davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1919-12-17
HARDF|GHT
TO GIVE D. c. VOTE
Congressman Keller Warns Pet
worth Citizens That Long
Campaign Is Necessary.

Residents of the District cannot
hope to obtain the ballot without q
determined fight, said Conxressman
Oscar E. Keller OF Minnesota, In a
speech before the Petworth Citisens'
Association last night at the Petworth
School. Eighth and Shepherd streets
northwest.
He stated there was slight prob
ability of obtaining suffrage in the
District now" but that the ballot
would be secured eventually. He said
that the attention of Congress was
occupied by national issues at the
present time.
Mr.. Keller fndorsed the half-and-
half plan for the District declaring
that 1t was ranifestly unfair for
Washington people to pay all the
taxes for the upkeep Of the District
without q voice in its government He
advised the associations to make a
stiff fight to keep the present tax
plan.
"rhe city should own its own pub
lie utilities. All public utility serv-
ice could be made cheaper to the pub
lie under the municipal ownership"
said Mr.. Keller.
g. L. Cary, chairman Of the men,
bership committee, reported that its
work had been completed
A total Of 473 new members have
been elected to the association,
bringing the membership 10 s57, ac-
cording to his report William b.
Westlake. president OF the Fedora
tion of Citizens Associations, spoke
on 'Citizenship." Jesse c. Suter.
chairman of the Federation drive
committee, reported that the annual
election OF officers Of the association
will be held on the nrst Tuesday
after the first Monday in November
Ths association 10 planning a big
Christmas eve entertainment and the
chairman of the committee In charge
of arrangements reported that the
community chorus has been request
ed to be present
A resolution requesting the paw
ing of Illinois avenue from Georgia
avenue and Longfellow street to
Rock Creek Church road vas
adopted.
The Washington times., 1919-12-17
American Ingenuity
Clashes With Oriental
Wit at Trial Of Wan
By GERTRUDE STEVENSON.

Can American ingenuity outw Oriental intrigue will
Western logic prove match for Chinese cunningf Like
mammoth question mark this is the problem of the
of the Government against Ziang Sung Wan The triple
murder the accused individual himself all merge into
less unmporance before the battle of the Western mind
against the Eastern of drctness against crcumventon
of straghtforwardness against guile Up date cases
of this kind the honors have seemingly gone to the Orient
The Occidental admits himself equal to the Oriental
What will this already famous triple murder mystery provei
Who will win in this battle of wtsi
Are the police on the right scent the authorities
holding and trying to convict pawn in the game
while the real criminals the arch conspator have gone
scot Free fled the country safe in the confines of
their Celestial Empirei
The two important things to prove in any crme-espe-
cialy murder-are motive and opportunity Already the
prosecution has demonstrated that Zang Sung Wan had
very good opportunity to kill all of the trio found
dead in the Chinese Educational Mission last January but
the question at arises did this have the exclusive
opportunity to do the kling9 .s'
The Washington times., 1919-12-17
CITY CLUB TO SEE
NEW HOME ON SCREEN
Lantern Slides To Reveal Scenes OF
s1,0eo, 900 Clubhouse At
d. Meeting Tonight.

Members OF the City Club tonight
will get their nrst view of the plans
and elevations Of the $1,000, 900 club
house soon to be erected on G steet
near Thirteenth northwest.
The views will be thrown on a
movie screen by means of lantern
slides at the general meeting OF the
club to be held at s o'clock in the
large ballroom of the New Willard
Hotel The plans will be described
by James Sharp, chairman of the
building committee
Another feature OF the meeting will
be an address by William B. Colyer.
member OF the Federal Trade Com
mission, on the abolition of the ex-
cess profits tax as q means of mate
rally decreasing the high cost Of
living.
Professional vaudeville talent will
furnish q varied program, and music
viii be furnished by the City Club
Ladies' Orchestra There will be a
social hour, and q buffet supper win
be served.
The Washington times., 1919-12-17

Establishment OF a permanent
force of substitute school teach
ers and the granting OF ten days
sick leave annually TO the teach
ers would aid in increasing the
efficiency Of the Districts pub
Ire school system. For several
years past Ernest L. Thurston,
superintendent Of schools, has laid
before the Board OF Education
conditions resulting from thou
sands of absences and the inabil-
ity to obtain trained substitutes.
A force of at least nifty regu-
}arly employed and constantly at
hand, to teach on an hours notice,
should be obtained at once, the
superintendent believes. The
granting OF sick leave with pay
would prevent teachers from re-
naming in school while I'll, some
being unable to afford the loss
Of pay resulting in acquiring a
substitute.
Tstaf AAsenees 17,se4 Days
The total absences OF teachers
during the past year was 1s,ss4
days. an increase of 90 per cent
over the preceding year. This
occurred In only eight months,
the schools being closed one
month by Influenza The great
est number of absences in one
month was In January. 2,75s.
The stress of Affairs gener-
ally. and the serious influenza
epidemic, tended to increase the
absence of teachers" says Mr..
Thurston- Undoubtedly, in one
sense, the absence should have
been far greater. Many teachers
remained on duty when UNIT to
do so, either because they could
not AFFORD a partial loss OF pay,
or because they were unwilling
to inlet upon their classes un-
satisfactory substitute service.
Hard Ts Get Substitutes.
The danger to school efficiency
lies not alone in the increase of
absence OF teachers but In the
steadily lowering Quality Of sub
stitute service. It IL Increasing
~ difficult to secure substitutes
Of any training, even for the
II again express my belief that
we should work to place our
selves In such q position that
@ye> can grant to teachers an an
nual sick leave during the school
year of not exceeding ten days"
says tho superintendent. "and
that a reduction from the teach
ers pAy-larger than the present
scale--shall be made for any ALB
sence over ten days. We should
then establisb a force of substi-
tutes, fully qualified as regular
teachers. and on the regular pay
roll. who should serve during
the absence of classroom teach
ers. and who should act as coach
ing teachers when their services
are not required for substitute
work"
The Washington times., 1919-12-17
GOVL. L.HO|)S|N|,
BOARD UNDER
FIRE IN HOUSE
Congressman CLARK Opens De.
bate on Plan to Abolish
Corporation.

The House this sftsrnoer s~ws~
consso<ration OF tho bzu to sbclisst
the Housing corporstlon-
Congressman Frank Clark Of F1c<
ida detailed TO the Hcuxs som~ Of tlv
altered 'prcflxrAte axpenditures~ ~
the corporation. HcH Hasd that the DE-
partment OF Just.o< would be asks<
10 invesugats the activities Of te~
corporation when congressman Knu|
son asked him are these fellows stu
at large"
Mr.. Clark SAID that q Washinxtop
architect was paid 10000 for tiss
plans for the plaza buildings. s~T-h~
plaza buildings are simple In desiGzs
and the twelve Of them are &imoe&
exactly alike Mr. Clark axic.
The nary yard coymifovies cost sS1<
per room There arc gSst rooms. ~
equipped with new furniture. but ma
one Of them ~as ever occupied by ,
navy yard emplose Mr. Clark tolb
the House.
He discussed at length the sub.
,ect of high salaries OF officers Of th<
corporation and showed that some q
them have hsc their salaries doubles
and trebled since the signing Of t.
armlstice.
The Washington times., 1919-12-17
Money Motive, Say Police.

point OF the presentation Of this check
at the bank, but the check will never
be offered as evidence. 1t was de-
stroyed when it was found to be
worthless. The only evidence that n
ever existed is the stub which re.
mained in the check book, which was
Allied out "Dr. T. T. Wong, $4,000. |"
Bank officials have definitely identi-
neo vans younger brother as the
man who, impersonating Ben Sen wu.
attempted to cash the check. But Van
is not on trial for the murder and is
not charged with 1t.
Elininated From Csmpliesty.
Even had the attempt to cash the
check been successful the finding of
Ben Sen Wu's body with a bullet in
his brain and another in his heart
would have definitely eliminated him
from completely in the crime. Even
a Chinese would have realized that
the trail would quickly have led else
where.
One thing seems quite certain. II
Wan killed his young friend wu, as
the confession in the hands of the po-
lice admits, then, he, too, killed the
other two men. Otherwise the writ
ing on the check stub would have
been in the hand of WI. who is rep
resented by Wan as the originator Of
the plot to kill and rob. Admitted the
handwriting is not wu's, the police
claim it tallies perfectly with the
chirography of Wan. Moreover. WI
was not in financial straits, but had
q bank balance of over 5000. ..
Three points stand out either as co..
losssl blunder on the part of Wan or
as three circumstances which would
indicate he had no part in the killing.
II Wan, as the police claim. was lying
In wait In that house of tragedy in
.tcontinusd on Page u, Column a.
The Washington times., 1919-12-17

As to the motive, the prosecution
would have the jury believe that tins
young Chinese student sent at least
one and perhaps three men to their
deaths to gain q problematicai IS, 900,
on the chance Of cashing a check vet
to be forged, presented and honored.
Even granting the Oriental contempt
for human life, is this sufficient
motive to prompt twelve Intelligent
business men Of Washington to send
Ziang Sung Wan to the gallows?
When one remembers that Wan had
been an honored guest in that house
hold for several days with q FREQ
access to all parts Of the house and
that DR.. Wong's check book contain
ing blanks with his name as direc-
tor of the mission printed thereon,
lay habitually on the top of his desk,
one is prompted to question the neces-
sity for murder in order to secure one
of these blanks and make an attempt
to cash it-an attempt that might
easily have been more successful with
the three members Of the mission
alive than IL turned out to be when
able to raise the voice of protest.
What was to prevent young Wan
stealing one of these blanks, forging
the amount and the signatures and
visiting the bank at an hour when
he would have knowledge of the alb
sence from the house in Kalorar,a
road of all three of the members of
the mission, WI and Hsie At their
studies and DR.. Wong out Of tie
house the better part Of the dayr The
bank officials would have no bet
ter method OF verifying the worth
OF the check than they did the morn
ing II was finally presented. and
could have cashed 1t or refused 20
honor 1t at their discretion, Whern.
then. was the necessity for killing.
Tho prosecution u making n Srsat
The Washington times., 1919-12-17
100000 XMAS SEALS
SOLD IN WASHINGTON

The Washinston Tuberculosis Asso-
citation estimates that 1900, 900 seals
nave already been sold in the Dis
trict. Because of the continued de-
mand for these Christmas tokens, the
oooths at Woodward & Lothrop's will
De open through Friday OF this week
under the direction of Mrs. Sidney
rnomas and Mrs Cornelia Campbell,
OF the Junior League and al Kanns
Sons Company under the captaincy or
MS. sidney West, Of the Council of
Jewish Women.
The Washington times., 1919-12-17
THIRD MOTOR VICTIM
DIES AT HOSPITAL

The third death as the result of the
collision October 13, between a street
car and an automobile truck at
Georgia avenue and Dahlia street
Walter Reed Hospital occurred last
night, when James Roberts Dove died
at Walter Reed Hospital
Dove was the driver Of the auto
mobile The funeral will be held
from his home, $50 L street north
east.
The Washington times., 1919-12-17
CONGRESSMAN LEMBACH
TO ADDRESS EMPLOYEES

Congressman Frederick r Lehi-
bach, chairman of the Committee on
REFORM In the Civil Service, viii attend
the meeting of the joint eonferenc,
on retirement tomorrow evening at
tne headouarters of Federal EN-
pioyes Union, No. ?, 423 New York
avenue northwest
All members are Ored 70 he pres-
ent. as matters of great ipnnortsnca
will be discussed
The Washington times., 1919-12-17
MAID FINED FOR THEFT
OF WHISKEY AND WINE

Alice Reeves, charged with steal
ing three bottles OF whiskey and one
bottle of wine from the home of Jo-
seph Gibbons, 1643 aHrvard street
northwest. where she was employed as
a maid. was fined s25 by Judge Nc
AAhon. in Police Court today,
The Washington times., 1919-12-17
What S the Matter
With
7heSchOOLs?

Washington school system is
short Of teachers, short of room,
short of equipment, and tn de
pLornbie state othsrviss. In this
series Of articles The Tins<s icll
set forth the conditions, for the
t,9ormatiom of Washington peo-
pie and members Of Congress.
The Washington times., 1919-12-17
Whispers 70 o'sAea.

Just before the closing examinaticn
OF Ia. Wan leaned over to Attorney
O'Shea, whispered in his ear and a
moment later the lawyer asked the
Witness:
did you not promise Wan before
he left New York to come to wash-
ington with the detectives to help
clear up the murder mystery that y,-u
would nurse him on his arrival hc-e 90
Yea" answered the witness.
did you attempt to nurse him as
you promisedY"
No, the police did not let me 10 TO
his room at the Dewey Hotel. The
night we arrived from New York Ma
3or Pullman nrst took Wan TO a house
on Fifteenth street, near Pennsyiva-
MIA avenue northwest This was
about o'clock. Wan said he was
sick and Major Pullman asked him
IL he wanted to 30 to q hospital. Wan
said No. He was then questioned
while ! sat silent, until about Is
o'clock. when we went to the Dewey
Hotel. ! did not 20 In the hotel and
did not see Wan again until the fol-
lowing Saturday. when Major Pull
man put me in q closet in the mission
house"
The Washington times., 1919-12-17
Explas.s GIvi.s % Rss-.

Asked why he had stayed at the
mission house from January TO is,
giving up his room at 2ol4 kslorams
road. LII said
II gave the room up to q woman
Chinese student Her friends In
Washington had a hot" time finding
q room for her, and volunteered
mine. When she found other guar
ters, returned" tss ~
aAre you friend Of Wan today
why should be hts enemy7'
asked LII.
you have testified said Attorney
OShea. that on the night Of wednes-
day. January =. the nfkhs Of the
murder, when you went to the mis-
sion house. that you were coldly re-
ceived by wan--
The Washington times., 1919-12-17
Wan sneers NJ Hin.

That's true. but I have no ili feel
ing against him today" Wan, lean
ing over. ansersd > at the witness
when catchiug this answer.
Ia this morning said Wan had ad-
mitted to him that he was at the
mission house on January 20, the
night OF the Staying.
He told me-" said Ii. shat he left
soon after called to see wu and Or.
Wong"
The prosecution place Importance
TO this statement az IL determines
the fact that Wan was at the house
the night the members Of the educa-
tional mission were slain.
Only at one period of the cross
examination cid Ii become Mustered.
That was when he was questioned as
to his possible efforts TO fasten the
crime on Wan because OF his own
possibility of being a suspect
Ii also testified that when he told
Wan that both of them could be sus-
pected OF the triple staying Wan de-
ciared he could have killed hin tIxD
The Washington times., 1919-12-17
WAN DEFENSE TRIES
TO McR|M|NATE L
Student Witness Admits Fear
Ne Might Be Suspected Of
Staying.
tconsnssd from y,r., Page,


the witness. 81 could do nothing
else"
"How long aid you stay in the
closetY~
About an hour said IA. Major
Pullman said Wan might say come
thing In Chinese anc wanted me to
take notes OF any such converssticn-- -
Cant Read His Ns<es.
Ii produced a memorandum book
in which he said he had made notes
while confined in the closet. but he
was unable to decipher his notss Fur
ther questioned on this point Ii sd-
mitted that II was afraid Major Pull
man would quiz me"
why were you afraid Major Pull
man would quiz your asked -O'shea
did you make notes In the memo
book to be prepared for such ouis-
xingy Did you make notes last night
as TO the answers you could make to
my quixxinG todAyy
II was not worried last night as
tc what you were going 20 ask" re-
torted IL He made another effort TO
transcrioe his notes. but said he vss
unable TO do So
The Washington times., 1919-12-17

The fun text Of the new District Of Co
mmbia Rent Law, with explanatory
notes by the Real Estate Editor Of The
Times. has been printed in convenient
booklet form A free copy is yours for
the asking at the counter Of The Wash
ington Times.
The Washington times., 1919-12-17

opportunities to BUY or RENT attractive
homes were offered YOU las, week in TIE
Real Estate Classified Advertising of The
TINES. Consult these pages today for the
best home offersl
The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-12-28
ARDMORE MOTOR NOTES

sold in Europe, according to John NJ.
Mcguire, president of the Mid West
Rubber Associa ton.
Europe is going to have automobile
democracy" said Mr.. Mcguire, in re.
cent interview within the next few
years the plain people of Europe are
going to ride in automobiles, just as
they do here. As IT is now. they ride
on bicycles or walk. Europos fine roads
are the best in the world for motor.
driven vehicles, but the only cars which
glide over them arc the sumptuous
highcost cars that only the rich can
afford. Such cars have had an CXtcn-
slve development there. But Europe
does not produce cars as America does
in enormous quantities and in wide
variety, to meet all conditions of poo.
pie, OF pocketbooks, of roads, of uses
The plain folks Of Europe have had no
automobiles created for them. They
want them now and it is up to American
manufacturers TO supply them. AS n re-
suit of this demand from overseas, Am
erica is facing new era in export
trade in the automobile field. This field
Of course covers that of tires and acces-
sories."
The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-12-28
Motor Truck and Coal Strike.

That the motor truck rendered in
valuable service for municipalities dur.
ing the recent coal strike, was only an.
other example Of the unusual depend
ability, economy and adaptability of
the motor truck in meeting unusual
transportation demMy Ia says A. e.
Prendergast, southern factory repre-
sentative Of the kisscl Motor Car Co.
In the middle west quite few of
our distributors wrote US that the motor
truck took the place OF the railroad
locomotives in helping move freight
cars loaded with coal from nearby mines
and shipping points up to the yards Of
the local electric light, gas and water
pumping stations, 10 provide heat to
the municipal and industrial buildings
81, myself, noticed in the daily pa.
pers at the time, how when different
switchmen's unions refused to move
freight cars loaded with coal mined by
volunteers, motor trucks stepped into
the breach and kept up the supply Of
the precious fuel ut a time when no
other motive power was available.
IF these motor trucks had not
proven equal to the job, many addition
al huHdreds of thousands of employees.
as well as scores Of industries would
have had to shut down.
owing to the fact that the motor
truck did not employ coal as a source
of its motive power, made their opera.
ton economical and efficient and did
not use up fuel that could have been
used in any way by industries or mu-
nicipal buildings.
when the history Of the coal strike
has been written in its entirety, when
the suffering and anguish of the mil.
lions Of people as the result has been
told, it will be found that if it hadn't
been for the motor truck, the Nation
would have been much more worse off. ~
The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-12-28
California Welcomes Ardmore Musician
By Mrs. Emmitt T. Reid

The friends of Miss Ann Thompson,
in Ardmore, and throughout Oklahoma,
whose number is legion, will be gratified
to learn of the reception accorded her
by musicians of California, as recount
al in the many complimentary press
notices given her,
That her musicianship was instantly
recognized, and that she was received
so open. heartcdly. amounting to an
ovation in many instances, is especially
gratifying to her admirers in Ardmorc
who have long known and appreciated
her talent and ability.
In addition to her concert work. Miss
Thompson is teaching piano in Los An.
selcs and Pasadena.
The November edition of Tho Pa
cidc Musician carried a picture Of Miss
Thompson, with the following article:
Ann Thompson, an exceptionally gift
ed young musician from Ardmore. Ok.
lahoma, who has como to Los Angeles
TO reside. Miss Thompson, daughter OF
Mr.. and Mrs. j. C. Thompson of Ard
more. and niece Of the late Congress.
man j. H. Thompson of oklahoma,
holds the degree of Mus r., received
from leading Chicago musical college,
where she was piano pupil Of Harold
Won MickWitZ Later she studied i'm New
York with Leslie llodgson, and AT pres
ent GOduWsky. in Los Angeles. l.auda-
tory press comments point 10 the sue.
cess of this petite and viyacOus Young
pianist She has been hcuu in recital
work and before clubs i'm New York,
Washington, u. c., Chicago and else
where in the East ANA Middle West:
also in Dallas and other southern cit
les. Recently she delighted the no
tarians OF Los Angeles, before whom
ahe played"
Miss Thompson with Miss Myrtle
l'rybil Colby, soprano gave a program at
| Gamut Club auditorium. Los Angeles
tTNeiiay evening. Nov. IS, of which
the following is taken from the Times:
Miss Ann Thompson. clever pianist
| from oklahoma played the well.
known Lis2t "Tarantela" ana two
'Humoresques" by Frank Colby of this
| city Miss Thompson has an intense
vivacity which makes her work a de
light and a constant interest" In an.
nouncing the recital the Los Angeles
Express gave the following: zone Of
the most interesting recitals of the
year will be given this evening when
Myrtle Prybil Colby, popular soprano,
and Miss Ann Thompson, talented
young pianist from Oklahoma will give
a Joint program at Gamut auditorium.
\ Miss Thompson is recent ar
rival in the musical colony, but all
ready has played at various programs.
and is an artist worth hearing" The
Express also carried the following ON
saturday, Nov. S: Ann Thompson.
young concert pianist from Oklahoma.
The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-12-28
CHOP. STICK FOOD PRICES
MAY ADVANCE BECAUSE OF
REPORTED CROP SHORTAGE

Beaumont, Tex, Dec. 27.-EXtreme
shortage Of Asiatic rice probably will
cause further advance in American
prices, according to reports received
here by the Southern Rice Growers AS
soclation from its European representa-
tive, who is studying crop conditions in
Belgium and Holland.
The condition Of the rice market, ac-
cordng to the reports, is dependent al
most altogether upon the attitude Of
the British government in handling the
Slamese and Rangoon crops. England
controls these crops, the largest in the
world, but as yet has not announced It's
policy in disposing Of the product The
smaller crop in FrenchChina, CONTROL
ed by the French government, is said
to be in a similar state of uncertainty.