davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
BUREAU OF STANDARDS ASKED
TO FIN UNIVERSAL FAIR PRICES
House Member Offers Bill Directing Experts to De-
termne Relative Value Of Everything in Terms Of
Dollars and Gents for Benefit Of Public Daily.

Representative Naile of Colorado
Yesterday introduced in the House a
bill proposing that the Bureau of
Standards determine the relative
value of all thin@s' in terms ~ Ameri-
can dollars and cents and announce
these values daily for universal use. :"
The bill, 10y putting no restriction
Whatever an the plans for establish.
jH& what would amount to Federal
"fair price" on everything under the
sun, has potential possibilities Of
staggering proportions. in the view
Of persons whose attention was called
today To The apparently innocent
phra seniocy OF the resolution
Mr.. Naile himself explained that he
introduced tn" bill at the request Of
Or. Napoleon Wagner "a scholarly
gentleman of Denver. He said he
lad not gone thoroughly into just
what the LEGISLATION would entail il
enacted. and added thai il II really
called for 4 price fixing scheme by the
Government he would not push il.
The resolution. which was referred
+" the House committee on coinage.
weights and measures. cites that
whereas the lack Of uniformity in de
terminlnG value Dr relative value re
suits nj once in general confusion and
inequality in taxation burdens. the
iureau Of Standards should h" "cm
powered and directed to assign To tn"
special duty and investigation "f the
subject of value and relative Nalu"
men of scientific and practical attain
mentS. with view of making carly
and comprehensive report on the sub.
Ject to the Congress
In addition IL suggesting and
recommending Il plan whereby value
and relative value Of all things shall
lie determined" the hill continues. the
bureau shall recommend the manner
in which it is believed the standard
determined upon may he made OF uni
form application in the several states
nd the lesser political subdivisions, to
the end that inequalities in valuations
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
FRANK |. WAGNER
DIES AT AGE OF s.
Prominent Builder SuCCumbs
After an Illness of Sew
eraI Months.

Frank l.. Wagner. prominent local
builder. died early today at his resi-
dence. 3lo9 Cathedral avenue after
an illness Of several months He
was - wears of age
Mr.. Wagner was born in Washing
ton and had been enga ged in the con.
tracing business here for wears. his
present office being located at 1886
New York avenue. Except for three
years in the employment OF con
tracing firm in New York city. he
has spent his entire business career
in Washington. his first connection
in the building business here being
with the firm OF Richardson q Bur.
CESS
Mr.. Wagner is survived by his
widow. Mrs. Louise Wagner: q son
Frank ]. Wagner and daughter,
Mrs. Ira n. Num-. all residing in
Washington.
Among other prominent buildings
Of the city for which Mr. Wagner
was contractor are the Army and
Navy club and the Commercial Ma.
tinnal Bank BUILDING
At the time of his death Mr.. Was.
ner WAS commander of the Washing
ton Comma ndery of the knight
FaNette Lodge. No. 10 Almas Temple
and also held membership in the
city club. kiwanis club and the
Board Of Trade.
Arrangements foi the funeral Ia We
not been completed. but the services
probably vii! be held Monday.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
CAROLINIAk, AMUCK,
SHOOTS UP VILLAGE
Police Chief and Bystander Are
Wounded as Man Sends
Town to Cover.

nv tnS A-SO'iS'@G Press
CHERRYVILLE. y G.. January
15.-.Iesse Van DYKE. who shot M"
the town last night and who caused
residents along South Mountain
street to seek cover was arrested
near midnight after he had given
his pistol 10 his wife.
Chief or Police 4. L. Painter who
fell before the cunfire of The youth
was in I.incolnton Hospital tnda Y
in = critical condition. y pistol hrl-
let entered his forehead. Another
recover from a wound in the ahd"-
men. physicians said
Police declared the man had heen
drinking when they effected his ar
rest in the home of his mother-in-
law Mrs. Lester DeIlinser. The ar
rest came after several hours Of eN-
citement in this little town Van
Dyke. swa scerinG down South
Mountain thorouchfare. the principal
street. according To witnesses took
a pistol from his pocket and began
;wirling it in various directions.
BY The time police had been
called he was firing into the air a /
tho ground and toward passing men
and women. Chief Fainter was shot
when he attempted to halt the
march OF the man Van Dyke CON
tinUed in the direction Of his mother
in-law's home and there he was sur
rounded by Sheriff G.. T. Rhyme of
CASTOR County and a posse Of men.
who later took him into custody when
his Wife secured the pistol
FarnSwurth was shot on the street
during the march" Of Van Dyke
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
House.

The Italian debt agreement was
still under discussion in the House
cha mber.
Hearings on measures TO liberal
ize civil service retirement act con
tinues before joint committee of
House and Senate on the civil
service.
Hearing starts before House
rules committee on the Mapes bin
TO reorgani9e the administrative
bra nch of the Government.
Harvey t'irestone witness Ut
hearing on rubber investiga ton be
fore committee Of House committee
on interstate and foreign com
merce.
Admiral Moffett witness at hear
ing on Butler bill to replace the
Shenandoah before naval affairs
committee.
Subcommittee of House appro-
pria tons committee considering de-
ficiency appropriations and those
for State and Justice Departments
and the Army appropriation bill
Watson Miller and Tom Kirby
witnesses before the committee on
World War veterans legislation
Hearings continued before the
committee on agriculture
Hearing on California project be-
fore rivers and harbors committee.
Radio manufa cturers witnesses
at hearing on White radio bill be-
fore merchant marine committee.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
CITY PLANNING BOARD
HEARINGS NEXT WEEK
District Commissioners. Highway
and Parks Bodies to Be Witnesses
at Bills Discussion.

The District Commissioners. the com
mission in charge of permanent high
way plan for the District of Column
hla. and the National Capital Parks
commission are 70 he invited to be
witness At hearing early next
week before a subcommittee Of the
House District committee on the bill
[" enlarge the powers of the National
capital Park Commission to include
those of city planning board
The subcommittee. headed BY Repre-
sentative Gibson. republican. Vermont
with Representatives bowman. West
Virginia. and GaSQue. South Carolina
also present, discussed this bill for
more than an hour today. In order 10
get complete information on the sub.
Jeci they decided to call these locaI
ana Federal authorities before them.
The subcommittee has received a re.
port from the District Commissioners
opposing the appointment of three citi-
HenS TO membership on the enlarged
park and Dla ming commission on the
ground that they are not technically
FAMILIAR with the problems 10 he con
sldered and would not have the neces-
SarN sense of responsibility. The Com.
m1sSlonerS favored other features Of
the legislation
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15

BY the Associated Press.
JACKSONVILLE Fla. January Ia.
Charles Ponz intends TO continue
to demonstrate his ability as a imam
ciaI wizard by selling Sl5 an acre Co
h,mbia County nd for $3.50 an acre
despite the arrest Of Caledonia Alriu.
his branch Office ma mayer in Boston,
on blue sky la violation charges.
Ponzi is using az "a base Tor his op-
erations In Florida six tracts OF land
in Columbia County, comprising
total OF 900 acres.
The land in question. described in
PonZi's advertising as being near
Jacksonville. is. roughly Spea KING.
some So miles west Of this city. 1t IL
what is commonly known "a scrub
oak and palmetto" land. covered with
thick growth OF palmetto and other
weeds
Al least one firm Of Jacksonville
realtors ha. Ia nd Of the "a me caliher
in Columbia on sale in lo-acre tracts
Al as an acre.
No improvements.
The processes by which PonZi
fina need his real estate operations and
by which he made his land into sub
division are simple The suhdiViding
work consisted Of making plats OF
the property and driving stakes in
the ground so that purcha Sers who
might visit the tract may IND their
lots He frankly states there are n"
improvements on the property The
Atlantic Coast line Railroad runs
near POnzis property. although there
l. no station there.
Ponzis fna ncial scheme. so far, has
withstood the acid test given by such
agencies az the state Cha mber OF
Commerce the Jacksonville Real rs
tate Board. city authorities and state
and Government investigators.
His scheme apparently has lem
porarilv solved the problem Of EN-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15

made for revenue as well as for all
other purposes may he reduced to the
minimum or altogether eliminated
The bill provides. further, that the
bureau and the House committee TO
which the resolution was referred
shall give to DR. Napoleon Wagner
"f H. nNcr. and Other students Of
relatiN" value or the Just distribution
of the taN burden as shall offer to
submit the result of their studies, rea-
$onabir opportunity to hc heard in the
premises. and. moreover. may ask
men of the bureaus selection to APP
80" ana present ora llN o. subm I
in writing that which they believe
would be helpful in the solution Of the
Worldwide important question of rela-
tive value
In addition TO Stahilisinc and stand
ardizinc the daily purchn sing power
"f the present gold dollar or medium
"f exchange the value in money Of
al other commodities" would he deter.
mined by the present statistical or
improved scientific Federal index num-
berS on tho basis Of the natural use
mot The proflteerinG. speculative or
temporary artitiCi@llN forced mSe) Of
each commodity, based on the actual
national supply and demand therefor.
10 the end that The value Of each com.
modify may he publicly daily declared
NJ Washington. -. G. for universal
use.
Provision i made for an appro-
priation OF S25.o00 {" finance the in
VeStigHtIon.
As now phra sed il is said. the bill
would inlruSt to Uncle Sam The task
Of deciding the monetary worth OF
saUer kr"ut. automobiles. kites hrIma n
beings in all stages Of deCrepirude
Niolets. soft coal, hard liquor. rubber
heels. snake oil. submarines. screen
doors. rheostafS and red ants.
- don't know great deal about
what my bill would cali for" Mr..
Vale admitted. II merely pur il in al
the request of thar scholarly old gen
tleman back home
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
FOUR ARE INJURED
AS AUTO HITS POLE
Two Men and Two Women Hurt
When Auto Crashe on Con-
necticut Avenue.

Four persons sustained minor in
iurieS early today when the auto
mobile in which they wer" riding
crashed into a pole on connecticut
avenue some distance north Of Chevy
chase Circle.
They were taken To Emergency
Hospital for treatment. Ralph Tyn-
dali of 1870 r street sustained a
broken leg: Louise Burton. whose
address is listed as 5000 X street. y
suffered Il Sprained back: William j.
Nau-hton OF 1926 Harvard street and
Peggy Williams of 400 Ninth street
northeast. each were cut about the
cheeks.
the last two mentioned left the
hospital after receiving first aid treat
ment.
The automobile was demolished.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
PONZI SHOWS WIZARDRY. SELLING
SIS FLORIDA ACRES FOR $3.50
Plot Near Jacksonville, Is IS Miles Away, Covered
With Scrub Oak and Palmetto-Makes Money
Paving 200 Per Cent Dividends

barking on real estate operations
without capital. His first step was to
issue unit certificates Of Indebtedness
al $40 each. promising q 200 per cent
dividend in two montha time. He then
acted as trustee for the syndicate
thus formed and as he said. pur-
chased the best land obtainabIe for
the least amount Of money. In Il
statement To the public he said that
his subdivision. including the cost of
the land Subdividins. advertising
office rental and sala ries cost him
$40 an acre
lots - by 30 each. or % lots 10 the
acre. These were offered to the gen
eral public Al so each. or total re
tail price for the acre Of 500.
1000 Lots Sold.
Then follows the matter Of the 200
per cent dividend 10 the unit certih-
cate holders IF the cash is available
and Ponzi claims n was when the
first dividend was paid recently. the
holders OF the $40 unit certificate re
ceive $50 for each $40 certificate.
They NAV il they wish. accept three
$40 lots in lieu Of cash. II there is
no cash. Ponzi provides that The Ger
tificate holders receive three $40 lots
for each $40 certificate. thus dlSpoSinS
Of the dividend problem.
Ponzi then further announced just
where the profit is made: Total cost
Of la nd $40 per acre. including all ex-
penses: net retail value Of he % 80
lots on each acre. Y230.
Thus. if there il no cash for diri-
dends each certificate holder gets
three lots. Four certificates Al 80
each therefore, are taken care of by
u Of The % lots in each sore. eGualins
the cost Of the Ia nd. and lea wing ! !
lots or the cash equivalent thereof
for Ponzis profit
Pon2i claims To have sold 1000 lots
during his brief period Of ACTIVITY.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
$1,000 FIRE LOSS.
House on Old D. C. Estate, Used by
La borers. Burned.

A frame houCe occupied by Ia Dor
ers employed by j. f. Latimer. eXca
waiting contractor. at second and Mad
ison streets burned to the ground yes
terdav with 2 loss Of approXima telv
SIS 900 when fire Of unknown origin
gained headway before fire apparatus
could get it under control.
One Ia horer. who was III. was in the
house when the fire was discovered
He made his WAY 10 safety ma ssisI.
cd The other men We're absent at
work
i. The house was landmark OF the
vicinity. being known as one of the
central figures of the old John Raw
estate. IT was built many years ago
when the surrounding territory. now
thjckly populated. was practically
rural.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
FOUl-PLAY VICTIM
IN HOSPITAL HERE
CLAIMS MILLIONS

CONTINUED from First PageD
ping At a small rooming house. during
which time Downs. according to Ia re
visited his attorneys who assured
him everything was going smoothly
but who advised him To keep out Of
sight. because he might be called
into conference that would
never do.
So first they went to Baltimore and
later they went to Harrisburs Pa.
to get far enough out of the way. Al
Harrisburg. Ea rleS said. he was given
glass of wine at 10 o'clock Wednes.
day night, after which he fell asleep
Robbed In Sleep.
When he awoke his money belt
which contained the 81, 900 in ca sh and
copy Of the contract for 25 per cent
Of the award. had been ripped OPEN
The Cash and the contract were gone
Effort to destroy evidences of his
identity were made, Earles said. but
the one taking the cash and contract
and other papers overlooked few
pa pers in his valise. EarleS was left
with $62. with which he made his way
TO Washington and wired his father
IN hudson. Mich, for more funds
since he was very sick at the time.
The reply to that wire came To pc.
lice headquarters addressed: Nv. H.
Earles. police station Washington. d.
{. That started the hunt for la res
by detectives, which ended in his dis
covery al the hotel and his transfer
TO Emergency Hospital for treatment
Il know that this money was taken
and the contract was taken in an
effort to DESTROY my identity so that
l could not get my share Of the
claim" Earles said today. Some
times I think an attempt on my life
was made.
But what the one who took my
money overlooked was the fact that l
had sent one of my two copies Of the
agreement to my sister and she's got
the evidence of my claim So who
ever tried to defeat my claim in this
respect failed"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
WIFE HELD IN DEATH:
WIDOW THIRD TIME
Former Husbands Decease
Probed After Poisoning
OF Ohio Minister.
By the Associated Press.

EAST LIVERPOOL. Ohio. Ia nuarv
widow in thee Of five marriag es. is
held in the county Jail Lisbon to
day charged with the first degree
murder of her fifth husba nd. Rev.
William Christy. 5S. whom she first
met and married less tina n two weeks
ago.
Vital organs of Mr.. thrisIy. who
WAS representative of the Christian
Missionary Associa ton of the United
States. have been sent Ia the state
chemist Al Columbus 10 he analyZed
FOR traces of poison.
The charge Of murder was pre-
ferred against Mrs. Christy by chief
of Police McDermott. who said the
woman had confessed 10 him and
Prosecuting ATTORNEY r. NJ. Bronkes
that she had given her husband
poison. Mr. Christv died Wednesday
night in hospital.
Mrs. Christv in her signed confess
sion. according to Chief McDermott.
said her husband had suffered from
indigestion and that she administered
the poison because he asked for it,.
Mrs. Christv pleaded not guilty and
was held for the gra nd jury.
Mrs. Christv So id she met her hus-
ban January and married him the
next DAY.
Her fourth husband John E.vert.
30 died at Newell, w. Va last No
Vember !. Local officials said his
body might he exhumed to deter
mine the cause Of his death. Off
Cia Is said he was supposed to have
been the victim of lung congestion
and humps. but at the time of his
death his physician had not seen him
for two DAYS. having pronounced him
we'll on the road to recovery.
The body of Mr.. Christy was or
dAred taken to Akron. eadouarters
of the ganizstion he represented
are at Fast Akron.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
RADIO VS.. COLD TYPE.

CHICAGO. January 10 N).-Readers
and listeners have been asked to de.
eide whether a story Of actual adven-
ture as told over the radio by the
adventurer IS more interesting than
the same incident related by the same
adventurer in cold type in the news
paper,
The Chicago Tribune today asks it's
readers whether an article by Floyd
Gibbons. which II printed today. held
their attention more closely than did
the voice of the writer when he gave
them the same story over the radio.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
COL. HERO SUCCEEDS COE.

Col Andrew Hero, jr.. today was
nominated by President Coolidge to be
chief of the Coast Artillery with
rank of ma ior general, to succeed Mai.
Gen. Frank W. Coe, retired.
At the same time the President sub
mitted the nomination Of Col. J. NJ.
kennedy to he assistant to the sur
geon general of the Army with rank
of brigadier general. and Col. Joseph
D. Leitch. jr.. to be brigadier general
of Infantry,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
RUSSIA WILL NOT JOIN
SWITZERLAND FARLEY
Will Accept League Arms Invita-
ton Only if Meeting Is Held
in Another Country.

BY the Associated Press.
MOSCOW. January l5.-In it's reply
IL the invitation of the League of Ma
tinnS TO participate in the work OF the
DreDaratorv commission for the
eaGue's disa rma ment conference the
Russian government will say that II
can accent only if the meeting il held
out side Swiss territory.
II was learned authoritativelN today
hal the Russian reply will he ha nded
TO the league Secretal at about the
middle Of next week. and that the re
fusal to take part in meeting on
Swiss soil will he made clear.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
Striking Tenants
Face Jail Unless
Defiance Is Ended


NER A CRUZ. Mexico. January TX
The municipal authorities who
recently expelled Heron Proal
reader of the t-striking tenants
are continuing their campaign to
end the strike. They have served
notice or all the tenants who for
more than four years have paid no
rent OF taxes that they will be
jailed If they continue the move
ment.
Prual. who was sent away on the
steamer llahermosa. was not per.
mitted to ID nd at F'rontera. nd dis.
patches say he will be deported
as pernicious foreigner to
Guatemala, of which he Is citizen
The Vera Cruz municipality has
informed Proal's secretary. Maria
Luisa Marin. that he must sever
connections with the tenants syndi
cate within IS hours or face ex-
pulsion.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15

will be held at the Women's Univer-
sity Club. 1884 | street.
Charges Of little less than a con
spiracy intoerable condition :"
| "duress. waste" of thousands Of
dollars. omission of the civil Service
Commission from conferences at the
White House when the opposition wa
represented. and wholesale criticism of
he general program Of handling per
sonnet matters under three separate
bodies were included in the nristling
document presented to the President
The will of Congress Itself had viz
tually been flouted. the league
charged in that there had been
adopted practices contrary ~ the
written law.
Further. il was said. the lea cue
sought the Aid of the President "he
cause the experience of the past ses
sion of Congress resulted in a fascn.
The House committee on civil serS-
ice" ii added. had conducted q
thorough investigation and had eX
amined In detail the minutes of the
Personnel Classification Board and
questioned at length all members of
the board. In conclusion the civil
service committee unanimously rec
commended the abolition OF the Per
sonnet classification Board and the
transfer of its functions to the Civil
Service Commission. The bill To give
effect to this provision was passed
by the House by an overwhelming
ma jority. II was favorably reported
by the civil service committee OF the
Senate. and it was common belief
that It would he passed overwheln-
ingly by the Senate If 1t could he
brought TO a vote. Senator Smoot's
objections prevented that vote"
Non.Partisan Body.
1t was pointed out to the President
that the Civil Service Leagu was "a
non-partisan orga MIA ton Of disin.
terested public spirited citizens not in
Government employ"
Charges that the ella ssifica ton board
was mot impa rtial' and that it's or
ganic act had been "disregarded" were
supported by references to specific in
stances, said to prove the board had
not followed the dictates of Congress
and in its work had shown degree
Of technical incompetence and inepti-
tude that is ineXcusa bic" In regard
to field services the board was
charged with acting under the domi-
nation of Senator Smoot and the Blu
reau of Efficiency" SO Is to refuse TO
make the type of report called for by
the act.
putting To an end the present. m
economical. Intellectual and steapsd-in-
politics system"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
SnoWplow Used in London.

LONDON. January Is LP).-t'or the
first time in more than a generation
a snowblow was operated in London
today. II was used in the West End
20 push paths through the several
inches of snow which fell during the
night. The snow was continuing 10
fall today and traffic moved with
great difficulty. The storm was gen
eral throughout the country.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
Charleston Marathon Short

WlNONA. Mimi. Jan uary ID R.-
mona today claimed the world
'ha liipion thafieSton marathon da ncer
in Rudolph Peterson. proprietor of a
furniture store, who last night danced
continuously for | hour and 46 min.
utes before he sank exhausted
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
Succeeds Detective Vermillion

Private Frank A. Vsrney of the
fifth police precinct has been pro.
NOTED to a detective sergeant and
assigned to the detective bureau To
fill the vacancy created by the dea tn
of Howard NJ. Nermillion The pro.
motion was approved today by the
District Commissioners on recon.
mendation Of Mai. Edwin r. Hesse
superintendent Of police.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-15
Today in Congress
Senate.

Considera ton Of the World Court
was resumed on the floor when
the Senate met today.
The aluminium investigation was
continued before the judiciary com
mittee.
The finance committee made
further progress on the tax re-
ductiou bin which viii soon be
ready to be reported.
The interstate commerce commit
tee held further hearings on the
bill for new railroad labor boa I'd.
The interstate commerce commit
tee will resume consideration this
afternoon of the nomination of
Thomas +. Woodlock for member
ship on the Interstate Commerce
Commission.