davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
RETIRED ARMY
OFFICER TALKS
BEFORE CHAMBER
Interesting Recital of
Experiences In
Philippines

y large attcndanye greeted Col.
onel Charles l.. philips, [. 81.
retired, when he made ap~fnterest
ing tail; st the Chantber of Com
merce luncheon today at the Bar
bara Worth hotel. Col. Phillips
campaigned in the Philippines dur
ing the troublesome days of 1890
ana 1900 and rccounted some of his
thrilling experiences in the islands.
telling in detail of the many tribes
and their peculiar customs found
there. Col. Phillips has recently
come to FL Centre to make his home
and is veritable fund of infor-
NATION ON Philippine life as he lived
several years on the islands.
Sheriff Mcdonald of Tombstone,
Arizona, who is i'll town at present,
was al the meeting and was pres
ented by District Attorney Utley.
He expressed himself as highly
surprised at the evidences Of pro-
gress and prosperity on every hand
and cnnsr; tu!ated the valley upon
its excellent condition.
NHdFIfd l.. focott, pltSluciiG VI lue
Associated Chambers of Commerce.
announced that the preparations for
the big Yuma highway celebration
on February % were exceeding all
expectations and that there was
every Indication that there would
be hundreds of visitors from far
way points, to say nothing of the
large turnout expected from lmper
ial and Yuma valleys.
r. 2. Moore, president of th'
chamber, presided at the luncheon
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
80 Die Suddenly
In "a Hours
In New York
By United Press Leased Wire

Hy United Press Leased Wire
NEW YORK. Feb. 4.-Thir-
tv nine sudden doaths. most of
them violent. have been report
ed here in the last "a hours.
This is the largest days record
in manv years.
Full1ts. alcohol, automobiles.
fires and gas took a total of
II lives In Manhattan. 10 in
Brooklyn, six in the Bronx and
four in Queens. Only two
deaths We're suicides.
Five persons were killed by
falls, three lost th1ir lives in
fires. three We're accidentally
asphyxiated by illuminating
gas, two were killed by auto
mobiles, three died from acute
alcoholism and one was frozen
to death.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
Too Much "Psychic
Energy Says
Alienist
by United Press Leased Wire

by United Press Leased Wire
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4.--Too
much intellect and psychic.
energy probably caused a
murder complex i'll Alsa Thomp-
son, seven-year-old, according
to Dr.. Edwin Huntington Will
liams, noted alienist.
DR.. Williams was one of sew
eral psychiatrists who eflamin-
cd the self-confessed child pois-
oner, and he believes her story.
''Alsa is an unusually bright
child the alienist said.
She has the mentality of a
child of ten. She was born with
too much intellect and not
enough judgment.
She has a tremend o Il S
amount of psychic energy,
wrongly directed.
Every child is pot ccltial
savage because part of it's mind
is racial inheritance.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
SCOUT EXECUTIVE
OF j. s. WILL Be
VALLEY VISITOR
West Will Pass Through
Here Friday; Scouts
Plan Greeting

Much excitement prevails in boy
scout circles throughout the valley
today over the announcer lent tLIt
james f. West, the heloyfd Ticf
scout executive of the UnifcdStates
will be in FL Centro and IIer val
ley towns ON Friday morning, Feb
ruary 6.
Executive West, who has been as
sociated with the boy scout move
ment for 10 years and has head
quarters in New York City. is on
4 tour Of the west which viii take
him TO San Diego, Los Angeles and
other large ecnters, where scout
conferences viii be held. He has
. only been in California once prior
to Ahis trip, which adds much i'm
purtaHcc TO his present visit.
Executive s. l.. McCrory, in
charge Of Imperial Valley scoutdom,
! is busy planning receptions at Ca
lexieo and FL Centre, and possibly
BraWley, that shall do justice to the
occasion. The train Ell which West
is travelling will reach CaleXico
shortly after nine on Friday morn
ing and arrangements are being
made to have. the talcXico scouts at
the station to greet him.
The train Is due nero at 900 n.
IN. and McCrory has secured the
cooperation Of Supt. A. T. Shibley
of the elementary schools and j. l..
House, principal of the Central
Union high school, who have prom
Used to dismiss school to enable To-
cal scouts to march to the station
and greet the official. Present
plans call for the scouts totmcet at
the Wilson school, to be in uniform
and to march in scout formation to
the station, where it is understood
the train will have 20-minutc
wait.
Conferences are planned during
West 5 tour, for Tucson, Pasadena,
Oakland, Sacramento, Reno and
Ogden. The Pasadena meeting win
occur on Saturday morning and FIX
ccutivc McCrory, X. p. Moore of
this city and j. Ralph Anderson and
Dean $. Richmond of Brawley are
planning to be III attendance to
hear West.
Further plans will be announced
in tomorrw : issue as there is Il bare
possibility that McCrory may be
able to prevail upon West to leave
the train ut this point and spend
a day in the valley, making the trip
to San Diego hv automobile from
here
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
by United Press Lensed Wire

Los ANGELES, Feb. A com
plant charging insanity was issued
today against scven-yearol old Alsa
Thompson, confessed poisoner of
three persons. ..
The complaint was sworn to- by
Mrs. jess Platt, who claims the
Baby Borgia' attempted to poi
SON her family while living at the
Platt home.
Trial of the child on the lunacy
writ was set for tomorrow III the
court of Judge Walter S. Gates.
Meanwhile the district Attorney 5
office took active charge of the in
vcstigation of the child 5 strange
murder tale.
District Attorney Asa Keyes an,
nounc"d he had summoned the girl,
her parents and others concerned III
the ease for questioning.
1--WE will take complete state
ments from all parties involved, in
an effort to determine whether this
child's story is based On facts,
he said.
Will Seek Arsenic
Buron Fits, assistant TO KcYeS,
who assumed direct charge of the
probe, said he would ask County
Autopsy Surgeon II. +, Wagner, TO
unseal the ashes of Mrs. Matte
steele, whom Alsd claims was one
of her victims, and make an eXn-
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04

mination for traces of arsenic.
Mrs. Steele. who formerly had
custody of the infant prisoner died
last October DR.. Howard l.. Hat
field, attending physician, told the
United Press that Mrs. Steele s
death was the result of cancer in
the stomach.
- Mrs Steele showed no signs of
poisoning, ho said. "She died af-
ter suffering two months from can
Ger of the stomach. -
Fits said he would also move to
have the bodies of Alsa s twin sis
ters disinterrcd at Daughpin, Mani
toba, for autopsy. The Baby
Borgia.' claims she killed these
children two years ago by feeding
them ground glass.
The child's parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
Russell Thompson, ridieule the po-
lice theory and claim their child s
story is a mere fairy tale. y The
Thompsons were reunited after
.months of separation.
Brought together by .Alsa S
strange confession. they We're to
confer today with Mrs. Jess Platts,
in whose care the girl was commit
tod when the parents separated.
1t was Mrs. Platt s story of the
girl s confession which prompted
the investigation by police and
caused Alsa s detention.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
1895 Lives Lost
In State In
II Months

SACRAMENTO, Cal, Feb. 4.
Lives lost in Calf O rnia
through automobile accidents
for the first eleven months of
1924 total 1885, it was announc-
ed yesterday by L. E. Ross,
head of the state bureau of vital
statistics.
The death rate by months is:
January 1870; February 1870;
March 1903; April 100; May 85;
June 103; July lis; August 106;
September 116; October 1873; No
vember 1874.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
BODIES OF /. A.
GIRLS FOUND

Los ANGELES, Feb. 4.-Bodies
of Nina and Nav Martin, 9 and -
years of age, who disappeared UNI
dor mysterious circumstances from
their' home here last August were
found today near the southeastern
outskirts of the city.
Identification was not complete,
but police said evory indication
pointed to the eorpscs, being those
Of the girls.
The Martin sisters disappear
ancc resulted in an extensive
search for kidnapors, in which sew
eal hundred policemen and special
officers engaged without success.
The girls mother accused their
divorced, father of having taken
Ithem, bnt the charge WAS, not sus-
Itained. d. ial.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
POLICE CHIEF NABBED
Y ON LIQUOR CHARGE

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4.-Chicf of
Police Haslauder of Lynwood, near
here, was at liberty under $1,000
bond today following his arrest by
members Of the sheriff's dry squad
last night on liquor charges.
Haslauder and four other men, it
isFalleged, weree,in bungalow in
which the deputies found go pints
of whiskey.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
Former Head of
Veteran Bureau
Gets TlUO Years
by United Press Leased Wire

CHICAGO, Feb. 4.-Scntences of
two years in the federal penitentia-
rv and $4,000 fine each wero i'm
posed here today on Colonel Charles
X. Forbes, former head of the Vet
erans' Bureau, and John W. Thomp
son, ST. Louis contractor, for con-
spring to defr&ud the government
in connection with bureau hospitali-
zation contracts.
Federal Judge Carpenter reject
ed the motion for n new trial and
Immediately imposed sentence.
The sentences are the extreme
penalty provided by law.
4 stay of sentence of 30 days
was granted in order to allow
Forbes and Thompson to carry an
appeal to the circuit of appeals.
In passing sentence Judge Car
penter bitterly denounced the two
convicted men, aiming most of his
shafts ut Forbes, who shook with
emotion throughout the session of
court, almost completely collapsing
whom the sentences were announced.
"What are We coming to when
men in high public places betras
their trusts?'' Judge Carpenter ask
ed. "These men are guilty, The
jury has decided, and | can Dc
b,,t 20 l.,
punishment that the law provides. ,
Judge Flags Attorney
Sentence was passed Yfter ElwooC
Goldman, attorney for Forbes, at
tempted to offer evidence in miti
cation of punishment, Goldman
produced the war record of Colonel
Forbes. told how he served with
the American eXpeditionary forces
in France, was gassed and wounded
and received the distinguished SER
vice citation.
81 do not care to near all that, -
Judge CARPENTER barked back at
Goldman. ''You are offering evi,
dcncc in aggravation Of punishment
not mitigation.
Forbes, mere shadow of tho
ronderous man that once held of,
flee in Washington and sat close
10 the administration of the late
President Harding. p1sp"a aS sen
tencc w&s prononncod He slipped
far down into his chair and would
have slipped to tho floor had not
the strong arm of Randolph Laugh
lin. one of the def mse attorneys,
caucht him.
Thompson. ruddy faced man
we'll rast middle aoe, groaned aud
iblv as he heard the words of the
nudge. He looked helplrssly to his
ATTORNEYS but they were speechless.
Forhd and THOMPSON were
found guilty of conspiracy to de-
fraud the United States povenment
through bribery to award veterans
hospital contracts by means that
eliminated fair competition. The
iurv s verdict was returned last
Friday evening.
ACCORDING to testimony. Thomn-
son paid Elias H. Mortimer, now a
spncial agent of the department of
Justice, to do what he. could in
hrihing Colonel Forbes so that
Thompson : : firms might secure
government contracts.
Mortimer testified he received
money from Thompson and shared
it with Forbes. in exchange for
which Thompson s firm won the
contracts.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
RACING STARTS AT ~;
TWO COURSES SOON

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 4.-Thc
San Matco coursing club will stage
its second racing meet of the sea-
SON at Tanforan race track next
Sunday, it was announced here to-
day. Drawings will be made to-
morrow. 't'
The California ooufsirg club will
resume racing oN1r the San Pablo
course next Sunday, also. Il
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
WHAT'S DOING

''Oh Doctor at Valley the
ater tonight.
LET Women Alone at TIL
lane theater tonight.
Dangerous Money at Fal-
ace theater tonight.
City council meets tonight.
Prayer mceting at churches
tonight.
Chamber of Commerce direc-
tors meet tonight. - +.
Rotary club meets tomorrow
noon, Barbara Worth hotel,
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04

btli I. -. lbI liz - nG w
Incomplete. ear from Texas
by express on February 3.
Imperial Valley comparisons:
1924 1925
Shipped ON February 3 "a 70
Shipped TO February 3065 227+
Cars ordered in the Imperial Val
ley for loading February 4, 70.
Origin of Imperial Valley lettuce
shipments reported out February s.:
Calipatria 3, Brawley 40, Imperial ,.
Ell Centre %, S. D. & A. Ry. |, II. &
l. Ry. ,, Heber G, Calexieo 3, total
70.
Shipping point information; FL
Centre and nearby points, Tuesday,
February 3-max SO min Al 10, clear
Demand moderate for good stock,
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
HIRAM JOHNSON
FLAYS FOREIGN
POLICY OF j. s.
by United Press Leased Wire

r,s. wAsnSoT9S ,.nSeoI'o,: Ss,s;IS ! s
direct reputation of the Re6uhiean
administration S polieyf'|tot LET
America live her own lifa in her
own way unentangled. in European
politics, Senator Hiram JohnSbn
asserted ON the floor Of The senate
today,
Johnson, leader Of the "1irrceon-
cilables, nccuscd Secretary State
Hughes of descrtng the traditional
foreign policy of the Republican
party. '' fa
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
TWO STATES VOTE ON
CHILD LABOR ISSUE

MADISON, Wis, Feb 4-The
Wisconsin senate ratified the child
lahor amendment today by vote
of 10 to TO-
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Feb. A.
The state senate voted "a to I to-
day to reject the child labor amend
mcnt.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
Local Elks Buy Old Courthouse Property for SIS, 900
FULLER BIDS IN
PROPERTY, ACTS
FOR LODGE HERE.
Upper Floor for Elks'
Use; Lower Will
Be Rented

Imperial County has at last dis
posed of the old courthouse proper
ty on Main street, which has housed
the county government since a short
time after the county was organ
lied i'll 1907, until the removal to
the new courthouse Il few months
ago.
Sale was made at public auction
yesterday afternoon to +. b. Fuller
of the Southern Trust and Com
mcrce bank. who bid $4,000. No
higher bids being received, and
Mr.. Fuller having deposited . GER
tilted check for 10 per cent of the
bid, the supervisors closed the bid
ding and declared the property
sold to him. I
As is known by practically all
who have followed the attempts to
sell the property, Mr.. Fuller was
acting for Ell Centro lodge of Elks.
being authorized to bid for the
lodge.
When the necessary alterations in
the building have been made, the
Elks will move from their present
quarters at Sixth and State street,
to their new building Charles
Murphy, exalted ruler of the lodge,
stated this morning that the pur-
chase of the property is subject TO
! the approval of the grand lodge,
! but this being in the nature of Il
formalty, is not expected to hinder
the sale in anv way.
! DR.. c. S. Brooks. a trustee of
the lodge, said it is the intention
+ of the Elks to take over the upper
story of the building for their lodge
and club rooms, renting the lower
floor to commercial enterprises.
The building will be altered and re-
novated throughout and will be put
in first class condition, he said
Property Well Located
Judge NJ. W. Conklino. who is
IN active member of the Elks and a
past trustee of the lodge, said the
property was particularly desirable
for the Elks. as it is centrally To-
: Gated and with the expenditure of
n reasonable amount of money, can
w ''id't'l III S'''pu tbHhlllb'.
He believes the price paid FOR the
property by the Elks is good
one. considering the fact that lots
in the immediate vicinity can be
purchased for $4,000 The building
is on fonr lots, and its value can
not nosSiblv be construed rs being
worth $4,000 as ii now stands.
On tho other hand. he stated the
lodge wanted the property. believ-.
! ing it to be especially suitable for
its purposes. aud for that reason
! was preparod to bid higher than
! one or two parties who wanted it
for investment purposes.
The Elks own the propertv at
the corner of Fifth and Olive
streets. on which it WIS planned at
one time to erect new clubhouse.
; This plan was dropped when the
! courthouse site became available
! and plans were directed toward ac-
quiring the latter.
Asked what would be done with
| the Olive street propertv. DR.
Brooks and Judge Conkliug stated
that is another matter and will be
taken care of by the lodge.
The acquisition of the courthouse
means much 10 FL Centre lodge, as
it will give il a home of it's own
and therefore n fcclin" of indepon-
dence that goes with the ownership
nf nrnDprtV
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The
United States government this
afternoon took steps to help res
cue Floyd Collins. Apparatus
from the Pittsburgh and Vim
cennes, Ind. stations of this
bureau of mines and mire res
cue experts will be sent to Cave
City at once, it was reported.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
FREED ONLY TO FACE NEW HORRORS
CdUe-in Brings
Fresh Torture
After Release
ny United Press Leased Wire

By United Press Leased Wire
CAVE CITY Ky, Feb. AT
8 p. m. the painting rescuers
toiling at new tunnel that
may save Floyd Collins from
slow death in his cave had dug
their way only u few feet into
the sandstone hillside.
The men are almost exhaust
ed. Th2y have lived OH coffee
and crackers for two days.
Their strength is not sufficient
to drive them effectively at the
firm rock.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-02-04
CHEERFUL NEWS.
MIR. AUTOS
GAS" GOES UP

Loo ANhfALES, Feb. 4.-GaS-
oline prices in Southern California
were advanced two. cents today.
The local price was increased from
10 l-2 to Is 1-2 cents while in most
of the cities outside of Los Ange-
les the new price is 20 cents.
Automobile owners in FL Centre
received cheering news this
morning i'll the form of an advance
IN the price of gasoline by the
Standard Oil Company, with an al
most certainty that other companies
will follow suit.
The increase called for amounts
to two cents, which makes the re-
tail price of gas here % cents
per gallon. including the state tax
of two cents.
Inquiry at the Union Oil Compa.
NY resulted in a statement by Man
ager Albright that no official no.
tlee of an increase by his company
had been received as vet, though
he intimated that an increase is
expected.
The Richfield Company had not
received a notice of the increase
whm inquiry was made this morn,
ing, but the management stated that
official notice from headquarters
would undoubtedly be received be-
fore the end of the day.
The Shell Company likewise had
not received any word of an adj
vance in the price of their product.
though 1t was stated at the local
office that rumors of the increase
had been heard and apparently the
increase was expected.
Reports sent out from Los Ange.
les state that the increase is caus-
ed by decline in oil production
III various western fields.
PORTLAND, Ore, Feb. r.
Gasoline prices went up two cents
a gallon here today. All ma ior
companies increased their Portland
retail prices from 16 to IS cents.
Consumers pay three cents more in
tax. making the total 81 cents a
gallon.
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1925-10-10

with a S IL v e r
locket upon. it,
and even though
she had a gold
one, it made her
mad this other
child had a sill
yer one.
AS she thought
about it, sudden
ly she became so
little that she
could nardly see
herself and was
afraid that If she
took a walk she
would be trample:i
upon.
In fact she
kept changing all
49,, &s~~ D-I hn~
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1925-10-10
"LORD ORDERED IT."
is FANATICS PLEA
Homeless Man Makes Socri-
flee of Right Hand.

Cincinnati.-Imbued with the belief
that he should carry out the Biblical
injunction, IF thy right hand offend
thee, cut it off," man giving the
name of Thomas Thomson, fOrty-eight
years old and homeless, made the sac
rifice. He cut Off his hand and part
of his arm by allowing a Pennsylvania
railroad passenger train to run over
him.
"The Lord told me to do it," was his
explanation in the General hospital.
Persons who saw the man before
and after the accident thought he had
been injured when trying to steal a
ride.
Thomson held his dismembered arm
in his left hand as he was carried to
the hospital. He said little about him
self. He had $1.16 in his pockets. He
told police he had brother, John
Thomson, living in indianapolis.
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1925-10-10
Small Girls Suruiue
Parents Tragic Deaths

Petersburg, Alaska.-Two girls, five
and three years, respectively, told
federal authorities here that NOV
ing boat, on which they were passen-
gers, was the scene of spectacular
murder and suicide, which left them
at sea adrift and alone in the craft.
The principals in the tragedy were
Tom Rise and his wife. After Rise
killed the woman, he threw her over
board and then jumped over the side
himself.
AS if guided by providential hand,
the vessel beached itself and the two
little girls crawled off the ship when
the tide went out and walked to a
cannery, three miles up the beach
near here
The five-year-old child was adopted,
and said her foster parents had been
drinking before the fatal fight took
place.
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1925-10-10

Then he intoned a vague rhythm, in
terrupted by various bust contortiOns.
with arms extended in supplica-
ton and heads lifted imploringly, the
listeners repeated at intervals the old
mans litanies.
1.-THE priest turned to the priest
esses. They held out to him little
children, whose eyes now rolled with
fright.
1.-THE priestesses seemed to implore
the high priest to choose among their
sons. He selected one boy, and placed
him before the cage. In the child's
arms he put very small kid, which
was bleating. An assistant brought in
q tub, already half-full of a brownish
liquid.
Promise Of Rum to Come.
"'Rum,' my companion murmured.
He was already licking his lips.
''There was last invocation, fol-
lowed by a series Of whistlings. A
big serpent came out Of the cage. A
drum was beaten near him.
1.-THE old man Strengthened up and
brandished knife over the child's
head. 1 was about to make an out
cry. The blade, glittering in the rays
from the fire, sank into the kids
throat. The blood dripped in the tub.
A deep rattle rose from a hundred
anguished breasts.
1.-THE knife descended from the
throat to the chest, which it tore open
The priest seized the heart, which he
stuck on a long needle and offered to
the moon. He threw the liver to the
serpent, which slowly swallowed 1t.
ellis majesty the devil is satisfied
my neighbor clucked.
The circle broke up and rushed for
the bucket. Black faces plunged into
it and reappeared coated with blood
and alcohol. Then they began to
dance. Under the impassive moon 1t
seemed to excite all the latent, savage
instincts Of the hot countries. Some
times a dancer fell down exhausted.
The others kicked him with their feet
>o!;ing the satan-king. the ancient
serpent. who, satiated with food, dane
ing and cries. no longer extended from
his cage anything but his little head,
watching with cold eyes the leaps and
bounds of his faithful from beyond the
seas-the initiates of Cobb, the Woo
doOists.
"And all this happened in May, 1925,
less than ten kilometers away from
Paris"
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1925-10-10
Gets "Thark You'' for
Returning Lost $4,000

Marked Tree, Ark.-Everett Davis,
a resident of Marked Tree, received
"thank your as a reward for return
ing to a messenger $4,000 in cash
which he found in a road near here.
Davis noticed leather brief case fall
from an automobile a short distance
ahead of a machine he was driving.
He recovered the case and chased
the driver of the car from which he
had seen it fall for about two miles
before overtaking him. The man in
the machine said he was a deputy
sheriff from Memphis, and told Davis
the case contained a $4,000 payroll
which he was delivering to Etowah.
Ark
Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1925-10-10
DA DDY,S
EYEMTNG
FAIRY TALE
%Mary Graham Bonner
FEELINGS AND LOOKS

Katrina was lovely to look at. She
was really beautiful. Her hair was