davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1926-02-20
SMOKING IN BED
COSTS MANS LIFE
A. L. McDermott Falls Asleep
With Lighted Cigarette
in Hand.

A lighted cigarette which dropped
from the hand of A. l.. McDermott,
"a years old. a carpenter. when he fell
asleep while smoking in bed at his
room, ass NJ street southwest, early
today. is blamed for the death of the
man whose body was found on a blaz-
ing mattress by E. E. Cannon. when
he went in the room to arouse McDer-
mott, who apparently was suffocated.
McDermott apparently had been
dead about 40 minutes, according to
DR.. Gross of Casualty Hospital who
answered the call with the ambulance,
summoned at the same time a fire
alarm was turned in. The fire was
confined to McDermotts room
Sergt. Bobo of the fourth precinct
supervised the police investigation He
reported that McDermott evidently
had retired dressed and dropped off to
sleep while smoking a cigarette which
fell upon the mattress and smoldered
for some time.
McDermott had been living at the
house for six weeks. police were told.
He was not married. His nearest rela-
tive. brother, W. E. McDermott of
13071z Prince street, Alexandria, Va,
was notified and appeared at the
to claim the body.
Coroner j. Ramsay hewitt will view
the body later and issue a certificate
of death.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
Food Prices Rise
As French Franc
Sets Low Mark
. by CONSTANTINE BROWN.

BY Cable To The Star and Chicago Daily News
PARIS. February 20. - Food
prices already have responded to
the latest collapse of the franc.
which dropped Friday afternoon to
the lowest rate since the end Of
the war
1t was announced this morning
that the price OF bread will be in
creased ) centimeS a pound tomor-
row and another ) on Tuesday.
Factories are showing reluctance
10 deliver large quantities of goods
TO merchants. who in turn are un-
willing to sell their present stocks
except tor dollars. pounds and
Swiss francs.
The government is much alarmed
at this state of affairs, blaming
foreign spectators, mainly the
New York and Amsterdam eX-
change, tor the fall of the franc
The Senate now is studying the
financial law. which was received
this week from the lower House.
But since the Senate has no power
to introduce new taxes. it Is very
doubtful whether il will be able to
improve the situation. On the other
hand. the treasury must redeem in
three weeks hundred million dol.
lars In national defense bonds.
Nobody knows where the funds are
to be found unless the Bank of
France Is authorized to make
new imitation
tCopyrlght 1926. by Chicago Daily News Co.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
ANOTHER MAN SHOT
BY MANIAC SN|PER'
Railroad Detective Wounded
by .22 Rifle as in
Two Sayings.
BY the Associated Press.

OMAHA. Nebr., February 2o.-An
other man has fallen victim to
Omaha's maniac rif1eman."
Ross w. Johnson. 2s-year-old rail.
road detective. was shot and seriously
wounded last night at Council Bluffs.
Iowa, across the Missouri River from
here
Five empty .2o-caliber shells SUD.
piled what the police considered con-
Meeting link between the latest shoot
ing and the mysterious slaying of two
Omahans earlier in the week. Similar
shells were found near the other vic.
Tins.
The new outrage added to the appre.
hension Of residents of Omaha and
vicinity who have been terrorized for
six days by the activities of the night
prowlinE sniper. During that period
several persons have been fired at in
addition to those slain or wounded.
Johnson was in critical condition
In Council Bluffs hospital to-day He
was shot five times by man with a
.22-caliber rife, believed to have been
equipped with a silencer, as he was
examining seals on a freight car. The
man fled, speeded by two bullets from
Johnson's revolver. which the detec.
tive believes were ineffective.
DR.. A., D. Searles, aged physician
shot down in his Office Tuesday night
and William McDevitt, killed outright
on the street Sunday night, are the
others whose deaths are ascribed TO
the maniac rif1eman.'
johnson gave good description OF
his assailant and said the first warn.
ing he had was the sting of the bull
let's.
Police Inspector Danbaum of Omaha
said he was convinced the same one
shot johnson who shot the Omaha
victims. and that the man was at
tempting to escape on freight train
at the time of the shooting.
johnson came here six weeks ago
from Kansas City, and police were at
tempting to check his record there
for an explanation of the attack. He
did not recognize the man who shot
him. He has wife and two small
children.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
NAVY PASSES NAA
CASE TO HOOVER
Declares Matter of Curbing
Station Is Up to His
Radio Committee.

Complaints of radio interference by
the powerful Navy station NAA at
Radio, Va. blotting out and blanket
ing local stations and distant stations
to radio listeners in Washington,
made to the Secretary of the Navy
by Secretary Hoover Of the Commerce
Department. We're Lassed hack to the
Commerce Department today by Act
ing Secretary Robinson of the Navy.
Replying to letter from MIR.
Hoover on the Interference COM
planned of. Mr.. Robinson said the Ar
lington broadcast station has been
operated since 1922. solely on the
recommendation of the inter-depart-
mental radio advisory committee Of
which Judge s. B. Davis, solicitor Of
the Commerce Department, is chair
man.
Mr. Robinson suggested that this
committee give full consideration to
the complaint and that it make spe-
cific recomme ndation as to time of
operation Of the Arlington station.
Several score letters have been
filed at the Commerce Department by
radio listeners regarding blanketing
of the city by NAA's strong signals.
The latest originated only last night
when Marion Talley. Metropolitan
Opera Co prina donna, sang for a
Continued on Page ., Column ~
Evening star., 1926-02-20
URGES REMOVAL
Of TOURIST CAMP
Fine Arts Commission Asks
d Site Be Changed From
Potomac Park.

Removal Of the tourist camp In
East Potomac Park ito a more suita-
BILE point" either in or outside the Dis
trict of Columbia. is a recomme nda-
ton of the Fine Arts Commission to
the Director Of Public Buildings and
Public Parks. made public today. The
commission recommended that no
permanent structure be erected at the
tourist camp.
An appropriation of $50 900 for con-
struction of a perma nent building at
the East Potomac Park location has
already been made.
The tourist camp cannot be re-
garded as a permanent feature in any
city development" the commission
said. but must always be subject to
replacement to accommodate the
growth Of the city"
The commission said 1t had con-
sidered the design submitted by the
public parks director for tourist
camp shelter house. and regarded the
composition of the design as good
Certain minor changes, however,
were noted on the design.
The report, in part. follows:
The commission calls attention to
the fact that II a permanent brick
building shall be erected within the
present area of the tourist camp
such action will go far toward making
that camp permanent. Thus the
whole plan for the development Of
the western end of East Potomac
Park as the great recreation center
Of Washington would be defeated. The
area has been planned in the Once
of Public Buildings and Public Parks
AS the location of base ball and foot
ball fields. stadium, tennis courts
wading and bathing pools. and other
like features necessary to the life and
health of the City of Washington.
An UnsightIy Area.
THE Introduction of the tourist
camp in the midst Of the park area
OF the city is unusual and in the
present instance 1t is deplorable.
The tourist camp Is seen from the
car windows by people reaching
Washington from the South. who look
down upon an area disorderIy in an
pearance and necessarily without ade-
quate regulation. A large space of
the limited area available for recrea- :
ton purposes is thus given over to a
small fraction Of the people who could
properly use 1t and who can quite as
well be accommodated, as in other
cities, at some point near the bound.
ary of the District of Columbia.
THE commission, therefore, recon-.
mends that Congress be asked to
change the appropriation 80 as to pro.
vide for the removal Of the tourist
camp to more suitable point, either
within or without the District of Co.
lumbia. but that no permanent struc.
ture be created in any event. The
tourist camp cannot be regarded as
a permanent feature In any city de-
velopment. but must always be sub
ject to replacement to accommodate q
the growth of the city"
Evening star., 1926-02-20
Tia Juana Bereft of Color as Scandal
Brings New Rules for Closing Border

along the main street, casting inter
ested eyes in the directions of the
sumptuous furnishings of the desert.
ed saloons. and stopping momentarily
at post card stands displaying photo.
graphs of bar displays and Mexican
lithogra phs on which the caption II
am now in Tia Juana, Old Mexico, :"
was the most prominent feature.
In the afternoon the crowds from
the race track filled the streets for
short time. At $50 only an unusually
large number of automobiles with San
Diego and Los Angeles licenses show
ed the number of parties staying
through the night.
Hope Is expressed along the main
street that continuance of the 6
o'clock closing order will result in
steadily increasing business If Amer
leans find Tia Juana perfectly safe
during the night hours.
But behind all this there Is cloud
of gloom. Bartenders wipe and re-
wipe their bars: proprietors Jingle the
keys in their pockets and restaurant
owners stand stolidly behind their
cash registers, all looking vainly for
the crowded streets of a former day.
Tia Juana Is not dead, but is GER
tainly IL not 80 lively ~ It was
Evening star., 1926-02-20
CONGRESS SEEKING
T0ADJOURN JUNE |
Some Leaders Even Believe
Work May Be Completed
by May |.
By the Associated Press.


Adjournment of Congress before
June is now the hope and expecta-
ton of Republican leaders in the
two houses.
With the tax bill practically out
of the way and work on the 10
annual appropriation bills well under
way, some of them however. estimate
that Congress should get away by
May l.
AS the legisla tive programs are now
arranged there are comparatively few
measures of major Importance to be
acted upon. These include several
railroad bills. farm relief legislation.
the $165, 100000 public buildings bill
and Muscle Shoals.
Democratic leaders in the Senate
have announced that the Question of
a unified air service must be fought
out. but they are not adverse TO an
early adjournment, as this is A
political year with the complexion of
the new Congress to be determined
in the November elections.
The senatorial and congressional
campaign committees of the two
major parties already are laying
plans for the campaigns and Senators
and Representatives will be drafted
for campaign speaking in many
States.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
TWO men MISSING
IN FIRE IN HOTEL
Three Others Severely Injured, 60
Escape in East St. Louis.
ILL.,, Bleze.
Nv the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
EAST ST. LOUIS. ILL.,, February
20. Two men were missing. others
were severely injured and so guests
were forced to flee in nightclothing
when fire early today destroyed sec
ton of the Arnold Hotel here with loss
estimated at $130,00o.
The missing were H. L. Cole. day
clerk. formerly of Springfield. ILL.,. and
a railroad man named kato. Cole was
sleeping in the hotel. The register
was not recovered and A. c. Arnold.
proprietor, said others might be miss
ing.
The injured were Harry Darling, AZ,
editor Of the East St. Louis News Re-
view: Wallace Calvin, 81. OF Chicago.
and William B. Dever, As. of Terre
Haute Darling. who had planned to
leave today to accept a position with
the Trenton. Tenn, News Democrat,
received injuries to his back and head
when he jumped from a window. Cal
vim and Dever received burns. They
were taken to St. Mary's Hospital.
All were expected to recover.
Many Of the guests were unable to
get down any of three fire escapes and
came down ladders or ropes to safety.
The cause OF the fire. which started in
the hotel restaurant, was undeter-
mined.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
DUNCAN CAMERON TO WE'D
MRS. ELSIE H. QUINBY
New York Man. Well Known Here.
to Marry Washington Resident
Next Month.

A marriage license was issued here
today TO Duncan Cameron OF New
York and Mrs. Elsie Rowland Quin-
by of Washington.
Mr.. Cameron. who is 50 years of age
is the father Of Mrs. Juan MAYER Of
Washington, and is we'll known here
Mrs. Quinhy, who is 45, was divorced
about year ago. The wedding will
take place in March, and the Rev
Charles Wood will officiate.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
COOLIDGE, BETTER,
REMAINS IN ROOM
Cancels Single Engagement.
Conserving Strength for
Speech Monday.

President Coolidge Cancelled the
single engagement he had today and
remained in his room with the cold
which has been troubling him for
several days past.
His condition was reported i'm
proved, however, and the President s
decision to remain in bed was simply
precaution. President Coolidge is
scheduled to speak Monday night be-
fore the department of superin-
tendence of the National Education
Association and he desires to conserve
his energies. He has no temperature
The cold has not prevented the Pres
ident from keeping up with current
topics and from making known his
views to newspaper men, who were
the first callers received since his in
disposition.
View of liquor Ownership.
The President walked from his liv.
ing quarters to his Office late yester.
day. and although troubled with
sore throat. he talked to the CORE
spondents for Is minutes. The Ital-
ian debt situation and the proposal
that the Government take over and
distribute stocks of bonded medicinal
liquor are two of the subjects studied
by the Chief Executive during his
two days of forced idleness.
MIR. Coolidge agrees with Secretary
Mellon that it would be unwise for
the Government to assume ownership
of the medicinal liquors, as suggest
ed by Assistant Secretary Andrews,
in charge Of prohibition enforcement
Mr.. Andrews holds the opinion that
such a step eventually must be taken
to stop leaks to the Illicit trade.
The President hopes that the op-
position to acceptance of the Italian
debt funding agreement now indi-
Gated will not prevent ratification by
the Senate Should the agreement be
rejected, MIR. Coolidge believes, Italy
would be likely to conclude that 1t
was not called upon for further eff
fort toward a settlement.
Italian Debt Discussed.
The recomme ndation of the debt
commission, the President feels, were
based on expert analysis of 1taly's
capacity to pay. and should these
recommendations be disregarded it
would be extremely diff1cult to learn
how much Italy should be asked to
pay.
Moreover. Mr.. Coolidge is repre-
sented as holding that the Senate
Democrats should be willing to ac-
cept the funding agreement If the Re-
publican party is ready to display
liberal attitude toward the debtor
nation in accepting the debt commits
sion's recommendations.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
GO so MILES IN 8 DAYS.

IRONWOOD. Mich, February 20
N0.-Dragging a sled 25 miles, car
rying the body of Hugo Rust. a home
steader, who killed himself at his
lonely shack, four men travelling
on snowshoes required eight days to
make the round trip.
Much of the distance covered was
over snow so deep a horse could not
be used. A neighbor of Rust discover
ed his body on February ?. and it re-
quired nine days before word was
taken to the sheriff. On February II
four men on snowshoes, with sup
plies for ten days. started out to bring
the body here. arriving yesterday on
the return trip.
Evening star., 1926-02-20

SAN DIEGO. Calf, February 20
A saddened and chastened Tia Juana,
shorn of its former glories and bereft
of the color and life which were its
outstanding characteristics, now
greets the visitor.
Since Clyde and Audrey Peteet
were attacked in Tia Juana two
weeks ago, and the girls, with their
father and mother, committed suicide
from shame over the incident the
town is not the same.
The new American border closing
rule has made some difference, for
the visitor must keep a wary eye on
his watch to make sure that pm.
finds him on the American side Of
the international boundary.
On the second morning of the new
line closing restrictions from the
American side there was hardly
drink passed across the many bars Of
the city until almost noon. At this
hour it became apparent that large
number of tourists, merely addicted
to the post card habit and total alb.
stainers in fact as well as in name,
were in the city.
These Americans walked briskly
Evening star., 1926-02-20
Orchestra Leader.
Shot, Continues
Until Collapse
By the Associated Press.

LENINGRAD. Russia, February
2o.-Sergius Novitsky, leader of the
orchestra Of the State Circus. acci-
dentally shot last night by Swiss
marksman during the performance,
continued to lead his orchestra un-
til loss Of blood caused him to col
lapse.
The marksman, named kanons.
was giving an exhibition OF shoot
ing an apple placed on his broth
ers head. One bullet struck the
orchestra leader in the mouth.
shattering some of his teeth and
tearing away part of his nose.
Novitsky. however, was so self
controlled that the spectators were
entirely unaware of the accident
until he was carried away uncon-
scious.
AS Novitsky Is a cornet player
the wound in his mouth will de-
prive him of his means Of liveli-
hood and the state has undertaken
to pension him.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
BERGER BILL AMENDS
COUNTESS BARRIER
Socialists Measure Would Admit
All Except Those Guilty
of Felony.
Nv the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
A bill amending the immigra tion
laws to admit to this country all
aliens except those found guilty and
convicted of felony was introduced
today by Representative Berger, So
cialist, Wisconsin.
Commenting on recent exclusions
based on grounds of moral turpitude
and political utterances, Mr.. Berger
said in a statement that the barring
of the Countess of Cathcart, the
Countess Karolyi and 9. Saklatvala,
Communist member of the British
Parliament, "discloses the danger of
comforting discretionary powers upon
officials who may exercise 1T in the
way our officials have"
If exclusion of aliens on the ground
of tndiscretions were to become the
settled practice of all governments,
he said, many wealthy and promi-
nent Americans would find them
selves barred from other countries.
Since every country has its own set
of morals, exclusion on that ground
would make International business
and travel impossible"
Evening star., 1926-02-20
SLAYER SLASHES THROAT,
HALTING OWN EXECUTION
Attempts Suicide Few Hours Be-
fore Transfer From Jail Under
Order for Electrocution.
81 the Associated Press

by the AssoC1at fress
PITTSBURGH. February 90
George H. Prescott. convicted of first
degree murder for the Staying of Mrs.
Fern Thase, attempted suicide by
slashing his throat with a razor blade
in the Allegheny County Jail today
a few hours before he was to have
been taken to the Rockview Peni-
tentiary to be electrocuted Monday.
He was removed to a hospital in a
critical condition, but physicians said
he will recover unless complications
developed.
Prescott once before attempted to
end his life by the same means. Ar
rested the day after Mrs. Thases s
body. shot through the breast, was
found in her home, he cut his throat
while being taken to Jail and lay be-
tween life and edath for a week.
An investigation was ordered to de
termine how Prescott obtained the
razor blade. A guard on duty at the
time was suspended.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
Worlds End Coming, Scientist Says,
But Not for 999, ,998, 900, OO0, 600 Years

another 100000 times as long as it
has already whirled
And when that time comes, the sun
Will get too close to this planet and
pouf!
That will be all. Just like the
snufiing out of a candle, 1t will melt
and be destroyed.
Discussing the universe before
group of students last night, Prof.
Moulton pictured 1t as a vast space,
10000 light years from top to bottom
and 100000 light years from end to
end-a watchlike disc. Light years
are based on the travelling speed Of
light, $4,000 miles a second.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
DENIED AUTO FOR LIFE.
Farmer Who Killed Man Convicted
of Manslaughter.

FAIRMONT, Mimi. February 20
CR.-A sentence including an order
to refrain from driving an auto
mobile for the rest of his natural
life" was imposed on Herman Lesch,
farmer, near here yesterday following
his conviction on charge of second
degree manslaughter as result of
an automobile accident. Lesch was
aslo fined 81, 900 and given a suspend
ed sentence of seven years in the
State Penitentiary.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
BY the Associated Press.


NEW YORK. February 2O.-Capt.
Eugene Blake. jr.. of the Coast Guard
patrol boat Seneca today denied re-
ports from Nova Scotia that the Sen
eca had fired on the schooner East.
wood. as stated by the captain Of
the latter vessel when it reached Lun
enburg yesterday The Seneca now is
undergoing an overhauling at the
Brooklyn navy yard.
Capt Blake said that no shots had
been fired for any reason by the
Seneca.
The commander Of the Eastwood
was quoted as saying that 200 rounds
had been fired. many Of them striking
the ship and doing considerable
damage.
Capt. Blake said the Seneca had
been watching the Eastwood for three
months, during which time she estab-
liShed contact with several shore YES
Seli, but had not even hailed her.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
BOOTLEGGERS SUSPECTED.
Shot -Riddled Bodies of Scientists
Found Near Bridge.

By The Associated Press
PICAYUNE. Miss. February 90
A damaged motor truck is the only
clue in a search for the slayers of
two employees of the United States
Bureau of Entomology. whose bodies.
riddled with buckshot. were found
yesterday within so yards of new
bridge which spans East Pearl River
on the Mississippi-Alabama State line
William Malcolm Mingee and John
Anderson McLemore. graduates of
Mississippi A. and NJ. College, and
residents of Picayune. Miss. eight
miles from the scene Of the killings.
were the victims. Robbery is believed
to have been the motive, and author
tiles think rum runners committed the
crime.
Friends of the dead men found the
bodies during a search which was in
stituted when the Government en-
ployes failed to return from a hunting
trip on which they started in the truck
yesterday. The victims emptied
pocketbooks and other personal ef-
fects were found near where they
were killed.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
MUSsOLINI PROTECTED.
Man Who Insulted Him Jailed Un.
der New Law.

TURIN, February 20 LP.-A new
law designed to protect Premier Mus
solini from insults, has had Enrico
Tempia, Communist, as its first
victim.
pamphlets containing matter consid-
cred insulting to the premier, has been
sentenced to six months imprison-
n,ent and q fine of 500 lire under a
law passed last December.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
RUHR PLANTS CLOSING.
Unemployment Increasing
Firms Restrict Operations.

BERLIN, February 20 R.-The
present serious industrial crisis In Ger
many Is forcing many firms to restrict
their operations considerably and the
number of unemployed in the Ruhr
district especially Is increasing daily.
The Krupp works at Essen have re-
duced the number of their workmen
from AZ 900 to 10000, and half Of these
are working only a few days week.
Three thousand men have been dis
missed by the Thyssen mines and 9TH
er firms have taken similar measures.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
Former Greek Premier Arrested.

ATHENS. February 90 LP).-Former
Premier George ksfa ndaris, who yes
terday was asked to leave Athens for
the Island of Santorin. in the Aegean
Sea, in connection with the govern.
ment's plan to rid Greece of alleged
subversive elements, has been ar.
rested.
Evening star., 1926-02-20
SCHOOLS REMAIN OPEN.
Orders to Close Catholic Institu
lions Ignored in Vera Cruz.

VERA CRUZ. Mexico. February 20
UP.-No action has been taken by
the local government on the request
by the federal government to close
Catholic schools in Vera Cruz. The
eovernment also ordered a roundup
Of foreign priests. There are only
two Catholic churches and a few for
Agn priests In Vera Cruz.