davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1922-02-18
LACK Of DEFINITE
BUILDING CODE SEEN
Expert Who Investigated
Knickerbocker Theater Dis
aster Stresses Need.
WAY TO AVERT ACCIDENTS
Rudolph Miller Declares Construc-
ton Regulations Should Be Com
prehensive, Covering All Points.

Rudolph Miller of New York city.
Of that city, who conducted an investi-
cation Of the knickerbocker Theater dis
aster for the Associated General Con-
tractors of America, declares that "a
comprehensive building code would go a
long way toward guarding against fu-
ture similar accidents"
Mr.. Miller was recently named by
building codes and their atlministra ton,
and is well qualified to give expert
opinion to the Senate and District
committee with reference to making
the present code more comprehensive.
Mr. Miller is also member of Sec
retary Hoover's committee on build
ing codes.
Should Place Responsibilities.
Besides providing for MATERIALS
deslgn and safe construction said
Mr.. Miller, This code should have
provisions to definitely place respon-
siblllty for design and construction
upon those who hold themselYe; COM
petent 10 do the work. and also on
those who get permits from civil au-
Ihorities to build, especially public
buildings. They take upon themselves
the responsibility to own such build
ings and receive rights from the pub
lie. and they should take the CORE
spending responsibility.
The main portion of uniform
CODE, said Mr.. Miller, falls under
three heads: % Resuirements. giving
all the information necessary to
make the general plans for any spe-
cihc building; (2) construction, Civ
ing all the information necessary 40
make the working drawings; (3l ad-
ministration. giving complete methods
by which the code is to be enforced.
Provisions for Enforcement.
Under administration. which is
very important, there should be provi-
sions for the enforcement Of ali con-
ditlons of the code, which would take
into account the Interpretation of the
code, permits for construction, in
spection, certificates of occupancy.
/ building surveys, procedure in case
OF disaster and for appeals No
building code is better than its direct
placing of responsibility and its en-
forcement."
Mr.. Miller was retained in 19l4-l5
by the city of New York to revise
its building code. and the present cod,,
is the result of his work
Evening star., 1922-02-18
PLANS TO RAISE MILLION
TO AID HOME BUILDERS
Ralph p. Stoddard Outlines to Con
vention Proposal Under Considera-
ton by Brick Industry.

Plans for raising $1,00O,000 to aid
home builders are under considera-
tion by the brick industry. according
to an announcement by Ralph P. Stod-
dard, at the annual convention Of
brick manufacturers in ST. Louis re-
Gently.
The brick interests also are pushing
new and economical method of
bricklaying. SO that homes of this
material may be constructed more
cheaply, he asserted.
During the past two years brick
manufacturers have been working out
new methods of using brick so brick
homes can be built at low cost. The
first development was the ideal
now being used from one end of the
country to the other, he stated. Due
to this new wall, thousands of houses
are going up in brick which would
otherwise have been built less per-
manently. Building codes in a hum
dred cities recognize this lower cost
construction, remarkable record for
one year
But the brick industry would go
further" continued Stoddard. Under
sponsible head of family Of good
character who desires to own his
home will be aided from a central
million-dollar fund subscribed by the
industry. Each loan must be approved
by the local brick manufacturer and
by a responsible local bank or build
ing and loan association, which lat
ter will have the actual handling of
the money. This loan," he said. will
! help fill the gap between the amount
normally loaned on construction and
the cost of the house.
"A new trowel has just been intro
duced to further cut brickwork cost
1t looks much like a grocer's old
with mortar in the same way. Turned
upside down, it is quickly drawn
Evening star., 1922-02-18
.THEATER DISASTER
AFFECTS BUILDING
Local Plans More Carefully
Inspected and Issuance of
Permits Impeded.

Building of all types of structures
in the District Of Columbia has been
slowed up perceptibly because Of the
knickerbocker Theater collapse. rec
ords in the Office of the municipal
building inspector show.
About fifty building operations have
been held up pending close inspec-
ton Of plans and specifications sub
mitted by the architects and con-
ance of permits on minor buildings
has in turn been impeded.
In spite of the fact that the present
force in the inspectors Office has
been working overtime to clear up
the accumulation of applications. the
inspection work is about week be-
hind schedule, it is understood.
Only seven permits for construc-
tion enterprises involving an invest
ment of $1,000 or more were granted
the past week by Inspector Healy's
office.
. C. w. Chase. to build dwelling. 404
Aspen street northwest: cost, $4,000.
B. H. Gruver. to build three dwell
ings. 3545-7-9 11th street northwest;
cost, $4,000.
Harry A. Kite, to build six dwell
ings. 741-51 Irving street northwest:
cost, $4,000.
Crosby Kelly, to build concrete and
tile dwelling. 1924 Mills avenue north
east; cost. $500.
Thomas Finney, to build dwelling,
1921 Gault place northeast; cost,
$4,000.
Middaugh & Shannon. to build five
brick dwellings. two stories each.
2S20-2S Connecticut avenue north
west; cost, $4,000. Also five brick
garages in rear of above; cost, $4,000.
Southern Building Company. to re-
pair building at S07 18th street north
west; cost, $1,500.
Evening star., 1922-02-18
SAMUEL c. REDMAN BUYS
'FIVE-ST0RY PROPERTY
Bank President Acquires the Build
ing at 1928 I Street, Valued
at $4,000.

Samuel C. Redman, president Of the
Takoma Park Bank, has purchased the
five-story building at 1928 l street
northwest through the Office Of Frank A.
been about $4,000.
The structure at present is leased by
the American Red Cross Women's
Club. 1t is equipped with a modern
elevator. There is two story brick
double garage facing twenty-foot al
ley.
Mr.. Redman, as part payment. gave
the Oaks farm located in Prince Georges
county, near Bladensburg, on the Ma
tional Defense highway. The farm is
now being used as a stock farm. Parker
& Ankers. formerly owners Of 1928
street northwest expect to make this
farm into a modern sanitarium and to
beautify the place in many ways.
Evening star., 1922-02-18

and one case settled by the arbi-
tration committee. Information and
advice have been given to members
on twenty-three occasions and to the
public on seventeen occasions. or
an average of two requests for each
working day during the past month,
the secretary reported.
Value Of Service.
''The Importance and value of this
apparently simple service should not
be- overlooked and a gradual in
crease in volume can be expected
as our organization l. comes better
known and it's aims an purposes
become better understood" Mr Petty
states. I'm order to give some idea
received 1 will briefly enumerate
several that came in during the past
month. Eleven requests were re-
ceived from members and the public
desiring advice or service In con-
nection with realty matters in vari-
case they were given the names of
dependable parties affiliated with
real estate boards. Two members
desired information relative to GER
tain phases of the Ball rent law. six
wanted guidance where matters of
piled for help in fixing correct COM
mission charges. Calls from the
public in general ranged from the
question as to whether a seller was
permitted to remove electric light
bulbs from a house he had sold. to
request from a certain ladies'
society to assist them in securing ac-
comodatfons for delegation of
ninty girls expected in Washington
for a convention gathering. Five re-
quests reached the board relative
to the standing of certain brokers.
"a total of sixteen committee
meetings have been held in the
boards offices in the past month. The
appraisal committee held three meet
ings and appraised seven properties
for a total valuation of $474.250
and appraised three properties for
the War Department to determine
rental values.
Evening star., 1922-02-18
ADDITION IS PLANNED
FOR OCCIDENTAL HOTEL
Cafe Site, Adjoining Property at
1913 Pennsylvania Avenue, to
Be Utilized.

Erection Of an addition to the seven
story Occidental Hotel. at 1413 Penn
sylvania avenue northwest, is planned
by Gus Buchholz. proprietor, it was
announced today.
Mr.. Buchholz has purchased the
building adjoining the hotel proper,
now used by the establishment as a
cafe, and will utilize the property as
the site for the new building. 1t is
understood the addition will conform
in height and architecture to the main
structure.
The sale of the cafe property was
negotiated through the office of Wal
ter A. Brown. The consideration is
said to have been approximately $125,-
900. The former owners name was
withheld.
The proposed annex will add about
1e0 rooms to the Occidental Hotel.
Evening star., 1922-02-18
Agent MUST SEEK
BUYERS VIEWPOINT
Warren Says Home Buying
So important in Mans Life.
Hesitancy Is Natural.

Real estate salesmen, in order to
must credit the prospective home
purchaser with being natural. accord
ing to II. X. Warren. local advertis-
ing man, who has written a treatise
in this connection.
Every once in a while" Mr.. Warren
states. "a salesman gets off on the
wrong foot with a prospect because.
in his instructive eagerness to make
sale. he fails to appreciate the men,
tai condition OF person about to
buy a house"
Here is Mr.. Average Man: To be
frank, he's rather q decent fellow
(the chances are that he turns to the
sporting page or the comic strip as
soon as he picks up his newspaper) !;
he is earning about $4,000 year, and.
due chiefly to the fact that a wife and
two children are satisfactory, but eX-
pensive associates, he has saved only
about $1,000.
Big Matter to Purchaser.
Before he comes to you as pros
pect he is convinced of the wisdom
of buying a home, but he has never
expects to buy another; he is about
to make one Of the most serious de-
cisions of his lifetime. OF course. it
Is small material matter to you
just about $40 commission-bat 10
him it means all he has been able TO
save and, in addition, obligatinS him
self to pay some thousands of dollars
in regular installments.
$50 he cannot afford to make a
mistake; he must think of what Is
best for his wife and children. and
he must consider his wife's desires;
l. L -. =, H.
ranged to his family's taste and that
it is built of substantial material: he
ought to be sure of the neighbor-
hood, and he should give some
thought to whether or not he can get
his money out of the house if an
emergency compels him to sell.
There are a thousand and one ques-
such circumstances.
Must Adopt Buyers Viewpoint.
That is your buyers position and
it is a position to which he has a
distinct right If you are to sell him
and keep him sold, you will have to
step into his shoes and think with
him, rather than against him. Selling
is not a contest of wits, it is the proc
ess of causing a man to see tina,
your house is the one house that best
fills his need.
when a salesman has learned to
keep his prospects attitude in mind
he is not going to be impatient a,
slight delays in the prospects de-
cision and he is not going to be dis.
couraged because he fails to con.
vince the prospect Immediately
Above all. he is not going to let any
impatience show in his manner. Or
the contrary, he is going to work per-
Sistently to answer right every cues.
tion in that prospects mind, that is
| If he is the salesman who is going to
make the sale"
Evening star., 1922-02-18
JOINS REALTY FIRM.
Nathaniel c. Ha1stead Associated
With Shannon & Luchs.

Nathaniel c. Halstead has become
associated with the firm of Shannon
& Luchs, 1t was announced today.
For twenty years Mr.. Halstead has
been identified with well known New
York investment banking houses
More recently he has turned his at
tention to the field of general invest
ments. and his activity in that field
brought under his consideration the
advantages existing in Washington
real estate. A careful study of the
situation convinced him that no other
city in the country presented equal
opportunities, 1t Is stated.
Mr.. Halstead will devote his atten-
tion exclusively to Investment and
business real estate.
Evening star., 1922-02-18
REALTY BOARD LUNCHEON
DR.. Jonathan c. Day Will Address
Semi-Monthly Affair,

DR.. Jonathan C. Day. who Is touring
the country in the interest of the
movement of the Berea College in
Kentucky to educate the noun
taineers Of that section, will be the
principal speaker at the semi-month-
ly luncheon of the Washington Real
Estate Board next Thursday at the
La Fayette Hotel, 18th and I streets
northwest.
Edmund D. Rheem. chairman of
the luncheon committee, will preside.
1t Is expected that an announcement
regarding preparations for the mid
winter meeting here of the national
realtors executive committee will be
made by John A. Petty, executive Sec
retary Of the local board.
Evening star., 1922-02-18
GOES ON TRIP SOUTH.

Morton ]. Luchs of Shannon &
Luchs has left Washington for a
trip south. Accompanied by Mrs
Luchs. he is now at Palm Beach, Fla.
from which point they will go tc
Miami, Key West and Havana, Cuba
On their return they will stop al
St. Augustine, Fla.
Mr.. and Mrs. Jerry Lyon of IN
dianapolis are also in Mr.. Luchs
party.
Evening star., 1922-02-18
OIL REFINERIES CLOSED.
By the Associated Pres,

MEAlCO CITY. February 1S-Tha
Standard Oil Company has definite
ly suspended all work at its re-
fineries near Tampico. and work
men numbering upwards of a thou
sand Will re discharged immediately
according to advices from Tampico
which say orders to this effect have
been received from New York. Only
the pump workers will be retained
1t was added
Evening star., 1922-02-18

along several feet of the wall, while
another man repidly lays the next
course of brick. Oscar F. Mann, the
inventor, states this trowel can be
used to lay the ideal wall" as well
as the solid wall. Financial aid and
lower cost construction will give a
stimulus to brick home building that
viii be apparent everywhere"
Evening star., 1922-02-18
PRICES DROP IN ENGLAND,

+ LONDON, February 1S.-The cost Of
living in the United Kingdom con-
tinues to fall. The decline last month
was points. The drop Is mainly
due to reduction of food prices.
There has been a continuous decline
since November, 1920, apart from a
slight interruption in the summer Of
The New York herald., 1922-12-21

whipsaw game ever planned In Ameri-
can politics. and Anderson assumed TO
see in the election returns q deal be-
tween Wadsworth and his pal Al"
Smith whereby Smith would become the
wet President of the United States and
Wadsworth would remain a wet Senator.
AZ to the past Anderson wrote: 1T is
impossible to prove personal participa-
ton by Senator Wadsworth in any deal
with Tammany but 1t is incon-
sistent with any credible hypothesis
that he did not know of the things that
resulted in Gov. Smith getting at least
100000 wet Republican votes in 1920,
while he received at least 100000 wet
Tammany votes" Anderson also said
'Wadsworth would far rather have al
Smith President of the United States
than to have President Harding elected
for second term"
Mrs. Sabin gays that while the invita-
ton to Anderson has been withdrawn
the debate will be held as scheduled,
the speakers to be announced later.
Wadsworth incidentally is to address the
club at its anniversary luncheon at the
Waldorf on January 13. with Senator
Pepper of Pennsylvania and Mrs. Har-
riet Taylor Upton
The New York herald., 1922-12-21
GOVERNOR PARDONS
SEVEN In SING SING
Parole Board Lets Prisoner Go
Home When Wife Appears
With New Baby.
26 OTHERS GET FREEDOM
-
Gift Of Liberty Causes Barber
TO Leave Half Officials
Face Unshaven.
26 OTHERS GET FREEDOM

Gov. Miller gave Christmas presents
70 seven Of the convicts of Sing Sihg
Prison in the form of papdons yesterday.
the largest batch of his administration.
In addition the State Board of Parole
granted twenty-seven of thirty applica-
tons for parole heard yesterday. and
Permitted one man, Thomas Weston
who was serving a sentence for viola:-
ins his parole. to so home at once with
his wife when She called at the prison
20 show him their new baby.
Michael Mirande, one OF the men par
dcned who had served thirteen years of
sentence OF twenty for arson. was in
the barber shop when he got the news,
shaving William A. Mccabe of Pough-
keepsie. confidential agent of the State
Superintendent of Prisons. He had fin
ished shaving one half of McCabe's face
and had lathered the other. but when he
heard he had been pardoned he uttered a
yell, threw his razor to the floor and
hurried to the prison office to verify the
report McCabe had to finish his shave
himself.
All of the pardons by the Governor
are subject to parole conditions and
to the approval OF the state Parole
DOdiu, bul tildl IL Il iOiIldnNg. ~ WIS
said at the prison that the men can be
released as fast as the papers come
from Albany and that all of them
will be on their way home by Christ
mas. Five of the pardoned men were'
serving sentences for some form OF
homicide.
In addition to Mirande the men
rardoned by the Governor are Frank
Bergman of The Bronx, who killed his
sweetheart and was convicted OF muir
der ON plea Of guilty in the second de-
gree; Edward f. Stoecl<Ie of Nassau,
who killed man with his automobile,
while intoxicated and was sent to prison
for five years; Aniello Mauri Of New
York. manslaughter in the first degree;
John Sheppard of Kings and Eugene
Norris Of New York, who have served
seventeen years of twenty years SEN
tence for murder in the second degree,
and Stanley Frost of Onondaga, con-
victed of theft.
The New York herald., 1922-12-21
LAY $4,000 THEFT TO
CHICAGO BANK CLERK
Employee Trusted for Twenty
Years Accused in Shortage.

Special Dispatch to THE New YORK HERALD.
CHICAGO, Dec. 20.-Seth Anderson.
manager of the outclearing department
OF the First National Bank of Chicago.
was charged to-day by officials of the in
stitution with $4,000 defalcation.
Anderson, who Is married, had been
a trusted employee of the bank for
twenty years. Bank examiners say his
scheme was to take money from the
outgoing funds of the bank. replacing
the funds with his own checks.
When the checks came from the clear
ing house. according to the information
turned over to the Federal agents, the
employee intercepted them and 80 de-
stroyed all evidence against himself
without leaving trace of a shortage In
the clearing house records.
one morning. 1t Is said, he missed
one of the checks. which was caught in
the clearing house by another employee
and sent through as regular clearing
house return. The personal check was
discovered by. one of the vice presidents
and the investigation was started.
The New York herald., 1922-12-21
BACKS TALE OF 800
TO KILL MRS. BECKER
Lieut.. Bruckman Testifies De-
fendant Also Told Him Of
Making Offer.

Henry Bruckman, lieutenant of detec-
tives of the Forty-fifth precinct took
the stand yesterday in the trial Of Abra-
ham Becker in the Bronx County Court
fer the murder of his wife, whose body
was found buried In a pit. and corrobo-
rated the story related on Tuesday by
Harry Monstein, Becker's friend, who
said that Becker told him he had paid
two men 800 TO kill his wife. Jennie,
and bury her.
Lieut.. Brucllman said that Becker on
the night of November % in the Bronx
county Jail repeated his story of the
500 payment. Lieut.. Bruckman was on
the stand when court was adjourned,
and he probably will resume his testi-
mony at 1890 o'clock this morning. II
Despite objection of counsel for the
defense Reuben Norkin. self-confessed
accomplice Of Becker. was admitted into
the court room for the first time since
the trial began. Becker turned and
twice looked long and penetratingly at
the other prisoner. Norkin presented
sphlnxlike appearance and waited to be
identified and dismissed.
Becker will take the stand in his own
defense. according to his attorney.
Alexander Mayper, and he may be called
late to-day. Mr.. Mayper said the de-
fense would only require about day,
and he believed the case should go to
the Jury Friday night. The defense
promises a surprise witness"
Mrs. Jennie Linde or 765 Jennings
street, a close friend of Mrs. Becker for
ten years and one of the last persons
to see her alive. occupied most Of the
afternoon with her story Of the call paid
by Becker and his wife at her home the
night Of the murder and consequent
events The visitors left at ~ 80 In the
morning.
Nathan Simonowitz OF 623 Union ave-
nue. testified that Becker met him about
o'clock ON the morning OF April and
told him he had got rid Of his wife"
and she would meyer come back" Rose
Blank OF 1116 Hoe avenue. a social
worker for the Jewish Board of Guar
dians. ewore that Becker saw her about
having his children adopted on the
grounds that his wife would never re-
turn.
The New York herald., 1922-12-21
GUN TURNS TOMBSTONE
DEAL INTO $765 THEFT
Bandit Also Shifts Ouercoats
With Victim.

Stephen Riley of the firm of Riley
Brothers. dealers in tombstones at 120
Hancock avenue. Long Island City, was
in his office yesterday when two men
came in and said they wanted to look
over his tombstones with view to
making a purchase. AS Riley was lead
ing them out into the yard one of them
stuck a pistol against his ribs and told
him to put up his hands
Riley said they robbed him of s125
watch, a diamond ring worth $500 and
$40 in cash. And one of the men ex-
changed overcoats with Riley because
he liked Riley's coat better. When
last seen the men were running through
the Dutch Kills swamps about a mile
away.
The New York herald., 1922-12-21
Is MORE SNOW STORMS
PROMISED THIS WINTER
Goshen's Venerable Weather
Prophet Makes Prediction.

speosal D<spotcn to THE New Yolx HmALp.
MIpDLETowN, N. Y, Dec. 20.-Conrad
Diehl, Goshen's weather prophet Is ex-
pecting eighteen more snow storms this
winter. According to his system of
reckoning. we are to get twenty-six in
all and we have already had eight. He
arrives at this decision because the
first snow storm of the season came
November 26 and he says the number
of SHOWS is governed by the date of the
first storm.
Diehl, who is in his seth year. has
been close observer OF the weather
all his life and his friends declare that
his predictions have come true more
often than those OF his rivals, who pre-
dictcd n warm December.