davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14

Of the ZR-2. Commander Dyer is
rated one of the most efficient engi-
neers in the navy and specialist in
regard to dirigibles. He knows every
inch of piano wire and every single
item comprised in the newest pride
of the navy. The ZR-2 is about 500.
, 900 cubic feet larger in capacity than
the German Zeppelin LII, which the
Germans built to bomb New York. Her
total length is 700 feet. Say it quickly
and you may not be impressed. but
just ponder over it moment and one
realizes that it would not only fill
Times Square, but, with its height of
90 feet, come close to being on level
with the Astor roof.
The new airship is IS feet thick, which
is not exactly slim waist measurement.
Her capacity is approximately 2,720,000
cubic feet, which gives her about
"a tons gross lift and dispos-
able lift of about as tons, which COLI
sists of gasoline, oil, crew, cargo or
armament. "Somc baby" is the manner
in which the navy flyers refer to her as
they gloat over her statistics and pom
der at the things they are going to ac-
complish with her.
what makes it go?" is usually the
first question asked after information
concerning her size has been impaired.
Nothing more than six 350-horsepower
Sunbeam oassack motors, located in
six cars. Nothing more, nothing less.
| These Sunbeam Coassack motors, ac-
cording to the navy flyers whose pets
they are, could lift the earth right out
of it's orbit if they were put to it. Ac-
cordingly, the ZR-2 travels at speed
of seventy-fve miles an hour when ex-
tended, and maintains 4 cruising speed
of fifty miles an hour. She carries 49,
400 gallons of gasoline-refect on that,
you motrists accustomed to pour it in
at the rate Of ten gallons at time
which gives her cruising radius of
six hundred miles at full speed, or
about nine hundred miles cruising
speed.
The propellcrs on two of the power
cars are equipped with reversing gear
which enables the ship to check her
speed at will, or even fly astern. 1t
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14

will be observed that the ZR-2 is truly
an air liner and an artistocrat Of the
sky, ranking far above the ordinary
navy blimps. The ship is equipped
with a radio set with sending appa-
ratus of about 1900 miles. 1t is also
equipped with a wireless telephone and
radio direction finding set. Not every
ocean liner that pows the common
place main boasts such equipment.
For the sake of imprcssing the
reader with the colossal bulk of the air
monster, the navy authorities state that
if the ZR-2 were to land in front of the
Capitol at Washington there would be
only twenty-five feet to spare at each
end of the airship. If she We're stood
on end by the Washington Monument
the tail of the ship would be $50 feet
higher than the top of the monument.
"How would it compare with the Wool
worth tower?" New Workers ask. If
the mighty ZR-2 was stood up against
the Woolworth peak just ninety-two
feet of the tower would remain in view
looming above the bulk of the airship.
To give an idea Of its size in another
vay-if the outer cover were spread
on the ground it would cover a four
acre plot. The gas bags which contain
the hydrogen gas arc lined with gold
bcaters' skins. Gold beatcrs' skins are
taken from the outer covering of the
lntestines Of Il COW. There is but one
gold beater's skin to each COW that is
slaughtered And each COW guarantees
her gold bcater to be the very best,
most durable and light skin that can
be manufactured. There arc 100000 of
these skins used in lining the gas bags
of the ZR-2. The cattle sent to market
from several of the largest ranches in
America would have to be killed to
build one airship the size of ZR-2. The
structural strength of the ship depends
in a large measure upon piano wire
used as stays and braces. If all the
piano wire in the ZR2 were put into
one string it would be sixty miles long
There are twenty miles of duralumin
channel section used in making the
! Orders of which the hull is composed
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
d France Awaits the Trial of Modern Buebeard

the missing women-lcttcrs, jewelrv
and articles of clothing. They also
found notebook of accounts which
indicated that Landru had written down
the amounts he had received from the
sale of the effects of his many fiancees
Further investigation unearthed de-
bris of half calcinated bones, frag-
ments Of skulls, human teeth and pieces
of bone which had been sawed from
larger bones. Psychologists studied the
bones and concluded that thew were
human fragments, but under the law
wore unable to state whether thew were
those OF men or women. Blood was
found on tho cellar floor, but when
analysed indicated animal origin. This
affirmed Landru's explanation that at
a later time he had killed some dogs at
the villa.
Such was the alleged "BIuebeards
power over the weaker sex that many
OF his tiancees had become his mistress
III anticipation Of marriage, and one
Draved the wrath CT her religion to
procure divorce from her husband tc
become Nine. Outlet as Landru was
known to her. say the authorities
Eleven women he lurcd to the murdo,
villa, and all the time he had lepa'
wife and two grown sons.
Most of Alleged Victims
Nnro WidO~,. ~:
Landru's alleged victims were most),
"lcows or Divorces who were women
OF some little means and afto~ ,h,
french custom were willing to combine
lheli fortunes with those of now
husband They read the appeal Of the
'D'uebeard, .thc police will maintain
IN various publications of matrimonial
bureaus, among them the we'll know,
column IN LA Vic Persistence Ac
cordng to all the evidence. he thor
proceeded to charm them with his mvs
ferrous personality and politeness Will
such success that from 1914 to l91.
ne gained the combined fortunes a
bis eleven victims, who succcssivel,
dropped from sight.
glimpse at the coming trial ma,
be reflected in the only occasion thu,
lar on which the police have been abb,
to bring 1.andru into court for aetna
prosecution. minor charge of swim.
ding found the defendant the ccnte1
Of crowded courtroom with wome,
spectators prcdominating. Here h,
admitted his change of namc and dc
spite 1t eventually outwttcd his prose
cutors When the judge asked hin
why he had changed his identity h,
replied: when ono is searched TO
by the police, one isn't in the hab
of leaving his card at the police sta
ton. | take false name only whcl
am pursued The Corrections
Court of Appeals acquitted him. Sine,
that t'lac The legal sharp, have Mt
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
Greatest Air
Dreadnought Is
To Sail Aug. 25
Grew of Thirty Is Prepared
for Novel Joy Ride After
Weeks of Training, and
Nobody Is Very Excited
By John Gleason O'Brien

By John Gleason O'Brien
"HE navy's magnificent new air
dreadnought, the rigid airship
II zR-2, will set sail from Eng
land on August rs. and is due
to settle down at Lakehurst, N. j.. four
days later. The ZR-2 has been under
construction at Howden, England
where. since April, 1920, detachment
OF officers and men from the navy flying
forces has watched the new air mon
ster rise from nothing at all until to-
day, if dropped down in Times Square,
it would completely fill it.
When the British dirigiblc R-34
made the first memorable air voyage to
America from England, in July, 1919, it
required 1O8 hours IL minutes to make
the trip. The new American navy
dirigible is bigger, faster and more
complete ship in every respect than her
British sister, and is expected to
make the trip in much less time. The
average citizen, watching the huge air
ship relentlessly boring her way
through the clouds, is inclined to re-
gard her simply as a huge gas bag to
which is suspended little box which
carries the pilot That was true of
airships in the early days but not now.
The ZR-2 is an aerial liner in every
sense of the word. She is controlled
from the control car situated forward,
which is similar to the bridge of a
ship. The captain controls the ship
exactly as does the captain of a sea-
going vessel. The communication sys-
tenn consists of engine-room telegraphs,
ships telephones and voice tubes. All
orders to the power units on the en-
gine telegraphs are repeated back to
the control car before being put into
execution.
From this it will be seen that the
rigid airship has advanced long way
from the day when the pilot rode
a:tride the framework encompassng
the engine and operated the airship by
the use of hands and feet The mon
otS4 Oubh VI tue GA-A Genus TO OcCClVc
the observer who watches it thousands
Of feet in the air. 1t will we'll merit
a closer inspection as one of the mar
wells of the age when it rides at its
steel stem at Lakehurst.
ZR-2 Much Bigger Than German
LII, Built to Bomb New York
Even the figures relating to the levi
atfan of the air are fascinating, when
ore considers the progress made in
lighter-than-air craft. The ship was
built at the Royal Airship Works, at
Cardington, Bedford, England. Com.
mander H. T. Dyer was the United
States Navy representative of the Bu-
reaus of Construction and Repair and
Engineering who oversaw the creating
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14

what promises to be Frances
most sensational and interest
ing murder trial in years when Henri
Landru, aged tiftythrec, alleged muir
derer of eleven fiancees, will appear
in court at Versailles in November.
Henri Landru has been in prison
for more than. two and onc-half years
He is known as the "Blucbeard of
Gambais," the latter a town near
Paris, where the police allege Landry
converted his rented villa into a vcf-
table human slaughter house.
Pathological experts have concluded
that the "Bluebeard" is not insane.
The judicial authorities of Paris are
quite convinced that, so far as the law
is concerned, Landru is far from insane
and can match his wits against most
any legal talent retained to ensnarc
him into admissions that may convict
The trial in November will be held
at Versailles. During more than
thirty months in Jail Landru has
baked the prosecution many times in
their efforts to bring him to trial
When it appeared that all the pre-
liminnrics were arranged, the "Blue-
beard has repeatedly cited some
trifling legal technicality which has
! gained him more delay. In March he
vas able to have all the prclminaries
up to that date declared null and
forced the courts to grant him a
change of venue FROM Paris to Yer
sailles. Again the legal sharps OF the
French government made their ar
sangcments and again came Landru
with Il mass OF technical objections.
A few days ago the courts ruled
against him, however, and the trial
will begin on November 8.
Despite tremendous mass Of cir
cuinstantal evidence against him, the
prisoner viii enter the court with his
own brief, yoIuminous one, which he
has prepared and which may extend
the trial over All reasonable spacc of
time
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
Nine. Pascal Wrote Three
Letters on Day of Her Death

On April Landru returned to
Paris, to find his favorite sweetheart,
Mile. segret On April II Landru sold
the furniture ard other objects said
TO nave belonged to Nine Pascal The
notebook contains the following notes:
furniture, 500 francs; umbrella. 5
francs; coat, francs; iron bed, 80
francs; carpet, l. francs; stove, II
francs, and Nine. Pascals artificial
teeth, 10 francs.
The very day of her death Nine.
Pascal had written three letters. none
OF which contaiued any hint Of the
coming catastrophe. The first. adj
dressed to former neighbor, was de-
livered by Landru. The second was
found at the villa, and the third. writ
ten April 1, arrived to Nine. Fauchet
on the 10th, after Landru had changed
the date to the. 10th.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
Hundreds Of Women Send
Gifts 10 "Blucbeard" in Jail

In prison the alleged "Blucbcard' re-
ceivcs daily gifts Of flowers, photo
graphs and comforts from women In
spite Of evidence that he has won
almost a dozen women in Paris. only
t. lure them TO the death villa at Gam
bais from whence they have never
emerged, ne has received hundreds Of
comforting letters and even offers Of
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
Enelt With Woman to Ask
Blessing OH Coming Union

The first meeting. according to Lam
dsu's notebook. was made March H..
He had to call up all his powers of
seduction to conquer the heart of this
modest woman, her friends say. He
succeeded, in all events, in conquering
her religious scruples which forbade
her to consider divorce and second mar
rage, for on July 20, 1917, she fled
L request for divorce at the Palace OF
Justice.
Sunday, November 25, I.andru accom-
panied Nine. Jaime to the Church of
the Sacred Heart and knclt at her side
to ask the blessing of heaven upon
their coming union few moments
later they took the fatcful train to
Gambais
The evening of November % Landru
returned to Paris to gain possession OF
his iiancec's belongings. The 30th he
made a new deposit at the Alleuumc
Bank, and in December he notes in
his book the receipt of twenty francs
hich was the value Of an Italian bill
that Nine Jaime had brought with
her from Italy, where she had gone to
attempt a reconciliation with her hus.
band some time before
landru explained to the friends Of
Nine. .Iaume during tho following
month that Nine. Juumc had suddenly
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
Hundreds of Women Send Him
Gifts and Photographs to Jail

the objects that had belonged to his
victim. He then brought Mile. SECRET
to the same house that Nine. Buisson
had inhabited.
l-andru took care at the time to quiet
the suspicion Of the relatives and
friends of Nine. Buisson, according to
Tic surviving sister. He sentiment
talzcd over the dress she had ordered
TOR her marriages.; he gave to Nine.
Lacostc. in the name Of Nine. Buissor.
sum of money; he gave a present to
Nine. Poulet's daughter, and finally he
tried to work the two sisters into a
state of aloofness toward each other.
Also, he retained all the papers Of
Nine. Buisson that he could find.
During his most active relations
with Nine. Buisson, and while CORE
spending with Nine Pascal, who also
has disappeared, Landru met, through
marriage announcement that ap-
peared March ,, 1917, Louise Lee
poldlne Jaumc. Nine. Jaime was
thirty eight years old, an ardent
Christian, and lived in state of sepa
ration from her husband, who was then
in Italy.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14

left for America. where she had found
an advantageous position. She had not
had time to say adieu to her friends
ne SAID, and had asked him to present
her friends with her excuses along with
flowers. However, Nine. Buisson's
friends say that she had no connections
IN America, nor could she speak English
Her papers, Italian passports and let
tiers were all found in Landru's posses
Sion
Anne Marie Pascal, divorcee. who
also disappeared, did not resemble the
stald Nine. Jaime in the least Thirty
three years old, brunette, elegant and
dashing, She lived pleasurable exist
ence at Paris. She met the "Blue-
beard" through answering the follow
ing advertisement which was placed in
AN evening paper: "Gentlemen, forty
seven years old, having 1000 francs
desires marriage with person of simple
tastes, age and situation conforming
Bureau 81, Paris"
On October 4 their relations beoan.
In the spring of 1918, when Nine
Pascal fell i'll, Landru went often to
see her, bringing fruit and presents
He gave her gold brooch with a pearl
IN the center, which he declared had
been handed down to him from his
mother. In March they both went to
Gan1bais, and a letter of Nine. PascaI's
dated the eth of that month sent to
friend, contained an enthusiastic de-
scription Of the country villa. Follow.
ing that period Nine Pascal's belong.
ings were moved from Paris to Gam.
bais.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14

Opera performed in Berlin and trans
United by wireless telephone was DIS
tinetly heard 800 miles away.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14

The Jspsnese mercantile marine nov
rznks third among the commercial
fleets OF the world.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
WHS H/NG7 TON
MONUMENT

Inc which Will take the
England the United
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
PARIS, August 5

judicial and police
IL authorities are preparing for
what promises to be Frances
= most sensational aud inforac =
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14

PAKIS, August /.
AWHILE JULIEN, a men,
Der Of the French Academy.
recently submitted 10 that
body sensational report on
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-03-13

chief, Robert Van de Water, and she de-
cided at last what they would do.
This was to follow the mysterious or
ders with one exception-the little black
bag would contain instead of bank notes
only old paper.
But you ought not take the risk Of go
ing yourself" said the chief of police.
For there will be risk, even though my
men will be stationed close by. This fell
low may be a dangerous lunatic. There
is possibility that he could do you harm
before we could stop him. Why not have
one OF your maids dress in your clothes
or let one Of my men disguise himself and
put the bag on the post?"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-03-13

The Milburns decided, however, to take
no chances with the children. They made
arrangements for guarding Meadow
mere" and went to Florida, where they
row are.
In rapid succession came the letters to
Mrs. Christ and Mrs Stoddard. !
And then the blackmailer struck Phila-
delphia. In almost tie same terms as in
the communications to the Meadowbrook
Hunt women Mrs. E. T. Stotesbury, social
leader and wife of the Philadelphia part
ner of the Morgans, was ordered to place
a sum of money in black box at the en-
trance of an out-of-the-way church. This
letter was extremely violent in tone. The
detectives employed by Mr.. Stotesbury
room learned that other prominent women
in Philadelphia had received similar COM
munications.
The Stotesburys saw no reason to defer
a trip to Florida which, it appears, they
had planned, and after they had gone a
detective disguised as woman placed the
box In the stipulated place on the church
steps. Sure enough, after a while along
came a man. He looked at the box and
picked 1t up Before he could move
shower OF sleuthS fell upon MIN. AS tney
pulled him to his feet the surprised and
shaking holder of the box dropped 1t, and
taking out his watch and wallet handed
them over to his captors.
Bribery, exclaimed they.
Bribery! What do you mean?, asked
the bruised and battered individual Amt
this a hold-up?" 1850
The astonished police took him to the
station, where he asserted that he had
been on his way to work VIXEN he had seeb
the box and had quite naturally picked it
up. When the forces of the law dropped
upon him he had thought he haA been
trapped into hold-up and was willing to
give all that he had to get away. After
his investigation his story was found to
be true.
Extra precautions are being taken by
all the recipients of The threats to guard
their dwellings and themselves. At Mrs.
Duncan's "The Meadows" a half.dozen
guards are constantly on the lookout, are
armed with rifles and revolvers and have
authority to shoot II they see anyone NOV
ing suspiciously and II refusing to stop
when they have been ordered to do so, A
number OF dogs also roam the place at
night
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-03-13

other things, called his men, took the bag
from the post and gave 1t up for the
night
Whether the sender of the death threat
had seen the police 60 into the church
yard. or whether his suspicious had been
aroused through other means is, of course,
unknown.
At any rate nothing happened until
three weeks later, when Mrs Duncan re-
ceived another letter in the same hand
writing It made no mention of the pre-
vious incident, but demanded that she take
the same amount of money, place it in the
bag and this time hang 1t not within the
graveyard, but on the fence, close to the
sidewalk. II she didn't Everything" said
the letter, will be blown to pieces"
special guard was placed around "The
Meadows" but no one came near and
nothing further was heard from "The
Gang" for a month. during which time de-
tectives were trying to track down the
writer.
A few days ago the blackmailer broke
out more violently than before. Almost
simultaneously Mrs. Duncan and Mrs. Mil
burn received letters demanding $4,000
from each. In the letter to Mrs Duncan
the Gang insisted tnat sne must pay
something" and ordered her to put her
$4,000 in bag and set 1t in the doorway
of No. lat Avon street. Newark, N. J.
The letter to Mrs. Milburn demanded
that she put her $4,000 in box and set
it at the foot OF certain tree in the Mil
burn grounds. Both letters were In the
same handwriting and promised death for
failure. The Milburn letter, in addition,
threatened harm to the polo players chill
dren as we'll. An astonishing familiarity
with "Meadowmere," the Milburn estate,
was shown.
Much alarmed, Mr.. Milburn commune
Gated with the local police and at the Same
time engaged a large force OF detectives to
come out to "Meadowinere" on the night
specified In the letter. A box was left at
the spot designated. And that night every
large tree on the lawns sheltered either a
detective or a policeman. There would
have been little chance for anyone to have
gotten away had there been any effort to
take the box.
But there was no effort And the New
ark address OF Mrs. Duncan's letter turned
out to be a sash and door factory No one
came for the bag which, this time. one OF
Mrs. Duncan's maids placed there.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-03-13

The high courage that had carried Mrs.
Duncan through many hard hunt was In
her instant reply:
Il wouldn't think OF putting any of my
maids or any of my friends In the path of
danger directed against myself" she
said. "No-you take whatever precau-
tions you can. I'll carry the rest of the
programme through"
So, at dusk. on the stipulated night, Mrs.
Duncan slipped unattended out OF her
gates and set forth on the mile walk be.
tween "The Meadows" and the Methodist
Church. In her hand was black bag
filed with bundles of paper cut to the size
OF banknotes. II was lonely along the
&C, 1871. International re.sur. Service. Inc
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-03-13

came closer - closer
still. II made a move
ment with fits arm
and down upon the
chief showered potato
Feelings and other de-
bris Of dinner.
Gotta get rid o. that
slop somewhere" NUT
tered an African voice.
CANT find no pail"
The figure withdrew.
The chief was mad
mad clear through But
he couldn't expostulate.
SO he suffered a whilo
longer in silence. But
when ten o'clock struck
he arose, brushed off
the potato peels and
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-03-13

watched her come In and with revolvers
ready, muscles taut to spring upon any
who might accost her, they watched her go.
An hour went by, and another and an.
other. Their eyes had grown accustomed
to the darkness and they could see the bag
plainly Few people passed along the street.
Nine o'clock had struck long ago when
Chief Van de Water heard stealthy foot
steps approaching him. Crouching lower
against the fence he glimpsed the figure OF
a man drawing near. Here. he thought,
was the writer on his way to the loot and
going to sneak over the fence instead Of
entering at the church gate. The chief
eased his gun and watched. The figure