Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-08
Says Sculptor and Wife Had
Attached Signatures Agree.
ing Not to Attack Alliance.
TORN AGREEMENT NOW
IN ROVER'S POSSESSION
Arrests Made After Others Are Said
to Have Disputed Division
of $4,000 Check.

When Deputy United States marshals
descended on the Office Of James F..
Bird. an attorney. yesterday to arrest
Bird, w. Clark Noble, nationally known
sculptor: Mrs. Noble. Mrs. Anna M.
Hillenbrand and Stephen F.. Armstrong
on charges of conspiracy to blackmail
Capt. C. C. Calhoun and his wife, Mrs.
Cornelia D. B. Calhoun, prominent in
society circles and officers of the
Woman's Universal Alliance. the Mobiles
already had signed an agreement pre-
sented to them by Samuel Hardy. a
Department of Justice agent, by which
for the consideration Of $4,000 they
were to discontinue alleged threatened
efforts to start a rival organization and
surrender articles said to have been
prepared for publication rejecting on
the Calhouns and the alliance in the
event of failure to effect a settlement
of Mobiles claim for payment for a de-
sign for a memorial figure planned by
the alliance.
This was disclosed today by the Office
of United States Attorney Leo A. Rover,
which has possession of this contract,
which is torn through, together with
other papers in reference to the Noble
claim, seized by Deputy Marshals Clark
son, Ceremile and Swami, at the time
of the arrests yesterday.
Dispute Division Of Check.
The department agents had obtained
check from Capt. Calhoun for $4,000
with the name of the payee in blank
and had also secured Calhoun's sigma
ture to the contract before attempting
the conference at the Office of James F.
Bird, the lawyer who was also among
the person arrested. After the Mobiles
had signed, it was reported to United
States Attorney Rover that dispute
arose between Mrs. Anna M. Hillen-
brand and Stephen A. Armstrong, the
remaining members of the alleged black
mailing ring, concerning the division of
their share of the check, which was
followed by their refusal to ign. When
MIR. Hardy became convinced that their
signatures could not be obtained he
summoned the deputy marshals and the
accused were placed under arrest.
Mr.. Rover said it was reported to him
that Bird had torn the paper, but the
pieces were seized and will be pasted
together to present in evidence at the
hearing next Wednesday before United
States Commissioner Needham C. Turn
age. Asked If there were any articles
prepared for publication, the prosecutor
declared that the accused had stated
they had no such articles to surrender.
Assistant United States Attorney Charles
B. Murray with the aid of the Justice
Department agents is continuing his In
vestigation of the alleged conspiracy in
preparation for the hearing next week.
Hardy Credited With Coup.
Hardy, acting in the role of "finan-
cial representative" Of Capt. Calhoun,
was largely responsible for the securing
OF the evidence upon which the war
rants charging conspiracy to blackmail
Capt. and Mrs. Calhoun, were sworn,
according to Capt. Calhoun.
After meeting several times with the
defendants, Capt. Calhoun said today
he appealed to the Department of JUS
tice about IL days ago. Mr.. Hardy was
assigned to the case at that time and
subsequently was introduced to Mr.
Bird and the others by Capt. Calhoun
was with Hardy then, Calhoun said
today. that most Of the later negotia-
tions for a settlement of Mobiles alleged
claim were carried on.
Hardy met Bird and Armstrong ir
the formers Office the day before the
arrests were made in an effort to effect
a settlement" Calhoun said today
Then they discussed a payment of $780,
600 to the defendants If they woulc
agree not to publish the threatened
scandal and would refrain from or
ganizing body in opposition to the
Women's Universal Alliance At that
meeting. Armstrong is alleged to have
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