davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-08
.LENIENCY AGAIN
PROVES FUTILE
Guiffre, Sentence Suspended
Finds Way Back to Jail
and Prison.

Another recipient Of leniency at the
hands Of Judge james a. Collins has
gone wrong"
This time It is Joseph Gulnre, 1929
South East street and said to be promi-
nent in the political circles in the Ital-
ian districts Of the city.
The record in Criminal Court tells
this little tale Of accommodations:
On the third day Of December, 1919.
Joseph Guiffre was indicted on a charge
of receiving stolen goods. The stolen
goods was leather valued at S149 .4S which
was stolen from Beckman- o 'Brien
Leather Company Oct 10, 1919, by Peter
Schwartz. the Indictment charges.
Schwartz pulled the hero stuff on Judge
Collins and he was given suspended
sentence of from one to fourteen years
al the State Prison.
As Schwartz was convicted Of stealing
the leather and was given the air as
long as he behaved himself. Judge Col
Inns on March II, 1920, according to the
record, found Guiffre guilty of receiving
the goods stolen by Schwartz and sen
tenctd Guiffre from one to fourteen years
in prison. The record shows that
Guiffre's sentence also was suspended
during his good behavior.
Guiffre today was removed from the
Marion County Jail. where he had been
placed recently by the police on a charge
of violating the State liquor laws.
Judge Collins ordered Guiffre brought
Onto court and the suspended sentence
was revoked. Guiffre is now boarding
CONTINUED on Page Three.)
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-08
Collins Permits
Coal Stealing
Cases to Drag
Negroes CORUicted of RObbiHg
State Enjoy Delay by
Appeal.

Trial dates for neither Garland Brown
nor P. L. Prather have been set by Judge
James A. Collins Of Criminal Court on
their appeals from city court, where each
was convicted of petit larceny, fnod 81
and costs and sentenced to serve forty
days on the State farm.
Brown and Prather, both negroes, at
the time of their arrest on the evening
Of Dec. IT, were carried on the State pay
rolls as mechanic and truck driver, re-
spectively.
They were taken into custody by Pa
troIman Starks when they could not ex-
plain to his satisfaction where they OBJ
tanned the truck load of coal that they
we're peddling in the vicinity Of Fifteenth
and Mill streets.
The police officer subsequently learned,
however, that they had obtained the coal
from the supplies at the Ststehcuse and
that the truck they were using also was
State property.
They explained that they desired some
white mule" and, having no money, saw
no harm in peddling some OF the State
coal to raise the sum they needed, as the
State "had plenty of coal anyway" They
had white mule in their possession
when arrested and blind tiger charge
also was lodged against them.
The story attracted much attention at
the time, as it seemed to have been the
only story of it's kind that the Indian
apolis Star had ever come across.
The cases came to trial in city court
Dec %. The blind tiger charge was dis
missed, but the negroes were sentenced
on the larceny charge. They appealed.
Records of Criminal Court show that
the appeals were filed jan 8. Brown 5
case is No 1882 on the docket and
Prather's Is No. 51593
In the meantime Brown has been work
ing of and on for the State. but, accord
ing to Roscoe c. Schultz, superintendent
Of buildings and grounds at the State
house, he has not worked for a week or
more. Mr. Schultz says he has issued
instructions that Brown is not to be re-
employed. Prather has not worked for
the State since his arrest.
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-08
HOOSIER YOUTH
MUST GIVE LIFE
New York Governor Says Lad
Must Die in Chair.

ALBANY. N. Y. Feb. s.-Jesse Walker
Of Evansville, Ind. youthful slayer of
Samuel Wolchock, Brooklyn shopkeeper,
must die in the electric chair at Sing
Sing prison this week Governor Miller
last night rejected Walkers application
for commutation Of sentence to life i'm
prisonment.
There is no doubt about the guilt Of
the defendant" the Governor said. "The
Court Of Appeals by their afTirmance Of
the judgment Of the trial court cOnclu-
sively settled that fact.
AT the hearing which I gave in the
matter the guilt Of the defendant was
admitted and the appeal for clemency
was based solely on the age of Walker
at the time of the murder. In March,
1919, when the crime was committed
Walker was something over IS years old.
At the present time he is a little over 90
"Under the law Walker was RESPONSE
BILE for his acts. and If the statute pro-
viding for the punishment of murder In
the first degree is to be enforced l can
not, simply because Of his age. disregard
the law and commute his sentence to life
Imprisonment"
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-08
DEATH STAYS
, HOUSE SESSION
Resolutions of Respect Are
Drafted in Memory Of Asa
E. Matthews.

The lower house of the Indiana Cen
eraI Assembly adjourned at 10 O'Clock
today until 10 o'clock Wednesday. IN re-
spect to the memory OF Asa E. Matthews.
representative from st. Joseph County,
who died Monday afternoon at 6:15 fol
lowing a weeks illness from acute
nephritfs The Senate adjourned at 10
o'clock until o'clock this afternoon.
Resolutions were drafted by the com
mittee on a memorial in memory of Mt.
Matthews, as follows:
Whereas. God Almighty, in His inii-
mite love and divine wisdom, has seen fit
to take from earthly labor and care our
beloved and eminent colleague, the Hon.
Asa r. Matthews Of st. Joseph County
And, whereas, we, his colleagues in the
Seventy Second General Assembly Of the
State of Indiana, having found him at all
times to be a conscientious, industrious
and valued associate and member;
And whereas. we feel that in his death
the State of Indiana has lost a most
worthy servant and citizen;
Therefore, be it resolved by the House
Of Representatives Of the Seventy Second
General Assembly of the State of Indiana.
that we, the members thereof, do extend
to his bereaved family our sincere and
heartfelt sympathy in this their hour Of
bereavement.
And be it further resolved, that a COPY
OF this resolution be spread upon the
Journal OF the House, and that a copy be
CONTINUED on Page TwO.)
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-08
VOICES HOPE
or DEVICE TO
CATCH MEMORY
InUentOr Announces Amazing
Theory in Celebration of
Birthday, Feb. II.
By CHARLES GRANT MULLER.

WEST ORANGE, n. j., Feb. S.-"Do
you think it possible that you may de-
wise any mechanism through which. when
you have left this life, you may hope
to communicate with us ?"
Thomas A. Edison, the wonder wizard,
who will be "A on Feb. IL and Is as hale
and hearty as a man Of 40 and constantly
at work, upon being asked this question
gave this answer:
IF my theory is correct-that the ma
chine called man is only-a mass of dead
matter and that the real life is in the
millions of individual units which navi-
gate this machine, and If on the destruc-
ton of the machine these individual units
keep together, including those which
have charge of memory (which is
our personality)-then 1 think 1t
is possible to devise apparatus to re-
ceive communications, IL they desire to
make them. 1t will be very difficult, as
each individual as to size is beyond the
limit Of our present microscopes
when | was a little boy" continued
Edison, 'persistently trying to find out
how the telegraph worked and why, the
best explanation | ever got was from an
old Scotch line repairer who said If you
had a dog like daschhund long enough
to reach from Edinburgh to London, If
you pulled his tail in Edinburgh he
would bark in London.
II could understand that. but it was
hard to get at what 1t was that went
through the dog or over the wire."
Edison Is got unmindfuI OF difficulties
to be overcome, even ordinarily, after
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-08

In celebration of his seventy-fOurth
birthday anniversary this week,
Thomas A. Edison, wonder wizard,
announces his amazing theory that
communication between the living and
the dead Is a mechanical possibility.
The accompanying interview was
obtained under remarkable ciroum-
stances. Mr.. Edison was located at
his laboratory. He was busily en-
gagged that he felt he could not give
the correspondent the time necessary
to an extended discussion. With
typical ingenuity he solved the prob
lem by demanding that the newspaper
man write questions, which he (Mr.
EdisOn) would answer by the same
means. 1t was an Edison time-sav-
Ing invention.
The world famous genius took IN
terest in four questions prepared by
the interviewer. His answers were
written In lead pencil on yellow
sheets of paper. torn into slips. Not
two square inches of paper were
wasted. The penciled words were as
clear as copper plate and the answers
are faithfully reproduced in the ac-
cOmpanying interview.
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-08
DEATH PENALTY
is NOT SOUGHT
IN MYERS CASE
Capital Punishment Questions
Not Asked TaleSmen for
Murder Jury.
HUSBAND KILLED DEC. 4

The death penalty will not be
asked by the state in the case Of
Mrs. linda Myers, charged with the
murder of her husband, Frederick
A. Myers, formerly photographer
at 1416 North Alabama street. This
was ascertained when Prosecutor
William P. Evans questioned pros
pective jurors at the beginning Of
the trial today. no questions con-
corning the attitude of the jurors as
to capital punishment were put to
the talesmen.
Although Mrs. Meyers was indicted by
the grand jury on a charge of first de-
gree murder, resulting from a fatal
shooting of her husband on the night Of
Dec last she was released on a $25,-
600 bond signed by her father, Alonzo
Snyder, and other relatives.
At the hea ring to be admitted to bail
last December, counsel for Mrs. Myers
indicated that the position of the de-
fense during the trial would be that Of
self defense or justifabIe homicide.
STANDS TRIAL ON
FIRST DEGREE CHARGE.
Mrs. Myers went to trial on a first de-
gree murder charge. but the jury has the
power to free her on the grounds that the
killing OF Mr.. Myers was justified, or
find her guilty of manslaughter.
At the opening Of the case before
Judge James A. Collins of Criminal
CONTINUED on Page Three.)
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-08
SAYS ENGLAND
is EAGER FOR
DISARMAMENT
Sir Philip Gibbs Tells House
Committee of British
Public Opinion.
ARMY BILL IS PASSED

| WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.-Sir Philip
LGibbs, English editor and publicist,
appeared today before the House
Committee on Naval Affairs and as
sured its members that his country
would gladly receive proposals look
ing to world disarmament.
America, as the strongest moral
and economic factor in the world,
could properly initiate these pro-
posals, he thought and the nations
of Europe, now staggering under the
terrific burdens of increasing arma-
ment, would subscribe whole-heart-
edly and sincerely to her leadership.
The dreadnaught- aircraft controversy
was carried TO the Senate when the Naval
Affairs Committee heard testimony of
Admiral FuIlam, Captain Hart and mem
bers of the general board.
Fullam appeared in connection with the
BOrah resolution suggesting a six months
suspension Of naval building for a study
Df naval lighting units.
FUllam and Hart came out strong for
the aircraft, while members of the gen
eral board stuck to their report that
the battleship will be the main reliance
of the Navy and that there should be no
suspension of construction.
PASSES ARMY
APPROPRIATION BILL.
The House passed the Army appro-
priatiOn bill, carrying S32S, ,6S1 coo, after
reecting an amendment to reduce the
humber of commissioned officers. It now
goes to the Senate.
Arrests of alleged reds" were made
IN violation of the law by the Depart
ment of Justice, Senator Walsh, Dem
ocrat, Montana. charged before the Sen
ate Judiciary Committee investigating the
department
Il have a. copy OF the instructions to
IN agent which says the raids were being
conducted by the Department of JUS
ttce," Walsh said, addressing John W.
Ebercrombie, former solicitor for the De
partment Of Labor.
I'm other words, the Department Of
Labor had nothing to do with the raids
"0h, yes; We coOperated with the De-
partment Of Justice" Abercrombie To-
piled. THE Department Of Justice had
no power to depOrt."
They threw out a dragnet which took
In American citizens who were not liable
10 arrest and also proceeded to depOrt
aliens in violation Of the law" insisted
Walsh.
WILL ASK COPY
OF JAP AGREEMENT.
Senator Lodge was authorized by the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee to
make a formal request Of Secretary OF
State Colby for a copy OF the Morris
shidehara proposed japanese agreement.
A bill providing for Federal regulation
OF cold storage warehouses was agreed
on by the Senate and House conferees
before whom the measure has been pend
Ing since 1t was passed by both branches
of Congress last session.
Senator Gronna explained the bill will
outlaw any food products held in cold
storage more than twelve months and
Continued on Page TwO.)
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-08
PLAN TO CALL
IN REPUBLICAN
ORGANIZATION
State Committeeman to Con-
fer With Senate Over
Primary Law.
NCRAY IN CONFERENCE

Representatives of the Republican
State committee and the Indiana
State Senate will confer soon in an
effort to reach an agreement on the
repeal of the Indiana primary law, it
was announced by Governor Warren
T. McCray today, following a confer
ence with about twenty members Of
the Senate Those who conferred
with the Governor were the members
who oppose the repeal of the pri-
mary statute.
The Governor stated that Eve persons
will be appointed by each body, and
that this conference Will decide on the
form Of bill that viii be presented.
Senator Oliver Holmes, Lake County,
was the spokesman for the senatorial del
egation that called on the Governor.
Those who spoke against the repeal Of the
primary were Senators Audredge Of An
derson. who is author OF bin to
strengthen the present law; Hartzell, TT.
Wayne; Nejdl whiting; Strobe, Koko-
mo, and Henly, Bloomington.
WOULD ELIMINATE
PRESIDENTIAL FEATURE.
The Senators told the Governor they
were in favor Of the repeal of the presl-
Dental feature OF the primary law, but
that they would oppose the repeal OF tho
statute rs 10 affected the nomination Of
Governor and United States Senator.
Governor McCrsy stated that the pri-
mary law for nomination OF Governor
and United States Senator is beautiful
CONTINUED on Page Three.)
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-08
PARDON BOARD
ASKS SPURLIN
SENTENCE CUT
Man Who Has Escaped Prison
Four Years, With Two Re-
prieves, Favored.
OTHER CASES ACTED ON

recommendation that the sentence
of Albert D. Spurlin, who was
ordered by the Marion County Grim
inal Court nearly four years ago to
serve two to fourteen years in the
State Prison for assault and battery
with intent to kill and to pay a fine
of $500, be commuted to six months
at the State Farm, is made in re-
port Of the State Board of Pardons
to Gov. Warren T. McCray today.
Since he was convicted, May 20, 1917,
Spurlin has been granted reprieves by
Governor james p. Goodrich and by
Governor McCray.
Spurlin appealed to the Supreme Court,
which upheld the decision of the lower
court, Nov 8, 1918. 4 rehearing was
denied April 8, 1920.
Before he was committed Governor
Goodric& granted him reprieve April
16, 1920. Despite the fact that the re
prleve was to extend only four months,
nothing was done at the end of that time
and no attempt to commit Spurlin was
made until about two weeks ago.
REPRIEVE GRANTED
TO ALLOW REVIEW.
Following the issuance of an order
committing Spurlin to prison. Governor
McGray granted him a reprieve until the
pardon board could review his case.
The board recommends that the time
Spurlin has served in jail be deducted
from the six months to which he Is un-
der sentence. 1t holds all the testi-
mony In the case was not presented at
the trial and II it had been the penalty
probably would not have been so severe.
Spurlin was producing manager Of the
Central Serum Company of haywood. He
was tried for attacking George Porter,
an employe of the company. Porter lost
an eye in the fight.
Communication Of the sentence was rec
mended by Claris Adams, former
Marion County prosecutor, and Henry n.
Spaan. the trial Judge
The board recommended remissions OF
unserved portions Of fines in two cases
recoRmended parole on condition that
fines be paid in weekly insta lments In
four cases and recommended commutation
Of sentences in three cases. Twelve pc
titions were denied and fifteen cases
continued. The report was unusually
short,
In The following cases remissions of
unserved portions Of fines were recon-
mended:
Joseph PrusinskL La Porte County,
CONTINUED on Page Three.)
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-08
.HAAGS ATLARGE
DURING PARLEY
How to Get Defendants Into
Custody Subject of
Controversy.

To aid Sheriff George Snyder to. OBJ
tain custody of Louis E. and Julius a.
Haag, local druggists, who were sen
fenced Nov. II, 1919 to each pay a fine
Of S40O and serve thirty days on the In
diana State Farm because Of being con
victed in Criminal COURT on charges of
violating the State prohibition laws,
Prosecutor William P. Evans was con-
sidering asking Judge James A. Collins
to issue a bench warrant to bring the
Haags into court.
Up to date, the Haags have not been
delivered to the sheriff to serve their
State farm sentences after being released
on parole last week from the Federal
prison at Atlanta, Ga, where they were
serving eighteen months sentences which
were imposed by Judge A. B. Anderson
Of Federal Court, on convictions of vio-
Lawn, the Reed amendment.
JUDGE SPARKS
MAKES FINAL ENTRY.
Sheriff George Snyder has in his office
a certified copy of the judgments against
the two Haags and also the following
order Of Judge VIII Sparks Of the Rush
County Circuit Court, who heard the
case: Notice OF dismissal Of cause in
Supreme Court filed. Clerk ordered tC
issue q certified copy Of the original
Continued on Page Two.)
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-08
REPORT FAVORS
CONSTABULARY
Senate Committee Proposes
Minor Changes.

A favorable report on the bill provid-
ing for a State cOnsta bulary has been
prepared by the Senate Committee on
Military Affairs.
The report proposes TO amend the bin.
so that it may provide for one or more
troops. instead Of two. and TO coutain
the provision that men who have served
In the Army, Navy or Marine corps re-
ceive preference in appointments
The report was ready for presentation
at the morning session, but because OF
early adjournment it was held over
The Senate passed two bills, one pro-
giding that no medical examination be
required for insurance policies IN
amounts of less than $500 and the other
making the possession Of fish nets and
seines unlawful.
Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-08
FEB. 21B FIXED
FOR SELECTING.
CITY CHAIRMEN
Democratic State Committee
Prepares for Opening of
Campaigns.
EDITORS EAT TONIGHT

The Democratic State committee,
in a meeting today preliminary to
the annual banquet tonight of the
Indiana Democratic Editorial AS
sociation, fixed Monday, Feb. 21, as
the date for the organization Of city
committees. City chairmen will be
elected on that date and preparations
will be made for the municipal cam
paigns.
The committe had before It several
important matters, chief of which was
q discussion Of ways and means. The
leaders have mapped out a plan for
keeping the organization alive and active
for the next two years and energetic
steps are being made to wipe out the
deficit incurred in the last campaign
and to place a substantial fund in tha
treasury.
State Chairman Benjamin Bosse Of Ev-
ansville announced that Elijah McFadden
Of Vincennes, Second district, chairman,
bad resigned. The committee decided to
call on the Second district committee to
name a successor and Mr.. Bosse an
nounced that he would sanction the
choice. The name of Charles H Bed
well Of Sullivan was suggested as chair
man.
VIGO COUNTY
FIGHT Is UP.
The committee also had before 1t 4
Vigo County organization fight that gave
promise of taking up considerable time.
1t revolved around Dom Roberts, for
mer Mayor Of Terre Haute, who served
term in the Federal prison for election
frauds.
Roberts asked the committee to rein
state eight precinct committeeman who
were ousted last fall by George A Moor
head, VigO County chairman. Mr. Moor
head told the committee that the men
were forced out for failure and neglect
to perform their duties" It was said
that Roberts, who is a candidate again
for msyoralty hono-s, is interested in re-
instating the committeeman because they
were an integral part of his organization.
The committee voted unanimously to
sustain Mr.. MoOrhead's decision after
hearing the case.
The committee also adopted a resolu-
ton on the death of ". Riley Durham
of Eempton, formerly Ninth district
chairman, who died last week.
Members Of both the mems and wom-
ems committees attended the meeting, to-
gether with a number of leading party
workers and members of the editorial
association
The chief event of the evening viii be
the editorial banquet in the Riley room
OF the Claypool Hotel. More than 300
reservations have been made and indi-
cations are that It will be the largest
crowd ever assembled for the annual
meeting Of the editors.
James Hamilton Lewis, former United
States Senator from Illinois, will be the
principal speaker. The veteran Democrat
Is q favOrite in Indiana because of the
many campaigns in which he has par
ticipated in this State. Mrs. Olive Beldon
Lewis of Indianapolis, who was-a mem
Der Of the women's State Democratic
committee organization last fall, also viii
talk. Mrs. Lewis spent a great deal Of
time during the campaign on the stump
and is known in all parts Of the State.
Tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock the
editors will hold a business session at
Continued on Page Two.)