Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-21
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC }. HASKlN.

This is a special department devoted
solely to the handling Of queries. This
paper puts at your disposal the services
OF an extensive organization in Wash
tngton to serve you In any capacity that
relates to information. This service is
free. Failure to make use of 1t deprives
you Of Dement'S to which you are en-
titled. Your obligation is only 2 cents,
In coin or stamps, inclosed with your
Evening Star Information Bureau
Frederic J. Haskin, director, Washing
ton, d. c.
Q. How did Conrad Hubert make his
money?-A. G.
A. Conrad Hubert, who left 5000, O0O
of his 100000 estate to charity, was
the inventor of the fiAshlight. He de-
veloped and promoted It's manufacture
and entered many other related fields Of
manufacturing.
O. What is the size of the largest
snake In this hemiSphere?E-B. s.
A. What is said to be the skin of the
largest snake in the New World is now
being exhibited by Raymond L. Ditmars
of the Bronx Geological Park. This Skin
Is % feet long and feet wide. It L
dark olive in color, marked with round
dark spots, and belonged to an ana
conda. Mr.. Ditmars Is quoted as saying
that this specimen exceeds by 7 feet
the length OF any snake he has seer
in the New World.
Q. Has anything ever been discovered
to do away with carbon monoxide gasf
M. p.
A. It was stated recently that DR.
j. G. w. Frazer Of Johns Hopkins Uni.
versity has announced the discovery OF
catalySt that will convert carbon
n1onoxide gas passing over it to harm.
less carbon dioXide. The efficiency Of
this catalyst is said to have been dem.
onstrated under a variety of driving
conditions and in confined spaces, the
equivalent OF closed garages.
@. Who was Napier Tandy?-P. M. B
A. James Napier Tandy was ar
Irish agitator, who lived from 1740 tx
1903: In 1898 he went to Paris and wa
put In command of a vessel for an in.
vasion of Ireland. He remained or
Irish soil, however. for only eight hour,
and then went to Norway and to Ham.
burg At the latter place he was seized
and delivered to the English and upon
his return to Ireland condemned tc
death. Bonaparte, however, brought
pressure to bear in his favor and he was
released. He then went to France
where he lived until his death. He was
the hero of the famous ballad 1.-THE
Wearing of the Green"
@. Why is a person sometimes called
a stool.pigeon?-M. Nice.
A. A stool-pigeon is pigeon used
as a decoy to draw other pigeons in q
net. Hence it is used for person used
as decoy for others. Especially one
who unofhcially acts as a spy for the
police is called stool-pigeon.
q. Please give short biography OF
William De Morgan.-S. S. T.
A. William De Morgan, artist and
novelist, was born in London on Mo-
venber Is, 1889. Educated at Univer-
sity College and the Academy schools
he became member Of the circle which
gathered around RoSsetti, william Nor
riS and Burne-JoneS, and experimental
In various forms Of decorative art. He
set up a kiln, discovered some of the
secrets of the old potters, and formed
firm to develop the manufacture OF
tiles and pottery on a commercial scale
Many fine examples of his work are in
the ceramic galleries Of the Victoria
and Albert Museum, London. In 1905
when he was over 65, he retired from
business and began his successful ca
rcer as novelist. Joseph Vance" frag-
mentS of which had been rescued from
destruction by his wife, appeared in
1906. He died in London Of trench fever
on January Is, 1917.