davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The New York herald., 1922-05-07

Bice on the cheek as the latter came out
OF the church on her wedding day.
The day of Maria's testimony struck one
Of the dramatic notes of the trial. Hatreds
snarled out in open court. Faced with
Benucci, Maria sneered at him, as had the
mud" She accused Benucci of trying to
extort money from Mesones and herself.
Benucci accused her of betraying him.
Little Stella Ianella. the girl who guided
the blind Mesones about the streets, testi-
fed that she first saw him when she was
II years old and was helping her mother
in tobacco shop near st. Peters. Mesones
was not blind then. Two or three years
later he came to her mothers shop with
Maria. Then in the fall of 1917 she saw
him with another woman, who, he said,
was his wife.
After Bice's disappearance Stella said
that Mesones gave her a wedding ring,
some bracelets and several documents to
keep for him.
Didn't you suspect anything when you
saw the WeuuiHB ring dShou bfe6OAi-
achi.
81 was only a child, didn't understand
those things" she said.
Stella testified that Mesones had
wanted to marry her. When she asked
him about his wife he said: "Oh, I'll get
q divorce"
She made an important statement when
she testified that after she had seen Me-
scnes talking to a group of rough looking
men he had said to her: Those men
would kill a person for a hundred lire"
The dramatic moment in her testimony
came when Stella was faced with the evil
dence OF the woman superintendent of the
building in which she lives with her
mother that upon the arrest of Mesones
In 1920 Stella had told her she knew all
the details of the murder and had pro-
ceeded to describe them before they had
been published.
The police officers, Costa and Canada,
had overheard this recital
Stella became very nervous, tearing her
hat TO pieces between nervous little fin
gers. Suddenly she tainted, after crying
out that Mesones's friends had tortured
her.
Georgette Mendoza. daughter Of
prominent family. was a more attractive
witness-slim, blond dressed in an ex-
pensive tailleur with fur at neck and cuff.
She spoke In low, we'll modulated tones
that revealed her aristocratic breeding.
She took the judges Jokes at the artifici-
ality OF her blond hair cheerfully
For year and half, she said. she
had known the Lieutenant Barbero, and
also had known Mesones and Bice. The
four used to have dinner together In the
The New York herald., 1922-05-07
Daisy. Successors to Siamese Twins

often travelled with the circus, were known
throughout the world. Already offers of
a very enticing nature have been made to
the parents Of Violet and Daisy by circus
owners and even vaudeville managers. The
parents, however have firmly refused even
the most generous of these proposals. They
declare that they will never allow their
daughters to become public freaks"
AS in the case of Rosa and Josefa, sur
geons hesitate to perform the only opera
tion which would separate the two girls.
They are certain that death Immediately
would ensue.
the only examples left of the abnormality
which first attracted attention to the orig
inal Siamese Twins and then repeated
itself in Rosa and Josefa. There are many
misshapen pairs of twins, and some are so
curious as to make them attractive to the
owners of circuses and side shows, but
as rule they are not In such condition
that an operation is forbidden.
Scientific investigators already are ask
of Daisy and Violet. The death of Rosa
and Josefa and the recalling of the events
of their extraordinary life seem to have
rearoused scientific interest in this
phenomenon of nature. These students
have asked, however, that the mother, Mrs.
Hilton, be included also in their investi-
cations.
1t is believed that many twins of differ
ent degrees of physical abnormality might
be found in Siam. 1t has been reported by
visitors to that country who have remained
there long periods that twins joined to-
gether physically are not uncommon
occurrence. The same is true of Java,
Burma and lahore.
Daisy and Violet have a sister and a
brother who are normal in all respects.
The brother is older and the sister younger.
The principal ambition OF the two girls
is to travel. They have of course, read
great deal about Rosa and Josefa and have
been fascinated by the adventures of these
two. They have repeatedly begged their
parents to permit them to accept some of
the many offers made to exhibit them, their
plea being that they are not sensitive and
that they might as well be earning the
money which would permit them to visit
foreign lands.
The parents, however, are most sensi-
tive. They have said they will not permit
the two girls to become public freaks"
The New York herald., 1922-05-07
New York Herald Bureau. I
Rome. April 20. I

TN the Rome Court of Assizes a blind
man is on trial for his life. The au.
thorities declare that four years ago
he murdered his wife. But for four years
this blind man has amazingly defied the
authorities to prove it.
Ignazio Mesones, the accused, is becom-
ing the Landru of Italy, and the Mystery
of the Lungotevere Marzio," as Rome has
called the case for four years, is develop
ing into one of the strangest cases in GRIM
nal records
The mystery was born before dawn jan
uary 4, 1918, when Emilio Metri, walking
along the Lungotevere Mario toward the
Tiber, saw on the ground, the dim out
lines of a body. Approaching he discov-
cred the form to be that Of young woman,
prone on the cobblestones. her arms
straight down at her sides. There was a
hole in her temple, where the blood had
clotted. BY her side was a revolver, an
umbrella and a purse. She had been dead
for several hours.
The police discovered calling cards and
letters in the woman's handbag, all In
the name Maria Rotellini. There was
no money in the purse and the girl was
rather poorly dressed.
Two or three hotelkeepers in the neigh
borhood of the Lungotevere Mario, which
is not good neighborhood at any hour of
the day, identified the corpse as that of
girl from Udine, who had patronized their
totels during the three or four days before.
The girl was buried as a suicide.
At the time this obscure little tragedy
was occurring, wealthy Roman, the Com
mondatore Attilfo Simonetti, and his wife
began seeking their daughter Bice, who
had brought a great sorrow into their
lives When she was Is she had fallen un-
der the spell of strange man, Ignazio
Mesones, half Peruvian, half Italian, who
was then nearly 40 and who had come to
live in their house to recover from a career
of dissipation. This Mesones had moved
in every circle of society, from the highest
to the lowest, and had an ugly reputation.
Even then he was going blind.
But the girl was fascinated. In later
years her parents protested, as this fasci
nation continued, but she was not to be In
fluenced. Just before she became of ago
she risked her fortune and reputation and
eloped with Mesones. Her parents then
consented to their marriage.
II was bad enough for the Simonettis 70
see their daughter married to blind man
with not the best reputation, but the trag-
edy did not end there. Mesones, after his
marriage, continued to see Maria de An
CELLS, who formerly had been associated
The New York herald., 1922-05-07

THE recent death of the famous
"Siamese Twins" has aroused con-
siderable speculation as to their
successors. For. like PresidentA all nota-
BILE human institutions must have sue
eessors.
Already the scientists and those who
were over curious about the phenomenon
pf two sisters bound together so that while
their personalities were separate, physi-
ally they were almost one, are giving their
attention to two sixteen-year-old girls-or
are they one sixteen-year-old girl?-violet
and Daisy Hilton, whose home is in San
antonio, Texas.
These two undoubtedly will replace in
he public mind Rosa and Josefa, who have
just died. Their bodies are Joined together
at the base Of the spine just as those of the
'Siamese Twins" In this respect their
abnormality Is identical with that Of Eng
and Chang, the original Siamese Twins,
who actually were natives of Siam and
whom Barnum made famous in the last
century.
More remarkable. however, than Rosa
and Josefa, Violet and Daisy are, with the
Exception of the joining of their bodies, two
distinctly separate young women. Violet,
whose hair is dark, is inclined to be quiet,
is quite often moody and has no use for
the attentions of the opposite SEX On the
other hand, Daisy, who is almost a blonde,
lis very vivacious, has, it is said, several ad-
mirers and is declared to be an outrageous
|firt.
Remarkably interesting Is the fact that
this true pair of young ladies are proficient
dancers. One cannot move unless the other
follows, one may never go where the other
is not along. In fact, one could not take
step unless the other steps also. And yet
they have learned to dance so skillfully
that they are never without dancing part
ners. OF course, they can have but one
partner at time-one for the two of them.
But they have way of twining their arms
around this fortunate young man in such
a way that they can go through all the
figures just as lively as If there were only
one pair of feet instead Of two pair keep
ing step with the male dancing partner.
Violet is very fond of cards, checkers and
dominoes. Daisy cares very little for
either of these games, but does occasion
ally enjoy game of auction bridge. With
their admirers opposite them they fire.
quently play separate games, Daisy playing
bridge, Violet playing checkers.
Both girls like to read and both are fond
The New York herald., 1922-05-07

We heard lot about the stuff that
I've heard my mistress she dreams of
heard master he dreams of bottles
out of Funny things to dream about if you
here's good sensible dream. chap
had this photograph
when woke wasn't there but here's picture anyway
the kind of stuff like dreams to be again
Sunday"
The Washington times., 1922-12-15
lJT|L| I les
CONTROL
COAL
Board Issues Orders to Dealers
To Send HousehoIder's Ap-
pIications to Be vissd.

In the most Orabtic mOSc lAAeh
since the coal strike began, the
Public Utilities Commission today
took entire control Of the hard
coal situation IN Washington.
Coal dealers were notified that
hereafter they shall deliver coal
only to those persons whose ap-
plications for fuel had been APP
proved by the commission. W
Ahmed ut Householder. saS'
This move vas taken to put . stop
20 widespread practice amcue
householders Of quitting ons dealer
and going to another in order to get
more coal than they are entitled TO-.
The commission told the coal
dealers that persons who make ap-
plications with them for coal and
who at the time have an applica,
ton with another coal dealer should
be given O blank application, I'LL u
out, and take II to the first coal
dealer who shall send II In to the
commission.
Upon receipt of this form. prop
erly filled out, the commission win
decide whether the original applica-
ton should be cancelled, and II II. n
cancelled, will notify you that you
may furnish the applicant with coal =
the Commissioners said In the let
ters to the dealers.
Other instructions were sent gov-
ernipg persons who are not regular
customers Of the coal dealers and
who are filing their first application.
In these cases the applications will
be forwarded to the commission,
which, after Investigation, win de-
eide whether they shall get coal.
Must Have Guarantee.
In cases where householders
who have made one application ask
the commission directly to- transfer
their application to another dealer
the commission will order both deal.
ers temporarily to stop sending coal
to this person. The commission
viii then investigate the conditions
and authorize one OF the coal DEAL
ers to make deliveries.
The commissioners tell the coal
dealers they want q written guar
antes that they win abide by these
instructions. The washington Times
has agreed to publish the list Of
those dealers willing to attach their
signatures to this agreement.
The Washington times., 1922-12-15

Half Holiday Given
U. S. Employees
Dec. q

Employees of the Federal and
District governments are grant
ed a holt holiday on Saturday,
December 2s, BY President Hard-
ing IN an erecutiue order issued
at the White House today.
The order follos0s:
.'It is hereby ordered that on
December 23. 1922. four hours,
exclusive Of time for luncheon,
shall constitute . days work for
all clerks and other employees, In.
Guiding per diem employees, of the
Federal Government and the gov.
ernment Of the District Of C0lum-
bia In the said District Of Co
lumbia.
Provided, however, that this
order shall not apply to any
bureau Or office Of the Federal
Government, or the District OF
Columbia, or to any Of the clerks
or per diem employees thereof,
that may for special public rea-
sons be excepted therefFom BY the
head Of the department having
supervision or control Of such
bureau or office, or where the
same would be Inconsistent with
the provisions Of existing law"
WARREN g. HARDING"
The Washington times., 1922-12-15
CABINET MEETS
T0D|sCUSs
LOAN
viii Hold Final Action o
Reparations Issue for s,
Colonel Harvey.
By GEORGE 4. HOLMES.


A final showdown, in which
Americas voice is bound to play
an important part. Is imminent
in the long-stahding reparstions
controversy that has kept Europe
almost constantly embroiled for
four years.
Harvey to Decide Action.
y The exact part which. the United
States win play In the settlement ID
yet to be determined Il has formed
the chief subject of Cabinet Discus.
sion for several weeks. ana was up.
permost in the minds Of P~ssident
Harding and his Cabinet when they
met again today.
II 10 unlikely. however, that any
definite line of American procedure
win be determined upon until Col.
George Harvey. American ambassa.
dor to Great Britain. arrives in
Washington the last Of this month
fresh from conferences with the
Allied premiers.s
How gravely the President and his
advisers regard the situation. In the
light Of recent Developments, may
be drawn from the fact that Colonel
Harvey has been summoned to 70
turn homs for the first time since hs
went abroad. ~
Elihu Root, former Secretary oi
State and one Of the American dele
gates 1t the washington armament
conference, w11Ds Gcheduled to confer
with PresidefIt Harding Tor IN houi
this afternoon On the international
j president HARDING y bsins urged
to make . clear-cut statement oi
Americas position toward the whole
controversy embraced In the repara
tions muddle and the queetion oi
International war debts. Such 9
statement, some Of his Cablnet "a
visers bslisve, would have the ef
feet Of clarifying the isuueU and
would afford the basis upon which
q fresh start could Be madA toward
getting order out Of the chans that
now exists abroad.
Three Tsntulive rrobosah.
Such . pronounosment Of Amer
loan policy probably would include
~ The Uniksd States regards thu
questions Of rsparations and intsr
national war debts - two distinctly
separate propositions and must b
ak~a< ~-SxS =. .s,~A - tA~sg~~ 49,.
country y concerned.
(1) Not being 3 recipient of Ger
man reparationo, the United Statea
H. interested in the question ,only
tccntnusd on Page :. Column ~
The Washington times., 1922-12-15
KIDNAPPED" SURGEON
HELD AS BlcAMlST

CROWN POINT. Ind. Dec h.
Captain Charles Pike, assistant
surgeon in the Chicago Marine Hos
pital. who was .'kidnaped" BY
Indiana authorities from the arms
of his bride Of q month IN Chicagc
last night. was lodged In the Lake
county jail here today. preparatory
to his arraignment on charge o.
bigamy.
Captain Pike IL charged with hav
ing had q common law" wife IN
Pennsylvania before he married tn<
daughter of Attorney Louis A
Heile of Chicago here q month ago
The name OF the first wife 10 being
withheld by authorities.
The Washington times., 1922-12-15
AID ASKED
FOR POOR
OF. D. G.
Associated Charities Presents
Annual List Of opportuni-
ties TO Help.

Today the Associated Charities
for the thirteenth year presents
to the givers of Washington its
list of fourteen Christmas Oppor-
tunities. These fourteen family
groups represent homes which the
society il anxious TO keep together
for the coming year.
In these fs,nilies there are fhty-l
three childrsn, only two Of whom
arc oyexs sixteen years Of age;|
sevsu widows, four deserted wives,
one Invalid couple, three old people
6bpfoaching four score years and
one hopelessly III man and his
wife. Ths sums asked Tor thseeI
fafniliea range from 80 = wyy ~
-, and the total snnount hSeded
to spsovide care and shelter for
these seventy, people for another
year Il $13,026. q
Needs axv var1sd. 4
In presenting these Christmas
Opportunities the Associated Chari-
tie6 10 seeking to provide not only
Chfistm4l cheer during the Yulstide
reason, hut to bring comfort and
10y into 0o4e fourteen homes for 3eS
days. a careful reading Of the
Dtoriee vii show how varied are the
needs and the immediate causes
which have brought these families
to their present state Of dependence.
Every dollar contributed will 20 to
the sopportunities, not 20 much ~ q
penny being spent for even q postage
stamp. Contributions may be sent
to the office of the Asso-
ciated Charities, s23 H street north.
west, or to The Times.
OPPORTUNITY NO. l-Nobosy's
fsAlt; just Sheer nibfortune. wife
aDd mvalld husband, six children.
In . little six-room house with a
front yard where masses Of flowers 4
bloom al summer long lives this
gentle, childlike woman whose
nerves have never fully recovered
from an accident which occurred
IN girlhood. a devoted husband
protected her and cherished her
until illnesss deprived her of his
care. He y gradually growing
woroe at the hospital. where ne
he's besn for more than year.
Theee are six children, obedient
and swoet. all devoted to their
mother. Jane. the eldest, IL q
Quiet, stud1Dus girl, who helps
mother NV and clean. Sam ID q
Hcout. the envy Of his younger
brother because ''he can see All the
patAdse." The pet OF the whole
family h the baby. just fourteen
n,cnths old. Eighteen dollars =
week. or 1855 for the year, IN
addition to what rslatives are do.
. ing. win keep this happy home
together through 1879. 9
OPPORTUNITY NO. 3-Education
IN hsusei11eltlng md health. widow
and four chlI6rem.
Z Bducation In home-maling and
health--thls 10 what the care OF
the Associated Charities has meant
70 this family. Thrown upon her
own responsibility by the death OF
her husband from the ''flu.s this
mother wns inprepared to assume
the Aeadship Of her household.
Now. thanks to the instruction OF .
the sUcaoty's home sconomist. the
two little girls are becoming
adopts with thsir needle and the
mother II = much improved house.
kseper. One would hardly know
the delicate children cf . few
mOnths aeo. Specialists have cor
rected thoir physical defects ana
the nutrition clinics have brought
them W TO weight until they are
\ 49,. u !, !. u ~~---rs -.
The Washington times., 1922-12-15
0lJSY
MAY HAVE
CAUSED
CRIME
Police Searching for ''other
Woman" Mentioned in
Tragedy Probe.

RICHMOND, Va, Dec. lS.-
Injection of another woman" "
meagerly described BY detectives
working on the case rs "a choir
singer in . locai church, ~ VIM
was intimate with Thomas Pol
lard, will serve to aid In the un-
tangling of the intricate skein Of
circumstances which led to the
fatal shooting Of Mrs. Thelma II.
Richardson, his pretty twenty
four-year-old stenogfaphsr, dur
ing q scuffle on his doorstep.
Another Girl Meutioned.
This is the belief today Of the po-
lice, who admitted they have found
Pollard was seen In company with
tha choir singer several times re-
Gently.
Despite the fact that he has been
charged with the murder BY the cor
oner's jury. Pollard's $1o.oee bond
has been continued.
Anxious to force Z showdown with
the author Of the Dearest, Little
Hamm" letters. the police believe
that Mrs. Richardson. who was in
desperate circurhstAnces. visited Pol
lard with the determination to win
him back from the ''other woman"
Failing, the police have concluded.
the scuffle. involving two r0volvers.
ensued, resulting IN the blonde di.
vorcee being shot In the left side.
The bullet penetrated the heart, left
lung and liver. coming out the right
aide on an almost horizontal line,
detectives investigating the case de-
clare.
Ten d Rslaassns.
Pollard's relations with Dearest
Little Hamm" have been more than
platonic for the past two or three
the hands Of Capt. Alex B. Wright,
who Il CONDUCTING the investigation.
While he once discharged her, she
was taken hack. but remained In his
office only ono day. Growing des-
pondent and desperate because her
savings were running low, the police
believe, "Dearest Little Hainm" de-
cided to have Il out with her former
employer.
An important angle to the ease.
detective believe, IL the establish
ment OF the owner Of the gun with
which the young divorces was killed.
The second gun found ON the scene.
q brand new 81 caliber revolvor. II
claimed by Pollard.
As Mrs. Richard had no lsissAbls
pockets and her vanity case w1n
filled with toilet articles. they are
at a loss to know where che ccn-
Il at all.
During the course Of the coro-
ner's inquest yesterday. the jury
arrived at the decision that the
young stenographer came 70 her
death from. q bullet wound--"that
she was shot by Thomas Pollard
In q scuff1e."
An interesting portion Of the tee
timony Of ]. Mosby West. held
under bond ~ an accessory to the
crime. and the principal witness 1t
the inquest. tells Of ssDeArest Little
Hamm's" movements just prior -
the tragedy. West said that after
he assisted her out Of the aut0mo-
bile IN front Of PoaIard's house. she
The Washington times., 1922-12-15
JlkiNoIe OFFICIALS MUST
ElLE MONEY ACCOUNTING

0PRIN0FTELD, H., Dec. 1S.--
lA61GNer D(hts Treasurer, Lem Small.
n67P gOvernor, State Auditor An
49, Rua1el. and Lieut.. Gov. Fred
SsSgiing IN b ssguired 70 Ole an
3 tnsn q curie~ mchey tSsar t,rs 81,
fsycs q Circuit judge Gormsn. ~
j6&&8 ruled today. Judge Jones
6t1fful0d the general demurrers
1l113 BY the defendants to the caas
~ againee them by Attorney Gen.
The Washington times., 1922-12-15
Barracks Now Fort Hays.

The army receiving station as
Columbus. Ohio, known for many
years a. Columbus Barracks, VIII
be designated In the future -
Fort Hayee--in honor OF Huthcr'
ford b. Hayes, nineteenth President
OF. the United States-the War De
partment announced today. The
order effecting the change wa
signed BY General Pershing.
The Washington times., 1922-12-15
PLEASE LET Me DIE"
BEAuTYS LAST WORDS

CHICAGO. Dec. 15s--Mrs. Lor-
raine Porter. pretty twenty-one-
,year-old beauty specialist, was found
dying from mercury poisoning in
Asr apartment early today. She had
taken more than 200 tablets. She
died shortly afterward.
.sPlease let me de-" were her last
words. 4
A note on a table read: why did
promise to marry mel"