Indianapolis Times, Volume 34, Number 248, Indianapolis, Marion County, 25 February 1922 — Page 1

THE WEATHER Fair tonight and Sunday. Slightly warmer tonight.

rrvT VYY if\f Published at Indianapolis, Entered as Second Class Matter. July 25, 1914, at V V7ij, A.A-AJ. V • Ind„ Daily Except Sunday Postoffice. Indianapolis, Ind., Under act March 2. 1879.

PACT MEETING HELD BEHIND Closed doors; First Step Taken Toward Treaty Ratifi- ' cation, SENATE WAITS Three of Seven Covenants to Be Reported. WASHINGTON, Feb. 25. The first step in putting the conference treaties through the Senate was accomplished today when the Foreign Relations Committee, meeting behind closed doors, ordered three of the seven pacts reported to the Senate. These were: 1. The four-powered Pacific treaty, replacing the Anglo-Japanese alliance with the Brandegee-llardlng compromise reservation attached. ■ 2. The five-powered naval treaty between the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy and Japan. 3. The submarine and poison gas between t-Wsame powers, abolishing the use of gas in warfare and limiting the usages of submarines. The action of the Foreign Relations Committee, taken after a number of tumultuous and wrangling sessions, leaves only the various treaties affecting c-oina still in the committee’s hands. The vote to report the four-powered treaty was 10 to 3. The negative votes were those of Senators Borah of Idaho and Johnson of California, Republicans, and Shields, Democrat of Tennessee. COMPROMISE WINS IN WALK, Tbs compromise reservation to the Pacific treaty agreed upon by Prasident Harding and Senator Brandegee, Republican of Connecticut, was adopted by a vote of 10 to 3. The votes cast against It were those of Senators Kellogg, Republican of Minnesota; Pomerene of Ohio and Williams, Democrats, of Mississippi. The vote to report the naval limitation of the submarine poison gas treaties was unanimous. No reservations were attached to them, the reservation to the Pacific treaty being the only one adopted. The supplemental agreement taking the Japanese homeland out of the Pa. ciflc treaty was ordered reported by a vote of 12 to 1, Senator Borah voting against It. Senator Lodge announced as soon a# tbg Chinese treaties were ordered reported, which he expected would be done early next week, he would report all seven kfreatieo together to the Senate. COLLAPSE OF WEAK HOUSES IN PROSPECT Wall Street Predicts More Brokerage Concerns Will Fail. NEW YORK, Feb. 25.—A general collapse of weak brokerage houses in the next few days is expected by Wall Street if the present market continues a few days longer. Meanwhile officials conducting a probe of bucket shops and officers of the New York Stock Exchange were answering charges that their campaign against bucketing was resulting in driving legitimate brokerage houses to the wall. There have been twelve failures in the last week. BROKERAGE HOUSES LOSE BUSINESS. The investigation of bucket shops has shaken confidence in all brokerage houses and resulting runs have forced many into or near bankruptcy, according to financial observers. Charges that his bucket shop investigation was hurting legitimate business will be answered in a statement by District Attorney Banton. He is preparing the statement. P The rising market, another cause of failures by weak brokerage houses, has been deliberately engineered according to other representatives in financial circles. Short buying and buying by ’‘insiders” has forced the market up artificially, it is said. When the run came some brokerage houses were forced to go into the market and buy at advanced prices .stocks in which they were short and ;which customers were demanding be delivered. PETITIONS FILED AGAINST TWO FIRMS. An involuntary petition in bankruptcy has been filed in the United States District Court by creditors against the brokerage firm of Rietze & Sullivan. The petition estimated liabilities of $25,000 and assets of $3,000. A second petition in bankruptcy was filed In the United States District Court against the brokerage firm of A. R. Smith & Cos. T.e petition stated the firm’s liabilities were approximately $75,000 and assets $25,000. PHILADELPHIA, Feb 25.—Boureau & Evans, members of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, today made a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, to J. Howard Patterson, according to a notice posted on the door of the firm. Obenchain Case Draws Near End LOS ANGELES, Cal., Feb. 25—The State expects to complete its case against Madalynne Obenchain, charged with l complicity in flie murder of John Belton 'Kennedy by Vi ednesday, it was announced today by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Keyes,

WEATHER

Forecast for Indianapolis and vicinity for the twenty-four hours ending 7 p. m., Feb. 26. 1922: Fair tonight and Sunday: slightly warmer tonight, with lowest temperature about 30 degrees. HOURLY TEMPERATURE a. ra 24 7 a. in 25 8 a. m 26 9 a. in 27 10 a. m 30 11 a. m 30 12 (noon) 31 ) 1 p. m 33 2 £u m -.—.... 31

Max Quite Coltish in Lavender Spats and Cute Mustache BASLE, Switzerland, Feb. 25.—“ You can say that ‘l’m not an old man of 57,’ ” said Max Oser, laughing today, in his first Interview with an American newspaper correspondent. The livery stable proprietor, who is to marry Mathitde McCormick, finally was brought to bay in the directors’ room of a large corporation here and consented to be Interviewed. The correspondent found Oser a robust, stocky man, with a well-knit figure supported upon slightly curved cavalry legs. He has neat.y brushed black hair, sprinkled slightly with gray and a close-cropped black moustache. His manner is that of a well trained cavalry officer. Oser’s English is better than that of many native Chicagoans. Attired In a blue serge su t set off by lavender spats the horseman presented quite a stylish figure. “I Intend shortly' to relinguish my riding academy,” Oser declared In reply to a question regarding the livery stable and riding school at ZurichAsked about the reported opposition of John D. Rockefeller, Mathilde’s grandfather, to the match. Max said: “I do not know Mr. Rockefeller per sonally, but 1 think his o, position is most unlikely. All the rest of the family have cabled congratulations— s Aunt Anita and Uncle How - <1 -nd the rest.’’ “Fixing the correspondent with his eye, Max said solemnly: “I am 44.”

FILM ACTRESS SAID TO HAVE GIVEN SIGNAL Fields Says Bag of Candy Was Waved as Sign for Shooting. JEALOUSY WAS MOTIVE TRACES PHONE CALL. LOS ANGELES, Cal., Feb. 25.—Tracing a telephone message sent by a woman ia Los Angeles to a friend at a hotel in San Francisco a few hours after W. D. Taylor was slain, Police Detective Herman CUne, working under the direction of District Attorney Woolwine, was reported to be in San Francisco today checking on this important new angle in the investigation of the murder case. In a frantic message over the telephone on the night of the murder, according to Cline’s information, the woman is said to have told her friend she was in “troublo” and needed help. DETROIT, Feb. 25.—A movie actress of the Hollywood colony not only was implicated in the murder of William Desmond Taylor, film director, but actually gave a signal to waiting gunmen that Taylor was alone and could be killed safely, according to the story told Ly Harry M. Fields, to authorities in the county Jail today. Fields said the ketress hired him and three others, including a Chinaman, a woman and a gunman of Los Angeles to kill Taylor, paying them SI,OOO each. The actress was madly jealous of attentions paid to another movie star by Taylor and plotted his death. Fields said. The actress went to Taylor’s bungalow, Fields declared, and he and the other killers waited in a machine nearby. She appeared shortly afterward and waved a bag of candy as a signal that Taylor was alone. The Chinaman and other gunmen then entered and shot Taylor, while Fields and the woman remained in the machine, he said.

FIELDS’ STORY CORROBORATED LOS ANGELES. Cal.. Feb. 25.—Further corroboration of the story told by Harry Fields in Detroit which accuses a Chinaman and two white women of being implicated in the murder of William I). Taylor, was found by the police here today. The story told by Fields has reached a peculiar status. Much of what he told the Detroit jolice has been proved false. On the other hand investigatods here have corroborated the "allowing statements^ They have discovered the existence of the Venice “hop joint” where Fields alleges the murder plot was hatched; They know the identity of the influential Chinese Tong man, a dope peddler, accused by Fields as the actual assassin. They have proof Fields and this Chinaman changed a thousand dollar bill, as the chauffeur claimed: And the names of the two white girls who left Los Angeles for Bakersfield within twelve hours after the crime and who previously had expressed hatred of Tayor, were in their possession. Many points of the chauffeur’s story have not been proved, such as the hidden “murder gun” and other alleged details of the crime. Taylor, it has been learned, sent the film actress who was being supplied with narcotics and blackmailed by the “dope ring” east to be cured of the habit. She is understood to have taken a cure and to have written to Taylor she had given up the habit. The narcotic peddlers vowed vengeance. Taylor threatened to 'open up on them dear down the line and eliminate them from the studies altogether.” A short time after this Taylor was slain. It was announced Mabel Normand is recovering rapidly from a serious attack of influenza and soon will be able to leave her bed. Miss Dale Fuller, a member of Miss Normand’s company in the Keystone comedy day's, is reported dying of double pneumonia resulting from Influenza. BELIEVE FIELDS’ STORY CLEVER HOAX DETROIT, Mich., Feb. 25.—Officials here today began to doubt the story told by Harry M. Fields, confessed forger, who has told in great detaij what he as seres to be the true facts of (he murder of William Desmond Taylor. Authorities here have come to the belief Fields, who is waiting sentence on a charge of forgery, has framed the story in order lo be taken to Los Angeles where he could be freed on a writ and it would be impossible to return him to Detroit for his prison sentence. Fields has embellished his 3tory each day and given new evidence which, if true, would be of major importance. His latest story connects a "famous film ac tress” with the actual murder party, of ficials stated. AME RICANS SNIHBE D. ST. MORITZ. Switzerland, Feb. 25.—A Chicago millionaire arid his wife met with severe snubs here when they tried to hobnob with English aristocrats. They left In high dudgeon.

REPUBLICANS HOPE HARDING WILL RETRACT Committee Can Not Accept Sales Tax Plan. WILL ASK ADVICE ‘Bonus’ Legislation May Hold Over to Next Session. WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.—Republicans of the House Wavs and Means Committee were prepared today to tell President Harding that : they could not accept his recommendation for a sales tax to pay the soldiers "bonus” and to ask for further instructions. It Is their hope that the President will retire from the position of ”uo sales tax—no “bonus,” and will give his approval to the passage of a “bonus” bill as u charge against the Treasury, to he paid through economics effected in the Army and Navy and other Government departments. Having tentatively rejected every suggested tax plan for the “bonus,” the majority of the Ways and Means Committee ceased work to observe the effect of such action on their House colleagues. The abaudonent of direct taxation, as a means of raising “bonus” revenue contemplates that the compensation must be paid from Treasury receipts under existing taxes left over from ordinary expenditure. savej by cutting appropriations or by extraordinary revenues, such as Interest payments on the foreign indebtedness to the United States. There wore few members of Congress who declared in favor of delaying the j “bonus” legislation beyond the present | session of Congress. Chairman Forduey I of tlie House Ways and Means Committee and Representative Frear, ltepub--1 lican of Wisconsin, chief opponents of any form of sales tax, were equally insistent that the long delayed “bonus” hill will be passed by the House during the present session. Epidemic Claims Seven More Lives i Pneumonia took five and influenza two j lives from 10 o’clock Friday until 10 o’clock this morning, the city health dei partment announced. Dr. Herman G. Morgan, secretary of the board of public health, can see no abatement of the epidemic.

INQUIRY SHOWS j ROMA ENGINES | WERE RUNNING Army Board Finds New Way Crash Might Have Been Avoided. LANGLEY FIELD, Va.. Feb. 25.—The Army board of Inquiry Into the Roma disaster has established ( that the two forward engines were running when the airship crashed, It was learned today Had these engines been "cut out,” as I.leut. B. T. Burt, the pilot signalled, the accident might have been avoided, it was stated. The Roma at the time was "lighter than air” and could have risen by Us “buoyancy” despite the broken S rudder. The fact that the Roma was “buoyant” during the flight was definitely estab | lished. The board now Is attempting to determine why the “cut out the engines” order vKas not obeyed. All the men who were handling these engines were killed in the accident. The investigation thus far has shown that i the ship was in perfect condition when it took the air. The board has heard a ! score of witnesses, including officers and men. who inspected the vessel and all testimony showed the cigar-shaped en yelope was In perfect condition. This phase of the inquiry was Instituted because of a number of letters made public by relatives of the crew charging the ship was “a death trap.” The report of the board. It was indicated, will not be completed un fi next week.

Landru Beheaded Before Gate of St. Pierre Prison \ French ( Bluebeard f s f Head Drops Into Basket as Morbidly Curious Crowd Looks On,

VERSAILLES, France, Feb. 25.—1n tbe misty dawn, Henri Landru, France's arch-murderer, was beheaded on the guillotine before the gate of .5t- Pelrre prison today. He had been found guilty Nov. 30 of the murder of ten women to whom he had made love and Offered marriage, and a boy, the son of one of his feminine victims. Landru protested bis ( lnnoeence to the very end. “I will be brave,” wete the last words he uttered just before .the knife fell. It was eight minutes after 6 o’clock when Landru rolled from the execution block. He carried with him into <ho great beyond his secret of -the missing women ho was convicted of slaying for | their savings. j A crowd of niorbidlyj curious persons. I including numerous woipen, had gathered before the guillotine before daybreak. At fifteen minutes after 5 o’clock a little group of prison officials entered Landry's cell and told hi in to prepare for the end. The condemned man’s hands were tied behind his back and his feet were losely hobbled, ijerinitting him to shuffle down the stairs from the third cell row. I COMPLAINS TO EXECUTIONER. Once Landru remarked to the executioner and his assistants who were leading him to the guiilotjine: To speed the work of the executioner, a high power arc ligiht was burning in the prison court, floojding the guillotine with its rays. I Landru stopped shjort for a moment and his body threw a heavy shadow across the foot of thd' death scaffold. Landru was pale, iiiut stood erect anti

INDIANAPOLIS, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1922.

CUPID HAUNTS QIRL MAYOR

irain iiTflffWtffttr f. . t' *■**.wj

Despite being deluged with marriage proposals during the first month of her Incumbency as Mayor of Falrport, Ohio, Ir. Amy A. Kaukoneu. youthful and pretty, assert., she si ill is able to pay strict attention to the business of being mayor, and thus far her heart has rests ted the efforts of her numerous suitors.

TAGGART MUM AS PETITIONS KEEP PILING UP Thousands Favor Candidacy of Indianapolis Democrat. TIME GROWS SHORT Fetation* from every part of Indiana askln;, that, the us me of Thomas T*trgt.rt bo placed on the ballots as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the flitted States Senate continued to pour Into Indianapolis today. The petitions went to tlie office of Thomas E. Stucky. who started their circulation some time ago. The petition# bore the signatures of thousands of persons who are asking Mr. Taggart become a candidate. Meanwhile, Mr. Taggart’s intentions are as much a mystery as ever, despite the fact the name* of all Senatorial candidates must be ia within tho next four days. Thomas Taggart, Jr., said that Mr. Taggart will not return to French Lick from Ismlsiana, where he has been vacationing, until Monday. He said his father probably will come to Indianapolis Tuesday. Mr. Taggart said he had heard nothing as to his father’s intentions concerning the Senatorship race. If Mr. Taggart consents to become a candidate petitions asking his name be placed on the ballot will be filed with the Secretary of State early next week. Otherwise, the petitions of a number of other candidates may be filed. Says Movie Hubby Forced Her to Live With Millionaire LOS ANGELES, Cal., Feb. 25 Charging that Francis Spottiawoode-Aitken, veteran motion picture character actor, had forced her to live with a millionaire Santa Barbaran, Mrs Marion Avis Spot-tiswoode-Aitken today filed sensational counter-charges in the divorce action instituted by her husband Mrs. Spottiswoode-Aitken asserted she had been coerced into living with tho millionaire in order that her husband might extort money from him.

HIS NIGHTCAP VERSAILLES, ,’eb. 25—Two small glasses of rum for: oil the last lirrakfast. of "Biuobeard ' j.-mlra, who was guillotined lion* tmla, Landru refused to tuke any solid ’,,od, saying he was beyond all need of b tstenanee

appeared cool. His beard ha i been shaved off under the chin so that the hair would not Interfere with the knife. For perhaps ten seconds Landru s, od still and silent facing the guillotine. HEAD ROLLS INTO BASKET. While he hesitated the chief executioner and bts assistants forced Landru forward, bending his head upon the sliding board. The instant the doomed man's head slid into the fateful aperature the knife dropped and Landru's bead rolled into a basket partly filled with sawdust. The whole thing took less than three minutes' time. The alert assistants stood beside the guillotine with outstretched hands. Hardly had the murderer's head fallen into the decapitation basket than they had grubbed it. Hardly had the echoes from the knife's thud died away before the body had been placed in a coffin wdth the head Joined to tho neck. The coffin bad stood In a closed wagon beside the guillotine. The men in the crowd bared their heads during the decapitation and a little group of cavalrymen who were present to prevent disorder saluted with their sabres. The body was taken to the Versailles cemetery for burial.

PLAZA REALTY RENTS CAN NOT PAY INTEREST City Controller Announces Ruling Affecting Memorial Bond Issue. MATTER IS ‘OVERLOOKED’ Bents from city war memorial plaza - r-pfy aud pjemlun and accrued interest paid by the successful bidder on the $1,800,000 war memorial bond issus can not be applied upon the SIOS,OOO interest due on the bonds in 1922, City Controller Joseph L. Ho; ie announced today. Mr. Hogue said he bad been so informed by Assistant City Attorney Newton j. McGuire and lixumtncrs Whitaker and Smith of the State board of accounts after they had made a careful study of the law. The property at present brings approximately $40,000 a year in rentals. Premiums paid by bidders on the bonds amounted to StiS,DSO and accrued Interest to *12,000. When Mr. Bogus announced be had discovered tho Jewett administration failed to provide for payment of the interest In the 1922 budget cud it would have to be taken out of the general fund, to the detriment of city department* already sadly hampered through potential lack of funds members of the former regime asserted the situation was not so bad after all, because the law provided reutal from the plaza property, the premium by tbe successful bidder* on the bond and the accrued Interest paid by the bidders could be applied on tbe Interest. The law is such, Mr. Hogue said, he could not even pay a bill for s2iMi.so for prlutiug of the bonds, left by the former adtuinistra: ion, out of the war memorial fund, but had to take the money out of the geueral fund. FACTA FORMS NEW CABINET

Italian Deputy Names Self Premier and Minister of Interior. HOME, Feb. 25.—Deputy Facta today succeeded in forming a nw cabinet, with himself as premier and minister of Interior. The other members are: Foreign affairs. Senator Schanzer. Justice, Luigi Rossi. Public works, De Vitte. Treasury, Beano. ■ Industry, Teofilo Rossi. Agriculture, Eertinl. Education, Anile. Finance, Bertone. Colonies, Vescalea. Cinder Spreading’ to Provide Employment Plans to spread cinders on unimproved streets in all sections of the city within the .next few weeks will be made by Street Commissioner Martin J. Hyland and his assistants tomorrow, so that the eighty-four men and thirty teams which have been working on the streets of Brightwood under a $2 a-day unemployment relief scheme, may continue work I -Monday. The Brightwood work has been unpleted. Mr. Hyland said that since xjeb. 13 he has received requests tor differs on streets and alleys In 152 places. Most of these have had to be tabl and until now. Girl Slayer Waits Grand Jury Action WACO, 5 ■ocas, Feb 25.—Marcie Matthews, 17, gi>.\ slayer of the man she accused of wrecking her life, waited today for action by fie grand Jury now In session here which her attorneys and friends believed would ,\sult in her exoneration. Through waiving preliminary hearing set for Monday, 3va charge of murder filed following the Rioting to death of .1. S. Crosslin, formed preacher aqd real estate man in the District Court* room, lawyers for the girl felt confident she would be freed by grind jury action.

SnhHrrtntinn Rates- IBV1 B V Carrier, Week, Indianapolis. 10o: Elsewhere, 110. Subscription Rates j ßy Mai , 500 per Month; $5 00 Per year.

LLOYD GEORGE; MAY PROPOSE! 10 YEAR TRUCE Expected at Boulogne Conference With Poincare. PLAN FOR EUROPE Scheme for Smaller Armies Similar to Hughes Navy Cuts. BOULOGNE, France, Feb. 25.—Premier Lloyd George and Premier Poincare reached an agreement upon international issue, at ttie conference here tilts afternoon. It was said tiiat a formal coin, niuaiquo would be Issued later. BOULOGNE, France, Feb. 25. Lloyd George in his private conference with Premier Poincare, which began here this afternoon, will propose a ten years’ truce in Europe, it was learned today. The British premier has a plan for limitation of land armaments somewhat similar to the Washington proposals of Secretary of State Hughes concerning navies, which he will urge upon Poincare if initial conferences which deal with the Genoa 1 conference are successful. British experts who are here with Lloyd George, bat not taking part tn the conference, confirmed the fact that the British Premier has an ambitious scheme to promote European peace and reconstruction which Is based on a tenyear truce. Lloyd George, they said, might seek Poincare’s cooperation to prepare to put this idea across at Genoa if the premier# were able to agree on other points. French experts said If Lloyd George counted upon French army reductions as a basis for the scheme ho would be disappointed, for Poincare would never agree. The British premier came to Boulogne by way of Calais. He motored here front Calais, reaching Boulogne at 2.45 o'clock. Premier Poincare already was on the scene and the two immediately began conferring at the prefecture. The greetings between the two premiers was cordial despite the recent friction between the French and British, governments over the Genoa economic conference and other matter*.

MAYOR FAVORS SIFTING OF CITY RAIL FINANCES Hopes to Find Method of Restoring Credit of Company. p A proposal that a subcommittee be formed to “make a thorough investigation of the financial condition of the Indianapolis Street Railway Company for the purpoee of determining whether It Is able to carry out the reasonable demand* of the ..y for men necessary Improvements wilt serve the people, and to prornp ly find the means of se curing to the company for the city's sake •ome method by which its credit can bo re-established and thereby enable it to carry forward the work which ia essential to the growth of our city and Its future business prosperity,” was made by Mayor Samuel Lewis Shank at the citizens-street railway officials’ conference at tho city hall this afternoon. Tbe mayor said he also would propose that another committee be named to investigate conditions of street railways throughout the country, the report of which would throw light upon the locai situation. The conference Is the outgrowth of the request of street railway officials that city officials oud the public look into the company’s situation whereby it is said to be los’ng $21)0,000 a year aud suggest a remedy. lies Asks Support of Chamber Plans O. B. lies, newly-elected president of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, has sent out a letter to nil of the members of the chamber urging generous cooperation on committee service and tn support of chamber's other activities. In part Mr. lies said: “The opportunity to render service to onr community and indirectly to every citizen is great. We must grasp this opportunity and realize upon it. By generous eooperation we can accomplish many things where a few would be helpless.” Members are being urged to fill out and return the classification sheet, which was made a part of the yearly report of John B. Reynolds, general secretary. FIND "WHITE MULE" IN GARAGE. Armed with a search warrant the police broke Into a garage at 717 North Illinois street today and discovered two galions of “white mule” and two large empty jugs. The owner of the garage said it had been rented to a man giviug his name as Harry Jameson, Cavett Hotell. Jameson was not known at the hotel

Strange Acting Man Makes a Fuss in Governor's Office Calls Two Days in Sue cession at 12:500’clock Each Time .

Police this afternoon are searching for a young man, thought to be insane, who created a disturbance in Gov. Warren T. MctTay’s outer office at the Statehouse yesterday and today. He came to the office at 12:M o'clock both times. After sing Lug and whooping for

Police Wreck Still They Are Unable to Move Over Streets Because of the condition of some of the city streets, tlie police today were unable to take a still captured In a raid at 639 .South Temple avenue to headquarters aud were forced to destroy It. They also destroyed a large quantity of mash, but carried five gallons of "white mule” two blocks to a patrol wagon which had been driven as near the house as the condition of the streets would permit. Fasquule Mendick, 24, and Carl S. George, 20, occupant* of the house, were arrested on "blind tiger” charges. IS WARNED AS TO NAVY CUTTING President Harding Advises Against Going Too Far. HINT IS GENTLE WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.—A warning was given to the Republican Congress toaay against going too far in reducing the size of the American Navy. The warning, which was more In the nature of a strong hint, waa j conveyed by President Harding to the members of the House Naval Affairs Committee at a White House conference. Members of the committee were summoned to the White House by the President and there was “a full exchange of views,” as to the cutting and slashing that is to be done to the American Navy. No figures were sot and no program was agreed upon, it was stated by those participating, the meeting resolving itself Into an amicable discussion of opinion. Republican members of Congress, with an eye to the coming congressional election and the effictcy of the economy showing recently have been predicting wholesale surgery to the appropriations and personnel of the Navy, Some Congressmen believe a Nary of ijO.OOO men aud officers is strong enough for the next year and are figuring on appropriations accordingly. Secretary of the Navy Denby believes ninety thousand men should, be the absolute minimum and his view, of course, reflected by the high ranking officers of the service. Many of them consider it too low. President Harding, It la understood, Informed members of the committee that he would be very reluctant to see tbe Navy below eighty thousand, a compromise figure. The Naval Committee Itself is divided. There are “big Navy men and “little Navy men” both on the committee, as well as a number who stand between tbe two extremes. The conference was more in the nature of a "get together" meeting to find out Just whore mutters stand. It is understood tho President called the conference at the behest of Secretary Denby. BELIEVE LABOR TROUBLE CAUSE OF EXPLOSION

Authorities Aver Costly Blast Was Result of Malice, CHICAGO, Feb. 25.—That the explosion of approximately thirty tons of dynamite stored in the magazine house of the McCook Stone Quarry, owned by the Consumers' Company, located about eighteen miles southwest of Chicago was a “touchoff Job," was the theory advanced by State Fire Marshal R 1L Perhosner this afternoon. Questioning of men in charge of work at the quarry revealed according to the fire marshal’s statement, that labor trouble is believed responsible for the blast, which shook hundreds of building* within a radius of fifty miles and caused damages ranging from $200,000 to $1,000,000 in estimates made today. It wits asserted by the men questioned, that there have been mutteriugs against the company by steam shovel workers, who have been unable to find work at the quarry. Officials of the company, conducting an independent investigation, declined to make public any facts that may have been gathered. It was announced, however, that officials of the company also “feel that tho cause lies in labor trouble.” “I’m convinced from my inquiry that the blast was the result of some premeditated plan,” commented Marshal Perhosner. Low Water Pressure Causes Complaint A petition, asking the Indiana Power Company of Bloomfield, be compelled to increase its water pressure for fire protection, was filed by Newman T. Miller, State fire marshal, with the public service commission today. According to the petition, the company has refused to increase tire prevention facilities at the suggestion of the fire marshal’s office. The petition is bilieved to be the first of its kind ever filed In the State. SNAKES AS A “CURE.” BERLIN, Feb. 25.—Dr. Heinrich Mellnnrto is using a serum prepared from snakes' bodies in the treatment of tuberculosis and claims to be having unusua. success.

several minute* yesterday he left before police arrived. Today a Statehouse policeman attempted to detain him, but he ran out the south entrance and cast in IVash- • lug ton street, the pursuing officer losing him at Illinois and Pearl streets. Governor McCray wag In his private office on both occasions.

HOME EDITION TWO CENTS PER COPY

STATE TESTS CREDIBILITY OF WHTOSS Prosecutor Tries to Show Variance in Testimony. FAUST ON STAND Evans Produces Grand Jury Evidence at Hartman Trial. The State In the caee of J. Herberl Hartman, on trial in Criminal Court on a charge of receiving stolen goda, questioned the credibility of Its own witnesses today when Prosecutor William P. Evans declared that the State was taken by surprise at the evidence given by William H. Faust, i an atorney who has office space with | Hartman. Mr. Evans produced the grand Jury ! evidence of Mr. Faust in an effort to show that Faust was testifying dlffer- ' ently in court today than he did before | the grand jury. Some of the evidence j which Faust gave today appeared to be I favorable to Hartman. i Tho defense challenged the right of the : State to impeach its own witness. Thq , argument became eo heated that Judge Alfred Murray Bain of Martinsville, pre. siding in the case, said to Mr. Faust: “You are a lawyer, Mr. Witness?” “Yes,” answered Faust. “You know what is expected when a witness takes an oath,” said the Judge. “1 suggest that you search your memory. You are in court.” “I am trying to tell tho truth,” rov plied the witness. WITNESS ILL AND UNDER STRAIN. I It developed that Faust has been ID 1 for several months and ho appeared t bo under a great strain. Evidence previously had been submitted to the effect that a bed and a dresser, which Hartman removed from Francis’ apartment, had been taken to Faust’s home. Faust testified that Hartman called ! him up and asked him if he had room for a bed and dresser, and the fumlturo iwaa sent oat to his house and Is still there. He testified of frequent trips that a ! man whom he knew as Frank Moore (Francis) made to Hartman’s office. Ho said that Moore on his first visit to tho i office mistook him for Hartman. Ho | said that Moore, on his first visit to tho I office, mistook him for Hartman. Ha ' stated that he saw a fur coat which was worn both by Mrs. Lura Mosv* (Francis) and Mrs. Laura Hartman, wife of the defendant. WARNED AGAINST i INTIMACY WITH MOORE. I Faust admitted that he warned Hartj man against being so intimate with j Moore. “I told Hartman that it didn’t do any 1 of us any good for Moore to be up to the office so much,” Faust stated. Faust admitted he knew Moore was staying at Hartman's home and that hx saw him with a handful of diamonds at Hartman’s office. Mrs. Cozctte Osborn. 1244 Ringgold avenue, testified that Hartman on one occasion Introduced Francis to her as Francis. j Herbert S. Wood, assistant cashier at j the Indiana National Bank and bar.d- ---! writing expert, stated that In his opinion the handwriting of the man who wrote (Continued on Page Two.)

MAYOR FROWNS ON CITY HALL GROCERY PLAN Declares Proposal Would Prevent Proper Investigation. Mayor Samuel Lewis Shank today alighted with both feet on the proposal of City Attorney W. T. Bailey and Superintendent of Street Cleaning John F. Walker to operate a grocery distributing station for the destitute In the basement of the city hall with funds realized from the mayor’* ball for tbe benefit of the unemployed. Meanwhile half-a-hundred persons waited outside the city attorney’6 office expecting to get baskets of groceries, although Mr. Bailey had announced the distribution would not start until Monday. The mayor heartily disapproved of tho plan, because he felt proper investigation of applicants for relief could not be made, and ordered the SSOO worth of groceries already purchased by Mr. Bailey and Mr. Walker sent to strategically located fire stations and distributed to families which were known to be needy. After these supUies are exhausted, the mayor ordered the method used up to this time should be continued. Wbea a family applies for food, it is investigated. If worthy, a grocer in the neighborhood is given an order for a basket of food, to be delivered to the family. “It's not right for the city to go into the grocery business,” said the mayo*. “These grocers have been doing more for charity than anybody else, with aJI the bad debts they are having to carry.’’ Reformatory Site Up Again Next Week The reformatory removal commission will meet some time next week in another effort tc decide on a location for the institution, Governor Warren T. McCray said today. The Governor said the situation in regard to a site is unchanged.

“SAY IT WITH A riMES WANT AD” The lost and found eolnmns of the Dally Times carry a Hat of articles lost by people who are anxiously awaiting their return. Make it a practice to rea dthis column every day. MAin 3500. Classified Adr Dept

NO. 248.