davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1926-03-20
RS-Ts FURIOUS FIGHT in GALE
REVEALED BY LOCAL MAN ABOARD
Charles S. Burgess Gives
Narrowing l9-Hour
Flight Details.
Control Car Left HANGING
by Cables After Struts
Snapped.
BY the Associated Press

By the Associated Press.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass, March 90
The Army dirigible RS-1 was victori-
Gus on January q in one of the most
furious battles ever fought in the air
against the wind. 1t was revealed for
the first time yesterday. Two struts
on her control car were broken when
she attempted to land at Scott Field.
near Belleville, ILL.,, and she vas forced
aloft, there to remain for Is hours,
while her crew of IS suffered from
cold and hunger.
The story was told by Charles p.
Burgess, associate professor of aero
nautics at the Massachusetts, Institute
OF Technology. who was on board as
technical observer. Prof. Burgess also
was on the Navy airship Shenandoah
on the night, more than two years
ago, when she broke loose from her
mooring mast at Lakehurst, ". J. He
said the experiences on the RS.1 were
more trying than on the Shenandoah.
Warned Of High Winds.
The RS-1. in command Of Lieut.. o.
hours on her third trial flight. She
was warned by radio that high winds
were expected and headed for Scott
Field. BY the time she was landed
and was being pulled toward her
hangar the wind had so increased in
velocity that she began to pound on
the ground like a vessel in heavy
breakers. Two struts on the control
cabin were smashed and Lieut.. Ander-
son, seing the ship would be wrecked
in further attempts to house her, Or
dered the engines started and the
ground lines freed. 1t was then
~ IN ho
Besides Lieut.. Anderson and Prof.
Burgess, the RS.l carried Lieut.. John
Salsman, radio officer Lieut.. II. f. Ro
billiard. airship expert, and a crew of
nine enlisted men.
With the struts broken. only sus.
pension cables held the control car as
the airship began and continued her
forced fight. Those on board thought
Of what the survivors Of the Shenan-
doah had said after she went down In
Ohio last Summer. The last noise
was the crunching Of breaking struts.
soon after we went aloft," said
Prof. Burgess. 1--WE discovered that not
a crumb or q drop of beverage was
left from our noon lunch. Some one
found few onions. but they We're of
little comfort"
Ship Plunged Wildly.
The RS.1 headed into the wind. and,
keeping as near Scott Field as pos
sible. worked away from the center of
the storm disturbance. The wind was
coming from the northwest and the
ship was plunging wildly-"far more
violently than the Shenandoah in her
forced fight"
The radio officer attempted to COM
municate with the station, but In his
Evening star., 1926-03-20
CRACKSMENL
SAFE, GET $1,024
PiggIy-Wiggly Main Office
Burglars Leave Few
Clues Behind.

Thieves entered the main office OF
the Piggly-Wiggly Co.. 1885 Fifth
street northeast last night. by break.
Ing rear window and rified the safe
Of $1.024. according to a report made
today by George T. Richardson.
cashier.
Paper was scattered about the floor
when clerks arrived at the office this
morning. and the safe was found to
have been broken open by cracksmen.
who unseated the tumbler mechanism
after boring through the combination
dial.
The only loot taken was currency
A check-up today showed the exact
amount in the safe.
Detectives from the twelfth precinct
started investigating the robbery to-
day. They found virtually no clues
on which to work, the robbery having
been executed with skill and care.
Evening star., 1926-03-20
FRANCE TAKES ALARM.
Alleged Houghton Report Creates
Paris Sensation.

BY Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
PARIS, March 2O.--A summary Of
Ambassador Houghton's alleged report
on Europe to President Coolidge and
Secretary Kellogg, cabled by the
Washington correspondent Of the
London Times, has been reproduced
throughout Europe and has created q
sensation.
The renewed fall OF the franc TO-
day was directly attributed to this re.
port, which Is interpreted as revealing
the distrust OF the American Govern.
ment toward France and as making q
Franco American debt settlement al.
most impossible.
Unofficial representations on the
subject probably will be made today
by French diplomats to their Ameri.
can colleagues either here or in Wash.
ington.
Mr.. Houghton's view. according to
the Times correspondent, is as fol.
lows:
Europe has learned nothing from
the war and does not want to disarm.
1t has prepared the agenda for the
forthcoming disarmament conference
in such a way that 1t Is bound to fail.
"The League Of Nations is q mere
ineffective holy alliance, interested
chiefly in the balance of power.
France. with its satellites, Is the lead
er Of this tendency, with Great Brit.
ain reluctantly following the French
lead owing to interdependence Of
Franco. British interests in the Near
East"
Finally. Mr.. Houghton. It is alleged,
thinks that Europe does not desire
either American aid or American CO.
operation.
Copyright. 1929. by Chicago Daily News Co..
Evening star., 1926-03-20
WILLIAM C. FISCHER
IN IMPORTANT POST
Is Installed as Captain of Watch
TO Guard Millions at En-.
craving Bureau.

What is considered to be perhaps
the most responsible post as captain
of the watch in the District of Co
iumbia was filed at the Bureau Of
Engraving and Printing yesterday
when William c. Fischer was sworn
In to succeed Timothy B. Leblanc, re-
tired
Capt. Fischer has been in the
bureau since 1917 and was elevated
from the position of lieutenant Of the
latch.
Responsibility for the safety Of the
millions Of dollars Of potential money
III the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing rests upon the captain of the
watch, who has 80 men under him and
Is in charge of the elaborate and In
tricate alarm system which networks
The big money plant. Guns and va.
riouS firearms are available at
strategic points of the bureau and an
entire rack full Of Army rifles Is al.
most within reach of the captain 3
desk
Former Capt. Lehane left the
bureau February Is, when he was
rendered farewell by a large turnout
Of employees who presented him with
numerous gifts. Capt. Lehane's re.
Nponsibiltty. however. as captain of
the watch, did not terminate until
March u, as he was on leave until
that time. In the interim Lieut.
Fischer was acting captain.
Evening star., 1926-03-20
HIGHWAY R0BbER
GETS 15YEAR Term
Former Butler at White
House Sentenced for Hold
Up of Messenger.

Paul X. Blackiston, colored, a but
Ter for many years at the White
House and for nine months under the
Coolidge administration, was SEN
fenced today by Justice Stafford IN
Criminal Division No. 2 to serve 10
years in the penitentiary for highway
robbery. James Preston Simpson,
also colored. implicated with him in
the hold.up Dt cember 10 last Of An.
drew Beckett. colored, q messenger at
Jelleff's store, was given a similar
term.
Both prisoners asked for mercy.
telling the court that they had lost
their good regulations and friends
and had been already severely punish
ed. A third ro1ber, named Maxwell,
who was driving the car in which the
men sought to make a getaway"
was killed by Beckett In his attempt
to recover the pouch containing
$5,623.44, which he was taking to the
office of his employer, when set upon
by the robbers.
Beckett was returning from the
bank In broad daylight in q small
automobile and as he was about to
enter the alley from Twelfth street. In
rear of the company's store, Blackis-
ton jumped on the running board and
pointed pistol at him. telling him
to stick 'em up" Beckett grabbed
the pistol from the robber and beat
him over the head. knocking him to
the ground.
Simpson in the interval grabbed the
pouch containing the money and ran
up the street, where ne was overtaken
by Beckett, who began firing with the
robbers pistol. striking both Simpson
and Maxwell. Simpson was later ap-
pretended by Detective Alligood.
Evening star., 1926-03-20
INDUCED SLAYER
TO CUT HIS LIST
Former Newspaper Reporter
Escapes From California
Man, Who Killed Six.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
STOCKTON, Calf. March 20.-Not
all the persons listed for death by
John NJ. Cons of Stockton were slain
by him Thursday in the series Of six
murders. which terminated with his
suicide as he was being pursued by
officers.
This was, indicated when Alvin
Mathews, former Stockton newspaper
reporter, said that he saw q small
book in which Coins had written a
number Of names, including that Of
Mathews, and that Coins had stated
These are to be settled with
Learns He Is Listed"
Mathews said he was told that his
name was on the list because he had
written q story about court case
that went against Coins.
But l only did my duty as re.
porter" Mathews said.
IAN right, We'll scratch you off,"
Coins replied. Then he drew a pen.
ell through Mathews name.
The names of Capt. Smith and OF.
ficer McHugh Of the Stockton police
force also were in the book, Mathews
said.
Della Podesta, Coins sister-in. law,
was said to have been marked for
death also.
Funerals Set for Monday.
The funerals Of Mrs. Florence Po.
desta Coins. wife Of Coins, and her
sister, Minnie Podesta Clark Of Stock.
ton. the first ones to fall before the
madman's gun, are to be held on
Monday, as are the funerals of Alex.
ander Marengo, 60, vineyardist Of
Gait; his wife, Mrs. Matilda Marengo;
, their daughter, Mrs. Mary Dutra, and
Mrs. George McNoble, wife of the
former district attorney Of San
Joaquin County.
1t was determined today that Coins
ended his own life last night. sending
a bullet into his head as he drove
along highway near Placerville.
closely pursued by two officers in an.
other car.
Evening star., 1926-03-20
WOOD CHALLENGES
CREAGER CHARGES
G. O. P. Leader Suggests
Way to Adjust Party Dif-
ferenceS in Texas.

Representative VIII r. Wood, chair
man Of the Republican congressional
committee. in letter to r. b. Creager.
Republican national committeeman
from Texas. yesterday suggested that
Creager ask the Republican national
committee to investigate his steward
ship" of Republican affairs In Texas.
BY such an investigation, Mr.. Wood
said. It would be possible for Mr..
Creager to vindicate himself should
vindication be necessary, IN connec-
ton with the charges made against
him by Representative Wurzbach. the
only Republican member of the House
from Texas.
Mr. Wurzbach charged that Creager
and the Republican State organiZat ion
in Texas was more concerned in ham
ding Federal patronage than in ad-
vancinG the interests OF the party.
Mr.. Creager then announced that he
and the organization would oppose
Wurzbach for reelection this year.
This brought sharp letters from Mr..
Wood and Majority Leader Tilson Of
the House supporting Wurzbach and
attacking Creager.
In his letter Mr.. Wood said: You
say that Col. Tilson and myself have
done you an injustice. You possibly
may be correct. II you are, scores Of
others In your own State are likewise
doing you an injustice.
There Is a way whereby tA exact
truth may be known. AS a member
Of the national committee you have q
right to request an Investigation into
your stewardship. have no doubt
your request would be readily granted.
BY this means the facts In your case
as to the conduct In your Office Of ma.
tional committeeman may be fully
known. l assure you Of my willing.
ness to assist you In every way pos.
sible in such an investigation, in order
that. II possible. you may be vindicat.
ed and the future Of the Republican
party in the State Of Texas may be
subserved."
Evening star., 1926-03-20

adjoining that in which the Presidents
mother. sister and son Calvin are
buried. The deep snow was shoveled
away from the plot. and the select
man and his assistants cut through
the frozen soil, fulfilling a task i'm.
posed on them by the colonel himself
several months ago.
The Presidents property holdings
in his ancestral town have now been
increased. Three weeks ago the
colonel transferred to the President
the ancestral farm with It's 225 acres
Of land and the old white house which
was the executives boyhood home.
Ostensibly the colonel died penni-
less, and there is no will. President
Coolidge now owns in addition to the
farm a nearby tract which he in
herited directly from his grandfather,
Calvin g. Coolidge. It Is the Coolidge
sugar orchard.
Staff Will Scatter.
When Col. Coolidge is carried to
his grave today, members Of a little
group which cared for him through
many months of illness will go their
several ways.
Thirty-eight weeks ago, when the
colonel's condition became serious,
Mrs. May johnson Of Rutland Joined
his household as nurse, and Angus
Macaulay, a deputy sheriff. was as
signed rs bodyguaru for the aged in.
valid. For 80 years before that Miss
Aurora Pierce had been housekeeper
at the Coolidge home. Today the
duties Of all three had ended.
Miss Pierce did not know today
what her future would be-
For three decades, except for one
short break. she has been the auto
crat Of the Coolidge household. Her
system was inflexible. but Col. Cool.
idge bowed good naturedly to her
dicta Not even for the President Of
the United States on his visits to his
boyhood home would Miss Pierce
change her routine. With no living
relatives, her only home has been the
Coolidge farmhouse. She rarely left
the house except to go for the mail
or to drive to the polls with the colo
mel on election day.
She win remain at the farmhouse
for a time until the President decides
what will - do0e with the homestead.
Evening star., 1926-03-20
WATER RATE GAIN
OPPOSED BY KING
Senator Will Be Sure Raise
Is Necessary Before He
Agrees to It.

The clause inserted in the District
appropriation bill by the House for q
25 per cent increase in water rent In
Washington will be carefully scruti'
nized by Senator King, Democrat, OF
Utah. when the bill Is taken up by the
District subcommittee Of the. Senate
appropriations committee, ne an
nounced today.
Announcement also was made at the
Capitol that the Senate subcommittee.
of which Senator Phipps OF Colorado is
chairman. will begin hearings on the
bill at 10 o'clock Tuesday morning. 1t
is probable the District Commissioners
will be heard at that time.
Senator King Is the second member
of the subcommittee to declare his In
tention of inquiring into the necessity
for the increase in water rates. Chair'
man Capper of the legislative District
committee, and also a member OF the
appropriations subcommittee. declared
yesterday that he would study the
water rate proposal when 1t reaches
the Senate.
Senator King said today that he had
not had an opportunity to go into the
water rate question sufiiciently to ex
press a definite opinion at this time
but said that his inclination would be
to avoid an increase in the price OF
water IL It can possibly be done.
"I am not familiar at this time with
the reasons for the proposed increase
but I shall look into them, and would
favor leaving the present rates stand
IL It is found possible to avoid an in
crease" said the Senator.
The revenue derived from existing
water rents Is more than ample to
meet the current maintenance cost OF
the system. and the increase Is being
proposed to take care Of large exten
sions in the distribution system In out
| lying sections.
Evening star., 1926-03-20
COLONEL DISPUTES STORY.
Says Burgess Report of RS-1 Forced
Flight Is Inaccurate.

BELLEVILLE. Ill. March 20 CP.--
No such narrowing experiences as de-
scribed yesterday by Charles =. Bur
CESS. associate professor Of aeronau.
tics at the Massachusetts Institute Of
Technology, were undergone by the
crew OF the Army dirigible RS-1 in
flight at Scott Field last January q,
Lieut.. Col. John A. Paegelow. COM
mander Of the field, declared tonight.
Col. Paegelow said the ship was
forced to remain aloft 10 hours be.
cause Of a severe gale, but that no
struts on the control cabin were
broken In an attempt landing. because
the ship has no struts" Only wire
cables are used to hold the control
car. and these were not broken. the
field commander said.
Several points Of Mr.. Burgess story
We're disputed BY Col. Paegelow.
Evening star., 1926-03-20

tress, and acting as liaison between
the patrol boats and the base"
In time It Is hoped to extend the
Air Service in the South Atlantic,
Gulf Of Mexico and Southern Califor-
MIA sectors, but the Ave planes for
which the call has been issued will be
assigned to the North Atlantic. which
now offers the Coast Guard the great.
est challenge in rum row and the
crowded sea lanes beset by icebergs
and storms.
Not to Replace Boats.
1.-THE board assigned to develop the
future aviation policy OF the Coast
Guard does not have the overenthusi.
asfn Of the young aviator who would
replace the patrol boat with the
Plane" CoYndr. Yeandle said. 1T
knows that rescues at sea and seizure
Of smugglers cannot be accomplished
by the airplane, but It believes that
the Air Service can prove O very ef'
fective auxiliary to the patrol boat"
All Of the members OF the board ex-
cept himself. he said, are experienced
flyers. The other members are: Lieut..
Comdr. s. v, Parker, in command Of
the Coast Guard destroyer McDougall;
Lieut.. Comdr. e. T.. Stone OF the
United States Coast Guard Bureau Of
Aeronautics, and Lieut.. Comdr. c. c.
Won Paulsen, in command Of the pa
troll base at Gloucester, Mass.
Their report will not be made public
until 1t has been approved by the COM
uaandaut.
Evening star., 1926-03-20
TEACHER AND COMPOSER
Is CLAIMED BY DEATH

Mrs. Mathilde Waldecker, 75 years
old, a music teacher and composer Of
this city for So years. died at the
home of her daughter, Mrs. Frank c,
Wood, in Richmond. Va. Thursday.
Funeral services will be conducted In
st. Paul's Episcopal Church here
Monday morning at 1880 o'clock.
Rev. DIR. Joseph Fletcher will officiate.
Interment will be in Rock Creek
Cemetery.
Mrs. Waldecker was the widow OF
Emmaneul Waldecker. who for many
years published German newspapers
here. He died in 1910.
She was the teacher Of both instrli-
mental and vocal music and COM
posed numerous marches. Among
her compositions were "The Washing
ton Normal School March" The ALI
son March," composed In honor of the
late Senator w. Il. Allison. and 'Busi-
ness High School Cadet March"
She is survived by her daughter.
Mrs. Wood, and three sons. Carl X.
Waldecker of Baltimore. Emmanuel
H. waldecker and l.. e. Waldecker Of
this city
Mrs. Waldecker had been in falling
health for several years and for the
past four years had been living with
Mrs. Wood, In Richmond.
Evening star., 1926-03-20

first attempt picked up the broadcast
of Wednesday evening prayer meet
ing. Later. however. he got In touch
with the field.
"At 1890 in the morning we were
somo Al miles from Scott Field and
making no headway against the gale,
continued Prof. Burgess. eat 2 o'clock,
however, we began to move forward.
BY that time the temperature In the
control cabin was IL degrees above
zero. We were all suffering from
thirst and hunger and every man was
weary.
''It was o'clock and still very dark
when Lieut.. Anderson brought the
RS-1 over Scott Field again. but the
wind was still too strong to land. At
o'clock the station sent message
that conditions were favorable for
landing,
After circling several times. Lieut..
Anderson brought the RS-1 to the
ground in the full glare Of the sta
tion's big searchlights. Despite the
terrific strain to which the ship had
been subjected. she was undamaged.
except for the two broken struts"
COLONEL DISPUTES STORY.
Evening star., 1926-03-20
COAST LIGHTSHIP ROLLS
10000 TIMES EACH DAY
Umatilla, 1S Years in Service at
Puget Sound, Is Moving
Haven for Sea 0ulls.

SEATTLE. March 2o.--Life on
Umatilla lightship, stationed in the
Pacific 1876 miles off the Washington
coast, is a rolling one. Capt. Z. II.
Lindman, master Of the vessel. cal.
culates the ship averages 10000 rolls
of 10 to As degrees every "a hours, or
nearly 1000 an hour.
The ship Is similar to a lighthouse,
but is even more isolated. It warns
ships off one Of several dangerous
reefs near the Strait Of Juan de Fuca,
the entrance to Puget Sound.
About a score Of sea gulls make their
homes on the lightship and have
been given names by the crew. Sea
superstition is that these birds when
they die become sea maidens.
The Umatilla is q years old. and
for the last 18 years, in Government
service, has guarded the reef so we'll
there have been no wrecks there.
Evening star., 1926-03-20
SENATE ACCEPTS
PLAN FOR LIBRARY

The Senate today approved the
agreement of the conferees between
the two branches Of Congress on the
bill to provide for the comprehensive
development Of the free public library
system Of the District.
Chairman Capper OF the Senate Dis
trict committee presented the confer
ence report. which was accepted with
out debate. The only action remaining
's for the House to concur in the con-
ference agreement.
The conferees agreed TO the House
amendment requiring that all fees
and penalties collected by the library
be turned into the Treasury to the
credit Of the District, instead of be-
ing used directlv as revolving fund
for maintenance items in the library.
The sums needed for such mainte-
nance will. under this arrangement,
be requested in the regular District
bill. This change does
not take effect until July !. 1927.
The House conferees yielded from
their amendment which would have
required Maryland and Virginia per-
sons to pay for using the library.
Thev accepted the Senate language
permitting those outsiders who are
employed or attending school in the
District to make free use Of the
library.
Evening star., 1926-03-20
DEATH PENALTY
|. IN GUN BILL ASKED
Senate District Committee
Urged to Make Law
Very Strict.

a suggestion that it be made d
housebreaking while armed with a
gun was made by Senator jones of
Washington, while the Senate Dis
trict committee was considering a
proposed dangerous weapon law for
this city yesterday.
The Senator said he had been in"
formed recently that one reason why
London has few murders Is because
armed robbery is punishable by
death. At his suggestion. Commits
sioner Fenning and Maj. Hesse, sup
erintendent of police, promised to
find out if such statute exists Ill
any part Of the United States or
abroad.
The bill under discussion would
not prevent a citizen from keeping
a gun in hts home, 1t was said. Com
missioner Fenning said the measure
would enable persons to obtain per
mits for a year at d time TO carry
d gun II they show a legitimate rea-
son. The only purpose of the BILL
the commissioner stated. is TO make
II difficult for criminals to obtain
weapons.
Delivery Delay Asked.
One section OF the bill would re
auire a dealer to wait "a hours be-
fore delivering q weapon after II i9
applied for. The commissioner said
this was intended TO act as a cool
ing process" to prevent persons N
the heat Of anger from rushing 10
store, buying q revolver and CON-
mitting murder or suicide.
Although members of the committee
- trN1N
portions Of the bill, they seemed In
favor of imposing severe penalties for
the carrying of weapons by law viola
tors. Action on the measure was
postponed to enable Senators Capper,
Jones and King to study its details.
The committee ordered favorable
report on the bill making 1t an offense
to report a fictitious hold-up TO the
police Maj Hesse testified that IL
fake reports have been made to tho
department in the past few months.
and explained that detectives are
taken from legitimate cases to run
down these bogus reports.
Fee Change Opposed.
James Tanner. register of wills.
vigorously objected to the bill, passed
by the House. changing the methods
Of handling fees in his office and by
would require him to deposit his fees
with the District collector OF taxes,
which would mean that the appro-
priations for his Office would have to
60 through the Budget Bureau. At
the present time the Office Is operated
on the fees collected.
This question led TO a discussion or
the question of whether District ex-
penditures generally should be passed
on by the Budget Bureau. Senator
King declared he was opposed to re-
moving the District government from
the supervision Of the Budget Bureau,
and Commissioner Fenning agreed
with him.
The committee ordered favorable
report on a bill to authorize payment
to retired policemen and firemen OF
certain pension installments which
they failed to receive over period or
several years.