davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-13

POUNDS OF III ,UUU-OOiIar
bills, 5OO-dollar bills and
many smaller ones. It was
q startling, unexpected
discovery. Chickering
locked the door. He reeled
With vertigo.
what secret had been
hidden in the heart which
loved music and on which
the silence of death had
fallen? LaLone! The poor,
worried man, struggling
to earn his daily bread
with great riches in his
possession! What was the
meaning of this and what
was to be done about it?
"He wrapped the pack
age, tied it up carefully
and put it back In the
safe. He sent for my
friend, Judge Quick, then
a lawyer, practicing in the
city courts. Through him
I became familiar with
the details and back
ground of this remarkable
case.
HE came to CHECKER
ing's office. Together they
counted the heap of
moldy bank bills. The
amount was about $780,
600. Some of the bills had
been issued by banks long
out of business. They
searched the room of the
dead man. In an old hair
covered trunk under his
bed they found o few
thousand dollars.
Their discoveries were
Immediately reported. and
an account of them was
published in the news
papers. It was an event
strange and remarkable,
even in New York. The
press made much of it.
The verdict was naturally
the easy, palpable solution
of the mystery-namely,
a miser had come to his
end. In New York one sem
Sation crowds upon the
heels of another and
pushes it out of the way.
I, like others who watched
the hurrying caravan of
events, accepted the easy
verdict on the lone muSi-
clan.
Suddenly a forged will
came along. Certain men
of questionable standing
laid claim to the moldy
heap of cash under a will
ostensibly signed by the
). There was no conclusive
t he had ever known them.
ed that Quick began a con-
f of the next of kin for the
f the money. The senior
he case, one of the most
vocates I have known, was
of mine. His efforts defeated
t soon after that I was din
tn the distinguished lawyer
Now, lawyers concern them
with proved facts that lend
heir position. Motives that
ght in the point at issue do
them. The distinguished man
learning that LaLone had
'er of a city and that whiS-
on Second Page
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-13


IN when the day is
gone. I like the day and
its work, but I like better
the end of it and the
sense that T have made
a good use of its light
when darkness falls and
when the clustering winds
outside make the room an
isle of stiffness in the
night. I sat by the fire
with my friends, Richard
Burton and Job Hedges.
Carlyle said of Tenny-
son that he was the best
man in England to smoke
a pipe with. I can imagine
what a companion the
great poet would have
been with his imagina-
ton, his deep voice and
his pipe going. I'll war
rant a pipe was in his
mouth and a good friend
at his side when he saw
the argoSies of the air
three-quarters of a CEN
fury before they came.
My friends were great
men to smoke a pipe with.
Tell us a story" Bur-
ton said. "a mystery story
if you know one"
This was my story:
"Back in my newspaper
days a singular character
came to New York. I will
call him Peter LaLone. I
do not give his real name
because no doubt MEM
bers of his family are
still living. It was a dis
tinguished family. He
was a musician, He had
good manners and dress
ed like a gentleman. It is
likely that he brought
with him a letter to Elmer
Chickering, whose store
was on Fifth avenue and
who made the we'll known
Chickering piano. Any
how, he and the piano.
maker were by and by on
friendly terms. The
stranger made it clear
that he was in need of
money. He did not beg or
borrow. But he must find
a way to earn a living. He
knew good music. He had
some skill in the tech
nique of piano playing. No
doubt Chickering gave
him an introduction to
the manager of the Mail
and Express. For that new
began to write critical revi
trail and operate performs
mand for musical criticism
as the number of those W
the press it is known as
job. Many learned special
it. Moreover, LaLone was
difficult. He was not long
of the Mail and Express.
GONE day he called at Il
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-13
ATale OF Two Great Mysteries
Wha Mas True the Man We With Fortune His Possession L0
Pound Dead er They Had Safely Fled the
Real Life Mysteries That Haze Gone Unsod

y LIKE the chimney
corner and the
warmth of the fire
IN when the day is
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-24
A Square Peg

The Presidents choice of Nicholas Roosevelt OF
,ro v,, &c Vice-CJoyerno. of the Philippines is an
unfortunate case of finding good man but trying
to At him to the wrong place. The senate olo wen
in nostponing action on the nomination until the
next session thus giving the President opportunity
to withdraw his name -,
roosevelt is an able publicst and man of high
character. 1t Is not surprising that the PreSloenO
should repose confidence in his ability ana oeSne
IN add his services to the administration
Rut Roosevelt also happens to be particularly
5s+astefuI tn the Fflipinos because OF his very u
complimentary book opposing independence NO one
questions Roosevelts right to hold any views ne oe
sires lust as no questions the skill WIFI "iii0i
he has expressed his extreme views.
Irdaed Il Is conceivable that Roosevelt despite
his views regarding policy. might prove an aole ao
,nstrative officer other things being equal III tlie
most of Vice Governor, which has little 70 40 WILL
policy matters - . 40
However this line Of reasoning-which Is pre-
sumablv that followed by the President IN nus Seiec-
tion-rnisses the chief factor in American FhHippiii
roIat,ors That is the psychological factor.
EsosrdIess Of what is to be the future pohCcaI
..,,s NJ the islands whether it is to be eventual
indenendence or some type Of progressive oonlhiOn
tatns complete cooperation and mutual connoence
TO- the limited States to insist on appointing as
vice-covernor any man Overwhelmingly opposed Do
an alleged enemy by the Filipinos themselves can
result only in jeopardizng the entire pohcy Oh CO
oneration upon which any solution OF the ploDeii
depends .,t torro
That such opposition does exist IN Woieli' ~
= tts c,sa * clear from the official protests Of the
s,,.,, ronrssentatives in washington and the pro-
testing resolution passed by both houses OF the lesls
lature in Manila .,,,a
considering the situation in the Islands II W0uiu
.,.7, that the nomination should be withdrawn III
fairness TO Roosevelt himself and in the interest o.
cooperative relations between the philippines anu
the United States.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-24
Bedrock In India

There Is no doubt that midas relations 10 INC
British empire present the most serious proole Oi
the international horizon today. The issue goes De-
,,o,5 the mere challenge Of nationalism on the one
sd and of world cooperation. on the other 10 the
neralistc ventures and the struggle for world power
in the last half century.
snecial importance therefore, attaches 10 the ulS
,,ssio, If the essentials of the Anglo-lnolan ploO
-, h the vorld-famous British publicist, Norman
s,sII in foreign affairs. He points out that the
e,v,o renort ignores the two fundamental problems
olva5 ~yylv in the lass analysis, does India want
,ndaDendence? And why does Britain hesitate u
grant it?" ,,a.-
Angtu answers that the Indian demand Tor lnoe-
endence is based on resentment against being uea'eo
as an inferior people:
.,ro mt II brutality the British in India have III
the mast been apt to regard an Indian, because nc
was an Indian. and for no other reason Whatever
as an inferior being ANY people subjected 70 tns'
viii rebel and assert their equality. even though the
rebellion and even though equality, may deprive le
Of great material advantage"
Americans are prone to discount this reaetion
lat them remember the 1927 campaign OF Big Bill
Thompson IN Chicago:
1.-TWO centuries after the American revolution
Zig Bill Thompson still win elections by turning
the attention Of Chicago citizens from such tries
as make the city notorious throughout the world TO
old hates Of the bloody Britisher and that infamous
tyrant. King George ""
So much for the reason India wants independence
or dominion status It is not because of sheer ma
teriaI advantage in holding on to India, according
to Angel. No material advantages Of possession
could match the liabilities and expense -ofe war Of
subiugation. The key to Britains attitude Is the
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-24
Sian ON the Wrist

Action by Prohibition Director Woodcock in the
MARYLAND automobile is unsatisfactory. The mo-
torist charged two dry agents with firing upon the
car at midnight on the open road, without cause and
without warning The dry agents admit stopping
the car, but deny firing.
Woodcock, after investigation has announced sus-
pension of the agent for three days without pay
Such punishment it would seem, is either too much
or too little.
The issue, as properly stated by Woodcock Is 10
prevent the lawlessness of law officers, which has
made prohibition enforcement menace.
That issue as applied to the Maryland case comes
down to the question of whether the dry agents fired
upon the innocent motorists or otherwise invaded
their rights citizens.
If the agents are guilty they should be dismissed
from the service and prosecuted under the law
If the agents merely stopped the automobile Tor
inquiry they do not deserve the rather absurd slap
on the wrist administered by the prohibition director
Woodcocks responsibility in this case will not end
until he establishes the facts and acts accordingly
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-24
Stopping the Racket

Rather significantly, police, detectives and
sheriffs always seem to have known the oc-
cupation of bootleggers and hijackers when
it is announced that they have been shot or
killed in battles between themselves.
The public may have a pardonaole
curiosity as to why men known to officers
of the law to be in an illegal business are not
in Jail instead of messing up the highways
with their private battles.
Men known to be thieves are not free for
anv considerable period of time. The burglar
is watched and soon caught. 1t IS only the
new racketeer with his most profitable OF all
law violations who is left to shoot it out with
his competitors or who gets into the hands
Of the law by accident.
There may be some humor, but there
was also something serious, in the fact that
a Negro, lone handed, bound up the owner OF
a still and then reported the matter to the
local police.
lust why the Negro without authority
was more successful than the officers hlred
10 do this work needs explanation. Possibly
the placing of this particular Negro on the
force and the removal of some higher officer
who was blind 10 conditions in his territory
might get results.
Other cities are now paying the penalty
for harboring the known racketeer. Chicago
and Detroit are notorious examples. The
police of those cities had no illusions as to
the profession of the men now engaged IN
killing citizens who want decency. The po-
lice of those cities had them on their hsts'
but nothing unpleasant ever happened to
them.
The time to stop the racketeer is before
bo starts For officers of the law to admit,
after gun battles, that they had known par
Elephants as liquor runners and racketeerS Is
to confess either Indifference or sympathy
for this class or incompetency In coping
with it.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-24
REASON By Ff nzRDfs

TUST a little while ago Moses Of New Hampshire
y added to the gaiety of nations by calling the in
surgent Republicans of the senate "the sons of the
wild ackaSs because they opposed the President and
then he marched with them in opposition to Mr. Hoo
vers desire to put over the London naval pact
Politics seldom has made stranger bedfellowS.
The other day an automobile broke down in the
capital OF Bulgaria and King Boris happened along
stopped his machine crawled under the crippled car
and fixed it.
It's always shock to learn that king is good for
something.
CONGRESSMAN HAMILTON FISH, chairman of
~ the committee which is investigating Communist
activities in the United States reports that there's
no danger, which should reasSure those people who
are so fortunate as to have nothing more serious to
worry about.
Don't let the reds give you the blues.
We strongly suspect that Earl Carroll had his
vanties of 1880" pulled by the police in desperate
effort to get business.
It's very hard to get people to buy tickets to see
what they can observe at any bathing beach for
nothing.
It's hard to work up any interest over these
Americans who have been sitting in trees for days
when titled Europeans have been sitting in family
trees for centuries
After two divorces, Aguinaldo just has been
married for the third time which should impress the
government at Washington that the Filpinos are
making ripd strides in civilization
ID UTH HANNA MCCORMICK told the senate in
N vestigating committed "You can not buy ar
Illinois landslide" but $4,000 can Intricate I'M
til there's little danger of a hot box.
If Harry Sinclair is going to try to beat Senator
Walsh for reelection in Montana because Walsh in
veStigsced the Teapot Dome lease he should put or
a vey thick set of whiskers when he starts on the
war path
With the Republicans of Indiana preparing TO en-
roll 5000 campaign workers and the Democrats pre-
pairing to enroll $4,000. unempoy f1ent In the Hoosie
state would seem to be on the Nane.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-24

TINE newspaper work of Calvin
l. Coolidge has been reviewed
very often in this column. A few
readers feel that it is not good taste
to jest about an ex-President, and
I have been duly castigated by them.
A larger number say bitterly,
''Why do you pull your punches?
Why don't you really get after Mr..
Coolidge?"
But I don't see any good reason
why I should attempt to blast Cal
vim Coolidge, even if that were pos
sible. On several counts I like him.
This mash note comes from mem
Der of his invisible audiences.
It never has been my privilege to
see Calvin plain or hear him except
through loud speaker. To me he
always has possessed-both as Presl-
dent and columnist-a certain visit
full quality. think he almost might
have sat as the model for the Mr.
Polly, concerning whom H. G. Wells
once wrote a history.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-24

an exceptional man to be elevated
to the White House.
Democracy is, among other
things, the individuals last stand
against the gospel Of efficiency.
You can not have two branches of
the legislature, the potentiality Of
presidential veto and after that
judicial one and still expect fast,
concise and coherent action.
Travellers tell us that MuSsolini
makes the trains run on time and
that Stain is whipping through an
extraordinary program of industrial
expansion. But to perform wonders
Stain and Mussolini have of neces-
sity swept away many liberties and
rights and privileges which we rev.
erence.
Unless the Coolidge type of mind
is good enough for us, democracy
may be in it's last stages. 1t is a
system designed to be by the av-
erage and for the average.
Neither a Lincoln nor a Jeffer-
son would have much chance today.
These were both exceptional men.
Lincoln's prose style would handi-
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-24

Editor Times-I have mailed the
following letter to James Ogden,
attorney general of Indiana:
Dear Mr.. Ogden: I was very
sorry could not attend the state
bar meeting at Bloomington, but I
guess it is just as well, for surely
would have blown up about the
puSsy-footing on the constitutional
convention proposition in Indiana.
81 can not understand why the
association did not attack these up
filters and fanatical, predatory re-
formers who are attacking the basic
law of the state which can amount
to the spending of a million and a
half dollars and of course we know
can not lead to constitutional con-
VI ton.
"I have read with interest your
attack on the crime situation in In
diana, but there Is one thing right
in the state house itself that is Of
roore interest than anything I know
of and that is in the highway de-
partment. During the last session
of the legislature in my room at the
Claypool hotel, I had twenty-five
Republican members of the house
and Albert Wedeking, chairman Of
the state highway board. In that
meeting, Mr.. Wedeking guaranteed
me that if I would vote for the l
cent increase in gas tax that the
state highway department would not
ask for any extra increase in Salar-
les. ETC., and under that promise, l
supported the measure. l was lied
to about it and within six weeks
after the session adjourned, the state
highway department asked for
$500, 900 increase.
ST made investigation and find
that Sam Farrell, member Of the
budget committee, was instrumental
in granting the state highway COM
mission an increase of over a mil
lion dollars this year. Mr.. Farrell,
you know, also was chairman of the
ways and means committee IN the
house and also a salesman for q
truck company that has entirely
motorized the state highway depart
ment.
IF you will put some time in on
that situation you might save a lot
Of embarrassment for members OF
the house of representatives next
winter. You will find how the pres
sure has been put on and how busi-
ness has been transacted that looks
mighty shady, to say the least.
II think the time is here to clean
up this sort of corruption in In
diana and you are the one to do 1t
You need have no fear but what
viii help you and in the next ses-
sion Of the legislature we are going
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-24
SCIENCE
Scientific Astronomy Is Be-
lieved to Have Begun With
the Chaldeans, Instead Of
With the Greeks.
BY DAVID DIETZ

CCIENTIFIC study Of the sun
~ has been traced back through
the middle ages, through the civil
zation of Rome and through that OF
Greece, to ancient Babylon.
Distinguished research by a group
Of learned Jesuits, Fathers Epping,
Strassmeier and Kugler, has re-
vealed that scientific astronomy did
not begin with the Greeks, but with
the ancient Chaldeans.
They studied the motions OF the
sun, moon and planets and made
many discoveries, as the deciphering
of a number of clay tablets has
proved, which the world previously
thought had been made by the
Greeks.
1t is definitely established that
there was steady flow Of knowl-
edge from the east to the west, from
Babylon to Greece, which began in
the seventh century, B. G.
A Babylonian sage named BeroS-
sus founded a school on the island
of Cos in about $40 B. G. 1t is be-
Iieved that Thales Of Miletus, ire
quently called the father Of Greek
astronomy, was one of the pupils of
BeroSsuS.
Thales became known to the
Greeks as the chief of the seven
wise men,"
He made many discoveries in the
field of geometry ss we'll as astron-
omy and he is believed to have been
led into the field of geometry as the
result Of a visit to Egypt, where he
conversed with Egyptian geometers.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-24
BoWIeS Is Recalled

MAYOR BOWLES of Detroit EN-.
1V1 joys the distinction of being
the first chief executive of a really
big town to be recalled. And to
think that he was elected only six
months ago as reform" candidate.
Put in by the good women Of De-
troit, as it was said at the time, to-
restore that ld-fashioned, hard
boiled morality which We like to
talk about better than we like to
obey.
Then some one discovered that he
not only was inefficient, but kindly
disposed toward tho very element
of lawIessneSs and vice he was
chosen to suppress. Petitions were
circulated, and, after more or less
wrangling, the required number Of
signatures was obtained.
The actual campaign to GUST
Mayor Bowles lasted only three
weeks, and among other things, was
characterized by no less than ten
gang murders. AS if that were not
enough to reveal the true state Of
affairs, his chief critic fell victim
to gunner only a few hours after
the polls were closed.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-24
H7d6AEF !BITEleH
ANNIVERSARY
.x11tt65
ALEXANDRA DUMAS
July "a

ON July "a, 1902, Alexandra Du-
" mas, the greatest French ro-
mantle novelist and the greatest
story-teller of the world, was born
at Villers- Cotterets.
Dumas was the grandson Of the
Marquis Alexandra Davy de la Pail
leterie and a Negress, both Of Haiti.
AS writer Dumas is remarkable
for creative rather than for artistic
genius.
: Dumas inclined at first to law
and was apprenticed to notary OF
Scissors, where he saw play that
determined him to seek his fortune
on the stage.
He was, at one time, a secretary
in the household Of Louis Philippe
Although his best work was al
most all done between 1843 and
1850, in one way or another Dumas
is responsible for 298 closely printed
novels.
At the last came four years OF
somewhat senile poverty. relieved by
the son whose boyhood he had neg
lected and whose youth he had mis-
guided.
| He died on Dec. 5, 1870.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-24
The Old Dry Bot

A S to details, the Detroit affair
N may be somewhat exceptional,
but in essentials, it represents the
same old dry rot. Gang rule grows
as active as civic consciousness de-
Gays. Prohibition has a definite
bearing on the change this repre-
sents, not because of the speakeasies
and bootleggers, but because of a.
curious twist in the public attitude.
Prohibitionists are inclined to
wink at Iawlessness, lest 1t prove the
law has failed. Observation-Disclosures
are inclined to wink at 1t because
of a belief that it is helping to re-
peal the law.
Between the two we have very
little honest or vigorous effort to
stop the growth of organized vice
and political corruption. No wonder
the boys and girls take to tree-sit-
ting, that the death Of Million
aire hobo attracts nationwide at
tention, or that Tom Thumb golf
courses flourish amid unemploy~.
ment.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-24
ValediCtorian

TN the eyes of enemies Mr.. Coo
L lidge is SNUG. That I can not
see. At any rate, it is not set and
matured assurance. His speeches.
are singularly like those of a rather
bright high school lad set up to
speak a piece before an audience OF
adniring parents.
Even now I find small measure
of dogmatism in the speeches OF
Calvin Coolidge. Indeed, the views
set forth seldom seem to be dis
tinctively his own.
These are bouquets plucked by the
sage of Northampton from some
neighbor's formal garden. He prof
fers them tin1idly and with an in
gratiating hopefulness.
Anybody capable of brushing the
set pieces roughly asidee would be
guilty of snickering during a piano
solo by the little niece of a dear
friend.
At the moment I am remembering
a certain piece which Mr.. Coolidge
wrote about European travel. He
announced that travelling is broad
eeing.
And it seemed to him broadening
because a tour in foreign lands
would enable every American to tell
all within the sound of his voice how
much better things are administered
back home.
But surely nobody should assail
Calvin Coolidge as the originator OF
this provincialism. He has done
nothing more than fashion a few
paragraphs out of that sterling old
dramatic favorite Of Tarkington's
and Harry Leon wilson's called
1.-THE Man From Home
That you may remember was the
piece in which william Hodge used
to turn his back upon foreign
landscape, close his eyes and soul
fully call for ham and eggs.
Indeed, Will Rogers has popu-
Iarized and profited enormously by
syndicating precisely the same point
of view. Mr.. Coolidge is by nature
a man committed to travelling we'll
beaten paths.