davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-09

Two Slain In ~ y Courthouse Fight
Marjorie Rambeau
Says Husband
Beat Her

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. g.
Marjorie Rambeau, actress, who
separated from her husband,
Hugh Dillman, co-star of "The
Fortune Teller" before begin
ming her repertoire engagement
here, placed the story of her un-
happy second marriage before
the superior court in a divorce
petition yesterday, declaring
Dillman had beaten and deserted
her.
Concealing her domestic trou-
bles on arrival in San Francisco,
Miss Rambeau insisted that she
and Dillman had not quarreled,
but the divorce petition of Mar
jorie Rambeau McGaughy VS..
Hugh Dillman McGaughy, filed
by Attorney Walter McGovern,
laid bare the tale.
They were married in New
York March 8, 1919. Last Feb
ruary, she says, Dillman struck
and beat her, and in April de-
serted her. She says she does
not know where he is.
The marriage was Marjorie
Rambeau's second unhappy ven
tuFe. She was formerly the wife
Of Willard Mack, whom ehe-di-
vorced in 1917.
Dillman Is thought still TO be
In New York.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-09
CABINET SHIFTS
CERTAIN, SAY
LEADERS
DaughertX, Mellon and Hoover
to Go Shortly, Reports De-
cIare-Status of Others.
By WILLIAM X. HUTCHINSON,
International News Service.

By WILLIAM X. HUTCHINSON,
International News Service.
Speculation on possible changes in
the Cabinet Of President Calvin
Coolidge flooded the Capital today
with rumors, one being that at least
four members will retire to private
life within the next month.
While President Coolidge has given
no tnkling Of his attitude toward the
Cabinet beyond his official state
ments asking all members to remain
some of his closest advisers have
permitted it to become known that
there will be number of changes.
Republican party leaders have ''can.
vassed" the situation thoroughly and
their opinions are almost unanimous
that at least four members will re-
sign within a very few weeks.
The Cabinet situation, outlined
from a concensus among party
leaders. Is as follows:
Charles E. Hughes, Secretary Of
State: Will remain, at least until
after Congress convenes, to complete
treaties which he formulatde during
the recess. If his friends formally
launch a Presidential boom behind
him his resignation would come at
Continued ON Page q. Column ~
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-09
FUNERAL TRAIN
NEARLY TWO
HOURS LATE
Canton Arrival Is Behind
ScheduIe-Program Not to
Be Affected, However.

MARION, Ohio, Aug. S.-With
word received here this morning that
the funeral train bearing the late
President Harding was running an
hour and forty minutes late at Can
ton, no change in the program had
been announced at 10 a. m. The
train is now due to arrive about noon
Central time). according to latest Of
ficial information.
The present programs for today
and tomorrow are as follows:
Noon Thursday: Arrival of funeral
train at Union station the body to
be taken Immediately to 498 East
Center street, home Of DR.. George
7. Harding.
Two to 10 p. m. Thursday: Hard
ing home open for friends and
neighbors to view the remains.
Nine a. m. to 1 p. m. Friday: The
final opportunity for sOrrowing Ohio
to pay her last respects, when public
will again be permitted to pass the
bier.
II a. m. F'riday-Special train bear.
ing President Coolidge scheduled to
arrive.
2 p. m. Friday-Funeral cortega
will be formed at Harding residence,
followed Immediately on arrival at
Marion Cemetery by brief and simple
funeral services.
3 p. m Friday-Services at vault
| in cemetery.
6 p. m. F'riday-Mrs. Harding
scheduled to depart for Washington.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-09
MAN KILLS
WIFE, IS
!. SHOT
Crowd in Panic As Bullets Fly
Thick Between Police and
Enraged Husband.

NEW YORK, Aug. 9.-Scores Of
men and women in the Washington
Heights court were thrown into
wild panic today oy a shooting af-
fray which claimed two lives. Nor
man Roberts, a thfrty-year-old ne
gro, was shot to death by the police
after he had fired five bullets into
the body his wife. Mrs. Nellie
Roberts, killing her.
Mrs. Roberts had obtained . sum
mons for her husband. AS he
reached the corridor Of the court,
he saw his wife, and a heated argu-
ment followed. Suddenly drawing
a revolver, Roberts began firing at
his wife at close range. She fell.
but Roberts continued to shoot.
Pandemonium broke loose in the
court. There was a wild scramble
for the doorways, while men fought
each other in their haste. Women
screamed and tainted.
Policemen made for Roberts, who
began firing at them. The police
men returned the fire, wounding the
negro. He died from the effects OF
three bullets which entered his
body. A negro policeman fired
some Of the shots which ended Rob-
erts' life.
The excitement was so intense po-
lice reserves had to be summoned
to restore order.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-09
WOMAN PLAYED
ROLE IN STEEL
MAN SDEATH
Jealousy and Revenge Seen As
Motives of Staying of Prom
inent Club Man.

ERIE, Pa, Aug. S.-Robbery,
jealousy, revenge, were the three
theories which authorities Of Erie
and Crawford Counties worked UP
today in a search for a motive for
the murder Of Charles p. Laird,
Homestead mill superintendent and
well-known club man, found shot to
death in his car on q lonely road
near North Girard yesterday.
Miss Alice Cronin. head nurse Of
the First Aid Hospital, an employee
of the murdered superintendent.
who was the last person known to
have seen Laird alive, was brought
to Erie today to attend the inquest
Laird was at North Girard to in
spect the Boy Scout camp and left
the camp Tuesday afternoon for
Cambridge Springs. intending, 1t was
said, to remain there all night.
Miss CrOnln at Hotel.
Miss Cronin, with her sister, Mrs.
Mary Sheppard. was at the Hotel
Bartlett, Cambridge Springs, recu-
peratlng from q nervous breakdown,
according to the sisters statement.
Leading facts in the case as
brought out by investigation of
county authorities are:
The last person known TO have
seen Laird alive is Miss Cronin.
reports from North Girard are
tnat Laird was seen with a. woman
IN his car In that town about 1880
O'Clock Tuesday night.
MISS Cronin. at the Hotel Bartlett.
cambridge Springs, declared she and
Lard were in Cambridge at 1O:45
o'clock Tuesday night.
Photograph Found.
A small photograph of Miss Cronin
was found In Lairds suit case.
county authorities sought to verify
MISS Crontns statement that she
was at her hotel at 1855 o'clock
Iuesday night. A bellboy of the Ho.
tel bartlett declares he served Ice
water to both Miss Cronin and her
sister, Mrs. Sheppard, at HAS
O'Clock Tuesday night.
MISS Cronin declared she saw q
woman at the Scout camp TUESDAY
AFTERNOON. but did not know who she
was.
Miss Cronin accompanied Laird
from Cambridge Springs to the
scout camp Tuesday afternoon and
then to Erie for dinner and said that
ne brought her to the Bartlett Hotel
at 1O:45 o'clock Tuesday night, tbs
police declare
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-09
SPEECH Of CUNO
MAY DELAY
PEACE
British Cabinet Pessimistic,
French Angry, AS Problem
Grows More Difficult.
By DAVID M. CHURCH.
international News Service.

LONDON, Aug. 9.-The defiant
Reichstag speech of Chancellor
Cuno, of Germany, had put fresh
obstacles in the way of a repara-
tions settlement when the Brit
ish Cabinet again met today to
canvass the situation. There was
a general air of pessimism and
some officials expressed the fear
that the task of reaching a So
luton might prove hopeless one.
Chancellor Cuno's declaration that
Germany would continue passive re-
sistance in the Ruhr, coupled with
the determined attitude Of the pro-
French members of the cabinet, in
tensified the burden upon Premier
Stanley Baldwin.
The Idle hards," as the pro
French officials are known, feel
their position has been strengthened
by the Cuno statement with it's chal-
lenge to France.
1t is understood, however, that
the premier and Foreign Secretary
Lord Curzon are determined that
no further concessions shall be
made to France except as q last
| resort.
British newspapers took a gloomy
view of the situation and stated 1t
was unlikely the cabinet could reach
a final decision at this time.
The tentative contents Of the pro.
posed reparations memorandum to
France were discussed Informally.
OFFICIALS frankly admitted they did
not know what the next STEP
would be-
Dispatches from Paris said Chan
celior Cuno's speech had aroused
much anger in that country. II
was regarded as an answer to the
french demand that passive resist
ance cease before negotiations are
/. opened for a definite settlement OF
the Ruhr-reparations issue.
Foreign office officials pointed out
that Chancellor Cuno's denuncia
tlon or the British proposals I'm.
eased the situation between Grea,
Britain and France" Instead of
forcing the two great allied powers
further apart, the German states
mans words removed some of III.
. differences between them. LORE
robert Cecil made a report tn tht
cabinet on Premier Poincare's atti
tude, after which the meeting ad
30urneds -
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-09
KEPNERIN
FEAR Of
PROBE
Reply to Note From Miss
Rickett Causes Sensation.
She Tells of Parties.
By VINCENT CALLAHAN.

BY VINCENT CALLAHAN
FREDERICK, Nd, Aug. o.
The prosecution today sprung a
surprise during the trial Of B.
Evard Kepner, charged with the
murder Of his wife, when they
produced letter written by Keep
ner to Miss Lula v. Rickett, his
pretty twenty =four-year-old secret
sweetheart, a few days after the
Investigation into the death of
Mrs. Kepner.
It was during Miss Ricketts,
appearance on the stand and
while she was telling about the
whiskey and petting parties
which she was on with Kepner
that the letter was produced.
Is Important.
The communication is considered
q most important link In the chain
Of circumstantial evidence against
Kepner.
On July 4, last, Miss Rickett, hear
ing rumors about Kepner and his
wife's mysterious death, penned him
a short note. She sent it by Charles
A. Wickless, an employee of the same
candy shop where she worked. It
was written on baby blue paper.
Kepner penned his reply on the back.
The letter and reply follow:
what is all this going on? Give
me all details / don't know what
to do. I heard all this a. m. about
detectives watching me and are
going to get me. Send me word by
this party.
(SigneD "V."
The reply:
'They are trying to prove that I
killed Mrs. X. Some things 1 had
to own up to about you and me
and as they have the proof, that
I had been out with you, and that
I gave you a few presents such as
hose. underwear and a wrist
watch. If you are questioned, do
not deny this as it had better be
as 1t is. I have two attorneys
keeping me straight. You know
nothing immoral has ever been be-
tween us. Try not to worry, as
they have not got anything on
YOU. It's the hell they are giving
me. Also they know that 1 was
in Baltimore with you"
Kepner's reply was unsigned.
Miss Rickett. attired entirely In
black. wore a lace hat and crepe
dress. She was very nervous on the
stand and blushed many times, par
ticularly when delicate questions
were put to her.. Her answers. how
ever. came without hesitation and
were generally emphatic.
Audience Mostly Women.
The eyes of some 500 persons,
MOSTLY women, were constantly on
The twenty -four .year-old Frederick
girl. Miss Rickett, however, kept
her face turned toward the Judges
bench and seldom glanced at the
anectators. Her voice was low and
she could only be heard by those
nearest the bench.
Kepner sat some ten feet away,
smiling now and then. He was par
ttcularly pleased when Miss Rickett
denied time and again that Kepner
had never proposed marriage to her.
He showed a special interest in her
testimony and made numerous sug-
gesttons to his attorneys, Leo Vein
herg and Guy K. Motter.
States Attorney l.. r. Anders
conducted the direct examination of
Miss Rickett, who occupied the
stand for one hour. The judges also
Joined in the questioning and showed
more interest in this witness than
Continued on Page 2, Column 81
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-09
By GEORGE r. HOLMES,
International News Service.

On Board Harding Funeral
Train En- Route to Marion, Ohio,
Aug. 9.-Warren G. Harding
came back home today. The Ma
ton that has claimed his flag
wrapped body since his tragic
death on the Far West coast 3
week ago and spanned a continent
with a homage unprecedented In
the history of the country, gave
him back today to his own Ohio.
And Ohio received him with wide
open arms, as is befitting an hon
ored and well-loved son long gone
from the home hearth.
TIrongs Delaying Train.
The funeral train made a special
stop of one minute at Canton as q
mark of respect for President Nc
Kinley, who is buried here.
When the train reached Canton 1t
was an hour and forty minutes late
and it seemed probable that it would
be three hours late getting into
Marion.
At every station Ohio turned out
to show her sorrow. Brief stops
were made throughout the morning.
There was q particularly big out.
pouring at Alliance.
Canton turned out en- masse. For
a mile leading into the city, thou
sands were gathered. Automobiles
for miles around brought farmers to
see the passing train.
The dense throngs at every station
necessitated the slow running. Ohio
national guardsmen were at Canton
and most of the other stops.
At Home To Sleep.
There was no clatter Of arms, no
show Of military. no booming OF
guns, no gold braid and tinsel today
when the body Of the twenty-ntnth
President came back home to sleep
forever in the soil that gave him
birth. But there was, as dawn
stole over the eastern horizon.
silent display of reverential regard,
or real sadness from the Onions
that lined his homeward trail that
was more poignant than the most
glittering display OF pomp and
power.
Yesterday Warren g. Harding be-
longed to the nation. ana % the
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-09
PRESIDENT
To GALL
FARLEY
viii Discuss Prohibition With
Governors As Harding
Had Planned.

President Coolidge plans to sum-
mon the governors of all States
to a White House conference early
next month to discuss prohibition
enforcement, it was learned to-
day. The conference, originally
planned by the late President
Harding, will be carried out by
the new Executive along the same
lines, it was said.
Urged by G. W. Pfnchot.
Gov. Clifford Pinchot. of Pensy1-
vania, called on President Coolidge
today urging that the Harding plan
Be followed. Other administration
"dry" leaders have indorsed Pinch
OTIS suggestion.
The Presidents other callers to-
day included Gen. John J. Pershing
and his fatherin-law. Senator Fran
els E. Warren Rep) Of Wyoming
They merely presented their re-
spects to the executive.
Congressman Garrett Dem.) of
Tennessee, led a delegation of con-
gresmen into the executive offices
He was followed by Congressman
RepJ of Indiana, Michner Rep)
of Michigan, and Kunz Oem.) of
Illinois. All paid their respects.
New Head Of Red Cross.
President Coolidge accepted the
honorary presidency of the Ameri-
can National Red Cross. The post
was rendered him formally by AS
sistant Secretary of the Treasury
Elliott Wadsworth. and the Presi-
dent accepted. Each incumbent
president has held the office for
many years.
Receives Foreign ENJOYS.
President Calvin Coolidge toda,
held q formal reception for tn,
corps of diplomats representing for
eign governments in the American
Capital.
Sixty ENJOYS, wearing forma
dress, paid the official respects o
their governments to the new Pres
dent. who received them in tn
magnificent crystal ballroom of tn
Willard Hotel, the temporary Whit
House.
ne were leu by OO
Juan Y Gayangos, the Spanish an
bassador, acting as dean of tn
corps in the absence of Ambassado
Jusserand of France.
By his action in receiving tn
diplomatic corps outside the Whit
House, President Coolidge snashe
all presidents. State Department
officials said later it was the firs
time a Chief Executive had held an
formal reception outside the Whit
House since that structure was frs
occupied by a President in 1900.
The exigencies following the deaf
of President Harding and the desir
. of President Coolidge to take up In
mediately the official acts of HI
Continued on Page 2. Column Q.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-09
HOMAGE Of
ALL OHIO
DELAYS
TRIP
Stop of Minute Made at Can
ton In Respect for Presi-
dent Mckinley.
International News Service.

MANSFIELD, Ohio, Aug. e.
Fifteen thousand silent men and
women greeted the Harding
funeral train when il arrived IN
Mansfield at 11:4O. The train
was transferred from the Penn
syIvania to the Erie railroad here.
Mourning thousands are delaying
the train.
WOOSTER, Ohio, Aug. g.
The Harding funeral train passed
through Wooster at 1885. A vast
crowd paid respectful homage as
the train passed, going very
slowly.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-09
Senator Says Silent
''Cal" Coolidge
Talked
BY International News Service.

Calvin Coolidge has spoken
freely for the first time since
he became President.
Senator Medill Mccormick
(Rep.) of Illinois, is authority
for the statement. Coming
from a conference with the
President today, Mccormick
said: 81 was the interested
listener. l listened very earn
estly and did no talking"
What was said? Nobody
knows for Mccormick wouldn't
tell.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-09
Disrobes in Car; Fined 500

On charges of undressing and re-
firing in a parked automobile at
Sixth and b streets northwest last
night. John MoVeagh was arratgned
in police court today and fined 500.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-15
Conscience or Romance?

deals operate there. The yachts in the har. bor seemed rather emblematic of the idea that all Americans very rich The tives lined the shore to see us-get off the boat
 We went to live with friends, MT. and Mrs. George w. Amhruster rich wholesale liquor people. We lived with them and went back and forth on the boat nearly every day in our little lauf ch. It surprised me to see that nearly ,, the people were Americans. had seen many of them among sporting circles and at Saratoga at the races.
 The majority own their own boats. The harbor is packed full. There were num- Der of boats from New Orleans and New Jersey. It seemed strange to me that all these men would come on pleasure trips alone. None had women with them. There were even a lot of men travelling along with their crews.
 In the little town of assau, one of the biggest institutions is the bank where these men keep their money. Every time l went to the bank l saw Americans coming out As we were coming out of the bank one day, l met the captain of the YanktonA-a Frenchman. He remarked about the windy voyage to New York, and told Antonio Cassese that he had little business to talk over.
 We stayed at the island five days. l mo- ticed that Antonio Cassese and the mem bers of the crew had great deal of busi- ness to do and that they were very busy There are a great many wholesale liquor dealers and the competition is very keen These people entertaind us royalty, Each wholesale liquor dealer in entertaining, would bring along some specially rare brand of liquor for us to sample.
 Unique Method of Protection
 One man 1 knew the island, also q wholesale liquor dealer, is under $10,O0O bail now. We were never introduced to him. As we were walking on the street one day this stopped his Cunningham roadster. He had evidently been looking for us He introduced himself and said that he knew our yacht was lying out 1t Salt Key, and he had some business which he would like to discuss. He took us to his warehouse, and had us sample specimens of his stock. He had partner, an Ameri- can, who was an employe of the United States government, unknown to the people of Nassau. If he could influence you to buy your products from his friend he liked you very much. And he never said any, thing about it. But there were lot of men
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-15

sonville and boarded Edith" and started north
 The First Rough Sea
 And what a rough time we had. It was the end of November.
 Just off Del Break Water there was a terrific gale. I was frightfully sea sick. l stayed below. After while, however, got lonesome, so l decided to go up on deck. The skylight had closed over and it was dark below I cold hardly push the door up to get out. It took me nearly an hour to get that door open, and when l did
 The gale was blowing about sixty miles an hour. It was hailing and raining. As soon as the rain touched deck, it turned to ice. There was not a soul on deck, un- less the black cat that was walking about unconcerfed had souE l got the cat with much difficulty and went down under meath where the IA men of the crew were.
 Ordinarily the Edith does IF or 15 knots. But in this gale it took up four hours-the gale was terrific-to get into the shelter of the break-water, three miles away Waves the size of mountains were flashing the boat. And the Edith" instead of riding over them, was so narrow and sharp, that she cut right through. In that storm, which was my first, l said: "This is my last trip. I won't have it.
 The old negro woman was nearly fright ened to death. She was praying constantly. She said that the black cat was unlucky, and if we didn't throw it overheard we would all be drowned. But l maintained that the black cat was good luck. So we kept the cat.
 The voyage continued rough, and we got back on December 23 had taken an apartment on the Drive before l left on October IT. It was busy rushing around town shopping and fixing up the apartment until the middle of January, when we again put out on our next trip. Antonio Cassese and went down by rail to Jacksonville.
 The gulf stream is very mysterious. There is straight line on one side, the water is the fish and the bottom of the boat. On the other side the ocean is black. The stream is never very calm. You get to the gulf stream just after passing Jupiter Light. I wouldn't mind dying in the ocean, but l always prayed I wouldn't die in the gulf stream.
 After passing Jupiter Light, going down, you wake up the next morning in the tropics. The shade of the gulf stream is the exact shade of the new stone called aqua marine that you have seen in a lot of rings. This light green shades into Nile green.
 In getting to the Bahamas, we passed a group of islands about 10 o'clock in the morning. The big islands were unin- habited. Most of them barren waste.
 At o'clock in the afternoon we were in
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-15

sight of the Island of Nassau. I have never seen anything so marvellous in my life. There are palm trees and coconut trees. think the Bahamas are much more beautiful than Palm Beach. All the houses are archi- tecturally Spanish They are white with red roofs. We didn't go right in.
 We were eight miles from Nassau at the Island of Salt Key in quarantine. There were several other boats at anchor, big fishing .schooners with three and four masts-the kind that only men can go on There were lot of yachts I was keen to look over the boats from New York to see If they were any better than the Edith" l thought it to be quite busy harbor-hke Havana.
 I was amazed to see the 'Yankton. a former government boat The captain of the Yankton, handsome man with gold stripes on his shoulder, to my surprise, was
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-15

arrested on their arrival in New York who had refused to buy his friends products, but had got their store of liquor elsewhere. The wholesalers deal in millions and have become tremendously wealthy. You can get to Miami overnight from the Bahamas. Very often in the rush of important liquor business, it is necessary to travel in air planes. It was necessary for me to make several trips- One of the planes I had rid- den in dropped into the water and every body was killed.
 Copyright, 1923, by the Bell Syndicats
 ses Inc.)