davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06
URGES SENSIBLE
DRESS IN OFFICES
Francis S. Key-Smith Wants
Girl Clerks to Dress
ModestIy.

Joining the ranks nf those. led by
Mrs. John r. Henderson. who have
protested vehemently against extreme
styles of feminine dress. Francis :.
key-Smith. prominent Washington at
torney and grandson of Francis Scott
Key OF The Star Spangled Banner
fame. today added his voice to the
chorus of protests.
Disclaiming that he was a "prrde"
and affirming that he has no desire to
launch campaign with undesirable
publicity. Mr. keySmith believes he
has worked out a scheme which will
prove effective. He would have the
local business men post a plaCard in
each of their offices requesting all en-
ployes to appear in n modest and bust
neSSlike attire. His attention has
been particularly attra cted recently.
he said. to the great ma jority Of
woman employees who dress as though
they had just left a beauty parlor,
Should Dress for BUSINESS
I'm other words" declared Mr.. Key.
Smith. IF women are to engage in
business, let them dress for business
and not for fancy dress ball, with
low-cut necks. no sleeves and all too
abbreviated skirts.
Many of our offices take on the
aspect of beauty parlors rather than
places of business, and men coming
into the offices, attracted by the get
up of the clerks, linger to talk with
them instead of transacting business
They often find excuses to call again
and after few calls invite the girls
out to lunch or to Il dnner-dance.
when they have meyer been introduc-
ed to them. Under any other circum-
stances. the girls would. for the most
part. resent and refuse such invita-
tons"
In letter to the Board of Trade of
which he is a member: the Merchants
and Manufacturers Association, the
District Bar Association. and the XII
wants and the Rotary Club of the
District, and to The Evening Star
Mr.. keySmith declares:
With the beginning of the New
Year l desire to- offer as a suggestion
for the official action of your club n
resolution to the effect that members
of your club are requested to take
some action whereby the professional
and business Offices of this city will be
dignified by the elimination if possible.
OF some of the extreme attire that
some of the employees wear.
Il am not prude, neither do | de-
sire to interfere in any way with the
rights of any. one to dress as he de-
sires, but the extreme dress. or lack
of dress, of the present day around
business places to my mind is GER
tainly anything but a good advertise
ment for them
This suggestion, If it meets with
your approval. might be accomplished
by suggesting to the members of
your club that they place, a small
notice properly framed requesting en-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06
BOOK SALES BREAK RECORDS
DESPITE RIVALRY OF "JAZZ"
Demand for Poetry Almost Tripled in l925-Trend
of Times Seen in Jevene Verses Which Contain a
Heretofore Unknown ''kick.

written with a kick in them by au-
thors who previously had made an
appeal to adult readers. OF these. 4.
A. Mines volume of verse for children.
When We Were Very Young" went
into the best-Seller class. and a heavy
constant demand was maintained for
Hugh Lettings 'Doolittle" books, a
series of grotesque and humorous
animal stories.
The youth of the land. dealers said.
showed wild desire for pep and a bit
of wit in its books. and refused to he
put off with the goody-goody things OF
a generation ago.
Parents who must read aloud to
their youngsters want something they
themselves can enjoy.
In the adult lines poetry and bi-
ography showed all but unprecedented
popularity. several items in these
classes maintaining themselves in the
best-seller lists. One dealer spoke Of
the sales of negro spirituas as tire
menduous. An expensive set of
Washingtton's diaries sold far beyond
expectations. Best sellers in fiction
did not mean so much AS formerly
in the total volume of book sales Book
buyers of fiction for the most part es-
chewed the sentimental romance
which once swept the market and
turned to the character novel, the psy-
Geological novel. and the story with a
bit Of mysticism in It,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06
JOHN M. MOEHRING DIES
AFTER SHORT ILLNESS
Was Employe of Treasury De-
partment and Lifelong Resi-
dent of Washington.

John NJ. Moehring, Al years old. an
employee of the general accountinp
office of the civil division, United
States Treasury Department, for the
last IS years and lifelong resident
of this city, died in Emergency Hos
pital yesterday after short Illness.
His home was at 6s13 Ninth street.
He first became i'll when suffering
from a carbuncle several weeks ago.
He was senior warden of Dawson
Lodge. No. 16, F.. A. A. NJ, having
been elected to that position Decem-
Der IA last. He also member OF
Takoma Park Baptist Church.
He leaves his Wife. Mrs. Bessie
H. Moehring. and three children; two
daughters. Miss Virginia Moehring
and Miss Edith Moehring, and son,
by his first wife, John Moehring.
Funeral services will be conducted
at Takoma Park Baptist Church to-
morrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. Rev.
William La Rue will off1ciate. In.
terment will be in Fort Lincoln Gene
terry. The services will be under the
auspices of Dawson Lodge.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06
WITNESS is WOUNDED.
Patrolman Held for Shooting
Which Occurs in Police Station.

NEW YORK. January GR.-In
front of the lieutena nt's desk in a
Brooklyn police station yesterday
Policeman John J. Brennan whipped
out his service revolver and shot
Semuel, kra niof. glazier, who had
gone to the station to complain
against Brennan. kra niof was taken
to hospital dying.
|. The, policeman was arrested and n
physician reported him as iptoxica ted
Brennan went into the glaciers store
al noon Yesterday and demanded So.
Refused it. he hit the glazier on the
, head With his police stick. 1t was NJ
this that kraniof had gone to the
station house to complain when he
was shot.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06
SENATE CONFIRMS
DELL NOMINATION
Woman Named Member of Civil
Service Commission. Mrs Gar
dener's Successor, Approved.

The Senate late yesterday confirmed
the nomination of Miss Jessie Dell TO
he A member of the Civil Service Com
mission. succeeding the late Mrs.
Helen f. Gardener. Miss Dell's name
had been acted upon favorably before
Christmas holidays. but Senator King.
Democrat. of Utah, requested recon
sidera ton.
objection was brought to the atten-
ton of Senator King by women'S
orga MIA tons which questioned wheth.
err she was a Democrat. The Senate,
however. affirmed its original action.
Ora tifica ton over the confirma ton
was expressed today by officials of the
National Woman's Party, of which or
ganization Miss Dell has long been n
member. Miss Dell is a native of
Georgia and has been in the Govern
ment service in various positions for
a number of years.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06
PHOTOS TO HAWAII ON AIR
Sent From New York and San
Francisco by Radio.

SAN FRANCISCO, January LP).-
The Radio Corporation of America
began last night the transmission of
photographs by wireless from New
York and San Francisco to the Ha-
waiian Islands.
Two pictures were sent by wireless
from New York and relayed to the
islands through the San Francisco Of
fice of the company. Two more were
sent from San Francisco.
The transmission of pictures from
Hawaii to San Fra ncisco was begun
by the company last April.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06

ployes during business hours to be
attired suitably for business purposes.
calling their attention at the same
time to the fact that evening dresses,
tight fitting short dresses. silk stock.
ings. powder. paint. etc, are suitable
only for the stage or at party and
are not suitable during business hours.
IF this suggestion meets with your
approval I would be glad to see your
club take proper action upon 1t. espe-
cially as your organization. as ] uri,
derstand it. stands for civic better
ment."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06
Plea to Governor
Follows Sentence
OF Ex-Slave, 80


FREDERICKSBURG. Va. Janu-
airy 6.-COnviCted ot selling two
pints Of homemade wine, Aunt
Marthie" Peyton. Ao-vear-old negro.
a former slave. was fined SGo and
sentenced to three months in Jail
by Judge F. W. Coleman, in King
George Circuit Court.
She pleaded with the judge not
To put her in Jail. Judge Coleman
declined to suspend sentence, say
ing that if the law was objection
able the legislature was the place
to remedy it. He added that he
had imposed the minimum punish
ment.
Every member of the bar pres
ent, including Joseph A. Billings
ley. Commonwealth attorney, then
signed a petition to Gov. Trinhle
asking that he pardon Aunt
Marthie" She was convicted on
the evidence of two white men.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06
Marie Provost Becomes Star.

. HOLLYWOOD, Calf, January s
R.-Marie Provost through con-
tract signed yesterday with Metropol-
,ftan Pictures. became the secord bath-
ing beauty to achieve stardom in the
films.
Gloria Swanson is the only other
former bathing girl to have scaled the
screen world heights.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06
Women Lose Jobs
If Husbands Are
Able to Provide
Snecial Dispatch TO The Star.

NTFFIdI UT-VdT'U W 7 IF SVdT
BALTIMORE. January 6.-Mar-
ried women whose husbands are
able to support them will not be
employed or kept on the pay roll
of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
according 10 F. y. Milholland. as
sistant to the senior vice president
of the railroad
Mr. Milholland said the rule call
ing for the resignation on January
| of married women holding posi-
tons as clerks was put into effect
to correct unfairnesS. There are a
number. he said. whose husbands
hold good positions. and this keeps
back others.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06
BANDITS LOCK CASHIER
IN VAULT AND LOOT BANK
$4,000 in Cash and Other Valu-
ables Obtained at Great Falls,
S. c., Institution.
By the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
CHARLOTTE, n. c., January g.
Two men held up the cashier of the
Bank of Great Falls. at Great Falls.
6. c., last night. locked him in the
vault. took $4,000 in cash, about $500
worth of liberty bonds and a diamond
ring. and escaped. according to in
formation received by the Charlotte
Police Department.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06
WOMAN PLUNCES
BODY FURNACE
Religious Fanatic Offers Self
"as Living Sacrifice to
the Lord"
Nv the Associated Press.

SHELBYNILLE, Ind, January g.
Her religious nature spurred TO
fanatical heights by a recent revival,
Mrs Margaret House. wife of a mail
carrier. Yesterday wedged his body
into the furnace in her home and sus-
tanned burns which caused her death l.
hours later. Believing herself "a liN-
ing sacrifice to the Lord" and singing
and pra wing as she exposed herself to
the flames she was fatally burned be
fore her husba nd could rescue her.
Arising early this morning. Mrs.
House told her huSha nd she was going
n the ha Sement to attend to the
furnace fire. When she did not return
within a rea sonable time. investigators
found her body wedged into the
furnace up to the waist She had been
I'll for some time She survived for
several hours During one of her in.
f~rvals of consciousness. she said: Il
did Il to show what God could do
Face Charred by Flames.
Inhala tion Of gas fumes was named
as the immediate cause Of death by
attending physicians. Mrs. House had
entered the furnace fire bowl head
downward. and the flames charred the
flesh of her face almost beyond recog
milton.
Frank House her husband. was at
loss to assign an immediate motive
for her act She was n deeply 70
ligious woman, he said, and she had
been continually in i'll health. hut he
did not know why she chose self
cremation az a means of suicide. She
had never given any intimation of
contemplating death at her own hand,
he declared.
Until Mrs Houses own remarks
indicated that she had voluntarily en-
tered the furnace, police authorities
ent ertained a theory that some assail-
ant had attacked her e she descended
the stairs and had damned her body
into the heating plant.
Spoke Of Sacrifice.
Neiehhors of Mrs. House said that
she had manifested an almost frenZied
infe in a recent nterdanomina-
tional religious revival and had
threatened 10 offer herself as "a liv-
ing sacrifice to the LoBd.' , Z
Mr.. House said that his attention
Ia his Hife's prolonged absence in the
basement was first attracted by hear
ing her singing and praying. When
he found her body damned into the
furnace she was continuing her
prayers and spiritual eXhortations. he
said. despite the fact that one side of
her face. her hair and her Shoulders
had been burned to crisp by the
heavy fire she had kindled.
n,e r,,jIlio, two 'hiIp,Jred tbn,,SaI n A
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06
PHONE INJUNCTION
HEARING UNDERWAY
Company Attacks Rate Cut
Ordered by Utilities
Commission.

Hearing was begun this afternoon
before Chief Justice Walter ]. Mccoy
of the District Supreme Court on the
injunction proceedings brought by
the Chesapeake and Potomac Tele-
phone Co. against the Public Utilities
Commission To prevent the carrying
out of an order of the commission re-
ducine the price of unlimited service
p cents wer month and increa sing
the number of calls permitted under
! limited, service.
Attorney AleNa nder Britton opened
the argument for the company and
will he followed by Corporation
Counsel Stephens for the commission.
Attorney George =. Hoover will con-
clude the argument for the company.
1t is expected the arguments will
have heen finished tomorrow after
noon and the court then will take the
matter under consideration.
Charges Arbitrary Action.
Mr.. Britton charged the commits
sion with failing to follow the evi.
dence submitted at the hearing before
it and declared the commission had
acted arbitrarily in fixing a valuation
of only S18,573 1856 on the compa ny'S
property when the companE's experts
had shown a valuation of S27 90 600.
The present rate program OF the COM
pany is very reasona BILE on such val
uation, he commended. but the price
attempted to be fixed under the new
valuation Is confiscatory and therefore
Illegal, he asserted.
The lawyer pointed out that the
! commission fixed a valuation of only
S675.000 on the land owned by the
company from the tax assessments
and ignored the market value which
had been shown to be in excess of
81 .000,0 900. The commission. he said
ignored three pieces of land valued at
S263.2 S5. which exclusion he claimed
to he unlawful and arbitrary. The
buildings on the properties used by
! the company are worth $2.954 ,SS6.79,
according to the companys counsel
I who claimed the commission placed
the valuation at only S2.eO0534.
No Growing Value Fixed.
Mr.. Britton criticized the action OF
| the commission in reference to over
heads and intanGibles' which were
given in the award as worth $3.50
COO while he claims the evidence es-
tablished a fair value of them at S..
. 731 $50. The lawyer pointed out that
the commission unlawfully and arbi
trarily allowed nothing for growing
value" which he said was worth 81,
SOC. 000.'
He took up each other item of the
award and showed a difference against
the company between the testimony
and the figures adopted by the com
mission.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06

OF the late Queen Alexandra 3
bridesmaids at her marriage on March
10. 1868. only two survive. Lady Amp
thill and Lady Lothian.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06
No Growing Value Fixed.

One suit that is always made large
enough to stand a little shrinkage is
q damage suit, -'z'.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06

One million two hundred Thousand
quarts of Ice cream were produced by
1000 plants in the. United States dur
ing the year Just ended.
The Washington times., 1926-04-17

fellow and twisted away from
me ana ran out Of the house
with. It. Oh. don't know where
he'd gone or how were to get
him, sir, before he gets to the
police with itv'
The silence that followed the
cessation of his whispered, broken
sentences. was like pail covering
the dead heart Of DIR. Cressy.
He stood without speaking. The
evidence was overwhelming. This
was a murderess-a rnurderess.
not even in heat of anger, but
in cold blood. While he had be-
siieved that she was not guilty,
he told himself he didn't care
if she were;s bat now in the
face Of proof he shuddered. Some
thing went hard and cold inside
him, something that had been
warm and nuid-was 1t his spirit,
he wondered, that had died dur
ing that recital?
He became aware that some
body was talking in the silence,
whispering. It was the girl She
was saying something over and
over monotonously:
II can't stand it, can't stand
1t! Oh. it's too much! can't
stand it! No, I can't stand it!'
1t seemed as IL she were, In
that queer whisper, communing
with her own soul--as il it were
The Washington times., 1926-04-17

sand in the paper the boy changed.
He'd come down with me to the
hotel and. was standing In the
lobby near the taxi stand look
ing over the Sunday paper. Il
can see him now, standing there
In his straw hat with the green
band on It, when his eye lit on
that news"
DR.. Cressy suddenly recalled
seeing this youth, green band on
his straw hat and all, In the
lobby that morning while he had
been talking to Mr.. Aimes, the
manager. Kelly was going on:
after q Few minutes he came
out TO where was standing and
talked In q low, excited voice
co me. He said it was our duty
to tell what we knew-it was
against the law not to - and
stuff Of that kind. I sent him
packing off about his business.
When / reached home tonight he
came in drunk. He began to call
me an old fool. losing $4,000
for nothing. He kept drinking
the bootleg he'd brought in with
him, and finally he said he was
going to get the revolver whether
l let him or not. Before knew
It he'd run to the bureau drawer
and grabbed the revolver. tried
to stop him, but he's a strong
The Washington times., 1926-04-17

came hot. He walked to the wall
and struck his fist against it.
Almighty God-what a thing this
was to happen!
He fancied the whole world now
visualized Sandy in Ramon's Of
fice-the whole world now heard
those bitter means Of hers
And they saw him shaking the
knob OF this door-saw him carry
ing her down the steps.
His Decision
IT am going to take her away
from here tonight" he said to
Judith.
You'll not" Hal Hume an
swered, coming in quietly-the
bland serenity Of his face gone.
She'll not be moved from here
unless you send her to a hos
pital."
Douglas stood with his back
turned: "Then they'll find us
both: And they might even try.
to pin it on her"
"She's as safe here as any
where. If there are letters signed
with her name you can't hide her.
Most likely she didn't sign the
letters. She won't be connected
with it. Neither will you. He
didn't even know you.
Have sense enough to keep
quiet. No one comes here ex-
cept the woman who cleans the
place. I'll tell her not to bother
for this week.
"By that time we may be able
The Washington times., 1926-04-17
something said to herself alone
which he overheard.

something said to herself alone
which he overheard.
i. She raised her eyes and looked
into DR.. Cressy's face. He looked
back at her, cold, alien, with
drawn. Her breath came In q
gasp, as If she had been struck.
Suddenly, she threw herself on
the floor and buried her face in
the couch:
81 can't stand It! can't stand
It! Oh, it's too much! Too much"
She began beating the wooden
side of the couch with her clench-
ed fists. Her voice rose and
rose, repeating the phrase, 81
can't stand 1t! Oh, can't.
stand it!'' And as 1t rose she
beat against the sides OF the
couch more wildly, as IL her
hands were wooden mallets In
stead OF softaflesf.
HystePia
DIR. Cressy bent swiftly, caught
her hands and dragged her to
her feet. Her face was working
with great commissions of the
muscles. OF a sudden tears
came and ran down her cheeks in
streams between gasps of the
silences Of tortured breathing.
wait, wait. Try to control
yourself-this does no good" he
cried, although he knew as a
physician that to appeal to the
The Washington times., 1926-04-17

hour and midnight, he had been
shot.
No one heard the shots. But
mana young man between 20
and 25-that waited nervousiy in
the cigar store at the corner
from 500 until 10:45. He had
then entered the building-studied
the office directory. He had asked
IL such a party as Ramon
Worth" was a tenant. And i'm
mediately learning that he was,
he became so excited that on
leaving the elevator he went in
the wrong direction.
The elevator operator gave this
detailed and colorful information.
Who was this man? Was it he
whose blood made a small pool
on the floor"
Someone had been present when
Ramon was shot-someone besides
the dead man was wounded. Who
was this other? How could be
have escaped, unaided?
Had Ramon shot him and then
turned the pistol on himself? If
so, how account for that bullet
imbedded in the wall? The dead
have fired this. I.
Nor could the pistol have curved
half across the room had it
dropped from Worth's hfeless
hand. It appeared to have been
flung down in a hurry.
BY whom?
How had the murderer escaped?
A man had been known to enter
Worth's office. No one had seen
anyone leave.
The police were working on
clues. They had taken finger
prints found on a chair and on
the panels OF the door.
A mystifying feature Of the
tragedy was its apparent absence
Of motive. Worth had been a
tenant of this building for five
years. He was well connected ami
very popular. Despite a years
absence he was Immediately re.
nembered and welcomed even by
the elevator operator and JAM.
tress.
Robbery had plainly not beer
the motive. A wallet containing
$500 in currency. q jade ring and
a very fine watch were all un.
touched on the person, Of the
dead man.
Why supposin9 that Ramon
was murdered-had the crime been
committed?
The last edition of the paper
answered the question in a head
line that flashed on the eyes Of
douglas Keith with a shivering
violence: Mystery Woman and
The Washington times., 1926-04-17

monster. Murder In rare cases was
I morally justifiable-
Kelly was going on:
Your revolver, You know, Miss
Kathleen. In the taxi
My revolver! Ny revolver
Again q spasn of anguish con-
tracted her features. She sank
down to her knees and again buried
her head In the couch. but this
time she was quieter. There was
only low sobbing, like child In
distress whimpering like one
frightened and amazed under the
lash OF fate.
A change Of feeling overwhelmed
I DR.. Cressy. He bent down and
lifted her up on to the couch. He
knelt down beside her.
'sBe still, oh. be still, Kathleen,
he implored. "You break my heart.
Do you think I'll let anything
happen to you? I'll take you away
somewhere where they'll never
find you. I'll take you to some far
off country. I'll kill any one that
comes for your
He knew his words were mad
and foolish, but they seemed the
very ones fitted to calm her. Her
moaning grew less. She looked at
him, then made a half involuntary
gesture toward him. He leaned
over swiftly and took her in his
The Washington times., 1926-04-17

reason Of one in storm Of
hysteria was mere folly.
kathleen pushed him away
from her with such force that
he took q step or two back.
ward.
"oh, leave me! Go! I am
alone alone. Let me be alone"
For moment there was a lull
In the storm and she looked up
at him. Even you think ! did
it. I saw it In your faceeven
you who said it wouldn't matter
anyway. ss
He stood silent, abashed.
It was the old taxi.starter who,
sure Of his loyalty, was able to ask
the question on his lips:
But didn't you do 1t, Miss Kath-
leen?"
AS he looked at the face Of the
old man a flame. OF shame over
ca me DIR. Greasy. Here was a
man simple and loyal, a man who,
no matter what this woman he had
known as a child did, had his pro.
lection and his mistaken fealty,
while he, with his more compli-
Gated nature and his more sensitive
morality, had turned in condemna-
ton. After all, how did he know
what provocation she had? Kent
Glendenning might have been a