davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
STUDENTS OF DUNBAR
GIVE CHRISTMAS PLAY
Carl Beckwith Is Elected Post
master General at Opening of
Office Monday.

Christmas activities at Dunbar
High School began with the opening
OF the post Office on Monday. Carl
Beckwith was chosen postmaster gen.
eral; associated with him were Olga
Beckwith, secretary; Katrina Butler,
treasurer; Edwina Ridgeley, Dorothy
Henry, Emmett Moss. Louise Fisher,
Bernice Bland and Miriam Lee.
Tuesday and Wednesday the per-
formances of the play, 1.-THE Christ
mas Child Comes H." by IONA Gale,
were given. The chief roles were
acted by Alexine Tanner, William
Syphax, Mollie Brooks, Joel Black.
well, Melvin Sewell. Phyllis Hodge,
Alice Hawkins, Leona Gray. Ora Glib
son, Arthur Johnson, Charles Spicer,
Erma Cliff and Wendell Taliaferro.
The officers of the Players Guild. I'M
der whose auspices the play was
given. follow: Ruth Matthews, presi-
dent; Pauline Gaskins, vice president;
Elise McEntree, secretary, and Brenda
Jackson, treasurer; Edith Wormley
and Ollie Young. in charge of the
stage. Miss Mary P. Burrill directed.
Choral singing, interspersed with
special choruses and solos. marked
the celebration on Wednesday. Solo
Lola Johnson, and Good King Wen
ceslas." sung by James Lee and Melvin
Barker. Mr.. John Williams, registrar,
rendered the solo part in The Birth
day OF a King" given by a male
chorus. Sixty baskets of food and
fruit besides miscellaneous bundles
and money were contributed to the
community Christmas tree during the
assemblies.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
INQUEST IN DEATH
CRASH POSTPONED
Condition of Bryn and Bark
ley Boys Delay Hearing
Into Seibert Fatality.

The inquest into the death of
Thomas II. Seibert, FL years old, 1917
Seventeenth street, who was killed
in an automobile accident early yes
terday morning at Connecticut ave-
nue. and 8 street, was indefinitely
postponed by Coroner j. Ramsay
afternoon upon the request Of Charles
s. Baker, counsel for Johannes Grin
stad Bryn, 2137 r street, son Of the
Norwegian Minister. who, police say,
was at the wheel Of the automobile
bearing Seibert when it overturned.
Mr.. Baker explained to Coroner
hewitt that both Bryn and David NJ.
Barley, "a years old. 1901 Cleveland
avenue. son Of Senator-elect Barkley
Of Kentucky, the third occupant Of
the death car, are in such serious
condition that they have not been
questioned concerning the accident.
Mr.. Baker later told newspapermen
Bryn didn't even know his friend
Seibert was dead.
Coroner hewitt opened the inquest
by reading the police report on the
accident. DR.. James H. Mcneil Of
Emergency Hospital, the first wit
ness, testified. that Barley hSd taken
a turn for the worse because of com.
plications in his chest. Deputy Cor.
oner Joseph d. Rogers testified that
the cause Of the death OF Seibert had
been shock and fracture Of the
skull.
1t was at this point that the re.
quest was made for the postpone
ment.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

More, than half OF President Cool.
idge,s Official family will celebrate
Christmas in the Capital, while four
members of his cabinet are leaving
the city for the holidays. Most Of the
cabinet members will devote the day
to their children.
The Secretary of State and Mrs.
Frank w. Kellogg are departing to.
day for flying visit with Mr.. Kel.
logg's brother-in-law and sister, Mr..
and Mrs. Seabury, at New Bedford,
Mass. They will be absent from
Washington tomorrow only.
Secretary Of the Treasury Mellon
left yesterday to spend the holidays
at his home in Pittsburgh to join his
son Paul when he arrived on his va
cation from Yale University. Nephews,
nieces, and cousins Of the Mellon
household will be on hand to enjoy
general family reunion.
Davis Children Home.
The Secretary Of War, Dwight F.
Davis, and Mrs Davis will have their
four children with them to help OBJ
serve Yuletide at the hospitable man
sion at the corner of Twentieth and
P streets. A handsome tree with all
the tinseled~ trimmings and varicolor-
ed lights will occupy a place OF proni'
nence at the festivities. Dwight Filley,
jr.; Cynthia. Alice and Helen are all
at home from school,.
The Attorney General, John Carl.
baldi Sargent. and Mrs. Sargent will
spend tomorrow quietly at home with
their daughter, Mrs. Pearsons. and
their two little granddaughters. Mary
and Anne. The family only recently
suffered the loss Of Mr.. Pearsons.
The Postmaster General, Harry S.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
'"SANTA" IN EARLY CALL
AT BUREAU or MINES
Arrives Day in Advance Of SEIZED
ule, Leaving Gifts for 500
Employees.

Travelling to. Washington, a day In
advance Of his schedule, Santa Claus
dropped in for short visit to the Blu.
reau Of Mines Christmas party last
night at the Interior Department au-
ditorium, presented many Of the more
than 500 employees of the bureau with
gifts and departed as swiftly as he
came for his home near the North
Pole to continue packing the presents
he will distribute. tonight.
An elaborate program of events was
held at the Mines Bureaus Christmas
party, featuring Punch and Judy
performance. given by j. Leonard Reh,
4 comedy Aim, q Bureau OF Mines pic.
ture showing OIL development In for
eign countries and several vaudeville
stunts. The guests were welcomed by
DR.. Andrew Stewart. chairman Of the
committee In. charge of the affair.
Aiding Dr. Stewart were w. w.
Adams, Max Abel, Miss. Madeline
Hatcher, Mrs. B. e.: Van Petit Miss
Helen Hawley and Miss Florence
Boardman.
Group singing was led byaFrrank X.
Sanderson and Miss Louise Bethel,
accompanied by Mrs. Sanderson and
Miss C. F. Sponseller. Dancing in the
corridors followed the entertainment.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
MANY WAITS GET REAL HOMES
FOR CHR ISTMAS THIS YEAR
Adoptions Will Give Two In
New York Shares in Big
Fortunes.
Queen of England Chooses
3-Year-OId Boy to Sponsor
in 0rphanage.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, December 24.--Scores
of homeless waits In New York and
London. will have real homes this
Christmas, with fathers and mothers
all their own. as a result Of rush Of
childless couples to adopt children.
Twenty-Five youngsters. many OF
them nameless, have ridden the tide
of Christmas favor for orphans In
New York homes, two Of them becofn.
ing heirs to fortunes and socially
prominent.
In London O similar wave Of adop.
ton has accompanied the arrival Of
the Christmas season, and officials OF
the National Adoption Society report
all previous records broken.
Adoption papers for 10 youngsters
were signed here yesterday in Surro-
gates Court and only legal formali.
ties remained to complete the adoption
Of six others. In each case the ap.
plicants have asked that all formal.
ties be completed before Christmas.
Atterburys Adopt Boy.
One little tot who has attained high
social standing IL Gerald Atterbury, a
brown.eyed boy of 10 months, who
has become the heir of Mr.. and Mrs.
Howard Il. Atterbury. Mr.. Atterbury
is president of Atterbury Bros. Inc.
identified with the Morgan banking in.
terests. Mrs. Atterbury was Miss
Faith Ripley Of Minneapolis. The
couple were married about 20 years
ago.
The Atterburys. after the adoption,
Immediately left for their country
home, in Annapolis, where Gerald will
be given his first Introduction to Santa
Claus.
Hes a flne baby and we are very
happy to have him." Mr.. Atterbury
said. '"There'll be a Christmas tree
for him, OF course"
The other child to enter q socially
prominent family was Sylvia Melt.
jeoeck, who was adopted by Mr.. and
Mrs. Frederick Huntington Babcock
Of East Eighty.ninth street. Mr.. Bah
cock is vice president and director
of j.. II. Lane 4 Co. Mrs. Babcock
was Miss Dorothy Doubleday, daugh.
ter OF Frank .. Doubleday. the pub.
Usher. She attended Vassar before
her marriage in 1915. and was intro.
duced at the Court Of st. James by
Mrs. Walter Hines Page.
VIII Share I'm Estates.
Under the adoption laws the chill
dren will share in the estates Of their
foster parents just as II they had
been born to them.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

under the fiiokering red glare of the
fuses and lanterns and thought Of the
heroism Of those who had worked the
greater part of the night and were not
yet ready to stop. For persons they
had never seen. the people OF Rock.
mart and all of this part Of Georgia
have turned over their homes. their
automobiles. their labor and, in fact,
their all. It will cost many the en-.
joyment Of Christmas, for they will be
worn out soon. i cannot say too much
for them"
Answering a final question, Mr.. Gill
lespie said he believed they had left
about IL dead in Rockmart and proba-
bly, a half dozen more in the wreck.
age. The total injured he estimated
at 81 or 20. land possibly a dozen
Of these cannot live" he said.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
EYEWITNESS OF FATAL WRECK
BARES HORROR AFTER CRASH
Former Head of Detroit Police, Who Led
Survivors in Extricatine Dead and
Injured, Tells of Rescue Work.

ing and with relief requested from
Rome Atlanta and other cities, re-
turned to the wreck There bonfires
were lighted from wrcckage and cloth
ing, both for purposes OF light and
warmth.
"The uninjured and the people OF
Rockmart soon co'opernted in the
work of rescue and went at 1t coolly
and irls determined manner" he said.
"As fast an bodies were removed they
were laid aside in a nearby field. and
we did not take time to try to identify
those we knew were dead. Lives had
to- be saved, and Ii was the injured
that we worked after"
As light was made available scenes
Of horror gereted the eye, said Mr..
Gillespie.
Prom two windows Of the wrecked
diner I saw terribly torn parts Of two
negro walters bodies hanging, their
white coats smeared with bloud. From
another window we, dragged the de-
capitated body of an apparently
middleaged white woman. Two tots
who expected to greet Santa Claus
tomorrow, no doubt. were so badly
crushed that Identification will be al
most impossible.
Through one window of the diner
we saw a man still seated in his chair
dazed. We got him out somehow and
found his body had been severed just
below the waist"
Detailing the rescue work, Mr.. Gill
lespie said men stood on one another s
shoulders to talk to the voices In the
dark car Of death and to. Obtain direc-
lions as to how best to extricate them.
Ladders were placed against the sides
of the wrecked cars and from their
tops to the windows, ~
Diner Split i'm Middle.
The diner was split down the middle
and the day coach had been forced
down that split with it's top overlap
ping the divided roof of the diner. By
way of emphasizing the force Of the
impact. Mr.. Gillespie pointed out that
the dining car was one Of modern all
steel construction. This was con-
confirmed at the Southern railway
Offices here.
when I came on TO Atlanta on this
train," said Mr.. Gillespie in 'conclu-
sion. IT looked back at the workers
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press. .>-
ATLANTA, Ca. December 24.-Un.
der the blood red glare Of danger
fuses placed by railroad men. John
Gillespie. former Detroit police COM
missioner, led rescue workers in re-
moving dead and injured from the
wrecked cars OF the northbound Ponce
de Leon and the southbound Royal
Palm at Rockmart, Ga.
Mr.. Gillespie, who arrived here this
morning on that part Of the Ponce de
Leon which was able to move, told
of dead men hanging out of windows,
decapitated women. unrecognizable
tcorpses and badly mutilated injured.
The train on which Mr.. Gillespie
reached Atlanta brought several of
the dead and injured, as well as those
uninjured., who were rerouted here
and continued to their original desti-
nations to be there Christmas day.
Mr. Gillespie continued to Detroit, his
home. He had boarded the Ponce de
Leon at West Palm Beach.
1.-The crash came at $40 pm. en-
tirely without warning, and while, our
train was making about 80 miles per
hour said Mr.. Gillespie. II was in
the second car behind the diner and
every. person in our car was thrown
to the floor. The impact was terrific
and the train jerked, groaned and
creaked.
There was q great crunching,
crashing sound and windows caved In
almost the length.-of the car. II the
brakes on our train were applied at
all it was at the very moment Of the
crash.
LAS soon as I realized what had
happened I got out and began invest.
eating the damage and how 1t all
happened. The fireman Of q freight
train which was on the siding told
me that the Ponce de Leon had sped
toward his train and the oncoming
Royal Palm, which was around
slight bend, and that as the Ponce de
Leon approached the freight her en-.
gineer saluted. and the freight en-
gineer, realizing that for some reason
the northbound train was unaware of
the existence of the other southbound
Immediately signaled to him to make
an emergency stop. 1t was too late,
however. and the crash resulted few
seconds later"
15.foot embankment on which the
train rested. and in ankle.deep mud
gained the cars ahead.
1.-THE day coach was virtually driven
through the dining car and telescoped
almost the entire length, with its top
extending several feet above the top
Of the diner" Mr.. Gillespie went on
1.-The lights in the diner were out, and
because of the extreme darkness and
pouring rain 1t was impossible to see
inside, but it took only one glance to
prove that death had stalked heavily.
/ gathered two or three uninjured
men and Communicated an automo.
bile which had stopped in passing
and we went into Rockmart for aid"
At RockmArt Mr.. Gillespie obtained
several ladders and lanterns and, with
doctors and volunteer nurses follow.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
WRECK PROBE BEGIN.
Engineer Apparently to Blame, Say
Officials.

ATLANTA, Ga. December "a OP.---
The head-on collision last night at
Rocllmart, Ga. of northbound South
ern Railway passenger train Ponce de
Leon, Miami to Chicago, with the
eouthbound Royal Palm apparently
was caused by the Ponce de Leon s
engineer overlooking the order to take
the siding" to pass the Royal Palm,
officials of the road said in q state
ment here today.
An investigation already has been
started to determine why the order
was not observed. The crash resulted
in the death of nearly a score of per
sons and injury to nearly 80.
The official statement revealed that
the regular engineer of the Ponce de
Leon was not at the throttle when his
train crashed into the Royal Palm,
which was idling along on the main
track awaiting the Ponce de Icons
passage on the siding. A road fore
man or travelling engineer had re-
tieved him at Mcpherson. IL miles
from the scene Of the crash but 1t
was emphasized that he bore COM
plete authority for 1t and that he I'M
nerstood the orders fully
8. j. Keith, the regular engineer,
was injured seriously, and ]. NJ.
Pearce, the road foreman. was prob
ably fatally hurt. II. r. Moss, the
fireman, was killed.
THE accident was apparently caused
by the engineer Of the first, No. the
Ponce de Leon. overlooking the order
TO take the siding at the south end
Of passing track at Rockmart for No.
a01 (the Royal Palm)," said the state
ment. Road Foreman Pearce relieved
Engineer Keith at Mcpherson. and
Pierce and Fireman Moss understood
train orders for first. No. 2. to take
siding for No. 10l at Rockmart.,.'
Pearce has been in the service since
1912.
The Ponce de Leon was made up of
10 coaches. comprising the first sec.
tion, and was believed to have carried
more than 200 passengers. The Royal
Palm atjp had a large passenger list
and wa4 composed Of nine cars.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
BARRIERS SUNDAY BILL
OPPOSED BY LONGACRE
Secretary Of Religious Liberty
Group Holds Measure Is Class
LEGISLATION,

Prof. c. s. Longacre, secretary of
the Religious Liberty Association,
said today that his association will
vigorously oppose the BARRIERS Sunday
closing bill for the District Of Column.
bia, just introduced in the Senate by
Senator Copeland of New York, "for
the very reason that it is class legis.
lation, and therefore unconstitu-
tional."
Union BARRIERS are protected from
working more than six days a week
by their organization, yet they want
a law to compel the independent or
non-union BARRIERS to close on Sun
day." said the statement. "Such an
injustice Is very apparent. The Con-
stitution grants the same privileges
to the non-union barber as It does to
the union men, and this proposed leg
islation will meet with some genuine
opposition.
1.-THE passing of this bill would give
the Sunday law advocates an entering
wedge into Federal governmental af-
fairs that would be used as a prece.
dent to secure more drastic legislation
concerning the observance Of Sunday"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
WAvESSU|T AWAY
SANDER Action Against I'LL.
nois Governor Is Settled by
Judges Mediation.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, December 24.--The spirit
of Christmas, coaxed into the. court
room by Judge w. H. Gemmill,
brought to an abrupt close yesterday
the $4,000 SANDER suit OF State Sen
ator James j. Barbour against Gov.
Len Small. of Illinois. when the &C.
ton was dismissed without costs.
At the behest OF the Judge. Sena.
tor Barbour acQuiesced In dismissal Of
the suit, which was based on the gov.
errors charge, In a 1924 campaign
address, that: Barbour received money
illegally from the state treasury by
serving as assistant attorney general
in vice cases at Rock Island, while
member OF the state Senate.
g. Called Into Conference.
Two days had been spent in se.
lectinr a Jury and another in arguing
preliminary motions. when Judge
Gemmill called the principals into a
three hour conference today from
which both litigants emerged with
statements which they read in court.
Gov. Small adhered to his belief
that the charges he made are true,
ana said he believed and still believes
that these actions of Senator Barbour
were illegal and in violation of the
Constitution. (which provides that no
person participating in one depart.
fnent Of State government may par.
ticipate in another department"
No Shaking Hands.
Senator Barbour. who had con.
tended that he was outside the scope
Of the constitutional provision against
double employment, because his pay
ment in the Rock Island vice cases
came from a citizens fund. responded
with a statement that he was sorry
the governor and cannot come
closer together In I. our views" but
said that ''in view Of the approaching
Christmas season and our public
duties, am glad to dismiss the suit. :"
The litigants did not shake hands,
but both left the courtroom in smiles.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
QUEEN CHOOSES WAIF.
Three.year-old Boy Received at Buck.
ingham Palace--TO Enter Orphanage.

LONDON, December "a @.-Three-
year.old Arthur Shackleton has been
selected as the Queens waif, and has
been entered at the Royal Infant Or
phanage at Wanstead, Essex, to be
cared for until he is 16.
After his selection Arthur was re-
ceived at Buckingham Palace. He is
one Of the youngest individuals ever to
pass through the palace gates, and 1t
was the first time q child under the
care of the Waits and Strays' Society
had been within the stately rooms oc.
cupied by the royal family.
Arthur was ushered past the palace
sentries by a nurse and taken into
one of the Queens private rooms,
where her ma esty had good look at
him. But he was more interested in
the bright uniforms of the servants
tiptoeing about than in the Queen, and
seemed to take 1t for granted when
King George chucked him under the
chin.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
PASTORS WIDOW DIES.
Mrs. Emma Gray Gordon to Be
Buried in Ohio.

Mrs. Emma Gray Gordon. 70 years
old, widow Of Rev. Thomas Gordon
and mother Of Hayner II. Gordon,
art, attorneys, died at her residence,
1855 Lamont street, yesterday. She
had been in failing health about SIX
months.
Mrs. Gordon came to this city with
her husband about 80 years ago, when
he retired from pastorate in New
York. She was a member Of the New
York Avenue Presbyterian Church
Funeral services will be conducted
at the residence Sunday afternoon at
8 o'clock. Rev. Dr. Wallace Radcliffe,
pastor emeritus Of the New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church. will
officiate. Interment win be in Find
lay, Ohio.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

known to be needy, the givers may
select fitting gifts. Most Of the bags
are sought and filled yearly by Wash
ingtonians in their homes, in the
churches and in the Government de-
partments.
Thousands of child letters are re-
ceived annually by Mrs. John 8. Ben
nett, commonly addressed to Mother
Bennett" who has charge Of the
missions emergency home for chill
dren. These letters generally reach
the peak before Christmas. One
small boy whose letter was translated
as saying he wanted to be at Keith's
for the Christmas tree. but had mo
pants" later indignantly denied refer
ence to wearing apparel and insisted
he wrote mo parents"
The letters and subsequent investi-
cations, Mother" Bennett declared.
reveal material need in Washington
homes on a scale undreamed Of by the
average citizen, and taxing to their
limit the missions facilities for Christ
mas social service work.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

U. S. Envoy to Argentina Re-
turning on Leave-Hope to
Retain Him in Service.
Peter Augustus Jay. Ambassador
to Argentina has reSiRnad

Peter Augustus Jay. Ambassador
to Argentina. has resigned.
The resignation has not been ac-
copied. however, and 1t is likely that
Secretary Kellogg will try to persuade
him to remain in the service.
Mr.. Jay Is career man in the
diplomatic service. He has been in
BuenOs Aires less than a year. Be-
fore his transfer there he was Min
lister to Rumania.
1t Is considered probable at the
State Department that Mr.. Jays de-
sire to leave the service is prompted
by grief of himself and Mrs. Jay
over the recent death of their 15.year-
old daughter.
He has been granted leave and Is
expected to arrive In Washington
some time next month.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
POLICEMAN FOUND SHOT.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

CUMBERLAND, Nd, December "a.
William L. Schultz. 40. for Is years
a member Of the Cumberland police
department, was shot yesterday while
seated in rocking chair at home.
Accident was given as the cause.
Schultz is survived by his wife, who
was Clara Martz. a daughter of the
late Henry Martz, chief Of police here
in the seventies, and three sons and
two daughters. He was a member of
the Catholic Church.