davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1928-04-02
STRUCTURE
RECEIVER NAMED
Boston Bank Sues for $780,
600 Mortgage on Washing.
ing Building.

Climaxing a series of misfortunes
which have been its lot since the project
was started several years ago, the
Washington Building. lo-story office
structure located at Fifteenth street
and New York avenue, has been placed
in the hands of receiver pending out
come Of an equity suit now before the
District Supreme Court.
The Liberty Trust Co. of Boston,
having an equity in the building. which
was largely financed by capital from
out of Washington. has filed suit
against the National Shawmut Bank OF
Boston, which holds first mortgage
interest in the building, the purpose o.
the suit being TO foreclose the second
mortgage Of 100000.
Pending the outcome OF this suit, the
District court has appointed Harold E.
DOYLE of the Fisher Co. OF Washington
TO be receiver,
Officials of the Washington Central
Trust, agents of the building here, stated
this morning that the suit will mean
that the second mortgage OF $SOo.O0o
would have to be paid. Meanwhile con-
ferences are being held IN Boston oy
Robert A, Nordbloom of the City Gen.
trail Corporation. the promoters, and
other interested parties, with view to
making q settlement. il was announced
Another Suit Pending.
The suit of the Liberty Trust Co,
was filed by Attorneys Hamilton &
Hamilton. The City Central Corpora
ton Is being represented in the con-
ferences by Attorney w. w. Spauiding
of this city.
Several weeks ago the real estate firm
of Weaver Bros. of Washington, ut one
time rental agents for the building
filed suit against the City Central Cor
poration. title holders of the property,
Tor SIS, 900 alleged 10 be due the local
realty organization for commissions on
rentals In the building. this suit now
pending before the District Supreme
Court. The owners. however demurred
In the suit. charging that either the
rentals alleged to have been conSum-
mated through the Weaver ONCE were
not consummated or that the rentah
actually we're closed by agents OF the
CORPORATION or not closed In TACT,
Prior To this suit mechanics liens were
filed In District Supreme Court by con-
tractors who were engaged In the con-
struetion of the building, amounting
10 a total OF S237, ,4S4.Si. These were
filed by Coolidge, Shepley, Bulfineh "
Abbott, for $i6,a00, by Elmer II, Cauin
Co, for $5,07O28: by Baker Cork &
Title Co. and by the James Stewart &
Co, builders. for $20s, s,077a8.
Prior also to these suits the depart
Continued on Page 4. Column ~
Evening star., 1928-04-02
APRIL PRIMARIES
TO SHOW STRENGTH
Shower of Ballots Starts
Today at Polls in
Michigan.

By the Associated Press.
An April shower of ballots that Will
! give a better indication of which way
the wind is blowing for those who
aspire to the highest Office of the land
began today in Michigan and will con-
tinue tomorrow In Wisconsin and New
York.
These are but three of eight State
presidential preference primaries and
more than score of party conventions
! listed on the months political calendar
which, when torn down. viii add con-
siderably to the 2l5 Republican and
i64 Democratic delegates thus far
chosen to the Kansas City and Houston
conventions.
These figures represent less than cne-
fifth of the 1889 delegates votes IN the
Republican convention and less than
one-Sixth of the l,i00 In the Demo-
cratic gathering. During April. bow
ever. delegates to the Kansas City con-
vention win be increased by $50. or
more than half Of the total convention
vote, while those bearing credentials TO
the Texas city viii be raised Az. or
little less than half of the total Demo-
cratic delegates.
Two Unopposed In Michigan.
Only 3le Republican delegates and
464 Democrats win remain to be selected
in May and early June when the April
primary and convention slate Is dis
pensed with.
Herbert Hoover and Gov Smith OF
New York had no opposition facing
them in the Michigan primary today
Thus far the former was assured OF
that States 80 Kansas City delegates
and Smith of its 30 Democratic dele
gates, all of whom are to be CHOSEN
later at party conventions.
Tomorrow. So delegates. equally oi-
vided among Democrats and Repun-
licans. will be selected IN the primaries
in Wisconsin. and 63 Republican dls-
trict delegates and SO Democrats, ex-
c'usive of delegates at large. who viii
be named later In the month. will be
chosen in the New York primaries.
The Republican delegation at large
already has been selected by the State
committee and the Democratic dele
gates at large win be named by the
state committee of the party at meet
ing TO be held In New York on April IL
New Deluge Next Week.
That will be all the primaries for this
week. but next Tuesday the delugc oi
presidential preference ballots VIII bt
loosened again In the Illinois and Ne.
braSka primaries. Then, after respite
of a coupie of weeks. the downpour viii
strike Ohio. where the death OF Sena.
tor willis has complicated the politica
situation in both major party ranks
and Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.
A primary also win be held April "a
In Alaska. when two delegates to Kansa:
! City and six TO Houston viii be chosen
Through the primary method $50 Re-
publican delegates and 352 Democrats
| will be selected during April.
| A total Of 1876 Republican delegates
win be approved In party conventions
in Kansas. Kentucky, Rhode Island
| Idaho. North Carolina, New Mexico
/ Colorado. Connecticut, Delaware. Ne.
vada. Oklahoma. Michigan and Arizona
BY the same method l20 Democratic
| delegates will be chosen in Maine, Utah
I Oklahoma. Washington, Iowa. Rhode
/ Island. Kansas and Porto Rico.
Evening star., 1928-04-02
PASSENGER KILLED
AS TRUCK VEERS
Death of B. H. Skidmore Is
Second Traffic Fatality
Within IL Hours.

Losing his balance when the truck on
which he was riding made a sudden
turn at Maryland avenue and A streets
northeast today Benjamin Harris Skid
more. 35, 1905 Railroad avenue south
east, was thrown to the street and in
stantly killed. The death Of Skidmore
was the second traffic fatality within the
past IL hours, and the fourth in the
past four days.
Charles Mercurio, SIS, 3l2 Fifth street,
was almost instantly killed last night
when he was struck at Seventh street
and Pennsylvania by an automobile
operated by Charles Arthur Merchant,
Is, 934 G street southwest
Skidmore was riding on the back OF
q truck from the Office Of Public Build
ings and Public Parks. operated by VIII
liam Minor, colored, 81, Ala Second
street southwest. Minor started to drive
into the Capitol grounds. but suddenly
changed his mind and turned left into
First street. The turn threw skidmore
TO the street.
Driver Unaware.
Minor was not aware of the accident
until Irving Purcell $40 l. street SOUTH
east, who had been sitting beside Skid
more. raped on the rear window OF
the cab The Casualty Hospital am
bulance was summoned and Skidmore
was pronounced dead by DR.. Lawrence
Murphy. Skidmore died from fractures
Of the skull and jaw and concussion
Of the brain.
Skidmore. a native OF this city. Is
survived by his wife, Mrs. Lola May
Skidmore, "a: two children, Calvin
Coolidge Skidmore. 3, and Emma MAY
Skidmore, months, and his mother
Mrs. Emma Skidmore, So. with whom,
they ali lived.
Minor was taken into custody by
Policeman A. r. Houch OF the sixth
precinct pending orders from Coroner
j. Ramsey Nevitt.
Mercurio's death occurred when he
was attempting TO cross the street dur
ing the heavy rain. Both his vision
and that OF Merchant, an employe OF
the Chesapeake g. Potomac Telephone
Co. are believed TO have been obstruct-
ed by the downpour. Merchant went
TO the first precinct and reported the
CONTINUED on Page 4, Column s.
Evening star., 1928-04-02

pledging their hearty Endorsement of the
campaign.
The object of this crusade has been
to impress upon every driver the basic
requirement for being trusted with the
responsibility of driving an automobile
to drive as he would wish others to
drive, All traffic codes simply are feeble
restatements of this supreme law of
human conduct and 1t is law in which
the driver is his own policeman. It
requires him to keep a curb upon him.
self far more rigid than is required
by the Police Department.
Playing in Streets Stressed.
The campaign has taken particularly
into account the dangers encountered
Continued on Page 4, Column g.
Evening star., 1928-04-02
NEW FLOODS FEARED
m WESTERN CANADA
Two More Ice Jams Reported
Forming ia Saskatchewan
River Valley.

B. ti4e Assoo4sbsd Press,
SASKATOON, aekatehegan, ApTiI z.
"A repetition oi last weeks food IN me
Pike Lake Valley. 20 miles southwest Oh
here. was threatened from two sources
To-Day AfDer the breakup OF q iz~nils
So Jam which caused the first food, two
either ice jams were reported W De
forming and the waters " the Sas~
katchegsn River rising.
The lew Jams were forming on either
sace " the t1fst one, which flooded more
than 80 900 acres. making 80 families
homeless While the waters had started
~ feeede IN the devastated area. they
began 70 rlbe both below and above PIKE
Lake, inundsting the iOTlands
Evening star., 1928-04-02
Liquor Raid on Alexandria Prison
Gets Jailer, 3 Inmates and Fifth Party

q, Snow In Police Court this morning
and was fined $iA, His conviction au-
tomatioally dismissed him from his of
flee, and his successor win be named
shortly by City Sergt, Robert IL, Cox,
H. M. Iangford, Willie Wilburn and
Walter SlocoMh. the prisoners, win be
arraigned before Judge Howard W
bour Beach was sentenced to serve six
months at the State Farm,
Prior TO making the raid tho police
arrested James Sillex. jr,, al-year-old
son Of the iailer, aa he, stepped from
an automobile In front OF the Jail
Whisky waS found on his person and
he was nnM &1o,a0 on = plea Of guilty,
Evening star., 1928-04-02
Exploding Clothes
Cause $4,000 Loss
AT Cleaning Plant


CHICAGO. April 2.-Exploding
clothes have caused $4,000 damage
since January at the plant of the
Central Cleaners and Dyers, the pres
ident, B. Fl. Kornick. said today.
Small bombs are concealed in suits
sent in for cleaning. he said, these
exploding when they reach the dry
ing room. Each explosion destroyed
a large number of suits.
Kornick told police that new
threats of bomb violence have been
made against the entire plant, which
is cooperative. The plant, the threats
said. Is to be blown up tonight. Kor-
nick has been given a police guard
for the property.
The bombings are blamed on rack
eteers who Kornick charges control
a rival cleaning and dyeing aSsocia-
ton.
Evening star., 1928-04-02
MOTORISTS OF D. C. IMPRESSED
WITH GOLDEN RULE CAMPAIGN
II Men, z Women
and | Boy Killed in
Traffic This Year

Twelve men, seven women and
one boy have been killed in traf-
fic accidents since January l, ac-
cording to reports of the police
and the coroner today. There
were seven fatalities in January.
six men and one woman. ages Of
the victims ranging from 2S to 60
years.
A 5-year-old boy was the young
est victim of seven traffic fatali-
ties in March, two others being
women 20 years old. Both vic
Tins of the accidents since the
close Of last month were men.
one 5S and the other IS years old.
Evening star., 1928-04-02
Gales On Holy Week Tour

MEXICO CITY, April z. Py -~Presi-
dent Gales has left Mexico City with
the Intention ~ spending holy week
visiting various cities Dispatches from
Vera Cruz said thas he Unexpectedly
arrived there late last night and was
ssAeeasd W the authorities.
Evening star., 1928-04-02
WILKINS TO ATTEMPT
POLE FLIGHT APRIL 5
Explorer Ready to Leave Point
Barrow for Spitzbergen, Radio
Message Says.

by the Associated Press,
SAN FRANCISCO, April 2.-~The San
Francisco Examiner says Its short wave
radio station has received q message
from Capt. George II. wilkins. Arctic
explorer. at Point Barrow, Alaska. an
noilneing his intention to hop of there
April In an effort TO fly 10 Spitz-
bergen.
The message, received late last night,
added that wilkins and his pilot Carl
B. EielHn, were we'll despite the very
cold weather al Point Barrow,
Government radio operators have exs
perienced much trouble In eommuni~
eating with the wilkins expedition
since headquarters were established at
Point Barrow. Recent information was
to the effect that wilkins and Eielson
expected 10 attempt the fight over "the
top OF the world" about April ID,
~~zase~~~~--~~- . se---s-s-~-~.-~~-s
! II din Brnd,.acnG pa da 1h
Evening star., 1928-04-02

Special Dispatch 10 Iha star
ALEXANDRIA, Va, April CITY
Jailer James Sillex, three prisoners
and Barbour Beach. alleged "nfth
party" we're arrested early yesterday In
raid on the City Jail by Police
aergts, Edgar Sims and Charles Me-
Clary and pvts, Charlea Miller and Ron.
aid Mullen, acting on orders issued
by City Manager Paul Morton. Ihe
men are alleged 10 have been found ~
an intoxicated condition and several
empty whisky bottles were near.
Hillex pleaded guilty TO charges Of
drunkenness and malteasanee OF once
when arraigned before Judge William
Evening star., 1928-04-02
MICHIGAN PRIMARY TODAY.
Hoover and Smith Unopposed for Party
Preferences

DETROIT, April 2 P),-~Voters Of
Michigan today went through the for
maIity Of expressing their preference
for presidential candidates. although
only one aspirant for the nomination
from each of the major political parties
was entered in the ballots.
Coy Gu1ith Of New York was the only
Continued on Page s. Column 81
Evening star., 1928-04-02
Notice tn City and
Suburban Subscribers

The subscription price Of The
Star delivered by carrier within
the city aud suburbs Is az foL
lows;
The Evening Star, ,lSe per month
The Evening aud
sunday Star
twhen 1 sun.
daysl .,..,,,,, ,b0c per month
The Evening and
Sunday Star
(when s sun.
daysl ..,..,.N., ,oSe per month
The Sunday Star, ,,se per sepy
Evening star., 1928-04-02
WEATHER.

%. 9. Weather Bureau Forecast1
Fair tonight; tomorrow increasing
cloudiness and warmer
Highest. 81, at noon
today; lowest. SS. at am, today.
Fun report on page 9,
Evening star., 1928-04-02

The Stars carrier system covers
every city block and the regular edi-
ton is delivered to Washington homes
as fast as the papers are printed.
Evening star., 1928-10-14
Chiefs Dictate Story Policy.

ERWIN GELSEY, who has been ap-
pointed head Of the story depart
ment at the Pathe Studios in Culver
City was born in New York City and
educated at Columbia University. II
was as secretary to Walter Wanger, then
managing Paramounts Astoria studio
that he got his start in motion pictures
Going to Hollywood with Mr.. Wan
ger, Gelsey became executive assistant
to Ben Schulberg and then Paul Bern's
right-hand man in managing all OF
M-G-M's story activities. When Bern
moved to the Pathe lot as a producer
he arranged that Gelsey should follow
and take charge Of stories.
Gelsey believes that ultimately the
principal producing companies will f1nc
it necessary to inaugurate and maintain
a central bureau for synopsizing the
worlds story material He points out
that at least three companies are now
doing identically the same work OF
digeSting literature, and that this could
be done just as we'll by one agency.
presentation of the material to the
producing minds Is where each depart
ment differentiates," he says. "For
each department has its own ideals in
culcated by the chiefs and must pre-
sent the material in such a way as to
satisfy those ideals.
without story department there
can be no basis of action, and the i'm
portance of such a department would
increase rather than diminish with the
preliminary handling of raw material
by common agency"
Evening star., 1928-10-14

ble-O," "the run-around." "the dump"
''he went palms up on me-"
Police shield: THE tin," MARY Ann"
''the plate" "he flashed the works"
"the copper"
In case those who see "Me, Gang
ster" and THE River Pirate" which
have been screened by Fox Film Cor
poration, wish Ito be put hep to fur
ther current terms of gunmen and
such, the obliging Coe-who halls from
that seat of culture, Boston-makes
this kind offer:
If this is not enough, let me know
and III slip you an earful of lingo
thatn hang you over the ropes like
Mrs. Murphy'S wash. An this amt the
pipe dream of no junkie waitin' fer the
pay-off neither. Any screw in the can
will tell you I'm on the up an up.
There amt no double-O In my back
yard an when give a guy the Office
he knows I stand pat till the brides
chirp In the gray dawn an a heel moll
buzzer pulls score in the vault of the
Corn Exchange dowtown branch!"
!t almost sounds like talking modern
politics.
Evening star., 1928-10-14
Russian Films.

WHEN the Motion Picture Guild pre-
w sented THE Armored Cruiser
Prince Potemkin" at the Little Theater of
Washington in 1927 it aroused sharp
discussion as to the propriety Of show
ing in America a film from Soviet Rus
sia AS the guild was the first Amer
ican organization to even recognize the
existence of Soviet films, the brunt of
this discussion fell upon it.
Today, however, the guild Is vim
dicated, for it has been shown by SUBJ
sequent Russian films that Moscow is
abreast of the world in the develop
ment of fine movies.
The whole story of Russian movie
production, however, has never been
told, says the Motion Picture Guild. 1t
began in 1918, when the Moscow Art
| Theater established its film school. 1t
was decided that if it was going to
produce movies it would forget stars
and "epics" and spend its time on i'm
proving the movies themselves.
Every director OF player associated
with Russian film production has been
required to attend this film school. In
the beginning simple little character
studies like "Polikushka" were made
but in 1925 the Russian studios began
TO branch out. Then began series OF
historical films that are regarded, says
the guild, as "the last word in cinema
perfection"
This series includes such productions
as "Potemkin," Mother" Ten Days
That Shook the World" Gear Ivan
the Terrible THE Marriage of =. the
Bear" THE Station Master" and
Mechanics of the Brain" The latest
of the group, 1.-THE End of st. Peters
burg" was recently seen in New York
at So prices and has been stamped as
the greatest to date.
Evening star., 1928-10-14

"Some have claimed that the motion
picture took more than it gave. II
crippled legitimate drama and even In
vaded the old standby for talent
vaudeville, but it did furnish the world
public new form of amusement and
instruction at cost within the reach
of everybody.
Nov, with the advent of the talking
picture 1t remains to be seen how the
movies from custard-pie comedies,
bathing beauty rackets and the old tri-
angle motive to the more ambitious
presentations of literary classics and
historic figures will stand up.
1.-THE day has gone when the intelli-
gent public we seek as permanent Gus
toners will tolerate a hodge-podge OF
poor plots and pretty faces. They want
substance to stories and real acting.
Perhaps the time will come when tele-
vision will carry the best of entertain
ment into the home.
II don't know. The entire amuse-
ment industry is in state of flux and
experimentation. Novelties Of today be-
come obsolete tomorrow.
But one thing do know, and every
body who has any business in the
amusement business should know, that
sophistication is on the increase, and
that prizes In the form of profits only
go the way of producers who bet their
brains and money in the long run on
popular intelligence.
Amusement, more even than educa-
ton, reflects popular taste. Vaudeville,
which was the backbone of entertain
ment five or six years ago, has found
it necessary to revamp itself to meet
advanced popular taste. We are meet
ing with success in that this year.
Trashy pictures and plays would not
be produced If there were no trashy
people to patronize them
THE only way in which the Ameri-
can or any public can improve the
quality of supply is to make known an
improvement in the quality of demand.
AS clean, sensible entertainment is
patronized, it will be produced.
THAT Is the only answer we who
run the mechanics of the show busi-
ness can make to critics of its defects.
And the answer is sufficient. A coun-
try finally gets the quality of govern
ment 1t deserves. 1t likewise receives
only the type and grade of entertain
ment it wants"
Evening star., 1928-10-14
What a Genius Has to Say.

JOSEPH P. KENNEDY, president OF
FBO Pictures Corporation, chairman
of the board of directors OF the Keith
Albee- -Orpheum circuit Of theaterS, and
business adviser to the Pathe Film Co,
who has startled the movie industry
more or less since he left off banking
and took up the business of movie man
agement, recently delivered a radio ad-
dress that may be of general public
interest.
Mr.. Kennedy said, In part:
ITO tell you what little have learned
of the enormous activity we call show
business would take so long that 1
tremble to think how much OF your
time, and my own, could consume If
knew all there was to be known about
the art of providing profitable and en-
tertaining amusement for the masses.
THE picture business, which so sud-
denly dominated the amusement world,
was in turn dominated by men who
made no pretensions to knowledge OF
art or banking training but who pos
sessed an uncanny knowledge of su1ting
the public taste The present force of
executives in the amusement business,
like Kent of Famous Players, Schenck
of Metro. William Fox, Warner Broth
ers, the Costons and the Comerfords,
and many others, possess all the quail
fications that executives in other large
industrial enterprises possess.
I'm the enormous rush to satisfy an
enormous demand for pictures, almost
anything went by that did not actually
violate police regulations. This brought
on cry for censorship, which has re-
suited in almost as many varieties of
moral codes for the screen as there are
cranks to propose them.
1--WE know that between the vogue of
censorship and the vogue OF the sort OF
pictures that needed censorship, the
public was deluged with miles and miles
of films that at their worst were ques-
tionable, and at their best superlatively
stupid.
yet, while things we're admittedly in
mess and the newest jokes about the
cupidity of producers and the insipidity
of players were so very true that they
. quickly became stale jokes, we wit
messed several fine, outstanding achieve
PInentS.
Beginning with Griffith's Birth of a
Nation and Intolerance down through
the German historic series, the living
| tragedy of a nation called Grass and
the beauty and dignity of Cecil De-
Miles masterpiece, The King OF Kings,
the new art of the motion picture made
substantial gains. Justified its claim to
tns ME!s @ aft s,,s, 80: 60,
Evening star., 1928-10-14
Gangland Glossary.

UCRIME classics" now being the rage
! Charles Francis Coe. author oi
two noted underworld stories-"Tht
River Pirate" and ME. Gangster"-haS
provided the ladies and gentlemen who
go Summing with a new slang diction-
ary Of gangland.
The author. who studied crookdom
| intensively before he began writing flc-
ton about it and who also, 1t Is said
made first-hand acquaintance with
gamblers and roughnecks when he was
a champion prizefighter, furnishes the
following glossary for the polished gen.
try who used to buy his cars when he
was an automobile sales manager.
To murder a man: Take him for a
ride" bump him off," slip him the
bump"
For pistol: Rod" "gat," Smoke box, ,"
For highwayman: "stickup artist. i"
For girl: "Moll," "frail," skirt, "
"crow," broad" lane"
For one who selects victim for a
pickpocket and keeps watch while he
works: "Moll buzzer."
For policeman: "Flatfoot," "dick, "
copper" bull"
For keeper in jail Or prison: Screw"
For convict: Con"
For prison sentence: Stretch" !"
Sleep" taking a rest," "stir." bit
For one who is caught and tried:
Took the rap"
For one paroled: Sprung" or Spring
him."
For one addicted to drugs: "Hop-
head" "cokey," "snowbird." 'junkie, /"
sleigh rider"
For information: "The Office" "the
tip-off," "the low-down."
Passing counterfeit money: Pushing
the queer"
Liquor: Booze" "hooch," "alki,"
Lion extract"
Pickpocket: Dip" Cannon"
The gang: Mob" "the boys"
Stolen goods: "Swag," loot" "the
junk" 1.-The books"
Political boss: "The little father"
"tfe old man." the bozo himself" the
king"
A raid: 1.-THE works." "the wash-up," )"
"the blow-off"
The trick in swindle: "The touch" /"
''the bite" "the pay-off"
successful crime: Score" "a walk
out"
!! pis!oyaltzi sTha doghls. s.cxosaI. .dop.