davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1923-05-11
Question of History.
Denied That Booth Made Excla.
nation After Shooting Lincoln.

To the Editor OF The Star:
During the discussion of a paper
which was read before the Columbia
Historical Society recently it was
was stated by three speakers that
John Wilkes Booth did not say any
thing while on the stage after he had
shot President Lincoln. One Of these
speakers stated that he was present
in the theater on that occasion.
II any other of the readers of The
Evening Star were present 1t would
be historically interesting II they
would write for publication their rec
objections on that subject.
! am satisfied that Booth did make
an exclamation as he jumped from
the box and another while standing
on the stage and that those express
sions were sic semper tyrannis' and
The south is avenged"
During the trial of John HI. Surratt
Col. John 3. Stewart Of Westchester
county. New York. testified that on
the night when Lincoln was ASA SSH
mated he was in Ford's Theater with
three ladies. sitting directly in front
OF the orchestra, In the left-hand cor
ner chair on the right-hand aisle,
where he could see everything on the
stage and off at an angle could see
the PRESIDENT; that he saw a fash
and heard the report of pistol or
gun, and on raising his head saw a
man coming over the balustrade and
noticed a curl OF smoke Immediately
above him as he was in crouching
position in the act of leaping out of
the box: that as Booth cleared the
box he heard him exclaim, sig SEM
per Ntyrannis! and that the excla-
nation had escaped him before he
reached the stage below That he
came down on the stage with his
back to the audience. crouched as he
fell and came down on his knees with
a considerable jar. but instantly arose.
with his face full upon the audience"
and that he noticed at the same in
stant that he had very large knife
in his hand"
Lieut.. Col. Henry b. Rathbone, who
was member of the presidential
party in the box, testified at the same
trial that Il heard him (Booth) Shrek
out some such word as freedom.
So / think there can be no doubt
that Booth made some sort OF ex-
clamation and that there are a num-
ber OF your readers who could en-
Tighten us In that respect. i am in
clined to place more credence on the
testimony of two people who did hear
him say something than on the doubt
of two hundred who say that they
didn't. WILLIAM TINDALL.
Evening star., 1923-05-11
An Official KIDNAPPING.

Nearly two years ago a little italian
boy was kidnapped by blackmailers in
New York city and his parents were
commanded to pay a large sum In ran.
.cc.. After some weeks Of search the
body Of the boy was found in the iud-
son river. He had been choked to
death. Meanwhile the police had
guarded the family, and Ave men had
beea arrested when they went to the
house to extort payment. These men
were tried. Two were condemned to
death and will shortly be executed.
Another was condemned to death. but
in recognition Of a confession which
aided the prosecution his sentence was
committed to life Imprisonment. The
fourth was convicted, but became I'm.
sane and was put In an institution.
The fifth was released for lack OF evil
dence. r.,
Ever since the kidnapping the mems
bers OF the family have been under
Evening star., 1923-05-11

guard. When they testified to the &C.
tfons Of the blackmailers, contrary to
the usual course in these cases, they
were warned that they would all be
killed. For months the police have
been trying to get them out OF New
York to a secret destination to escape
the murderous friends Of the convict.
ed men. and now 1t Is announced that
these plans have succeeded. and that
the entire family, father. mother and
four children, have been spirited away
to new home. known only to the po-
lice. who are sworn to secrecy.
This Is an unusual case. In that the
victims Of the blackmailers aided in
the pursuit OF the criminals and, per-
sisted in testifying. 1t shows the ter.
rible power OF the BLACK Hand" ex.
tortioners. who are unremitting in
their efforts at vengeance. Without
doubt the fugitives will be searched
for throughout the country. perhaps
In Italy. whittier they may have been
dispatched. To lessen the chances Of
their detection a skin.grafting opera
tion was had upon one OF the children.
whose face was badly SCARED. But
with all the precautions against pur-
suit and Identification there remains a
chance that they will be found, for
the convictions In the case have dealt
a heavy blow upon the blackmailing.
kidnapping industry. and Its promoters
will not remit in their efforts to inf1ict
punishment" as a warning to others.
This strange procedure. it must be
noted. has occurred in the United
States, where at the present moment
there Is high indignation over the
crime Of troop Of Chinese bandits in
the capture Of number OF Americans
for ransom.
Evening star., 1923-05-11
EDITORIAL DIGEST

to pay or is likely to be able to pay
during the present generation"
The Columbus State Journal Is con-
vinced Germany never hoped TO have
the of1er accepted" hut put ii forth
'as a vehicle that might put nero-
tiations under way. possibly leading
to a settlement" There is this graft
tying feature" about the offer even
though 1t was unanimously rejected,
In the view of the Boston Transcript.
a distinct step forward" This is the
opinion which the Hartford Times
also entertains. holding it shows
Germany has got down off her high
morse. Presumably there will he n
good deal of backing and filling. but
unless Germany is going To Insist on
the thumb screws being turned a lit
! tie tighter 1t seems likely the nations
involved have finally set their feet
on the path that leads to settlement
ana to European stability"
All of these latest neGotfations en-
pnaslze, the Baltimore Sun argues
tne necessity for the complete and
Impartial Qualification of the facts of
| ing ar und in this vicious circle the
f1rst Ting to do. obviously, is to
| have Germany's real economic. in
dustrial and commercial capacitv de-
termlned by commission competent
to render an authoritative and dis
! interested decision. The United States
is apparently the only country which
can inaugurate that great interna-
gestion, the st. Louis Globe democrat
feels the amount Germany can pay
! and IL ought to pay t. the full limit
of Its capacfty-should not he estf-
mated upon the basis of present con-
ditions but upon Its capacity under
normal conditions. which. of course,
II should be permitted to recover.
That 1t can pay more than the latest
(.f N TO
and Its finances stabilized, is not TO
be doubted" 1t is however, the onin-
ion of the Buffalo Times that the
amount is of less moment than the
the worlds mind"
In any proposal that finally is
worked out, the BinShamton Iress
insists, Germany must get foreign
any other tax; they must be made out
of the profits. and they can't be made
where there aren't any profits" But,
In determining concessions to he
made, the ST. Paul Pioneer Press is
convinced, Germany has no right TO
an economic advantage over her trade
rivals. including those of the United
States, in the important years i'm
mediately ahead which may deter
mine the economic balance for d
whole generation. The incidents of
reparations payments must be ar
ranged so that in the next few years
give her an unfair advantage" The
offer was largely a gesture" as the
Cincinnati Times-Star reviews it,
'and the gesture was more important
than the words II accompanied The
first phase of the battle of the Ruhr
has been completed. The German
economic army has sent forth a white
flag with an offer of; surrender under
certain terms. \ basis for future
negotiations has : been established"
This much agreed on. the Chicago
Daily News thinks, it now will be
possible Ito initiate STRAIGHTFORWARD
consideration of the exact meaning
attached in Paris to the terms Sc
curity' and adequate reparations.'
Evening star., 1923-05-11
The Auditorium.

Steel for the Washington Audi.
torium Is arriving in carload lots. and
there is much activity at the site
of the large and important structure.
II all goes we'll the auditorium will
soon be u fact. and Washington can
then say to the country. Here is a
hall for the accommodation Of big
meetings" 1t can say to the managers
Of the major political parties that the
democratic and republican presidential
nominating conventions may be held
in Washington. No more shall We hear
the old. old story that I'VE would like
to hold our convention at Washington
because the National Capital Is the
logical and appropriate place for ma.
tional conventions. but there Is no hall
in the town big enough to seat our
delegates"
The auditorium will meet a need
that Washington has felt for many
years. Thirty. perhaps forty, years
ago men talked OF great hall which
would clinch Washington's claim to
being the convention capital Of the
United States. But Washington was
a much smaller and much poorer town
then than now. The construction OF
a place to house conventions attended
by more delegates than could find
place In the existing halls was too ex.
pensive and too speculative for the
- hi h1
when a few daring men began to ad.
vocate the building OF convention
hall that would compare with any.
thing that New York. Philadelphia and
Chicago could show. But times change
and Washington has grown.
More conventions come to the capi.
tai In a month than came here In a
year n quarter OF a century ago. There
are many more national organizations
which hold conventions. and more and
more Of them think Of Washington as
the convention city. The multiplied
tion OF national organizations Is one
of the features Of the age. and the
number OF these organizations having
permanent nedOQudr teTS at NdSHinR-
ton Is large and growing.
1t Is possible that national associa-
tions will hit on Washington as the
regular place for holding their con-
ventions, instead OF shifting from one
city to another year after year. 1t is
quite possible that the great political
parties will hold their national conven.
tions here rather than open bids to
determine whether they shall be held
in Chicago. st. Louis. Kansas City.
San Francisco or elsewhere.
Day by day one catches in the news
a glimpse of progress being made on
the Washington Auditorium. and soon
we may read a story Of its completion.
a story Of its dedication and story
Of the first convention held under its
roof. Then the way will be open for
big conventions and all roads will lead
to Washington.
Evening star., 1923-05-11
Murder at Lausanne.

Murder OF the unrecognized soviet
from a motive Of vengtance for the
death Of his family in Russia may lead
to difficulties between the Moscow
government and Switzerland, but 1t
can hardly have any effect upon the
conference in progress there. The
crime, II would appear. is purely per-
sonal and not political. At first the
Swiss faScisti-it seems that the fas-
cisti movement has crossed the Alps
were accused of participation. because
q warning had been sent to the soviet
representative in the name Of that or
ganization to quit the country. But
later disclosures make 1t evident that
the warning was not a murderous
threat. and that the slayer was acting
wholly upon his own initiative. He
was probably unbalanced. He had
fortified himself for his act by copious
draughts OF brandy Just before firing.
1t is difficult to see how Russia can
make a formal issue with Switzerland
In this case. The Swiss government
has no direct relations with that at
MOSCOW. having failed to recognize the
soviet. In any case. Eorowsky. the
soviet representative, was not in Lau-
same in an official capacity to the ex-
tent of having been invited to the con-
ference by the consulting powers. He
had come as an observer. on his own
responsibility or that Of the soviet. He
took his chances.
Nor is it likely that the crime will
affect the course OF the proceedings at
Lausanne. A hOlshevist agent Is slain
by a fanatic who alleges Il purely per-
sonal grievance against the system his
victim represents. There are many
others who have such grievances.
whose families have been murdered In
Russia. whose properties have been
confiscated. whose homes have been
destroyed. who have suffered the most
terrible outrages and who would glad.
ly commit crime II II were possible
thus to manifest their loathing for the
abomination that has come into exist
ence in Russia.
But crime will not cure the Russian
disease. The assassination OF single
soviet agents will not bring about a
change in that land. This murder
merely accents the horror that has
come through the revolution and the
adoption Of frenZied policies Of govern
ment by a group of daring theorists
and political madmen In that land Of
sorrow.
Evening star., 1923-05-11
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE

Samuel Gompers, aged seventy-three,
claims to have been the busiest man
in the United States during the year
1922. He engaged in 604 conferences
In almost all sections Of the country:
travelled $4,000 miles. involving ninety
| railroad trips: gave 146 newspaper In
terviews and statements; delivered
sixty-six public addresses. of which
thirteen were before International
| trade union conventions: wrote 1928
| individual letters: Issued 1861 cir
cular letters: attended and argued be-
fore four congressional hearings and
before four state legislatures: and. in
addition. transacted from A. +. OF l.
headquarters In Washington the
routine business OF that organization,
! including chief direction of Its STAFF.
One of the stalwart republicans OF
the Senate, James w. Wadsworth. jr.,
of New York, Is out publicly in sup
port of President Harding's world
court proposition. Wadsworth has
just notified his constituents In Kings
county. New York. that he stands
firmly with the President and Secre-
tary Hughes. He is not commonly
ranked as one of the "men around the
loses an opportunity to let people
know that the youthful senior senator
from the empire state Is one of his
real and trusted oounselorS. The
horoseope approved by his friends friends
future for Wadsworth. with the white
House rs its eventual goal
~ y =
Shrine Rrandstands on the Penn
sylvania avenue side Of the White
House have temporarily evicted from
his regular station venerable
"newsboy" who bears n remarkable
resemblance to Uncle Sam. He hap
pens to ba Sam himself. with Rea
as his surname. and asks not to he
mistaken for the president OF the
Pennsylvania railroad system. With
a lanky physiognomy and typical chin
whiskers, Rea could make up with
little difficulty as our allegorical ma
tional hero. He's an Ulster Irishman
by birth. hailing from County Antrim.
and for long time has sQuatted upon
an undisputed claim at the corner of
the White House grounds nearest the
Treasury. Rea CELLS only afternoon
papers. and from pm. till long past
sundown is 4 popular and busy mer-
chant. America has been his adopted
country for the better part of half
century.
Helen Davenport Gibbons writer of
stories for children. taught two reign
Ing European queens To chew gum.
Paris and the peace conference were
the scene of their fall. At the time
/
Marie of Rumania- Today they are.
respectively, the queens Of Greece and
Serbia. Mrs. Gibbons was Red Cross
ing in France and invited the Ru-
manian princesseS to have tea at her
Evening star., 1923-05-11

nessee family of that name. which
furnished to the United States It's
eleventh President. and which was
represented in the Wilson adminis-
trati"n at Washington by Frank Polk,
acting Secretary of State. Anthony,
the son of old Gen. de Charette and
nf the former Miss Polk. followed his
fathers example in taking to himself
an American wife in the person Of
Miss Susan ienning. daughter Of
James w. Henning of Louisville, XIV.
The Due de Rerry's other daughter.
charlotte. Countess of YSsouffun mar
ried Prince Ferdinand de Faucigny-
Lucing" ct d." C"ligny. the head of
one OF the oldest houses of the no.
bility of Savoy. his family tree show
ing many matrimonial alliances with
the now reigning dynasty of Italy.
The original name was Fuciniaci,
which was GalliciZed into Faucigny,
and the name of I.ucinge and that
OF coligny came to the family through h
a marriage. The princely title is in
reality Sardinian one and ii was
only in 1928 that King Charles Y, for
the sake OF his granddaughter. con-
sented TO grant To her husband a pat
ent authorizing the members of the
house of Faucigny-Lucinge ct de
Coligny to use their Sandman honors
in France
After the death of his first wife the
present Prince de Lucinge married
another lady of Jewish origin. his
second wife being Mile. May Ephrussi
daughter Of Michael Ephrussi, an
Odessa Partisan grain speculator, and
a granddaughter Of the late Baron
Alfonso Rothschild of Paris.
One Of the princes brothers. now
dead. was Prince Guy de Faucigny
Lucinge, whose widow. Natividad
Terry of New York and Havana. is
Paris. son of the Russian diplomat
who enjoyed the distinction Of having
been blackballed by one Of the
principal 5th avenue clubs in New
York, with the result that his chief
the envoy. and all the other members
of the Iussian embassy insisted on
reslgning their membership Of the or
gantzation. and who was. in turn
minister of foreign affairs at Petro-
grad and ambassador of the late
czar on the banks of the Seine Jean
Iswolski and his wife are frequent
visitors to New York.
Another member Of the family Is a
cousin. Prince Aymon de Faucigny
LucinEe, president OF the Epitant
Club. more officially known as the
Seracie de ICnion Artistiaue." which
anna a couple of years ago
TO the Sporting Club of Paris He
distinguished himself in the late war
as captain on the general staff suf-
fcfently to win the cross of the Lee
gion of Honor on the battlefield, and
has been married since July. 19I3, to
the former Caroline Foster, daughter
Of Reuben b. Foster of waltham.
Mass. and widow of Joseph Stickney
OF New York. the coal magnate, who
left her very large fortune
She turned her money to excellent
account in the four years of the great
conflict In the way of relieving dis
tress and misfortune. and by her de-
votion rs Red Cross nurse in hos
pitalS. to the maintenance of which
she contributed so generously that
the French government awarded to
her its silver medal OF reconnaissance
that is to say. of gratitude. She
owns fine house on upper 5th avenue
as well AS the Mount Washington
Hotel in the White mountains of New
Hampshire.
Evening star., 1923-05-11
Allied Solidarity Re.Established ;
Way Opens for New Discussions.

A trial balloon designed to test the
wind currents of international poll
tics. Is the general characterization
OF the latest German reparations Of
fer which has been unanimously re-
Jected by the allied governments. so
far as the newspapers of the United
States are concerned. They conf
IDENTIFY anticipate there will be fur
ther-and more liberal-offers. but in
the meantime many editors look for
This is the hopeful aspect of the sit
uation. especially as, In the opinion
of many editors. the solidarity OF the
allies has been conclusively demon
strated and the German diplomats
must realize that their expectation of
getting better terms through playing
France against England has van
ished.
Germany has now addressed to
Paris and Brussels a formal restate-
ment OF obligations" the New York
Post says. and this meets the objec-
tion heretofore raised that ''Cuno was
playing for foreign intervention
The Cuno government. the Knoxville
Sentinel believes, "is foreshadowed
for a fall in the near future and more
acceptable terms are hoped for from
its successor-if. after Cuno. there
question of French policy does
not seem adequately dealt with In the
Paris reply, as the Brooklyn Eagle
interprets 1T. and 1t feels this re
lection raises a serious doubt in the
minds of many whether France real
ly wants settlement"
1t is because this fact Is under dis
cussiOn that the New York Globe in
siSts the reconstruction of Europe
can be brought about only by gem
States must indorse, even though she
does not take active steps to bring
II about. The present interchange
has Importance only as II brings this
stage nearer" French rejection was
to have been expected. because. from
the viewpoint of the Lynchburg Ad-
vance, the latest note contained
nothing new. Germany has wan
tonly wrecked her own finances to
avoid a just indemnity. and the gov
eminent cringeS before the power of
the handful of wealthy industrials of
may dawn on Germany that she really
lost the war;" This is very much
the opinion of the Boston Post. which
holds "Germany's plan is so hedged
about with restrictions and shrewd
appeals for outside help that France
can hardly be blamed for her objec-
tions." To which the Albany knick-
erbocker Press adds, there Is neither
vengeance nor spite in the position
that the Germans must at least re-
place what they stole and pay for
what they destroyed before they can
claim the worlds confidence" while
the Springfield Union declares 1.-The
offer does not have the ring of gem
uineness- and was not calculated to
gain either the moral or political sup
port of other nations" While this
is true, as an abstract proposition.
the Fort W41th Star Telegram holds
'lt Is worse tnan futile to expect Ger
Imany to pay more than she Is able
Evening star., 1923-05-11
News Announcement.

Those were encouraging words
which Postmaster General New ut.
tered in Mansfield last night upon the
celebration of the One.hundredth ami
versary Of John Sherman's birth. In
the course Of a speech touching upon
many topic, OF politics. prosperity and
administration, ne said: II happen "a
know that 1t IA the belief of the ad.
ministration-certain the hope-that
all these prosperous conditions will
permit the unexpected to happen in
the form of an early reduction Of tax.
alton. If our customs receipts con.
tinue at anything like the present rate
Treasury a surplus. which 1t Is at least
temporarily doing, the reduction will
be certain"
There have been previous intima.
tions from high official circles of the
probable realization of the hope Of q
reduction OF taxation. When MIR. New
himself a member Of the cabinet and
In touch with all the functionings OF
government as related by the depart
mental heads seated about the cabinet
table. says he happens to know" that
1t Is the administrations belief that
reduction will come he Is talking with
knowledge OF facts. not merely specu.
lating.
Before making that statement he
had called attention to conditions in
business. transportation and general
prosperity which furnish the founda-
ton for the administrations expecta.
ton Of a reduction, so he was arguing
from cause to expected natural effect.
The country is actually in a flourish.
ing condition, as shown by reports
from all sections and all industries.
This is bound to be reflected in the
governments financing. now in the
able hands Of Secretary Mellon. and,
when Congress meets. In legislation af
fecting taxation. Mr.. New said ii
would be early reduction" and the
country will echo, The earlier the bet.
ter"-and may the Postmaster Gen,
eral turn out to be good prophet.