davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
BERLIN SILENT ON
 EMBASSY INCIDENT
Foreign Office Trying To Shift
 Blame To Wiedfeldt

BERLIN, Feb. S.-(By the Associ- ated Press. l---The foreign office refuses to discuss the report of the possible res ignatiOn of Ambassador Wiedfeldt as a result of Washington flag incident. although in official and semi-official circles the position iS taken that the instructions sent to the ambassador by the foreign office two days before Mir. Wilson's death empowered him to place the embassy flag at half-staff if he thought it advisable.
 This view, however, apparently is not shared by most of the foreign diplo- mats here, who hold that the foreign of fice's instructions advising Ambassador Weidfeldt that the German government desired to take no official recognition Of Mir. Wilson's death. put authOriZ- ing him to do what he thought best in strictly personal capacity. did not justify him in placing the embassy flag at half-staff, which action iS univer- sally regarded by diplomats as an off cial act.
 It seems 10 be the intention of the German foreign office to shift the re- sponsibility to Mir. Weidfeldt and as it is known that he desirse to return to his old post with the Krupp concern, it would cause no surprise if he tooR this occasion to leave. the diplomatic service. which he entered unwillingly.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
HOSPITAL SITE SALE
 IS DUE FOR INQUIRY
Grand Jury Likely To Probe Ex-
 celsior Springs Transfer

CHICAGO, Feb. S-Examination of witnesses connected with the transfer of the Excelsior Springs, Mo, hospital site to the veterans bureau probably will be a part of. the grand jury in- quiry into the conduct of the bureau under Director Charles k. Forbes in the near future.
 Inquiry into details of the purcha SC, which involved $11G,000. was forecast by the announcement that additional witnesses would be summoned before the grand jury within few days.
 F. l.. Morse. who sold the site to the bureau, testified before the Senate committee which investigated the Forbes administration last year that the price paid by the government was Sl16,000. Major John F. O'Ryan, the committee counsel. declared the figure was exorbitant. declaring estimates of values ranged from $32.O00 10 $40,000.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
.B0lvD ISSUE FOR EDl|CATION.ONLY lS THE DECISION Representatives Of Many Organizations Hold
 Discussion DIR. HENDRIX IS CHOSEN
 COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN Decided Best Not To Mix Other Improvements With Need
 For More Schools

f An early referendum to pass on school bonds only was given approval Friday afternoon at a rousing mass meeting in the city hall attended by several hun. dred persons, including representatives of all labor and civic organizations.
 Birmingham's school situatI was held to. be alarming and fs3d of immediate and energetic avs and relief. -
 The mass meeting rs1cS1 itself ,in- to city-wide scho9s I campaign committee. Two .mittees were named to survey tb ation and make definite recomms ms, which, when approved, will assed on to the city commission fof final action.
 Committee Composition
 One of these subcommittees will be composed of one representative from each labor and civic body. It will visit the schools, hold public hearings and verify the statistics presented in the recent school survey of the board of education. Dr. W. R. Hendrix, pas tor of South Highland Methodist church, will head this committee, as chairman. ,.Ez,
 The other committee is composed Of school heads, City Comptroller c. E. Armstrong and officials of all the banking institutions. It will pay par ticular attention to finances aud will make recommendations concerning the city's ability to retire additional bonds. t45 Start Work Now
 These committees will get busy with out delay and will submit their findings to the central campaign committee at a needing to be called by Dr. Hendrix within the next two weeks. The plan is to call bond election not later than May 15.
 All members of the city commission attended tie meeting and entered en- thusiastically into the discussion. Their disposition is to follow closely the recommendations of the campaign body in submitting the bond issue to the voters. as
 Out of the full and frank discussion came the conclusion that bonds for n new public library should receive at tention as soon as the school bonds are passed. Numbers of speakers. repre- senting various organizations, declared that the library is an essential part of the educational system. n x Inc Junior Chsmber of Comfasrce. stbReziEh dt& espreseitta and women representing q number of organizations made powerful pleas for joint edu. cational bond issue to include school and library bonds. Before a. vote on this proposal was reached, however, Mrs. Angus Taylor, of the Axis club, withdrew the motion.
 Needs of Library.
 We must hateya library and we will have it" Mrs. Taylor said. We are daily risking the lives of our children Tn the fire-trap on the fourth floor of the city hall. The library is the
 (cshtisusa sa Page I've. Column Thrs,,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
LATE SHOALS BID
 PRODUCED BY HULL
Would Lease Property To Power
 Trust

WASHINGTON. Feb. S.-A bill providing for the lease of Muscle Shoals to a $15,000,000 corporation to be formed by the TeTnRessee Electric Power company and other southern power companies, was introduced today by Representative Hull. republican, Iowa
 The bill differs in hut one respect from measure introduced earlier in the session by Mir. Hull.
 ''rhe old Hull bill provides for two companies. one to be capitalized at Sl0.- 000,O00 for the production of power. the other to be capitalized at $5,000 GOO for fertilizer production. The present bill creates one company for both.
 "'Ihe bill is not in any way connect ed with a minority report, being pre- pared by Mir. Hull and other members of the house military committee. This report to be made public ot noon to- morrow, Mir. Hull said, would oppose acceptance of Henry FOrd's offer and not recommend any particular meas- Iire"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
|DAUGIIERTY DUE
 lyCARITALTODAY
Sudden Return Gives Rise To Rsiuaors Of His
 Resignaf Bon ssii

WASHINGTON,s Feh. &. A Attorney General Daiigherty, who left two weeks ago for an indefinite visit to Florida, is expected to return to Washiugton late tomorrow. The decision to come to the capital has led to many rumors, but all efforts to establish the reason for his return have been unsuccessful.
 At the department of justice, where it was said when he left that he would be absent several weeks unless urgent business prevented. officials declared today that they were in complete ignor- ance as to his intentions.
 A question at the White House as to whether Mir. Daugherty had been summoned hy the President brought the reply that athe attorney general was working on his plans, that he. had taken certain amount of work to Florida with him, which he now had completed, and that he apparently was returning here to busy himself with other mat ters.-
 ,, Rum0r Of Resignation l' .- One of the rumors current during the days-w was that he was on his way here to, lay his resignation before MT. Coolidge. There was no confirmation. White House officials declared that, if the resignation of any. cabinet members was imminent the President was un- aware of if. s'. !
 Another report, was that the attorney general had been asked to come here to take charge of the inquiry into the gasoline situation. On that question also the department of Justice officials in his office at the justice department declared they had no information.
 Mr. Daugherty himself has declined, pending his arrival, to make any state ment as to his reason for making the trip here from Florida, except to say that it is in the course of his duties.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
PART FRONTAGE
 DRENNEN STORE s CHANGES HANDS
Frank Nelson, Jr. Buys Downtown Property
 For $125,0

A. real estate deal said. to involve $125, GOO was consummated late. Friday afternoon when . lot having frontage of A feet on Twentieth street and form ing part of the Drennen department store property was sold by; J. W. Cooke, of Marks Miss, to- Frank Nelson, IT,, of Birmingham. The deal was negotiat- cd through A. A. Gambill, of the A. A. Gambill Realty company.
 The property includes the lot, 24 by 5Q feet. and that portion of the Dren- nen building situated on it. The sale will not affect the 'Drennen store, as the property is under lease which will not expire for several years. ,--.. The exact amount involved in the sale was not disnlged by Mir. Gambill, but it is understood to have been be- tween $120,O0O and $130, 900. Mfr. Gam. bill stated that this was one of a series of large real estate, transactions han dled by his firm, amounting to more than $1 ,O00, 900 within the past 60 days.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
SAYS PERISHABLE
 ... MATERIAL USED
House Committee Hears Con-
 struction Of Levees Attacked

WASHINGTON. Feb. S.-Fauity construction of levees along the Mississippi river by army engineers was said to Mtye been charged today by R.. c. Marshall. general manager of the Associated General Contractors of America, before an executive session of a subcommittee of the house appro- priations committee. "
 Mir. Marshall was said to have de- clared that t'psrishable materials'' were used in order that reduction ifi construction costs might be shown, supporting the assertion by referring to. q report of q special investigating committee of the Mississippi River Commission. r
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
JEFFERS' RESOLUTION
 HELD INDICTMENT OF
 ENTIREU. s. TREASURY
Will Republicans At, tempt To Balk In-
 tended Probe?.>
(wASHINGTON BUREAU)

V
 WASHINGTON. Feb. S.-Whether or not the republicans will have the affrontery to strangle the resolution offered today by Representative Lamar Jeffers of Alabama. calling for an in vestigation of the, income tax returns of E. l.. Doheny and II. r. Sinclair, oil magnates involved in the Teapot Dome scandal. is a moot point tonight.
 That they would be glad to strangle it is admitted to be true. But they are so deeply concerned by the inordinate depth and breadth of the scandal that some democrats regarded it as doubtful that they will have sufficient nerve to do what they would naturally do in normal times.
 returns of these millionaire oil mag mates who are alleged to have bribed former Secretary Fall, MT. Jeffers con- tends they will find that fraud has been practiced against the government, and further. that republican officials in high places have c0nnived with them. The resolution of Jeffers, as matter of fat, is regarded as an indictment of the treasury department from Secretary Mellon down to the messenger boys.
 In his statement following the intro- duction of the resolution. Mir. Jeffers declared that within the last several days since he initiated his movement to make public the Sinclair and Doheny returns, some one has requested per mission of the treasury department to look over the statements of Sinclair and Doheny. Jeffers, by indirection. nt least, intimated belief that chicanery was threatened if not practiced.
 He urged the officials of the depart ment to withhold Sinclair's and Doheny's returns from agents of those millionaires. To the correspondent of this newspaper, the Alabama member declared tonight that if the returns are not changed and corrected by agents of Sinclair and Doheny, further proof of their guilt will be brought to light
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
TRIED TO BUY
 LIQUOR--BUT i. GOT BEATING

Patronizing bootleggers has its bad points, according to M. c. Burns of Mineral Springs, who was carried to the Norwood nfirmary late Friday night suffering with q broken leg and severe lacerations about the face.
 Burns, according to his story, to police officials. who are investigat- ing the case went to a house to buy some liquor. When he stated his wants to the man of the house, blow in the face rewarded his efforts. He was then beaten and thrown down the steps and his leg broken. .s sE
 Probably case of mistaken identity" police say. However, they began a thorough investigation early Saturday morning. but were not willing to give the name of the man responsible for the attack.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09

The resolutions provide the inves- tigati,n shall cover the period from 1913. including 1922.
 The investigating committee would be c0m33sed of seven senators and eleven House members.
 T hope we have the investigation soon" Jeffers said. "and I hope that records in the treasury department will not be switched or doctored in any way nor any papers pertaining to cases taken from the files before we can have such thorough investigation as is needed.
 He declared there were unmistakable signs of gross favoritism" in the in- come tax unit of the treasury
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
SUSPENSION OF AGENTS REVIVES , RUM RING STORY
Mystery Cloaks Action Of U. $. Marshal At
 Washington

WASHINGTON, Feb. S.-The sensational rum ring story which shook the national capital just before Christ mas has begun with the mysterious suspension of five. deputies attached t. the office of K. c. Snyder. United states nnarshal for the District of Columbia, Er ;. All officials firmly refused to say more than that certain rumors had come to their attention and it was thought wise to suspend the five deputies in question without pay pend- ing verificatiOn of the reports.
 This action was taken by Marshal Snyder after consultation with Rush Holland. assistant attorney general. Hints that n startling development dis closing rum ring connections all through the east. and involving sec retary to United States Senator, were current, but officials would yer ify none of them. Forty or fifty arr rests are expected by some.
 Result of Secret Investigation
 The suspensions were the result of secret investigation made by the intelligence unit of the treasury.
 This is a part of the Christmas li- quor conspiracy investigation" an agent of this unit said, Friday. "The case is not yet complete. Forty or fifty more arrests may be made before it is over. What has been discovered thus far clearly indicates connection between local operators and those in other cities.
 We will attempt to make the con spiracy cases embrace not only the source in this country, but the trans portation and disposition agencies of the combine"
 Deputies suspended were John B. Newman. John J. Clarkson, r. H. Ernest J. Weaver and Charles $. Marshall.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
WILSON'S LIFE WAS INSURED
 FOR S2O,OOO

NEW YORK, Feb. 8,--L--ife fn- suranee of $20,000 was carried by Woodrow Wilson in one New York company, 1t was learned today. The former President took out two $10,- 900 policies, one at the age of 8, when Q professor at Princeton uni 'yersity. and the other in 1899, six years later, his occupation tat that time being given as lawyer and lee turer.
 Mir. Wilson once said a man who did not provide for his children and depe1dants had not 'opened his eyes to an adequate conception of human Hfes'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
PITTSBURG HOLDS
 PRATT CITY NEGRO
Albert Love Charged With Kill ing Three Women In 1920

PITTSBURGH, Pa. Feb. S.-Al- bert Love, 49, negro, wanted, ac- cording to word received from police of Birmingham, Ala. in connection with the staying Of three women, was arrested here tonight by city dctec- tives. A letter written by r. H. Me- Duff, chief of police of the Southern city, received by the local police to- day, stated that the women were killed in Pratt, suburb of Birmingham, August 18, 1920. The letter gave no details of the slayings.
 Charged with being a' fugitive from justice Love is being held for the Birmingham authorities.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
JUMP IN POSTAL
 RECEIPTS REPORTED
0WAsHINOTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON. D. C.. Feh. s. Although fifteen of the fifty industrial cities considered by the postoffice de- partment showed decrease in postal receipts in January, 1924. as against January, 1923. when the general gain was prodigious. Birmingham ranked fifth for the country. It's gain was 20.67 per cent. Its receipts were $107,- 296.S1 as against $8S.916.42. Birming- hams gain in January. 1923, over Janu- ary. 1922. was only 1G,21 per cent.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
FLORIDA'S GUARDS
 WILL PROTECT JAIL
Fear Attempt To Seize Three
 Negro. Prisoners

JACKSONVILLE. Fla, Feb. S. Eighty national guardsmen tonight were placed on duty around the county jail following the receipt of a report by Sheriff w. H. Bowling. that an attempt might be made to seize three negroes held there in connection with the kill ing on the morning of December 20. of Alley B. Terrell, a locomotive engineer.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
BOLSHEVIK
 PAPERS ENJOY OIL SCANDAL

MOSCOW, Feb. S.-"Amcrica is the country where bribery is most flcurishing '"
 This. t'ie dashins hcadliuc I Mos COW newspaper pIaes Js 'ii'untch regarding. tue Teapo' SDome s~r"a'. Ali newspaper hers ylrs ias.ng advantage of the 1'earg UoBoc sii uation to stlscla Aper5,ea polsscsl institutions aad AmarieBn peliti- ciank ts
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
MOVIE ACTRESS
 STRANCLED AND
 SLAINNBOUDOR
Louise Lawson, Famous, On New York's White
 Way, Found Dead
By wEsrBRooK PEeLER tleassd Wire ts Tho Asa .Hsrald)

r NEW YORK, Feb. S.---Another beautiful young woman who went the route of champagne and diamonds, road-house parties and wild entertain ments in the privacy of expensive apartments in New York city, paid the price Friday when a strangler throttled her, attacked her, stripped her of her jewels and left her dead.
 Louise Lawson was found by her colored maid, dashed to her bed by bonds of torn silk from the purchased finery of her boudoir.
 The apartment, an expensive but very small one just off Central Park, west, on Seventy-seventn street. fac ing the austere walls of the museum of natural history, was in wild disar- ray as though the strangler had had a terrific fight before Overpowering Miss Lawson. Her wrists were bound together behind her back with pair of extraordinarily costly stockings, A small towel was stuffed in her mouth and held in place by a bath towel wound about her head, A leather dog leash and twisted ropes of silk from her night dress and kimono, fastened her, face down on the pretty little bed Lillian Harvey. the negro maid, ut- tered scream of alarm that brought Thomas King, the elevator man, shoot ing up the shaft in his car, and sub sequently brought the police converg- ing on the exclusive Aeighborhood from aif disectioris- .A 4g5,.ss (;
 Came From Texas
 As the police gathered the story of Miss Lawson, she was a Texas girl, who came here six years ago from Walnut Springs, in that state, ambi- tious to become a queen of the movies or to star in musical comedy. Friends at home had told her she was beauti- full and could sing. As to her beauty they made no mistake, but it was not the sort of beauty demanded by the motion picture impresarios of New York. At any rate she played only occasional bits and soon found her self independent of the slim pay which that measre department of movie art provides,
 Angler B. Duke. one of the heirs of the $50,O00,O00 tobacco fortune. was one of her friends and she was in the party on that trag;: night last sum- mer when the sporty young millionaire, confused by the darkness and the ex- citement of the evening, missed his step into a dory and was drowned.
 As in the case of Dottie King, the police found profusion of highly in-
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The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
COLON ORDERED TO
 :. HONDURAS PORT
State Department Receives Ap- peal Froin Americans There

WASHINGTON, Feb. S:--The cruis- CT Rochester. of the special service squadron, now at Colon, has been ord cred to La Ceibe, Honddras, in re- sponse to an appeal to the state le- partment from American residents who fear that revolutionary developments will jeopardize their interests. Y
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
AGED PRISONER
 sa BREAKS PAROLE
7fiy-Year-0 Old Convict Returned ~ To Prison

CAMBRIDGE, Mass, Feb. Sold John Benedetto, who served the last IA of his 50 ySars in Marquette peni- sentifry. and who was paroled last
 Jhnes is going back to Michigan to resume serving his sentence of 90 years. He vas paroled on condition that he returg to Italy. Instead he came to
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
MINNESOTA BANKER
 MAY DIRECT RELIEF

NEW YORK Feb. S--tBy the As sociated Press.l--S. T. Jaffrey. presi- dent of the First National Bank ur Minneapolis, tentatively has been se- lected to head the $100lO.0n0 service corporation which will extend financial and to the northwestern banks, aceord- ing to New York members of the Bank
 CTS committed, which met with Presl- gsnt Coolidge in Washington last Mol.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
P. n. EITZ DEAD

HUNTSVILLE, Ala, Feb. S.--(Spe- cial. )--P. T. Sitz. prominent citizen of New Market. died. yesterday at Mays vile, where he was visiting. His wife and four children survive him. The children are Mrs. Ray of Winchester, Tenn; J. H, Sitz of Birmingham; Mrs. NJ. E. Albright of Union Springs. and F. T. Sitz, Jr., of New Market. Mir. Sitz was B5 years old.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
AVIATION PLANs STOLEN

PARIS. Feb. S.--The arrest of a number of Frenchmen and foreigners has revealed the fact that highly impor- tant plans have been stolen from the Breguet aviation factory at Villa Cou- bly,.
 The plans include designs for the newest typs of war planes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-09
BsELIN WANTS INQUIRY

owed From Federal Reserve ( WASHINGTON, Feb. S.--Thc Senate oil committee was urged today by Sem sic Heflin' democrat, Alabama, to in- tAsle into the financial transactions of William Boycc Thompson, of New York, wo he said was a Sinclair stockhOlder s3d borrower from the Chase Nation &lbank.
 is Sinclair stockholder." the 7 Alabama senator asserted, land during the last presidential campaign borrowed &S.0D0,000 on dummy note from a member of the federal reserve system in New York, we should know what he did with the money"