davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1924-02-14
DEFENDS SALE ACCOUNTS.
Expert Who Examined Books Ad-
vised Purchase.

CLEVELAND, Ohio. February IA.
Col. L. w. Blythe, resident partner
of Ernst & Ernst, nationally known
certified public accountants. last
night declared he was familiar with
practically the entire transaction.
particularly the consummation. of
the sale of the Marion Star to Brush
and Moore. He expressed his willing
ness TO go to Washington to appear
before the Senate committee II ne
could assist in clearing up the
charges and implications of irregu-
iarities in connection with the sale
made by Mr.. Vanderlio.
"The contract on which the sale
Of the Star was predicated was given
to me shortly after it had been signed
by President Harding. Brush and
Moore, and our firm was engaged to
upon which the sale price was based"
said Col. Blythe. Our auditors went
back two and one-half years and
checked specific earnings applicable
to dividends sufficient to Justify my
personal advice to our clients that
one. SO far as our official capacity
in connection with the transaction
was concerned. we verified the f1nan-
cial statements only.
PERSONALLY, I acted as consultant
for Mr.. Brush and Mr.. Moore. and
think l would have detected any hid
den financial support IL there had
been any. 1 am satisfied there was
none. The stock book records show
that Mr.. Brush and Mr.. Moore own all
of the common stock, except five
qualifying shares held by directors.
I am quite certain the records are en-
tirely regular"
When told that Mr.. Vanderlip was
reported to have said that George B.
Christian. jr., secretary to President
Harding, was the channel through
which negotiations for the purchase
Of the Star were conducted, Mr.. Brush
declared Mr.. Christian had no part
in the discussion whatsoever, SO far
as he knew.
Evening star., 1924-02-14
$5(Q,0)O HELDFA|R
PRICE TOHARD|NG
Marion Star, President Told
Writer, Earned 10000
in Single Year.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

RumOr, unverified and unsponsored
has broken through the restraints Of
caution and the name of the late
President Harding has been dragged
into the ir0lications of the Teapot
Dome oil controversy.
For weeks there has been gossip
which knew no bounds. But WASH
ington is accustomed to gossip. The
amazing thing Is that any one felt
prompted to make public speech re-
peating the gossip. Even senators
and members Of the House who had
heard the gossip did not think enough
of it to make public statement and
the reason was simple-they had no
proof.
Value OF Newspaper.
The writer happens to be In a po-
sition to state some Of the circum-
stances surrounding the appraisal in
President Harding's mind OF the
worth of his newspaper property, the
Marion Star. 1t was during the latter
part of January of last year that the
writer spent an evening in the White
House talking with Mr.. Harding on
the prohibition question. obtaining
ildteTidl iof Il series OF articles on
that subject. When the discussion
was concluded, the conversation fell
naturally to newspapers and their de-
velopment.
Mr.. Harding was feeling quite happy
over the progress the Marion Star haC
made. He said he had received in
quries as to whether he would sell it,
and he remarked that he might accep
ono Of these days
''Why, the Marion Star made 5000
last year." said Mr.. Harding. with prid.
Pretty good, isn't it. for a little news
Asked for Appraisal.
Tie writer agreed with Mr.. Harding
that the Marion Star was progressing
and then the President asked what tn.
writer thought the property was worth
On the basis of earnings of $4,000
Year the reply given was that the
property was certainly worth in tn.
10 per cent was considered an averag
earning.
When six months later the Marion
star was sold and rumor had It thai
the price was 100000 the writer wa.
not surprised. But II turns out tha
the purchase price was S3s0,000. Any
business man can figure out for him.
self whether an exaggerated price
was paid for the property on the basis
OF its previous earnings.
The inferences that have been
drawn from the rumors about the
supposedly high price paid for the
newspaper are unwarranted. The
charges, that somehow oil money
found its way into the transaction
are absurd. Mr.. Harding knew the
prospective purchasers-they were not
in the oil business, but in the nVws.
paper business. That was their chief
preoccupation. He wanted to make
sure the paper would remain in re.
publican hands, and the sale to his
friends made that a certainty.
Speech Stirs Capital.
Frank yanderlip's speech repeating
gossip he had heard In Washington
naturally has stirred the National
Capital but what few people can
understand is why Mr.. Nanderlip. who
admits he had no proof, went ahead
and made a speech about gossip.
The incident will have this effect
II will make every one who has a
hearsay accusation in his system keep
lit there. Other high officials besides
Mr.. Harding have been mentioned in
Evening star., 1924-02-14
WAGNER'S OLD GONDOLlER
is DEAD AT AGE OF 81
Gandassetto for Many Years Was
Winner of the Venetian Series
of Water Games.
Rr Tho Associated Press.

BY the Associated fress.
BERLIN, February 9.-Richard
waener's favorite gondolier, Girola-
mo Treviso. who took the famous Ger
man composer upon his last ride
through the Venetian canals five days
before his death. has died in Venice.
He was a great favorite, with Wag-
ner who admired the skill Of the
boatman, who for many years was
the winner of the Venetian water
games.
dassetto. At Christmas Of 1882
Wagner and his wife entertained
Gandassetto in their Venetian home.
In February following, Wagner and
his wife journeyed through the canals
with him, and delighted with the mild.
sprlnglike weather. Wagner insisted
San Michele, where the composer
tainted. He rallied and was taken
home where he died five days later:
Gandassetto was eighty-two years of
age and piled his oar until very re-
Gently.
Evening star., 1924-02-14

he gossip. The main line Of rurnor
= that these officials knew about the
III leases in advance and speculated
oil stocks.
Another line of rumor is that some
u the men who made the leases pur-
?oseiy made the conditions SO bene-
tcial to the government and disad-
to themselves that no
'ther concerns would bid, and then
When the leases were made they are
alleged to have represntd to pros
'ective purchasers of stock that the
eases were worth more than they
"eally were. If that is true. the leases
lay turn out to have been advan-
ageous to the government after all,
ND the irregularity may lie in the
manipulation Of the leases after the
'ontractS were made
This is but an example of the tangle
nd indicates more than ever the
'ecessity for suspension Of judg-
nent TIL facts-vnot gossip-are dis
closed.
Copyright, l92$)
Evening star., 1924-02-14
HONESTY 1924 ISSUE,
JOHNSON ASSERTS
Senator Opens Illinois Campaign
With Demand for G.. o. p.
Cleanup.
HTS DENBY DEFENDERS
Says Standing by Him Gives Ap.
prevail to Acts.
ny the Associated Press,

ny the Associated Press.
DANV1LIE, ILL.,, February IL
The republican party must sweep its
house and sweep it clean" IL 1t Is to
retain the confidence Of the electorate,
Senator Hiram Johnson Of California
declared today in opening his Illinois
campaign. The address was the first
In three-day speaking tour of the
state.
The paramount issue OF the CAM
paign, the senator said. Is IAN issue Of
just common honesty" in public serv-
Ice. He suggested the removal from
office of Secretary DENLY and Attor-
ney General Daugherty, declaring
"the public service must be put above
all suspicion, whether that suspicion
arises from criminal guilt or stupid
incompetence"
"Standfng by the Secretary Of the
Navy now means nothing less in effect
than approval of what he did, or vacil-
lauon concerning It,
Rnps Daugherty.
"The Senate and the President alike
have expressed, so far as acts can ex-
press 1t. no confidence in the Attorney
General"
Devoting virtually his entire speech
to Teapot Dome, Senator johnson
stated developments clearly Indicated
that reaction and progress must
fight 1t out again in the republican
party IN the coming presidential pri-
maries."
The system which seeks to exploit
for Individual gain what belongs TO
all must be challenged in no uncer-
tain fashion. 1t must be broken and
driven from government.
Selfish materialism again encroaches
upon the nat on. and this time IN the
hideous guise not only of appropria-
tion, but Of purchase OF the public
domain"
Sketching what he viewed as the
parallel between the political situa-
ago and lauding the service of Pres.
dent Roosevelt in the former crisis
in his "arousing the public con-
science" the California senator de-
philosophy OF government today.
Sees Cleansing Needed.
THE issues Of the campaign were
clearly seen at its inception by those
who observe the affairs of govern
ment. The ugly shock of official cor
ruption has made them equally clear
to all of the people Those who have
been close to the situation have rec
ognized not only the desirability. but
republican party. All of the people
now know It full we'll.
There is greater principle at
stake than shielding individuals who
may not be guilty of moral turpitude.
or the punishment of those who
brazenly have defied the law. A peo-
pies government rests upon the con-
fidence in those who compose IL, and
where that confidence is shaken there
must be- no limit to the legitimate cf-
fort for it's restoration.
THE Secretary of the Navy justified
what he did and said he would do it
over again, and the United States
government is so doubtful OF its own
Department of Justice that 1t utilizes
the money of the taxpayers in the
employment OF other attorneys to
undo the terrible work OF its own off,
cials.
1T is futile for any man now to
argue that It is necessary to await
an indefinite time to have an adequate
conception OF what has occurred"
Evening star., 1924-02-14
SINCLAIR OIL OPTION
IN RUSSIA RUNS OUT
Questions OF Extension and British
and Italian Recognition Oc-
cupying Attention.

BY the Associated Press.
MOSCOW, February 14.-The op.
ton secured for Harry F. Sinclair
on the Baku-Grozny oil concession
expired February 10. but no official
statement is procurable whether the
Russians will insist upon strict ad-
herence to the date. Up to the present
no extension has been requested.
VI. Litvinoff was asked If the dat.
.'ould be insisted upon or, on the
'upposition that the agreement haa
apsed. would the British and Italian
ecognition affect the Russian oil
policy In general. IL any British or
other oner had been received for the
same proposition and IL the matter If
loan was irrevocably connected
;Ith any big oil concession. He re-
ned that he considered II extremely
Antimey to discuss these questions.
Inc Russian press Is featuring tn.
-merican oil scandals with consid-
cradle lip-smacking over charges
-sainst bourgeois politicians"
Evening star., 1924-02-14
Thinks Niagara. Will Stop.

Prof. Ulysses S. Grant Of North
western University, Chicago, from
careful computation has come To- TIE
opinion that Niagara Falls will ceas.,
flowing in the year 1924, leaving Lake
Ontario stranded and the wonderful
beauty OF Niagara gorge and the hills
a thing of the past. With this geo
logical change the two peninsulas Of
Michigan may also be Joined. Th.,
change will be due to the fitting ~
land at the least end of Lake Hiicii-
gan affecting the flow of water
Evening star., 1924-02-14
Pearls in u. S. Rivers.

Through scientific propagation of
fresh water mussels in the rivers of
experts in the United States
bureau of fisheries say 1t will be
possible in time to make the rivers of
the country yield fabulous harvests in
pearls. Even now pearl fishing is
conducted in some rivers Of the
United States, and during the last
year more than $15,000,O00 worth of
pearls were found in the musseI shells
at the bottom of the Mississippi,
Black and White rivers alone
Evening star., 1924-02-14
Ford Owns $40, 600, 900.

Statisticians of Wall street after
considerable research and study have
determined that, in their opinion. the
total of the holdings of Henry Ford.
automobile manufacturer. may be
placed safely at $S40.000.00o. The an
nounced total Of the estimate has
been enlightening in view Of the
clashes the auto genius has fire.
quently had with Wall street leaders
and his ability to go it alone. On the
other nand, Ford is reputed to be
worth, IN all, .S1,260,000,000.
Evening star., 1924-02-14
Wedding Anniversaries.

The first-year anniversary a 3,
wedding is what is known as IN.
cotton anniversary and the 9th. i
years that are recognized arc: Second.
paper; third, leather; fifth, wooden
seventh, woolen; tenth. tin: twelfth.
silk and linen; fifteenth. crystal
twentieth, china; twenty-fifth. silver;
thirtieth, pearl: fortieth. ruby; fifti-
eth. golden, and seventy fifth, dia
Evening star., 1924-02-14

Frank a. Nanderlip had the choice OF
proving he has been misquoted or
standing the most contemplate OF
men," declared George B. Christian, Jr.,
secretary to the late President Hard
ing, in a statement last night regard
ing statements of the New York finan-
cier which involved sale of Mr.. Hard
ing's newspaper.
Mr.. Christians statement said:
IF Mr. Frank \. Eanderlip made the
statement attributed to him by todays
newspapers he is an unconscionable
traducer Of the memory of the dead.
If he did not make the statement. then
common decency demands that he i'm
mediately disclaim it.
Says Harding Was Honest.
Neither Mr.. Vanderlip nor any other
human being can truthfully charge that
rectly or indirectly. dishonest dollar
or was connected with any corrupt
transaction in his entire official or
private career. AS a business man he
was scrupulously honest. AS United
States senator and the nations Chief
Executive he regarded public office as a
sacred trust, and detested any who be-
trayed 1t.
Mr. Harding last June sold the
control of the Marion Star under a.
contract the details of which am
not familiar with, but which prov: led
for his retaining some stock owner
ship and acting as a contributing
editor after his presidential term:
The purchasers We're old friends. Of
Mr.. Harding. one of them having
other newspaper interests in Ohio.
PAYMENTS for the Star were to ek-
tend over a period Of years. and the
only cash paid the President was a
first payment Of $4,000. The Star
was known as one Of the best news
paper properties in our state. and, OF
it had given it an enhanced value.
Denies Any Connection.
Gwen when hysteria Is. the order
Evening star., 1924-02-14
Christian attacks Vanderlip Speech
In Rising to Defense of Dead Chief
Hading's Secretary Says Financier Can PrOre He
Was Misquoted or Stand Most Contemplate of
Men-Defends Late Presidents Honesty.

OF the day. the suggestion that the
sale Of Mr.. Harding's private prop
crty has any connection, near or re-
mote. with the lease OF government
oil lands Is so wantonly inexcusabIe
that adequate comment is hardly pos
sible.
"Mr Vanderlip has the choice Of
proving that he has been misquoted
or standing the most contemplate OF
men,"
Evening star., 1924-02-14
ENGLISH TRANSLATED,
FOR AMERICANS USE
Britons Prepare for Advertising
Convention by Issuing Parallel
Definitions. :
(By Cable to The Star and Philadelphia
Ledger. Copyright, 1924.)

Ledger. Copyright. 1920
LONDON. February 9.-7-The Thirty
Club of London, which is making ar
rangements for the International Ad-
vertisiug convention, is seeking 10
make the American delegation feel a,
home, even by providing simple defiui,
tions Of the English language.
1t may seem absurd, but the feet
remains that in certain circumstances
it Is difficult for an American TO make
himself understood in London For:
instance, the word Cracker" doesn't
convey to the English mind anything
to eat, but rather something to make
noise with.
There are innumerable such in
stances, and 1t is with the Idea Of
helping out the American visitors In
tnls respect that one Of the conven-
| tlon committees has prepared a CLOS
sary which includes the following:
Evening star., 1924-02-14

Mrs. Helen Astor, wife of Vincent
Astor. a nephew Of Lady Astor. MEM
ber Oft the British parliament, has an,
.nounced her intention to enter the
political field as a. candidate for a
place on the Rhode Island delegation
to tho coming republican national
convention.
Evening star., 1924-02-14
Jockey Becomes Pastor.

,Justus p. Forehand has made the
climb from paddock to pulpit with
apparent success. Forehand gave uI
riding 100 to l shots several wear.
ago and was ordained at the Church
or God and Saints of Christ in New
ark. y; ]. He is a mulatto and has
worried recently at a home for back :
ward children while stutIyino FOR
his ministerial calling,
Evening star., 1924-02-14
WILL HIDE ANKLES.
Longer Dresses Now Designed in
Paris.
LONDON, February

. LONDON. February 9.-Because
women's ankles have increased in
size through the wearing of very
tight shoes. dresses are to be longer
in length. This Is what the Paris
experts have told proprietors Of the
principal west end stores. ana it is the
Intention Of fashion creators to design
dresses In such q way as to give only
a slight glimpse Of ankles.
Evening star., 1924-02-14

To offer q penny for the thoughts
Of some people would be rank ex-
tgayagance. ,. ~.
Evening star., 1924-02-14

II is also well to bear in mind that
AZ things wait for those who go after
Evening star., 1924-02-14
Bows Wool Mackinaws

In sizes 10 to II, new
attractive plaid models
and plain colors; warm
and good looking. Last
call at ..,...............
Evening star., 1924-02-14
Boys Long Overcoats
Juvenile Overcoats

8 to s year sizes; at
tractive, snug warm
models; just what the
boy needs for school
wear. Clearance price
Evening star., 1924-02-14

In dark patterns which
are dressy and do not show
the effect of hard wear,
we'll made and finished.
Sizes 8 to II, marked
down for quick clearance.
Evening star., 1924-01-27
Another Potomac Bridge Proposed

State Senator Eugene Jones of
Montgomery county, Md, has intro.
duced in the Maryland senate a bill
for the construction of bridge at
Whites Ferry on the Potomac land
the opening Of direct route by i'm.
proved highways between Washing
ton. Baltimore and the valley of vir-
ginia." 1t is proposed that commit.
tees be appointed by the Governors of
Maryland and Virginia to confer on
the cost and advantages of the bridge
There are two ferries. Edwards and
Whites, between Chain bridge and the
bridge at Point Of Rocks on the upper
Potomac which are known to many
Washingtonians. A bridge at Whites
Ferry, with good road leading to II
and good road from it to the George.
town-Leesburg pike, would open q
large section Of country to Washing.
ton tourists, put fine and interesting
parts of Maryland and Virginia ION
the map" and make a new and easy
way from Washington to the Catoc-
tins, the Blue Ridge and the Shenan.
doah.
At present the main way to the west
leads northwest to Frederick, where
good roads lead-to the valley Of Fr-
Evening star., 1924-01-27

ginia by way OF Harpers Ferry or by
Sharpsburg and Shepherdstown. The
straight way from Washington west
across the Piedmont plain Of northern
Virginia would be by the ancient
Georgetown and Leesburg turnpike
from Chain bridge by Langley, Diff.
cult run. Dranesville and Goose creek
to Leesburg, and thence west through
Hillsboro gap or across the Blue
Ridge through Smokers gap. Unless
change has lately been made there is
an unimproved section OF the Lees
burg pike from Langley or Deep run
to the junction Of the pike and Great
Falls railway at Elkins, and the good
road from Elkins to Dranesville is not
of much use to travellers between the
Capital and Leesburg. For years they
have been making long detour south
from Langley to Tysons Crossroads,
and thence along the Alexandria
Leesburg pike to its junction with the
Georgetown-Lee Leesburg pike at Dranes-
vile.
- III iu5c a. 'hitc cry WIN q iCN
miles Of good road which would con-
meet the good roads system Of western
i. Maryland with the good roads OF
the northern Virginia, Piedmont and
the Shenandoah valley, would open to
Washingtonians that part of Mont
gomery county which is set in a big
bend of the Potomac, and in which are
the villages and neighborhoods Of
Poolesville. Beallsville. Martinsburg,
Dawsonville and Seneca.
Evening star., 1924-01-27
Concrete and Crime.

A new mode Of crime concealment
is brought to light in the case Of a
murderer in Aurora. ILL.,, who, after
several months Of disappearance, was
taken and then confessed, in part, to
the crime OF killing his wife and daugh.
ter-in-law the year previous. After
some days Of grilling, in the course OF
which his original story was broken
down, he has acknowledged his crime
in full and led the police to a place
where he had buried the heads of his
two victims. whose bodies he had dis
membered. These heads he had i'm
bedded in a block Of concrete which
he took to the city dump They were
found by the police as he described
them. In all the annals of crime there
is not a case TO parallel this. Many in
genious measures for concealing the
corpus deficit have been invented.
Bodies have been burned and buried
and cast into the waters with weights.
One man in Chicago a good many
years ago dissolved the body Of his
victim in vat OF lye. All but little
bone disappeared. And that little bone
betrayed him and convicted him of
the crime, for which he was executed
That was the Luetgert case, from
which the "sesamoid'' bone became ia.
nous. Concrete is a new medium OF
concealment. The criminal in this case
exhibited q particular sagacity. But
there vas one souvenir Of the crime
that he could not destroy-his con.
science. 1t was that which finally be.
trayed him. that led him back TO the
scene of the crime. 10 be there recog.
nized and held and Quizzed to the
point of breaking down his reserves
and forcing confession. That is the
element against which no slayer can
contend.
Evening star., 1924-01-27

Of fossil bone deposits. There Is a
strictly limited market for such loot.
Croatian prehistoric remains are not
quoted even by fences.
AS the case stands DR.. Hrdlicka's 9
crate Of old bones and new photo.
graphs that have so mysteriously
disappeared commands the attention
of a specialist in cryptic crime. What
a story may lie behind those rocks
and pebbles with which the case was
refilled. Maybe there Is something
very significant in this crime. 1t is an
axiom OF criminology that there is
motive for every illegal act, a per-
fectly good motive from the point Of
view Of the perpetrator. Now, as q
matter of fact, safebreakers and crate
crackers go after potential loot. They
seek known objectives Of value. So 1t
is reasonable deduction that who
ever lifted DIR. Hrdlicka's old bones
and new photographs at least thought
that they had a value in the thieves
market, Oh that those bones and photo
graphs were actually wanted. If the
latter is true the plot thickens.