davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
HENRI LANDRU
PAYS PENALTY
FOR MURDERS
GuilLotir1e Ends Ca
reer of sBluebeard
of Gdr77bais'.

Versailles, Feb. 25.-(By the AS
sociated Press)-Henri Desire Lam
dru, "Bluebeard of Gambais," con-
victed OF the murder of ten women
and one youth, gave his life this
morning in exchange for the II he
had taken
Mysterious until the end, Landru
resented Father Loiselles' inquiry
as to whether he had any con-
fession to make.
at is an insult to man like me,
was the reply, had any confes-
sion to make, I would have made it
long ago."
He did not utter the word inno-
cent as he had failed to utter ii
during his "a months of imprison-
ment and the q days of his trial
Refuses Sacrament.
He refused the sacrament, but
conversed a few moments with the
priest
II shall be brave, never fearful, p
he told the clergyman
Although plans for the execution
had been kept in the utmost secrecy
crowds began to gather about old
Versailles Jail, little after mid
night At O'Clock the doors of the
prison opened slowly, revealing in
the courtyard the procurator-gen-
eral, the warden of the prison and
Landru's two lawyers. Then Lam
dru appeared clad in dark trous-
ers and white shirt His beard
which was one of his most striking
characteristics and which had be-
come familiar to thousands through
publication of his portrait during
the trial, had been trimmed, his
head was shaved and his neck and
face were deathly pale.
Finished In 90 Seconds.
He walked exactly five steps be-
fore the executioner's assistants
caught him around the waist and
levelled him on the table, the heav-
lily weighted knife came down and
the whole affair was over in less
than 20 seconds LAndru never
faltered from the time he appear
ed in the door; he gave the guillo-
tine one look, squared his shoul-
ders and walked erect, uttering not
q word.
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
DEATH THREAT
AUTHOR is FREE
Ne Charge Filed Against George
Long, Confessed Writer Of
BIaekmaiI Letters.

Washington, Feb. 25.vGeorge E.
Long, veteran clerk in the war de-
partment, and, according to the po-
lice, confessed author of blackmaL
letters recently received by Henry
White, former ambassador to
France, and several women prom
inent in Washington society, was
attending to the needs of d serl-
ously i'll wife and his three chill
dren at their home today, to which
he was permitted to return several
minutes after the alleged confes-
sion was drawn from him at police
headquarters yesterday.
No complaint had been lodged
against him today for sending the
letters which demanded large sums
of money and threat of death. The
police said none would be filed IN
less those who received the letters
showed a disposition to press the
charge against him.
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
NAVY NEEDS
$4,000 MEN
HARDING
President Feels Personnel
Cut Should Not Be
Too Great.

Washington, Feb. 25.-President
Harding is understood to have told
Republican members of the house
naval committee at White house
conference today that while he felt
some reduction should be made in
the navy personnel the total num-
Der of enlisted men ought not to be
cut under $4,000.
The president also is said to have
strongly urged legislation for con-
version Of two battle cruisers into
airplane carriers. While the ques-
ton as to whether the $40 mem
bers of the first year class at An
napolfs, to be graduated in June,
should be commissioned, was not
considered in detail. 1t was stated
that the president advocated q
sharp reduction in the number of
men to be admitted to the academy
each year in the future.
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
'CORMICK IS
GIVEN COMMAND
Major General Bell Names Tribune
Editor and Col. Hackett to Lead
Artillery Regiments.

Chicago, Feb. 25.-CoI. Horatio
B. Hackett and Col. Robert r. Nc
Cormick, both Chicagoans, have
been assigned by Major General
Bell, Jr., commanding the sixth
army corps area, to command the
3S1st and 332nd field artillery regi-
meGts in the reserve army organi-
Zation of the Sixth corps.
Under the national defense act,
the seth division, known in the
world war as the BLACK Hawk"
division, will be differed by mem
bers of the officers reserve corps of
Illinois. Division headquarters
have been established here with
Lieutenant-Colonel Morris NJ Keck,
regular army officer, as chief of
staff. Assignments are being made
from Illinois reserve officers as
fast as the organization work can
be completed.
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
SCIENTISTS TO
CALL ON GHOST
OF ANTIGONISH
Viii Try to Lay
Spook of Noua SEQ
tia Farm.

New York, N Y, Feb. 25.-Dr.
Walter Franklin Prince, director of
the American Institute for Scien-
tific Research today notified the
Halifax Herald he was ready to go
to Canada and run down the fam
Gus ghost of Antagonist, "even if
the devil himself were at the bot
tom of it"
He added, however, that some
body in Canada would have to
prove his earnestness by provid
ing an expense account. He would
not ask anything for his services,
he said.
DR.. Prince has the solution of
several ghost mysteries to his
credit, but he has never met a
ghost.
Wraith's Fame Grows.
Halifax. N s., Feb. 25.-A party
OF inquisitive scientists now
threaten to break on the quiet of
the Antigonish ghost, whose fame
grows with each new thrill it
causes. The exclusive wrath will
make the acquaintance OF small
group of distinguished men, if
plans being discussed today, are
carried out Dr. Walter Franklin
Prince, director of the American
institute for scientific research,
New York, has declared his inten-
ton OF calling at the haunted
house if he can arrange to obtain
leave of absence.
In the event DR.. Prince makes
the trip he will be accompanied by
member OF the Montreal Spirit
ualists' society and q professor of
science from one of the maritime
province universities; it was an
nounced today.
The Antagonist ghost has be-
came quite an international affair
since first heard of few weeks
ago. The haunted house is the
home Of Alexander Macdonald,
near Caledonia Mills, a little in
habited valley deep in the noun
| tains and woods.
Family Flees House.
Mr.. Macdonald, his wife and
| their adopted daughter fled the
place in terror in the dead of win
ter, with weird tales of ghostly
cattle tramping and series of in
explicable fires.
The tale obtained wide credence,
and the provincial police sent a
detective to the place He was ac-
/ companied by a newspaper man,
the two taking up their residence
| in the Macdonald house for three
nights, fleeing It finally with an
eerie tale of being slapped in the
night by hands that didn't seem to
be attached to anything in particu-
lar. Now comes the call for sci
srttac tHEeSttEa<3
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
Copyright, 1922. by The Argus }

Copyright, 1872, by The Argus.)
Washington, D. c., Feb. 25.-
America s program for world re-
construction has been outlined to
the governments of Europe. There
are signs that Prime Minister Lloyd
George, at least, is trying to per-
suade Premier Poincare to follow
1t. Instead of a world conference
on economic affairs at Genoa, in
Guiding q variety of subjects, the
United States believes Europe
should first solve its political prob
lens and reduce its armies.
Here is the program which
throws new light on the reasons
why the Genoa conference was pro-
posed and explains the latest de-
velopment in Europe where Prime
Minister Lloyd George is reported
as proposing a ten years truce
whereby land armies shall be re-
duced and guarantee given of the
political stability of Europe.
First the United States govern
ment wishes to help Europe but
cannot entangle in Europe's po-
liticaI affairs. Upon political sta
bility depends economic aid from
! America.
Second, the United States govern
ment believes that the program of
the Genoa conference was too wide
sweeping and attempted too much.
| 1t believes a limited program hav-
| ing for its objective the political
stability of Europe would have
more chance of success.
The Washington conference is
pointed to as an example of what
! can be done when the field of dis
cussion is narrowed and the prob
lens are confined to a small group
of powers directly interested in
stead of the whole world.
Third, the United States govern
ment feels it has done its share
! in the limitation Of naval arma-
ments and guaranteeing the peace
of the Pacific Now let Europe
tackle land armament and the Pc
litical problem and the apprehen-
sions that exist between France
and Germany, or England and
France, or Italy and France, as the
case may be. The words of Herbert
i Hoover, secretary of commerce, and
( the man on whose vision and knowl-
! edge President Harding strongly
relies in economic matters, are the
/ best explanation of what is going
on inside the administration here.
His views have been reflected in
the communication sent abroad. Mr..
| Hoover wrote three days ago an ad-
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
YOUTH, 70, WILL
WE'D OLD LADY, 25,
JUST FOR LOVE"

Chicago, Feb. 25.-Lee Man
ue. 20, former senator from
Montana, admitted today that
ne and Miss Eta DAILY, 25, a
recent graduate from the Uni
versity OF Nebraska, would be
Jays The marriage license was
aays. The marriage licensewas
taken out here yesterday.
None of Mr.. Mantle's friends
N Butte, Mont, his home, have
oeen informed of the approach
ing wedding, he said
It's going to be a shock to
some of my old cronies," he
said. II have a reputation as
= non-marrying man. It's pure
y love affair"
Mr.. Mantle said that by COM
Iag to Chicago he hoped to es-
ape notice and plans were to
nave a quiet marriage in an in
0nspicuous manner.
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
DELAY
IN GENOA MEET
Lloyd George and POfncare Reach
Agreement to Postpone Eco
nOmic Conference.

Boulogne. Feb. 25.-CBy the As
sociated Press s-)-Agreement to a
postponement of the Genoa eco
nomic conference until April 10,
was reached by Premier Poincare
of France and Prime Minister
Lloyd George of Great Britain at
their conference here today. The
conference originally was called to
meet on March S.
Mr.. Lloyd George said after the
conference there would be no ne
cessity for a further discussion of
the Franco-British pact, as both
parties were entirely agreed as to
all its essentials. The pact would
be ready for signature in a few
days, he added.
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
Especial Correspondent of Argus.)
BY ]. C. ROYLE.


New York, Feb. 25.-The lure of
paper profits is one of the most
pressing dangers which now threat
ems the farmers and stock growers
of the United States. The advance
in the price of farm products has
added tremendously to the re-
sources of the agriculturists and
has magnified their potential buy
ing power. Farm commodities have
risen until they can be sold at a
profit, but until they are sold at a
profit the profit is paper profit
and liable 10 suffer the fate OF any
scrap of paper. Until farm prod
ucts are sold and paid for the buy
ing power of the farmer is largely
potential.
Cites Case of Cotton.
Business dispatches from widely
separated parts of the country in
dicate that producers are holding
some of their products for still
higher prices. In other words they
are speculating in futures and a
producer may do this with the wool
still on his Sleeps back or the
his barn yard equally as well as
he can do it on Lasalle street or at
the corner of Broad and Wall. That
tendency has its dangers. There is
always the possibility of over stay
ing the market. That was shown
conclusively in the case of cotton
last year. Cotton rose above &c
cents pound. Planters had prof
its on their crops-on paper. But
many held for higher prices until
the opportunity had passed.
Prices have advanced because OF
increased buying and increased de-
mand. But manufacturers, close
students of the situation, are won
dering just how high prices for
raw materials can go without
checking that demand and halting
that buying. Some commodities
have advanced so per cent above
the levels that obtained last year
That advance has not yet been
passed on to the ultimate consum-
er and business men are debating
seriously to what extent it can be
passed on.
Outlook Brighter.
III ulCdnLILlt, uOHGNCI, CACA-
it's are easier and the outlook far
brighter for commerce and indus
try as a whole. Timely rains have
greatly improved the situation fol-
the farmer and stock grower in
many sections. Building operations
are getting under way. Wholesale
trade is on the increase for retail
ers in many sections have cleared
their shelves of old goods, although
at very narrow profits in some
cases, and are preparing for in
creased business this spring Pub
lie service corporations in indus
trial centers report increased de-
mands for power at mills and fac
tories. Manufacturers are receiv-
ing releases on orders placed long
ago and held in abeyance awaiting
better times.
i Railroads are handling an in
creased amount of freight and are
putting their programs for better
, ments and improvements into ef-
feet. Thousands of new cars have
been purchased in the last 10 days
and lower passenger rates are ex-
pected to produce increased trave
this spring and summer. Furni-
ture is moving in increased guam
titles all over the country In re
Continued on Page Three-)
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
Continued on Page EourJ.
SHOOT COBBLER,
SET SHOP AFIRE
2. ROmanOwski, Cedar Rapids,
Wounded Three Times By
Unknown AssaiIants.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Feb. 25.-
Police have spread dragnet for
those who last night shot and seri-
ousIy wounded p. Romanowski,
and then are believed to have set
fire to his shoe shop.
Romanowsk was found early to-
day by firemen who were called to
the shop when passersby saw
flames shooting from the rear win
dows He was shot twice, one bull
let hitting him in the mouth, and
the other near the left eye. His
condition this morning is said to
be critical.
RomanOwski is a Russian and po-
lice are working on the theory that
he was the victim of some enemy
clique. The fire loss was small.
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25

Chicago, Feb. 25.-Chicago and
dozens of its suburbs today found
out just what caused the explosion
which literally shook them to their
foundations and caused a frenzy of
excitement last night Thirty tons
of dynamite let go in a stone quarry
southwest of the city shortly before
9 o'clock and hundreds of thou
sands OF alarmed residents went to
bed not knowing just what had hap
pened to give rise to rumors and re-
ports of concerted bombing squads,
falling meteor, and disaster to
some of the manufacturing plants.
For an hour after the blast, Chi
cago and its suburbs were in a
furore. The smashing of glass in
thousands of windows, the shaking
of the buildings and the noise, of
the explosion gave rise to reports
that bombing5 were occurring 81
multaneously in many parts of the
city.
A. P. Solves Mystery.
While the police and newspaper
Offices were flooded with inquiries
and thousands OF frightened people
were trying 10 ma Lne source OF the
blast the Associated Press, through
a curious coincidence, was able to
give the first authentic news of the
explosion.
A Monon railroad signal tower at
Dyer, Ind, received definite word
of the blast, and this was relayed to
the Monon dispatcher at Lafayette,
Ind, from whence it was transmit
ted to Lafayette newspaper and
the word OF the explosion on the
edge of Chicago came back to the
city over the Associated Press
wires.
In spite of the large area of land
affected by last nights blast, only
one man was seriously injured, al
though scores were cut by glass and
shaken and bruised, some of them
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
VICTIMS OF
IOWA FLOOD
need FOOD
Three to Ten Feet of Wa
ter in All Homes of
Elkport.

Bdgewood, Iowa, Feb. 25.-Resi-
dents of Elkport, CARRIER and Oster-
dock, Clayton county towns along
the Volga river, were busy today
cleaning the mud and debris from
their homes, as a result of the flood
of Wednesday and Thursday.
Reports reaching here indicate
that the residents of Elkport, Gar
Der and especially Osterdock are
in need of food and clothing.
Grant Burgner, field representa-
tive of the Red Cross, from Chi
cago, arrived here this morning and
has been looking over the situa-
ton.
Cut On Three Days.
The first word from Osterdock
morning. 1t was a telephone mes
sage and stated that residents of
that town were in need of food. An
automobile of supplies was sent i'm
mediately.
Residents of Elkport and CARRIER
have been given temporary relief
by residents of Edgewood. One re-
port received here indicates that
the four hundred residents of Elk
port lived for two days in a school
house situated on a hill when driv-
en- from their homes by the high
waters. All homes and buildings
in this town are said to have had
from three TO ten feet of water in
them.
Railroad Washed Out.
Edgewood, Iowa, Feb. 25.-Four-
teen miles of railroad along the
Turkey river were washed out
Wednesday night when an ice gorge
broke at Elkader..
The breaking of a dam at Vo1ga
City, in the Volga river, coupled
with the Jam of ice from the Tur-
key river, which joins the Volga a
short distance up the latter river
from CARRIER, caused the sudden rise
of water and caused several hun
dred people to fee from their
homes.
A claim adjuster here today es-
Inmates that property damage in
towns along the Volga river will
run between 100000 and S125,000.
d. w. Newman, chairman of the
local branch of the Red Cross, who
supervised the sending of supplies
to the flooded towns, said that he
had received no reports Of loss OF
life.
200 Homeless.
Chicago, Feb. 25.-Two hundred
persons are homeless in Eikport.
Iowa, dAe to floods, according to a
report from Grant Burgner, repre-
sentative of the American Red
Cross, who went to the flooded dis
trict from the Chicago headquarters
yesterday. Food relief is being
directed from the Chicago office
today, working through local
branches in Elkader and Straw
berry Point, both in Clinton county,
Iowa
Sanitary conditions were re-
ported serious in Elkport by the
Red Cross agent, who is hurrying
! back to Chicago today for confer
ence with health authorities here
Meanwhile food is being hauled In
trucks from nearby points and fur
/ ther assistance will be given the
stricken town as rapidly as pos
sible, Red Cross officials said.
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
INDICT |OWAN
FOR z MURDERS

Decorah, Iowa, Feb. 25.-Two in
dictments charging murder in the
first degree were returned this
morning by the grand jury against
Frank B. Kneeskern of Castalia.
Iowa, wealthy stock-buyer, in con-
nection with the murders of Mr..
and Mrs. Charles Van Brocklin, on
Dec. IL.
The grand jury also indicted
Matt Dotseth. night marshal OF De-
corah, charging murder in the first
degree for killing his. brother Al
fred, in a dance hall here on the
ni@ht OF Feb. 4
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25

Neenah, Wis. Feb. 25.-(By
Wireless TO the Associated Press).
--Ice-bound for two days on pas
senger trains stalled nine miles
north of Neenah, more than a score
Of passengers reached this town
last night. They had been practi-
eally without food for 48 hours.
Neenah, in the center of the. Fox
river valley, has been cut off from
the outside world since Monday
night when ice coated telephone
and telegraph poles collapsed drag
ging down communication, light
and power wires, suspending rail-
road traffic. Two 500 engines were
derailed by falling poles in Neenah.
other poles, snapped off under the
weight of a two-inch coating of ice,
plunged through the roof of a 500
Line depot. The telegraph oper-
ator ON duty heard them strike the
roof and dived head-first through
the nearest window as the debris
ihowered over his desk.
No Light or Power.
By noon of Wednesday Neenah
was without light or power and the
mayor issued a special proclama-
ton warning against fallen high
tension wires.
The Eastern Wisconsin Electric
company's trolley line and all pow
er wires leading west from the bus
mess district were broken when a
Wisconsin Northern train plowed
into the fallen wires. A team of
horses was killed by a dangling
trolley but the driver escaped un-
hurt.
Oshkosh was even harder hit than
Neenah, according to word received
here. Both trolley lines from Nee
nah are tied up, and officials say it
may be weeks before service can
be restored to Oshkosh
The bus line to Appleton resumed
operation yesterday. The telephone
company reports 5000 poles down
in the Appleton district Conditions
in surrounding cities are similar,
poles are down, thousands of trees
ruined and cities and villages are
without power or light.
The paper mills here have suf-
fcient coal to continue operations
for a day or two. There is no
shortage of food.
Everything Ice-COated.
With clear weather today the
work of clearing away the storm
debris was undertaken in earnest.
Hardly a tree in the district escap-
ed destruction. The cold rain last
Monday night froze so fast that IN
many places the ice coating is from
four to six inches deep. Every
building, tree and fence was cover
ed with a glistening coat. Drug
stores reported a film famine, the
available supply having been ex-
hausted by amateur photographers.
Neenah's only communication
WITH the outside is by temporary
wireless station installed at a local
paper mill by Charles and w. Q.
Quig and H U. Bishop. local radlo
amateurs. News is being received
nom Fond du Lac, Manitowoc and
Milwaukee.
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
STOLEN LIQUOR
TURNS OUT TO BE
EMBALMING FLUID

San Francisco, Cal, Feb. 25.
Soon after a police report had
detailed the theft of four quart
bottles from a truck, while the
drivers back was turned here
yesterday, the word went out TO
those lin the know" that a
night of reYelry was in store
for Hickney Alley. Several
whose names never grace the
social calendar were invited.
Patrolman Hiram HoXtrum
saw four disreputable looking
men leave a doorway. He in
vestigated, and found the four
quarts, their corks loOgeued
but their contents intact He
took them to headquarters
Il guess these dispose Of this
complaint" said the desk ser
geant turning TO a sheet which
read:
"Stolen-from chemical truck
-four quarts Of em5aIming
fluid"
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
DOUBLE TRACK TO
CALIFORNIA PLAN
OF SANTA FE LINE

Los Angeles. Calf, Feb 25-A
double track railroad between Chi
cago and California by. the end Of
1928, is the plan of the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe railroad. ac-
cording to ". ]. Black, general pas
senger agent OF that system, now in
Los Angeles.
A budget of s43, 10000 has been
provided by the railroad for the
present year. Ar-Black said
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
BULL TACKLES
RED AUTO;W WINS

Topeka, Kan, Feb. 25.-Fred
Knudson, a farmer. today appealed
to the state superintendent OF in
surance for aid in collecting colii-
sion insurance on his automobile
Knudson, in his complaint states
that he painted his automobile red,
that a bull at public sale at
Orion, Kan, attacked it and that
the insurance company refused
even to consider his claim.
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
RAILROAD ASKS
Time ON LOAN

Washington, Feb. 25.-The Chi
cago, Milwaukee & St Paul rail-
road asked the interstate COM
merce commission today to extend
for 10 years a $10,o00,00e note held
against it by the government which
will be due Jan. 1, 1923.
The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
HARDING NAMES
2POSTMASTERS z

Washington, Feb. 25- - John R
Fornof was nominated today to be
postmaster at Sreator. III.
Arthur L. Johnson was nominat-
ed today to be postmaster at Rock
ford. Ill