davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
AUTO KILLS DELTA FARMER
H. l., Stephens Dies After Accident In Anniston-Two Hurt
 Admission Bureau)
AnnistOn Bureau

ANNISTON,. Ala, Nov. 12.-H. l.. Stephens, farmer and blacksmith of Delta, Clay county, is dead, two others are injured and Mcbride King is in jail here today on chargef of man slaughter and driving car while in- toxicated after his auto struck the three men late yestefday.
 J. U. Boggs, also of Delta and J. II. Sassnett, of Anniston, who were in- jured, were reported recovering today. Sassnett was discharged from the hos pital. Boggs is suffering from severe bruises and decorations.
 Shortly after the accident King was arrested by Chief of Police O. P. White and Detectives Sam Smith and Alex Deason on. the charges of driving a car while intoxicated. The city cases were continued when called this morning and warrant charging manslaughter was served on King by Sheriff W. F. Kinghton.
 The accident occurred on Noble street near the intersection of Ninth street when the three men were walking across the thoroughfare. King did not stop after the accident.
 The body of H. l.. Stephens, who died late last night at local infirmary, was sent this afternoon to his home at Delta for funeral services and inter- meTlt
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
WOMAN DUBBED
 M O'BANION CASE
Political Foe Of Slain Beer King
 Ready To Appear
(By Associated Press. )

CHICAGO, Nov. 12.-Margaret Col lins, who had been termed by police the woman in the Dion O'Bannion murder case, surrendered today, and in few hours was released. .fs
 The young woman who said her real name was Mary and that she had lived until recently in New York, de- nied ever having known the florist-beer runner other than as a customer.
 Dominick Libby" Nuccio, minor po- litical leader, through his attorney an- swered tonight that he was ready to be questioned in connection with the mur- der. Police have been seeking NucciO since they turned from the beer theory to that of politics as the cause of the staying. Nuccio was reported to have worked for candidates opposed to those supported by O'Bannion last election day and in so doing became involved in q fist fight with the gangster.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
MURDER CHARGED
 TO YOUNG WOMAN
Will Go On Trail Thursday At
 Montgomery

MONTGOMERY, Ala, Nov. 12.- Miss Violet Young, 26, Will be tried for murder here tomorrow in connection with the shooting of William Weaver, local blacksmith in a room at the Geor- gia hotel Sunday. Coroner Diffley re- turned verdict of murder in the first degree although Miss Young claims the blacksmith shot himself. Weaver was Respondent and had often said he would shoot himself, the girl told officers.
 'He came in my room Sunday and suddenly drew the gun and shot him self in the head" she said.
 Guests at the hotel testified at the coroner's inquest that Weaver was in good spirits shortly before the shoot ing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
COHEN TO RETAIN
 NEW ORLEANS POST
Washington Attorneys Suit Against Negro Is Dismissed
lRx Associated Press. ]

NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 12.-The suit of F. Edward Bolte. Washington D. C., attorney, seeking to oust Walter l.. Cohen, negro comptroller of customs here, from office, and attacking legal ity of the adoption of the fourteenth amendment to the constitution of the United States, was dismissed today in federal district court by Judge Rufus F. Foster. Bolte asserted Cohen was not citizen of the United States since he was "of African descent and could not claim citizenship because the amendment conferring, it was illegal.
 statesmen, jurists and historians, have termed that amendment the Amer ican Magma Charta," said Judge Foster. And some have even termed 1t the Maxima Charta. For 56 years it has stood as q bulwark against attacks on the rights of citizens"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
WILBUR REPLIES
 TO INJUNCTION SUIT
Declares Destruction Of Battle
 ship Provided In Treaty

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12-Secretary of the Navy Wilbur, answering the suit asking that he be enjoined from de. stroying the battleship Washington holds that the naval limitations treaty specifically provides for the scrapping of this capital ship, and that congress empowered the President to authorize the method by which it's destruction is to be accomplished.
 Wilbur's formal answer to the suit brought in the district supreme court here by W. B. Shearer, of New York an inventor and writer of naval affairs was sent to the department of justice Wednesday to be filed through that channel.
 Meanwhile, the navy department is going ahead with plans for sinking the ship off the Virginia Capes in gunfire and mining tests.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
CHICAGO SUBURB
 PANIC STRICKEN
 BY DRY ROUNDUP
Every Prohibition Agent In IllinOs Recruited For
 Armed Cicero Drive

CHICAGO, Nov. 12.-Brandishing | freshly cleaned, well-oiled shotguns, 7O prohibition agents swooped down upon | the suburban town of Cicero Wednes- day night to clean up "the wettest spot 1 in the United States
 Every federal prohibition agent in H. linois had been recruited for the small army which carried warrants for 3e Adiyes" and was under the command of Chief Agent Charles Vursell. Vursell | declared the notorious suburb was to be dried up ''once and for all" ] Reports here late Wednesday night said the dry agents were hopping up, apparently without any determined op- | position. Vursell had summoned every agent | under his jurisdicatiOn to report at headquarters here Wednesday, and late | in the afternoon the entire force an- swered to roll call.
 At first it was believed a shake-up
 was coming, as the chief had been my sterious as to his plans. Then the word
 got out that Ciccero was to be ralded. | The rumor came from Cicero. "Some- one" had tipped the little beer town off.
 The excitement in Cicero is intense, and hundreds of barrels of beer, and other hundreds of gallons of alcohol are being destroyed.
 1t is common knowledge that the
 prohibition law has been sniffed at by
 the bootleggers in Cicero, and because | of "political pull" the town has never been really cleaned up.
 Fifty dives" are said to be operat- ing openly. Several of them were owned or controlled by Dion O'Bannion the "artist in crime" who was shot to death several days ago in his floral shop in Chicago. The raid, coming be- fore the "king" has been buried, has caught the bootleggers and gamblers without leader and they are panic stricken.
 Many of the gang leaders" are des- perate characters, and the prohibition agents stated, as they left headquarters here, that they expected a fight, and yaro nrnDornd for if y
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
VIM. H. HARKlNS, MASTER FORGER,
 HELD IN MIAMI
Fugitive, Wanted In Many Cities, Readily
 Admits Identity
TAKEN AT HOTEL;
 CELL UNDER GUARD
Prisoner Declared !To Have Led JailbYeak At
 Ft. Worth, Texas

MIAMI, Fla, Nov. 12.- "Lieutenant" William Hagan Harkins, known as the mas ter forger" and wanted in many cities in the United States under many aliases, was arrested here today by City Detective Rose on com plaint of the Miami office of the w. J. Burns detective agency.
 Harkins, sought by the American Bankers association and described by them in a recent number of the asso- ciations official journal as a forger, admitted his identity when questioned by Police Chief Quigg and detectives following his apprehension.
 Harkins offered Detective Rose S5,- 900 for three hack saw blades and handle for them, Rose told Quigg fol- lowing the arrest. The offer was raised to $8,OOO to Detective Wilkerson of the city forces as the officer was lock ing Harkins in cell, Wilkerson told the chief. Chief Quigg at once placed guards over Harkins.
 Three Others Held
 With Harkins at the time of his ar rest was man who gave his name as Robert E. Rainbolt, and two women, one of them said to be Harkins, wife. The four were stopping at hotel when taken into custody.
 Harkins told Detective Nelson of the city detective bureau that he could 20 out on Miami streets and raise" S1O,O0O or $15,000 in an hour, the detective said tonight ."Money means nothing to me as I can get plenty more of it at any time," Nelson said Harkins told him.
 Harkins and Rainbolt readily per- mitted finger prints to be taken, but the two women fought to prevent De- .tective Sergeant Nelson taking theirss
 Registered As Scoefield
 When arrested Harkins was registered under the name of E. NJ. Scoefield. The pary is said to have arrived in Miami Monday from a point in North Caro- lima.
 Identification marks broadcast by the American Bankers association, deep scar on Harkins face, q silver plate in his head and scars left by gunshOt wounds on his left brest, checked with scars on the prisoner.
 Information in the hands of police indicates that Harkins escaped from jails and insane asylums three times, once being credited with being the ring leader in a jail delivery at Fort Worth, Texas, when six prisoners made their getaway.
 Harkins is said by Miami police to have charges against him in Oklahoma, Washington and Montana, as well as numerous cities in other states.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
SMUGGLER RING INVOLVING $25Q,OOO CRUSHED BY U. s.
Jewel Conspiracy Trail Declared To Lead From
 Pacific To Atlantic
(By Associated Press)

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12.-Agents of the customs service have succeeded in breaking up one of the greatest snug gling conspiracies in recent years, it was disclosed tonight at the treasury, where it was said that custom agents in half dozen sections of the country in re- cent months have seized and identified smuggled jewelry valued at more than quarter of a million dollars.
 Information as to the success of the agents efforts, which were inaugurated with the killing at Los Angeles last August of Mrs. Theresa Mors, with whose murder "Kid' Mccoy has been charged, was received here today when agents of the service in New York noti- fled the treasury they had unwound details of the smuggling operation. The treasury was informed that man named Medianski, now in flight to a foreign country, was the person who actually had brought the jewellery in.
 Information concerning the identity of Medianski was withheld by officials, but it was indicated their knowledge was not definite as to how long he bas op- erated or how much jewelry in the aggregate has beer smuggled into the country. The fact that the trail was picked up on the death of Mrs. Mors, it was stated, was regarded as having no significance in so gar ss her death itself was concerned.
 Whether Medianski operated for him. self or as an agent for higher ups was not indicated, but, according to custom service records, he was the head and forefront of the active operations and had enlisted q dozen or more aides in disposal of the jewelry. Victims of the conspiracy were numbered by officials at several hundred" scattered widely over the country. The agents have seized all the jewelry they have been able to find, but it was said that prob- ably as much more never would be un- covered. Innocent purchasers have slowed it away in safe places or are wearing it, not knowing its origin.
 The jewelry possessed by Mrs. Mors was the first to be identified positively. From the beginning the agents, it was said, ran down a series of clubs in Pacific coast cities. They found much jewelry, both in San Francisco and Los Angeles, the latter city, where Mrs. Mors had her home, providing the greater quantity.
 The trail led eastward and the port of entry. was found to- have been New York, from which base Medianski, &C., cording to custom officers, directed the distribution and sale of the jewelry. There were many diamonds among the smuggled goods and these left plain tracks for the agents to follow.
 With the killing in Los Angeles Mon- day of Harry I. Katz, another trail was opened and this, it developed today, had resulted in the finding of more jewellery which is now en route to New York for examination by agents who have been in charge of the case.
 Agents of the service have found that most of the jewelry came from Austria
 Continued on Page Two)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
M'DUFF AND AIDE
 CONDUCTED RAID
Received Information Of Officers Liquor Ac-
 tivity, He Says
CIVIL SERVICE BODY
 TO ACT ON CHARGES
Policeman Released In $2OO Bond Pending His
 Prosecution

Desk Sergeant c. M. Rig gins, of police headquarters, was suspended from duty and placed under arrest Wednes- day night following a raid on his home at 5126 Morris ave- nue during which 15 gallons of liquor were seized, accord ing to a statement issued early Thursday by Police Chief Nc Duff who, with Assistant Chief Thomas Christian, per- sonally conducted the raid.
 The raid occurred at 4 D. m. Wednes- day and, according to Chief McDuff, was made quietly and without opposi- tion. Mir. Higgins was not at home at the time, but was arrested at II o o'clock when he reported to police headquarters for duty.
 Suspended By Chief
 Chief McDuff immediately suspended him indefinitely from duty. Later he was released under $500 bond. on q charge of violating the prohibition law. The evidence Will be presented 10 the civil service board, the chief said, and that body will take summary action against Mir. Higgins.
 Mir. McDuff said he had received in- formation that liquor was being sold by Sergeant Higgins at his Morris ave nue home. No federal enforcement of- ficers or other officers participated in the raid. Higgins was not stripped of his equipment after the arrest Chief McDuff said.
 On Force Three Years
 Higgins was appointed to the police force Nov. 1, 1921, according to rec ords at headquarters. Following al- most two years of exceptionally merit orious service, according to police of- ficials, he was promoted to a sergeant cy in June, 1923. He has been night desk sergeant at headquarters contin- uously since that time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
RURAL RADIO FANS
 WANT WAVE LENGTH
Unexpected Demand Causes De-
 lay In ReaIIocatmg Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12.-An un- expected demand for districts away from the centers of population is complicating the work of the commerce in the depart ment in re-allocating radio wave lengths. Department officials said today that this development and the appearance Of a greater demand than expected from pop ulation centers for new wave lengths, probably would delay completion of the reallocation.
 Some of the wave lengths assigned to the less thickly populated sections of the country, it was said, had been trans ferred to larger cities and sections in the eastern part of the United States in the belief that the greatest demand for them would be in that section. The de- mand from centers of population for new wave lengths has turned out to be little greater, relatively, than that from outlying districts.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
SEIZED PATENTS MAY GO BACK
 TO GER MANS
Disposition Up To Con- gress Should Govern
 ment Win Suit
(By Associated Press.)

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 12.-Return of the seized German dye patents, now owned by the Chemical Foundation, Inc, to their original German owners by con- gress, should the government recover them in its suit against the foundation, was termed quite possible" today by Attorney General Stone, before the United States circuit court of appeals. The suit; dismissed by the Delaware federal district court, was appealed to the higher tribunal here.
 Summing up for the government, MT. Stone stressed the contention that con- gress alone should have had determina- tion of disposal of the patents which had been sold to the foundation for $271 ,OOO by the alien property custodian in 1919.
 Moorfield Storey, counsel for the foundation, in his argument, declared that the suit was suggested by a group of Germans who visited Attorney Gen eral Daugherty before the litigation was instituted. Mir. Storey entrusted the flair and honorable" treatment of the German owners of the patents with the way the Germans had ravaged France and Belgium in the war.
 Setting aside of the sale to the foundation, Mir. Storey contended, would mean loss of the purchase price to those who had bought the seized pat ents. "This is nothing but confisca- tion," he declared.
 Joseph H. Choate, Jr., an officer of the foundation, supplemented Mir. Storeys summary by pointing out to the court that the opinion of Judge Morris, in the lower court decision, had fully covered the fairness" of the sale. Mir. Choate reminded the court that the enemy property could have been used flor hostile purposes"
 Attorney General Stone concluded the argument in the suit, decision on which was reserved by Judges Burlington. Wooley and Davis, who heard the anDeal
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
TWo Die As Blast
 Wrecks Postal Plant;
 Bomb Plot Suspected
Time Bomb In Mails Is Blamed By Police For Explosion Which Shakes City, Shatters Win- dows And Causes Rain Of Debris Over Down
 town Business Section

the explosion, which sent fragments oi the platform hundred feet into the air hurled a loading truck upon the fedora building roof, buried five automobile and shattered hundreds of windows within radius of two blocks.
 Firemen and police aided by volun teers removed the debris and found tho three men buried beneath the wreck age.
 Two theories, that escaping gas col lecting beneath the platform was ignited or that a bomb sent through the mai exploded prematurely, were advanced by postal inspectors and police follow ing a preliminary investigation. Not 7 fragment of any bomb or other explo sive substance, however, has been founi by investigators.
 Gas had been scented by employees ol the platform for two days, but gas com pany officials said exploding gas would not have shattered the roof of the dock as occurred in the blast, but rather would have blown out the side walls of the structure.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
SECRETARY WORK
 REDUCES STAFF
1,43S Less Employees Now Work
 For Interior Department

D WASHINGTON, Nov. 12.-A reduc- tion from 19,172 to 17,734 in the per sonnel of the interior department during the past year was announced today by Secretary Work. Of the department $ fifteen branches, the. number of em. ployes was decreased in eight, while seven showed gains.
 The greatest reduction was in the Alaska railroad, which discontinued 619 workers. The geological survey was reduced by 305, the pension bureau by 2S5, the general land office by 229 and the reclamation bureau by PA.
 Among the offices which added to their forces were the patent division which was increased by .128, the bureau of Indian affairs, 0S; the bureau oi mines, 53; the national park service, 8 and the bureau of education, 26.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
FASCISTI SURVIVE
 FOES FIRST BLOW
15O Liberals Stage Boycott
 Against Parliament

ROME, Nov. 12.-Premier Benito Mussolini's reactionary fascist govern ment has survived the first efforts of the opposition to knock the parliament tary props from beneath the cabinet, but whether the liberal opposition will be able to overthrow the black-shirts by a boycott of parliament remains to be seen.
 One hundred and fifty members of the opposition absented themselves from the opening of parliament Wednesday and when Mussolini rose to deliver set speech of regret at the death of half a dozen members of parliment, the block of empty seats was q mute warning to the dictator that section of Italy de- mands a return to constitutional, demo- cratic government.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
COTTON INDUSTRY
 ROUNDS CORNER,
 EMORY ASSERTS
Better Days At Hand, Says President Of Ma
 tiOnal Association
(By Associated PreSs,1

BOSTON, Nov. 1.-The cotton in- dustry apparently has definitely turned the corner and is proceeding slowly though steadily toward better days, Robert Emoy of Boston, president of the National Associa tion of Cotton manufacturers, said in his address be- fore the annual meeting of that assO- ciation- today.
 ''The present cotton crop is the larg- est in four years and we are assured of sufficient raw material for a much greater per cent of our capacity than through the last year." President Emory said.
 "A word of caution: We are not as- sured of sufficient raw material for an adequate reserve supply. Therefore, price fluctuation is still likely, al- though probably not to, as great an extent as during the past year.
 Difficult Year Passed
 "The past year has been one of the most difficult through which our cotton manufacturing industry has ever passed, at least in the memory of men now engaged in the business" he said. "The principal cause for this has been three consecutive short cotton crops, leaving the world without an adequate reserve supply of raw material which might have assisted in stabilizing the price. This, coupled with the ease with which speculation may be conducted in cotton, has brought about tremendous and unwarranted price fluctuations. A contributing cause, which now seems absurd, has been the fear and uncer- tainty of our political situation"
 For the last few months cotton manu- facturing in the United States has run as low as 60 to 70 per cent of capacity, the speaker added, while in New England it has run from 40 to 50 per cent.
 Outside of New England production has in no month run below 80 per cent capacity and has ranged from 80 to 90 per cent" he said.
 Dividends Cease
 Dozens of great cotton manufactur- ing corporations have ceased to pay dividends for the first time in many years. The workers in our New Eng lang mills have had to exist on less than half time and half pay and in many mills have had almost no work at al."
 One nOpeIul IactOr TOT tne cottoh in- dusrty, President Emory said, was the fact that the unprecedented curtailment of the past year has undoubtedly created a great void in the cOuntry's stock of finished goods. Another was the great improvement of farm produce markets.
 Recently I sent out a question naire to our members asking each mill to send in the number of workers based on full time schedule. The number of spindles and the number of stockhold- CTS, with 12,573, ,122 splN1dles represent ing the total number of Nmployes, was 149,132 and of stockholders present S21. The average stockhOlding was only g shares per holder. There are two stockholders for every five wOrkmen in the mills and this ratio holds nearly true in a great ma ajOrity of cases"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
GETS
 UTILITIES POST
Alabama P. S. c. Head Elected
 By National Association

PHOENIX, Ariz., Nov. 12.-Presi- dent A. G. Patterson, of the Alabama Public Service Commission. was elect ed first vice president of the National Association of Railway Utilities Com missioners when that body convened here Wednesday to consider problems affecting the nation and to study how they can be solved to the public inter est. Judge William D. B. Ainey, pres ident of the Pennsylvania r. $. c. and first vice-president of the association, wos elected president
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-13
GRAND RAPIDS.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, Nov. 1.-Two men were killed, one is dying and 12 are injured as the result of a terri fife explosion which late today destroyed the loading dock and receiving room at the main Grand Rapids postoffice with a property damage of $50,000.
 The Dead
 Ernest A. Roth, 30, truck driver. Herman Pettersch, g, a clerk, both legs blown off. Seroiusly Injured
 Dale Newhouse, possible skull frac- ture.
 A splinter of wood pierced Roth's body and he died in a hospital three hours after the blast.
 Hurled To Roof
 Pettersch, Roth and Newhouse were on the loading platform at the time of