Indianapolis Times, Volume 35, Number 247, Indianapolis, Marion County, 23 February 1923 — Page 1

Homme Editions TJSJLL services of United Press. a United News, United Financial, NEA and Scripps Alliance.

VOLUME 35—NUMBER 247

13 LOSE LIVES AS ROOMING HOUSE BURNS

Kansas City Is Scene of Tragedy Rescuers Search Ruins. 20 LEAP FROM WINDOWS Bodies Are Charred Beyond Identification —Sleepers Trapped. By United Press KANSAS CITY, Kan., Feb. 23. —Thirteen bodies have been recovered from the ruins of a rooming house destroyed by fire here early today. Squads of firemen dug into the debris in search of two persons still unaccounted for. The bodies recovered were charred so badly Identification was impossible. In some cases it was impossible to teli whether the victims were adults or children. Thirty-five were trapped on the second floor of the combination garage and rooming house when the fire broke out. Twenty persons escaped by leaping from windows on the second floor. One man, carrying a 5-year-oIA child, managed to fight his way to the stairs. As he decended th- stairs collapsed Two Rescued Firemen resuced the two after ihey had been burned seriouslv. The roomers were asleep when the fire started. Some were awakened by the wild cries of a pedestrian who stood on the sidewalk and shouted. The building was a mass of flames when the fire department arrived. When the seething mass cooled the work of rescue began. Families of relatives were held hack by police lines. Ambulances made continuous trips back and forth to the morgue as the bodies were hauled out from under bed eprings and other charred and twisted pieces of furniture. Some were found wedged b**ween automobiles parked In the garage on the first floor. Scores at Morgue Scores gathered at the morgue and vainly endeavored to identify the blackened masses of flesh and bone, lying in the receiving room. The entire family of Leo Brown, a taxicab driver, perished iu the flames. Brown, his wife and four children were burned to death. Mrs. Elisha Colstone. 35. and her two children. Violet 5. and Vernon. Z. also died in the fire. The husband and one child escaped. Otl ers believed dead were Mrs. Vella Munson, 63. and Edgar Mirnyon, 13 years old.

GAS TAX STAND OF AUTO CLUB FOUGHT

Beardsley Seeks Court Permission to Examine Association Records for Directors' Vote.

Mandamus to require officers of the Hoosler State Automobile Association to permit him to examine its records was asked in a suit.filed in Circuit Court today by Senator Andrew J. Beardsley of Klkhart. Beardsley, al leging he is a member, said officers refused him permission to examine the records through a qualified .accountant and auditor Thursday. The Senator's complaint says he desires to examine the records to find a vote of the directors by which association officials were authorized to oppose the pending gasoline tax bill. He said he also desires to see the records ‘‘which show receipts and disburse-

THE WEATHER

Forecast for Indianapolis and vicinity is Increasing cloudiness tonight, becoming unsettled Saturday. Probably light snow flurries. Slowly rising temperature. Lowest tonight 20 to 25 above zero. HOURLY TEMPERATURE. 6 a. m... 16 10 a. m 21 7 a. m 1611 a. m 23 8 a. m........ 17 12 (noon) 25 9 a. m 18 1 p. m 27

State Takes Steps to Curb Crime Wave by Restricting Gun Toting chance ot beini? OTIC in Purchase ami nossosvion of re- The Times through NBA Service liltt'c htr froinrr fr* of lior UiotoC! ♦ ttllt* ! Thio uvoniit it\n eoilwaH liiti nr Hah'ltfi I o (tkvnlvox oe niofol i Hidiu) Ptinnovl V:i llitl V Vet'.

YOUR chance of being one in 12,000 persons in the United States to die at the hands of a murderer in 1023 may he reduced by a bill now awaiting the 1 signature of Governor McCray. j Indiana has taken the first step in its history to curb murders 1 and suicides by legislation! •gainst gun-toters.

The Indianapolis Times

Spouse Shares Joy of Innocent Lifer

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OLA BENCE LEROY M ’ KIN*X E Y AND WIFE By T!nu s Special WILMINGTON, Ohio. Feb. 23. A weary half year of drudgery and poverty, anil tearful prayer brought its reward today for Mrs. Clarence Leroy McKinney of Cincinnati. The faithful wife arrived here bearing court documents which will release her husband from the Ohio State penitentiary. McKinney was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment on circumstantial evidence for the mur-‘ der of a Wilmington policeman. Th<* murderer confessed after McKinney had served five months of his sentence for a crime he did not commit. Mrs. McKinney maintained her belief in her husband's innocence despite the damning circumstantial evidence which convinced the twelve jurymen he was guilty of the crime. The indictment against McKinney will be quashed. McKinney's former home was at Bluffton. Ind.

merits for the past six months and the source of the money spent in so opposing the bill above described.” Beardsley is an administration Republican and the gasoline, lax bill is one of Governor McCray’s measures. "This organization has been spending its money for propaganda against the gusolin** tax over tin* protest of four of the directors,” said Beardsley. M. E. Noblet, secretary of the association. stated: “Mr. Beardsley has not been sufficiently interested to attend any cf the directors meetings and now because lie favors a gasoline tax and the board of directors are against it lie seeks to embarrass the association in the hopes of helping to put over the tax. Mr. Beardsley recently resigned as a director. His dues expired Jan. 1, and he is not now a member. Had he called on me in a friendly manner and asked for information he could have had it. but since he chooses to hire an attorney and auditor and march blusteringly into the office to take possession he will have to go through such channels as our legal counsel may direct, so far as I am concerned. “We have put out no literature that is unfair or untruthful and so far as funds arc* concerned wo have used no money hut our own.”

Purchase and possession of revolvers or pistols is made more difficult by tlx* Nolan House hill, which passed the Senate late Thursday after sharp debate. The vote was 26 to !), just the constitutional majority for passage. It had passed the House. A survey in every State of the present gun-toting situation, conducted by

EUGENICS WE KILLED BY VOTE IN UPPED HOUSE Measure to Require Health Certificate Before Marriage Dies. Another attempt to require persons applying for marriage licenses to have health certificates from physicians failed in the Senate today. The vote on a bill introduced by Senator Henley was 17 noes and 24 ayes. Every Legislature in recent years has rejected the eugenics bill in some form. Opposition centered on the bill s effectiveness. Senators Hodges and Barker said they favor a national law regulating marriage. Senator Beardsley predicted an increase in common law marriages and immorality if the bill should pass. Senator Henley, leading the light for passage, said the bill would reliev* the State of many public wards so: the insane, blind and epileptic. SPARKS ON POOFS CAUSE 23 ALARMS Double on Central Avenue Is Damaged $2,000, Firemen were kept uawm illy busy ' by twenty-three alarms today. In only foui cases did tin* damage amount to over S2O. Sparks on the roof caused most of the fires. Residences of E. M. Scott, 3162 Central Ave., and I. W. Wilcox. 3160 Central Ave.. were damaged $2,000. Fire of unknown origin caused SOOO damage to a two-story frame double at 1349-51 Barth Ave., occupied by A. S. Blosser. Fire and water damage to a two and one-half-story, frame house at 920 N. Capitol Ave., occupied by Lorrna Smith, amounted to S7OO.

DEATH ENDS LONG LIFE OF MRS. MARY PANSE Pioneer I lousier W ill Be Laid to Best Saturday. A Jong life of service' was brought to an end xyitH the death Thursday night of Mrs. Mary A. Pans**, 76. at the home of her daughter, Mrs. P. B. Griffey. 1660 Ashland Ave: Mrs. Panse was born in Pleasant View, Ind. She spent most of her life* in Indianapolis. She was a lifelong member of the Baptist church. The funeral will be held at 2:30 p. m. Saturday at the Griffey home. Buriaj will be in Crown Hill cemetery. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Griffey and Mrs. Margaret Gorman, Eagle Rock, Cal. MAN HAS NARROW ESCAPE Damages to Automobile in Crash Estimated at $250. William Merideth, 407 Davidson, narrowly escaped serious injury when a car which he was driving wets struck by a Ford roadster driven by Thomas Van Cleave, 304 Northern Ave., a salesman for the Brown Brothers Companly, in the 4100 block on College Ave., police said. Van Cleave was turning his car around on College Ave. The car in which Merideth was riding was knocked into a car parked in front of 4160 “College Ave. and owned by D. 11. Brown, 875 West Drive Woodruff PI. Damages to the machine were estimated at $250. No arrests were made. Child Killed by Car By l inus Special LAFAYETTE, Ind., Feb. 23. —Henry Buit, 6, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Buit, was fatally injured when struck by a street car late Thursday.

The Times through NEA Service, brought out startling disclosures Can frequent murder be checked if revolvers are difficult or impossible to obtain? City and State officials were almost unanimous in replying: THAT State and municipal laws against gun-toting are not enforced and are not effective. THAT the sale of pistols and revolvers should be barred by Federal law except to persons having legitimate business with weapons THAT evade State or city

INDIANAPOLIS, FRIDAY, FEB. 23, 1923

Statehouse Elevator Chauffeur Is Veteran of Sixteen Sessions

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SKETCHED BY' MANUEL ROSENBERG, TIMES STAFF ARTIST

Everybody knows Bob Bailey. He has told more people the location of the State museum than any man living. He has known more members of the Legislature than any living man. He J;as known personally more Governors than almost any man. He can tell you more about the State government than most State officials. Bob is chauffeur of an elevator in the Statehouse, He says he has operated that elevator through sixteen sessions of the Legislature, first as an extra man during sessions and then as a regular elevator man. Bob knows a lot about pending

PROVISIONS MADE TO MOVESCHOOL House Gives $200,000 for New Site, With only two dissenting votes, the Addington bill, providing for appointment of a commission to select a site for re-location of the Indiana School for tile Blind, and carrying an appropriation of $200,000 for purchasing i suitable property, was passed by the House today. There were seventy-si# favorable votes. By provisions of the bill the superintendent of the school shall be an exofficio member *>f the five-man commission. The bill requires the site shall be in Marion County. The school now in on the site for the war memorial plaza. WIFE SAYS *BIG TIM ? WILL GIVE SELF UP Court \grccs lo Wait Until Tonight to Forfeit Bond. By United Press CHICAGO, Feb. 23.—Arrangements for the surrender of “Big Tim" Murphy to begin his sentence In Leavenworth prison for robbing the mails were made by his wife and attorneys today. Mrs. Murphy informed Judge James 11. Wilkerson that her husband would give himself up before night if the SIBO,OOO posted by his bondsmen is not forfeited. The court agreed to the delay. W. C. T. U. LEADER DEFENDS HUDSON IMedges Faith in Officer Accused by Bootlegger. “I do not believe that Lieutenant Orville Hudson is guilty of receiving bribes from Albert Pinkie, confessed bootlegger, for protection, as he was accused of doing by Samuel J. Barnett, in Federal Court Wednesday,” said Mrs. Willis D. Gray, 1014 E. Washington St., ,county superintendent of law enforcement of the \V. C. T. U. today. “During the past year he has handled hundreds of cases for me and he always has given excellent cooperation. There are so few men who can be trusted as Lieutenant Hudson could be.”

laws by going to other States to purchase weapons or have them delivered through the mail —an agency of the Federal Government! Permits to carry revolvers or pistols must be obtained at the county clerk’s office twice a year, under the Nolan measure. Only peace officers, common carriers while on duty, and bank employes are exempt. The hill prohibits display of • firearms in windows, and refuses to allow their sale until one day after application for purchase.

legislation, for legislators just will discuss things on elevators, but he doesn't tell all he knows. Everybody talks to Bob. He has a smile and a witty remark for every one. Thousands of persons visit the Statehouse in the course .of a year. Bob knows half of them by their front names. Bob wasn’t always an elevator man. started lif• ■ in Wales as a coal miner. Then he came over here and y\,,rki'd He is still Interested In coal mining and the Mine Workers Union. The only time Bob ever asks to lay off is during a convention of miners. He is a familiar figure in these conventions and is usually on the Inside of everything that js going on.

M’CRAY PLEADS AS BILLS TOTTER

Executive Goes Before House Majority Caucus to Save His Finance Program,

Governor McCray today personally appealed to House Republicans 'to rescue his wrecked financial program. He appeared before a caucus called Immediately after noon adjournment. After hearing McCray and John D. Williams, highway director, the House members decided a committee of live should be nuiued to make an effort to agree on a method of financing the highway commission. The committee will he named by Representative Harry G. Leslie, caucus chairman. The Governor asked particularly that something be done to remedy the situation in regard to the highway department resulting from action of the House Thursday afternoon. “If something is not done, the road building program will he curtailed if i-ol almost ruined." the Governor said. “As things stand now we will not be FRENCH PLAN TO RUN RUHR ROADS Director General to Be Named and Zones Mapped, Hi/ I nilfd Press DtTSSELDORF. Feb. 23. Reorganization of Ruhr and Rhineland railways which are to he taken bodily from Germany and operated by France and Belgium began here today. M. Breaud, assistant director of the State railway of France, will be named director general of the project, lie will have French and Belgian railwaymen for his aides. The occupied areas have been mapped into zones. The roads are to he on an autonomous footing. German workers will he employed where they accept French orders. The profits will be shared by France and Belgium as part of the sum due in i epu rations.

This exception caused bitter debate in the Senate and threatened to kill the bill. That members of any duly organized military or civil organization shall have the right to bear arms while on parade. A provision that only citizens of Indiana can obtain permits is aimed at the foreign born gun-toter. The nation-wide survey shows striking differences between cities and States in regulations. $ Indianapolis, through municipal ordinance, requires that any person

Entered as Second-class Matter at Postoffice, Indianapolis. Published Daily Except Sunday.

HARDING GIVES UP FIGHT FOR SHIP SUBSIDY

SEARCH FAILS TO REVEAL WILL OF CHARLES MILLER Administrator to Be Asked for Estate Estimated at SIOO,OOO, No will of Charles W. Miller, former State’s attorney general and former district attorney, who committed suicide in the Hotel English last Friday, has been found, It was learned today. Lucius O. Hamilton, intimate friend of Miller, obtained permission from Probate Court to open Miller’s strong box In the Farmer Trust Company. It was opened in the presence of James Forey, vice president of the bank: Mrs. Miller and William T. Rasmussen, inheritance tax appraiser. It contained nothing but securities and other personal papers, the whole valueand at Rasmussen. Rasmussen estimate Miller's total estate would amount to SIOO,OOo. Efforts to find a will were abandoned and it was decided to ask for on administrator in Probate Court, Rasmussn said. Memorial services were held In Federal Court today. State and city bar associations participated. Earl It. Condor presided. Memorial resolutions were read by Ncble C. Butler. Talks were made by Charles M. McCabe of Crawfordsville, James W. Noel, who was associated with Miller in the trial of the famous dynamite cases; Albert J. Beveridge, John B. Cockrum, Charles F. Remy and Henry M. Dowling, Miller’s law partner.

able to obtain Federal aid for the roads. If no more money is provided we must either curtail highway work or raise the property taxes.'' Pleads for Gas Tax He also appealed for passage of the gasoline bill, although he admitted it probably would not be passed. He characterized the measure as the fairest means of raising money for roads and expressed the opinion that the oil companies would absorb the tax rather than raise the price of gasoline. Here are some of tiio things the Assembly has done: The House amended the automobile license bill to provide that half the proceeds should go to the counties and that the fees should be only slightly higher than at present, instead of almost double, as originally provided. The House refused to pass the bill which would have turned over (Continued on Page 2) PACKER MERGER MAY BE COMPLETED SOON Deal Held Up Pending Word From Government. By United Press CHICAGO, Feb. 23.—Negotiations for the purchase of Morris & Cos., packers. by J. Ogden Armour are expected to come to a head within ten days, according to Information here today. The deal has been held up pending a decision by the Washington Administration on whether the merger would be permitted. Latest reports were that consent would not be given. HOLIDAY UP TO HOUSE Senate Passes Bill to Give Courthouse Half-Day Vacation. Whether Marion County officials will have a legal holiday Saturday afternoons now depends on the House. 1 The Senate passed Senator Bailey’s bill granting a holiday after 1 p. m. Saturday in the Marion County courthouse, 26-13.

who purchases a revolver or pistol must have a permit from the police department, and that licenses must he renewed annually. Criminals evade the law by obtaining firearms elsewhere. In most cities revolvers can be purchased at any hardware or sporting goods store and • revolvers are displayed In windows. There is no restriction on sale of firearms in Maine, Georgia, South Da kota, New Hampshire, Arkansas, In-

Loyal Wife Starts Wait for Prisoner

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MRS. ESTHER GILMORE The long wait began today for Mrs. Esther Murphy Gilmore, 22, member of a widely known incinnati family. Tier husband. Edgar F. Gilmore, 25, was taken back to Lynn, Mass., to face a charge of embezzling $19,409 worth of Liberty Bonds from the State National Bank, where he was a teller. Mrs. Gilmore, was with him when he gave himself up here Monday. She plans to return to her parents. Her last words to her husband were: “I’ll stick by you..”

THREE FACE JURY I THEFT OF AUTO Double and Triple Crosses Charged in Court, Crosses, double crosses and triple crosses among automobile thieves were charged in Federal Court today. Floyd Foster and Carl Robinson, both of Muncie, faced a jury charged with complicity in transporting a stolen automobile from Chicago to Indiana in 1920. Three indictments involving residents of Muncie. Elwood and Clinton grew out of the theft of the machine, which belonged to W. C. Connelly of Chicago. They stole it from each other on two occasions, witnesses said. Fred D. Cosgrove, of Muncie, formerly a well known circus clown, was the chief Government witness. He has served eight months of an eighteen-month sentence imposed by Judge Anderson last year for complicity in the same case. He testified Robinson admitted he Itad driven the car from Chicago to Indiana when he knew it was stolen. Foster, he said, helped take it to Elwood. Foster conducted his own defense. RUM RUNNERS HAVE FLEET OF 30 SHIPS Anglo-American Syndicate Enters Game in Big Way. By United Press NEW YORK, Feb. 23. —“International rum runners, inc.,” may be the trade name of a newly formed AngloAmerican syndicate, first of whose fleet of thirty ships was reported off the New Jersey coast today. The syndicate, with combined British and Amerisan backing, is understood to have entered the bootlegging and smuggling game in a big business way.

diana, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, ver mont, Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico. Wyoming, New Jersey. Idaho. Nevada, Montana, North Dakota, lowa, Nebraska, Arizona, Florida or Maryland. In many cities the buyer must convince authorities of his good char acter, make clear his use for a revolver and must be identified by at least two freeholders. Texas forbids the sale, of revolvers or pistol by State lav*, but weaugns may be leaafifelor ninety-nine yeara.

Forecast INCREASING cloudiness tonight. Unsettled Satuday. Probably light snow flurries. Rising temperature tonight.

TWO CENTS

Administration Leaders Surrender to Democrats on Bill, OTHER MEASURES HELD UP President Is Informed and Agreement Is Made to Adjourn, By United Press WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.—The Administration surrendered today to the filibuster against tha ship subsidy bill. Insurgency among Republican Senators who demanded an opportunity to get a vote on other measures, held back by the filibuster, caused Administration leaders to decide to give way. President Harding was informed by Senator Curtis, Republican whip, that there was no chance for a vote on tha subsidy, and that insistence on keeping it before the Senate would merely obstruct other measures that ought to pass. Curtis received no message from Mr. Harding for the Senate, but on his return from the White House an agreement was quickly reached which prevented an even worse tie-up than had existed all this week. Under the agreement the Senate will adjourn at 6 p. m., today consider calendar bill two hours tomorrow and provide for further consideration of the calendar on Monday. This step marked a virtually complete surrender by Senator Jones, in charge of the subsidy, who had previously announced repeatedly that he ■would force the Senate to sit nights until he got an agreement for a final vote on the bill. It was generally believed today that by Saturday night the Senate would dispose definitely on the subsidy, either by defeating the Jones motion now pending to reinstating the subsidy bill as the Senate's unfinished business, or by recommitting the bill to the Commerce Committee. WITNESSES KIDNAPED, ATTORNEY CHARGES Prosecutor Asks Indictment Against Union Chief Be Xolled. By United Press BERKLEY SPRINGS, Wis., Feb. 23.—Four of the State's most important witnesses in the trial of C. Frank Keeney, president of the West Virginia miners’ union, were kidnaped Tuesday night, Prosecutor H. D. Allen charged at the opening of court today. Allen moved the indictment against the union chief be nolled.

WHEN and WHERE Will gambling with human passions end in Europe? Because of the critical conditions developing day by day since France seized mines and industries in the Ruhr— LLOYD GEORGE will cable his views weekly To The Times When the master statesman cf Europe began writing his series it was agreed that after several had appeared, the publication dates would be biweekly, instead of weekly. However, this program has been changed anc! the next five articles will be printed weekly. Has FRANCE * Failed in Its Coup? READ 1,1/OYD-GEORGE’S OPINION IN THIS PAPER SATURDAY. The Times has exclusive publication rights in Indianapolis to the Lloyd George articles. Therefore— Order The Times Delivered to Your Home ('all Circulation Department, Main 3500