davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25
Finishing SeoLskiri

Natural sealskin is so heavy and
salt-impregnated, so thick, greasy
and coarse-haired, that no woman
would care to wear it until it has
been properly dressed. 1t requires
a number of operations to finish the
raw skins. They are washed,
dried, cleaned with oil-soaked saw
dust and skived to one-third of
their original thickness. The shiv-
ing requires the most sensitive
touch, as the knives must go deep
enough to loosen the roots of the
stiff hairs, but must not touch the
roots Of the fur itself When the
bristles are loosened the skins are
turned over and the bristles are
rubbed out. The skins then go to
the hot rooms, where the fur side
Is exposed to blasts of hot air. The
last operation is the dyeing that
gives the fur its characteristic
color. Unlike ordinary things, seal
skin is colored by being painted
with coat after coat of dye, put on
with a brush.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25

specializing purposes. Praying the
market for an advance or a de-
cline did not seem to fall within
his scheme Of things. Neither is
there any evidence that he planned
at any time to abscOnd, although in
the later phase Of his adventure he
must have been in possession at
times of enormous quantities Of ne
gotiable securities.
Difficulties developed for Ham
as his operations pyramided and
the total Of his losses mounted. The
credit of his, personal checks was
no longer sufficient TO finance his
hare-brained strategy.
Resorts to Forgery.
These difficulties he met by for
gerry, selecting two prominent citi-
zens-one John Gleason, an Ottawa
capitalist, and Rev. William Beat
tie, London clergyman with
wealthy relatives-and attached
their names to a series of notes,
which he used as collateral. He
stated that these gentlemen had Sc
!ected him as their confidential
agent. Beattie, he said, was under
special obligations to him for hav-
ing saved his young son from
drowning. He insisted that the
nature Of their plans was such
that the men must remain in the
background and that they could
not be communicated with direct
~. IL one case, under pressure,
he produced a letter, with GIee-
sons name forged, TO substantiate
the note.
Five notes. totaling $4,000, pur-
porting to have been signed by
Gleeson and Beatiie. were pro-
duced and used by Ham. These he
used in two ways. He deposited
them with brokers as collateral.
But the cruelest feature of his OPP
erations was when he used those
notes TO secure advances of cash
and securities from private individ-
uals. The individuals were friends
OF his or of his family. In case
of one lady, widow, he secured
advances amounting to 100000.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25
He Wasn't a Bigot

Like Sir James Percy, the Irish
man, who never forgets a good story
that he hears, and later gives it
an extra twist of interest through
the glow of his own personality,
Sir James Taggart, ex-lord provost
of Aberdeen, is among the recog-
nized story-tellers Of the country.
He was telling of a certain man
o. the kirk who was found ~
ing drunk far from his door by
Roman Catholic priest. The priest
picked him up and helped him to
his home. AS he felt for the latch
of his door, the intoxicated one
turned to the priestly helper and
looked hard at him. "Oh, aye"
he said, Il ken We fine the Cath
ollie priest. Never mind, mon I'm
no bigoted. London Sketch.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25
Woman Auto DriUer
Had Much to Learn

Here's a good one about won-
an automObilist that storekeeper
told recently. The woman's ma
chine stopped a short way from
this mans store, which is in North
Salem, and she came in to get
some gas from his outside pump.
She would have liked to have had
him go with her, it appeared. He
did not know why until about ten
minutes later and then he had a
good laugh.
Anyhow, he provided her with
jug in which she could carry the
gasoline. She disappeared and he
heard nothing, nor saw nothing Of
her afterward. As the inmates
rolled by he. commenced to wonder
if he was going to get back his
jug, or if something else was the
matter. The answer came when
a man dropped in with the jug.
He told the storekeeper that when
he came along the woman had the
radiator cap off and was just about
to pour the gas in, when he stopped
her.
He volunteered to aid the lady,
who had an expensive car, by the
way, and did SO. He poured the
gas in where it belonged, tipped
his hat in answer to her profbse
thanks, and went his way, taking
the jug back to the store man. Can
you beat that? l thought people
who owned and drove cars were
supposed to know something about
them until told this story, which
Mr.. Storekeeper AYERS is the Cos
pei truth.-Salem News.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25
Historic Toun

Harper's Ferry is a town In West
Virginia at the confluence of the
Shenandoah and Potomac and is
about sixty miles from Washing
ton. 1t received its name from Rob-
ert Harper, an English millwright,
who obtained the grant of this site
in 174S from Lord Fairfax, the
friend and patron of George Wash
ington. The original survey was
made by Washington himself and it
is said that he personally selected
the ferry as the site of a national
armory. Harper's Ferry is famous
in American history as the scene
of John Browns raid.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25
SCHOOL NO. 1.

Woodland Avenue, Grade 6 A.
Edited by Mrs. r. Crosby
lie 6 A room, Mrs. Johnson's
}, received the Savings banner
week. Miss Emily Reep was a
second.
lie following children from the
, reading class had acceptable
reviews.
IT the reading contest:
rice Smith, Martha Berger,
mia Dickson. Paul Brown,
/ Rossman, Velma Campbell,
i Broadway, Anna Cobb, Ruth
oson, Donald Scarpa, Edward
shman.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25
Personal Experience?

A few weeks ago in one of the
state high schools, in an English
class, this little episode occurred:
The teacher had asked the pupils,
for the following day, to write an
editorial, and in giving suggestions
had said that puppy love" would
be an interesting topic to work up.
A member of the class, who was
busy copying the assignment when
the above statement was made,
looked up and innocently inquired ::
Does it have to be a personal
experience T'-IndianapoliS News.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25
PRISON END TO
AMAZING FRAUD
Seven Years Melted Out to
$4,000, 900 Swindler of
Toronto Bankers.

/ Toronto, Outbound guilty on
Is counts Of forgery, Percy d.
Ham, one Of the socially elect Of
Toronto, was sentenced to seven
years in the penitentiary. So closes
one of the most amazing frauds in
the history of finance in Canada.
4 Ham, a quiet. unassuming young
gentleman of artistic tastes, was a
junior clerk in a government office
With this modest background and
with no financial capital, he
launched scheme of operations of
staggering proportions. In period
of about two years he negotiated
sales and purchases of bonds
amounting, according to court rec
ords, to more than S20,000,000.
+ Ham, according to his counsel,
came out of the maze of purchases
and sales without a five-cent piece
for himself, although losses sus-
tanned by brokers and friends as
far as they were traced, amounted
to S648,000.
Ham had been a precocious child.
To satisfy an adventurous longing,
counsel said, the young clerk had
launched out in the hope Of demon
strating that he was not the insig-
nihcant clerk he in reality was.
creduIity of Victims Amazing.
/ The credulity with which his
campaign was accepted by hard
headed financial world was one Of
the most amazing features of the
case. Bond purchases, running as
they did into millions a month,
must inevitably attract attention
In market as small as this one.
Instead of being regarded with sus-
.picion, Ham commanded respect.
Pop-eyed fctions sprang up, cred
iting him with being the agent of
governments and of financial
syndlcates planning far-reaching
coups.
Ham began his operations on a
small and evidently experimental
basis His first purchase was only
a few thousand dollars of govern
ment bonds-practically all his
transactions were in government
bonds. His capital did not exceed
a few thousand cents, but he ne
gotiated the purchase this way !:
Ham said he was acting for an
out-of-town friend, and gave his
personal check, to be held by the
brokers until the bonds were de-
.livered to his friend, who would
Immediately advance payment
Though bonds are sold cash on
delivery" Hams proposal was ac-
eepted. The credit of his check
for the few days requested was ac-
cepted by brokers who knew him,
or his father, or his friends. Ham
covered the transaction within the
time specified by reselling the
bonds through another firm,
Financial Pyramid Erected.
The operation was repeated over
and over again on an eyer-increas-
ing scale.
After each transaction Ham
came to be regarded as an even
more desirable client. But there
was never any profit for Ham.
Every transaction showed a loss of
at least two commissions for buy
ing and selling, and often a frac-
tional loss in addition in the mar
ket price. the weight of the offer
ings being sufficient to depress the
price on a narrow market.
There is no evidence that Ham
at any time attempted to use his
credit or the securities which were
temporarily in his possession for
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25
Gus Of The City Schools

ans for the musical-tea to be
n February 2 in the Wood
avenue school under the
ices of the Parent-Teacher's
)ciation, were discussed when
hostess committee met on
lnesday afternoon in the
ce of the Principal, Mrs.
Heinhart, Mrs. Margaret Kuger,
ident of p. T. A. was present.
ne ladies' enjoyed the get
sether meeting and discussed
" subjects concerning the
8iol work Of interest to them
'le committee is composed of
mother from each class
n. They are: Mrs. Mary
ms, 8 A; Mrs. Estelle Levin,
/; Mrs. A. E. Greenwood, Z A;
L. J. Thompson, Z B; Mrs.
is Smith, 6 A; Mrs. Voss, 6.
Mrs. w. M. Brown, 5 A; Mrs.
mond Conover, 4 A; Mrs.
guerite Birmingham, 4 B;
MI Campbell. 3 A; Mrs.
S Pappert, 3 B; Mrs. Harry
bricks, 8 G.; Mrs. Alton Boice,
/; Mrs. Loretta Breunig, 2 B;
j. e. Ball, 2 G.; Mrs. r. C.
aers, l A; Mrs. Alice Egan, l
Mrs. Broomall, 1 c.; Mrs.
ord Sanders. kindergarten.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25
Wrong Idea About Storms

The weather bureau says that
there is no reason why storms
should be more frequent or severe
on September 81 or % (autumnal
equinox) than on September 10 or
II, say, or 20 or 30; nor, in fact
are they. The same is true of the
spring or vernal equinox. This
whole notion about "equinoctial
storms" is erroneous, and it even
is uncertain how, where, when or
by whom the idea was started. We
only know that in one form or an
other it goes back at least to 174S.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25

Tirza Anne Dinsdale.
For the last four years Miss
ira Anne Dinsdale, Berkeley,
aIif., has headed the Y. W. c..
work in Santiago, Chile. She
as Just returned to this coun-
" on furlough for a years
tudy and travel. There are
lany women pharmacists in
lille, she. says, and women are
tudying laws medicine, architee-
nre, etc.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25
Proof Enough

'"Fhe wicked stand in slippery
places"
How do you know they are
wicked?"
Blythe language they use when
they Slip"
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25

birds and the hnnter reloads
This continues until the hunter
has bagged ali the law allows
him Usually this doesn't take
long When he has. the guide
starts the motor again and the
boat goes "hugging back. landing
the hunter in Corpus Chflsti we'll
before noon. with a halging bag
a. dn,nk.,
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25

Charles w. Carey, above, of
Wichita; Kan, has been select
ed as one of the five bankers to
represent the United States at a
monetary conference of world
bankers at Stockholm, Sweden,
next summer. Mr.. Carey is
president of the national group
of the American Bankers asso-
citation.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25

The duck hunters paradise
that's why they call it that. Every
state in the union is represented
by the nimrods at Corpus Christi.
The ducks that are killed are
shipped out 10 all parts of the
country be eaten. many of
them. in places where wild ducks
have not been seen for scores OF
wars
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-01-25
EQUITABLE BUILDING & LOAN ASSN.
an Ez73AKES pleasure in announcing the
S g5S election of Mr.. Selden w. Ostrom
S65 EsSA as Secretary.

ga ia election of Mr. Selden w. Ostrom
S6a Eaa as Secretary.
Mr.. Ostrom comes to this institution
with a wide experience in organization
work and in meeting the public, having
formerly been connected with the Chel-
sea Title and Guaranty Company Allan
tic City, and newspapers in New York
State.
Prior to his Atlantic CITY affiliations.
Mr. Ostrom was for three years Business
Manager of the Clean (New York; Her
aid, for which position he was chosen af-
ter several years experience in all bran
ches of newspaper work, for which he re-
ceived his training at Cornell University.
He assumes his duties this week and
will be glad to meet all the shareholders.
HARRY BACHARACH,
President
The Washington times., 1927-04-16
10 Facts

That have made Burleith the outstand-
ing and most enthusiastically adopted
residence community in Washington
The Washington times., 1927-04-16
j. FRED CHASE
Exclusive Representative Wardman
rnu.aAu.,.nAa.... Ht.,....onu

The basic idea of purchasing CO.
operative apartment has been dis
cussed generally SO that prospective
purchasers usually have information
on the subject. They realize that
one-half or more of the total
monthly payment made is actually
saved. They know It is infinitely
more labor.saving to live in an apart.
ment than in house. They know
the restrictions surrounding Occur
pancy Of cooperative apartment
keep the tenancy to a high standard.
There are details, however, that
require explanation. Some OF the
questions frequently asked arc:
Q.-What are the restrictions gov
erning occupancy OF cooperative
apartment?
A.-No person who is not ap.
proved by the board of directors of a
building is permitted occupancy.
This is done to protect the invest
ment of each individual owner and
tends to group persons of like inter-
ests. One must be morally, socially
and financially acceptable before he
can buy Or rent in a cooperative
building. An experienced representa-
tive OF responsible company is, of
course, very necessary in such a
building. Such man will assist the
directors in permitting occupancy to
only such tenants as are acceptable
as neighbors. An unknown, unreli-
able agent might, to sell an apart.
ment, be less particular about the
character of the purchaser.
Q.-What happens IL an individual
owner defaults in his payments?
A.-After specified period the
directors can declare the delinquent
owner in default and repossess his
apartment. renting or selling it, and
after dedueting the amount he owes.
credit his account with the balance.
This procedure is similar to that fol.
lowed in case Of default when pur.
chasing a house.
Q-Suppose through negligence
the owner of an apartment causes
damage to another apartment, as
for instance If he should let his
bathtub overflow?
Aft it is a clear case Of negli.
gence the cost of reconditioning the
damaged apartment would be as.
The Washington times., 1927-04-16
PERNI IS SET At
s2,29S,027

Building permits issued in Arling-
ton county. Virginia, since April
/, 1926. have totaled 513 in number
and have involva& construction
totaling S2,229,O27. according to the
current news letter Of the Airing.
ton county chamber Of commerce.
The chambers publication states
that nine permits, totaling $I27 $50,
were issued the first week in April
Arlington county's record in build
ing permits has not fallen below
enc per day as an average for
MANY months past, ii is said, and
building supply houses state that
the regular seasonal increase in de-
mand for material seems to be as
heavy this year as ever. This
would indicate that nearby Virginia
is not experiencing the decreased
activity in building operations which
has been apparent for some time
in many localities.
Plans are now being perfected by
the Alexandria, Arlington and Fair
fax real estate board to maintain a
continuing survey OF development
trends of all types in the three
sections OF nearby Virginia with.
which the board is particularly con-
cerned.
1t has been pointed out by Ash.
ton c. Jones, President of the
board, that the summarizing Of fig
ures and records alone does not
tell the conplete story. ard that
the actual progress Of nearby Vir-
ginia must be systematically charted
and recorded by types Of construc.
ton, location of improvements be-
ing made, the purpose or use to
which improvements are to be put,
and other important factors, so
that comprehensive and detailed
chart of the development progress
OF every part of the area, in every
particular, can be made.
The Washington times., 1927-04-16
Queries Made About
Co-operatiUes

lsessed against the careless owner
and he would have to pay it.
Q.-Who pays expenses on unsold
apartments?
A.-This is an important question
that emphasizes the absolute neces-
sity of dealing with a responsible,
financially sound selling agent.
Since the person or firm selling the
building is required to pay all car.
rying charges on unsold apart.
nfents. it Is evident that il the
building is not Immediately sold
out, he has quite a heavy monthly
payment TO make. Should he be
operating on a shoestring" it is
plain to see the burden would be
shifted to those who have bought
into the building.
Q.-Does the board of directors
have absolute power to control the
building?
A.-Since the board Is elected
from among the apartment owners.
these same owners have the power
to remove offending directors by a
remembered that the directors are
affected by their rulings exactly
the same as any other occupant.
Q.-Can / sell my apartment be.
fore it is fully paid for?
A.-Of course. A cooperative
apartment that is not fully paid
for is sold, as is a house, subject
to the remaining Indebtedness.
Q.-Suppose an owner. after be-
ing accepted. proves undesirable?
A.-Rules governing this spe-
cific question are adopted in every
well ordered building and provide
for expulsion of an undesirable.
The above questions will be salts
factorily answered by the selling
agent If he is fully reliable and
financially sound enough to carry
them out.
The Washington times., 1927-04-16
noted REAL TOR
WILL TALK

The regular monthly meeting of
the Washington Real Estate Board.
which win take place on April %.
1927. at S:15 p. M, in the grill
room Of the Wardman Park Hotel.
is planned to be the outstanding
meeting of the year.
y. g. Nichols. of Kansas City,. a
member of the National Park and
Planning Commission and one of
the worlds outstanding subdivision
developers, will address the board.
Because OF Mr.. Nichols singular
success and renown as a developer
and his appointment by President
Coolidge as member of the Ma.
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission there has been consid.
cradle interest manifested in his
speech by members Of the board.
mr. Nichols is noted for his de-
velopment of the Country Club Dis.
trict Of Kansas City, which Is one
Ct the sights of the West in sub.
division achievement. His intense
practical outlook, together with his
aDility for achieving the artistic
ana the unusual have made him one
the outstanding authorities in
city planning not only from an
aesthetic point of view but also
The Washington times., 1927-04-16

from the standpoint of economics.
Mr.. Nichols talk will be Illus
trated. showing the actual, results
achieved in various places and his
talk is expected to be particularly
interesting because he viii make a
number of suggestions in reference
to the development of the National
Capital directly to those who are pri-
marily responsible for this under.
taking.
In addition to the business of the
board, the meeting will be concluded
with buffet supper. Mr.. John F..
Maury, president of the board. will
preside.
The Washington times., 1927-04-16
TAKDECISION To
REDUCE SALES

An important income tax decision
has just been announced that win
materially reduce the number OF
real estate transactions that can
be reported on the instalment sale
basis.
The department has decided that
where mortgage is taken back and
then sold in the same year. the
cash so received is to be con.
sidered as part Of the cash from
the original sale. and the rs per
cent computed accordingly.
Ordinarily where the property is
sold for less than rs per cent cash.
the profit can be reported on an in
stalment basis and spread over the
collections from year to year. In.
determining the 25 per cent all the
cash taken during the year is taken
and, under the new ruling, If the
purchasers mortgage is sold during
the year, the proceeds also enter
into the Is per cent amount. The
result Is that many transactions
that have generally been thought to
be instalment sales, because less
than Is per cent was to be paid in
cash by the purchaser during the
year, now lose that character and
the fun profit on the sale must be
reported in the years tax return.
Undoubtedly the ruling will be
appealed by the real estate dealers,
since the law is not clear and leaves
room for a different Interpretation.
The contention might well be made
that In determining the IS per cent,
IL Is only the cash received from the
purchaser that should be considered
and the fact that his mortgage is
sold to a third party should not
have any bearing on the terms Of
the original sale. However. in the
meantime, the ruling is on the
books and will be enforced.
Its effect can be overcome by not
selling the mortgage until the next
year after the sale, since it is only
the first years cash that figures
in the 25 per cent and thus deter
mines whether the profit can be
reported on an instalment basis.
The Washington times., 1927-04-16
Canada May Yet Buy
Temporary White House

Among the buildings under eonsid.
GRAFTON as a future Canadian lega-
ton, are the present temporary
White House. the Herbert Wads-
worth mansion on Dupont Circle,
and the home of Mrs. Aksel WITCH.
field at 1746 Massachusetts, Ave.
1t Is understood that the Ca.
madam government has entered into
negotiations for the purchase of
the latter, and that the prospects
of deal are considered favorable
The Patterson home, now occupied
by the President and Mrs. Coolidge,
however. is favored by certain Ca
madam officials.
The Washington times., 1927-04-16
Realtors Are to Ask
Change in Income Law

The National Association of Real
Estate Boards. through its general
counsel. Gen. Nathan william Mac
Chesney, accompanied by George Nj.
Thompson counsel for the Los
Angeles Rsalty Board, will appear
before the general counsel of the
Bureau of Internal Revenue tomor-
row. They will present need of
changes in Federal revenue provi.
sions in regard to taxation of in
come arising from instalIment sales
of real estate and from real estate
development carried on through a
syndicate.
At the same time General Mac
Chesney will present on behalf Of
the National Association of Real
Estate Boards the specific amend
ments to the Revenue act of 1926
asked for by the association.
The Washington times., 1927-04-16
EXAMS FOR TEACHERS

Those wishing to qualify as junior
high school teachers in the District
will be examined at the Franklin
School Building on these dates:
May 10 and IL, for candidates in
divisions 10 to Is, and May 10 and
IA, divisions / to 9. Applications
must be in by May 4, the examining
board announces.
The Washington times., 1927-04-16
RICKETTS, CURE FOUND

A new cure for ricketts,. made
from the liver of the puffer fish.
is believed by the Department Of
The Washington times., 1927-04-16

Commerce, to have been discovered
by the Bureau OF Fisheries. The
oil Of this fish is said to be rs
times more potent than cod liver
oil.