most westerly point of Connaught. The Bremen was scheduled to travel due West from Dublin over Kildare, Kings, and Galway coun- ties, out over Galway Bay, and thence over the Atlantic, with 1800 miles between it and the first land of Newfoundland, and another 1000 miles between there and its goal, New York. The Bremen should have reached midocean at 11:30, St, Louis time. Under normai flying conditions the monoplane should reach the vicinity of Harbor Grace, N. F., at 10 o'clock tonight. St. Louis time. Steamships on the ocean lanes were on the alert for a sight of the plane, but eight hours after it had left the Irish coast none had re- ported it. The Bremen was not equipped with radio. Weather Ideal to Mid-Atlantic. 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