davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
CANDHI URGES
PEACE GESTURE
FROM BRITISH

ALLAHABAD, India, Feb. 4. U.P)
The Mahatma M. K. Gandhi
leader of the civil disobedience
movement against British rule, to-
day asked the viceroy, Lord Irwin
to make "a peace gesture" toward
settlement of the independence
controversy.
Gandhi, in letter to the viceroy
urged an official inquiry into six
test cases of charges OF police eX-
ceSses against the independence
volunteers. He said he would inter-
pret the contest of the viceroy to
the inquiry into a genuine instance
of "eXcess as peace gesture.
Gandhi said he would then at
tempt to persuade the leaders of the
national congress to realize the ad-
vantage of the offer of Prime Min
lister Macdonald toward federal
government for India.
Due to the i'll health of Motilal
Nejru, one of the congress leaders,
Gandhi indefinitely postponed his
departure for Bombay and probably
will meet the returning round table
delegates here. The delegates will
first confer with Lord Irwin.
Motilal Nejru will be taken to
Lucknow tonight for treatment.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
THREE KILLED
AS TRAIN HITS
DYNAMITE TRUCK

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 4.
U.p)-Actual cause and other de-
tails of the fatal collision and ex-
plosion between a Denver & Rio
Grande Western Passenger train
and a truck loaded with 100000 caps
of dynamite late yesterday were in
vestigated at an inquest in Farm
ington today.
Three men were killed, two SER
iously injured and about 90 cut
slightly by flying glass.
The dead:
James Prinsen, Sc, director and
assistant secretary of the Western
Power company; George w. Bega-
man, so, bookkeeper of the Tintic
Lumber company and Ben F. Rugg,
Ogden, D. & RGW. locomotive en-
gineer.
w. E. James, D. & R. G. w. fire
man and Jack Holbrook, checker
for the Cudahy Packing company,
were seriously injured.
Fog apparently impeded visibility
and the truck arrived at the cross
ing simultaneously with the speed
ing outbound passenger train.
AS the locomotive struck the
truck there was terrific explosion.
Windows were shattered a mile
away, and broke in nearly all coach
es: two small buildings near the
track were virtually destroyed.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
FIVE ROBBEREES
LAST NIGHT ON
VALLEY ROADS
Bandits Take Shot At One
Victim But Latter
Drops Safely to Ground

Five daring robberies by two men
wearing white masks and armed
with nickle plated revolvers were
staged on widely separated highway
in Imperial Valley last night, while
deputy sheriffs ranged valley roads
in an effort to apprehend the rob-
bers.
Descriptions of the men and the
car they were driving in each case
was identical The first hold-up
was at 1920 last night on Eighth
street just south of El Centro, and
the last reported at $3.50 this morn
ing just west of Heber.
The robbers in one case fired di-
rectly at their victim after they had
forced him to trade automobiles
with them, and left him standing
by the side of their car. w. j.
Ieetch, victim of the robbers, drop
ped to the ground as if he had been
hit. The bandits drove on.
"When they were driving away
one of them leveled his gun at me
and pulled the trigger said Leetch
today. "It sure spit fire. I dropped
like I had been hit and they didn It
fire again.
Paul Gillett, son of c. L. Gillett.
former sheriff, was the first victim
of the robbers. He was driving
along Eighth street when a car
pulled alongside his automobile, and
one of the men in it ordered him to
stop.
Exchange Cars
The bandits took about Sc from
Gillett, and proceeded south toward
the county farm. There they stop
ped Leetch, taking 50 and his car
from him, and leaving him with
their roadster. He turned the ban
dts car over to the sheriff S office
this morning.
Just after the bandits had left
him Leech drove to the county farm,
where Paul Gillett happened to be-
Seeing the car in which the robbers
had been, Gillett thought they were
returning. Finding that Leech had
also been robbed, both reported to
the sheriff's office.
Names OF the other parties held
up were not procured by deputies
during their Investigations. One
robbery was reported by the night
policeman in Holtville who said
that at 1890 two men in a car sim
liar to Leech s had robbed man
just west of Holtyille
At 2:30 the same men robbed an
other victim five miles from BraW-
ley Cn the Tamarack canal. but the
victim neglected to file his name
IN reporting to the Brawley police
The last holdup of the evening
was staged Just west of Seeley at
$3.50 this mornuing.
The men who are responsible for
the epidemic of robbery were de-
scribed by their victims as little
men, speaking good English.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
FAIL TO IDENTIFY
RIVERSIDE VICTIM'

LOS ANGELES, Feb. a. U.P)-Be-
lief that the nude body of n man
found in a we'll near Riverside last
Sunday might be that of l.. W.
Gribble, of Inglewood, was dispelled
today when Mrs. Gribble. after
viewing several photographs. told
deputy sheriffs that the body was
not that of her husband, who has
been missing for some time.
Gribble's abandoned automobile
was found in Topanga canyon re-
Gently, which led authorities to be-
lieve that he might have been the
murder victim.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
s
CHARGES
UPHELD
Vanderbilt Asserts Tale
Told About MussOlini
Really Happened
WRITES TO FRIEND
Truth OF Story Not Much
Help To Accused Lead
err OF Marines

WASHINGTON, Feb 4. U.P)-The
state department has received from
Cornelius Vanderbilt. Jr.. letter
bearing upon his asserted part in
the criticism of Premier Mussolni
of Italy which led 10 the court mar
tial Of Major General Smedley d.
Butler, u. S. NJ. c.
Buffers case is based upon n
story he allegedly told at lunch
con in Philadelphia TO the effect
that MuSsolini, while motoring with
"an American friend" ran down a
child. leaving the scene without Civ
ing aid. Vanderbilt is supposed to
have been the American friend"
The letter was forwarded by Van
derbilt from Phoenix. Ariz., where
he now is, to Secretary of State
Henry l.. Stimson. 1t reached the
state department yesterday The de-
partment refused to reveal its con-
tents.
Word from Los Angeles that
Vanderbilt had written friend
there saying that it was true that
itpOl ltd dlbtl IL blSIb
to Mussolini in 1926 were described
by Butler at Philadelphia caused
comment here.
Navy officers and othsrs fellow
ing the case were of the opinion
that the truth of the statements
Butler made could be but a small
issue in the case. They pointed out
that Butler is charged with making
statements Which-true or false
should not have been made by an
officer in active service. Hence
the truth OF the statements could
be nothing more than perhaps an
extenuating circumstance and the
question might even be kept out OF
the trial entirely.
Copies OF the formal charges and
specifications against Butler were
delivered to him and his attorney
today but the office of the judge
advocate OF the navy did not make
them public.
Butler came to Washington from
Quantico today. it was believed, TO
confer with his attorney, Major
Henry Leonard, u S. NJ c.. retired
But the conference was held in
secret and no one had seen either
Butler or Leonard during the morn
ing
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
HEAVY VOTING
MARKS DISTRICT
ELECTION HERE

Unexpected heavy voting took
place in the Imperial Irrigation dis
trict election at both polls in Ell
Centre today and necessitated the
installation of three additional vot-
ing booths at each place.
At 2 O'Clock 257 persons had voted
at the city hall and a steady stream
of voters went in and out of the
place. AT the same hour at Hard
ing school 343 persons had cast
their ballots and q line of between
GO and 70 waited for an opportu-
nifty to vote. Additional help was
necessary at this place.
All those who registered on the
north side of State street are voting
at the city hall and all those on the
south side at the Harding school.
Interest in Brawley is high on ac-
count of the fight for director from
that district. AT 2 CLOCK 578 had
voted at the city hall and 1888 at the
polls on the eastside of town. Resi-
dents expect the total to constitute
for BraWley elections.
Calexico citizens to the number of
81 had voted up to noon. There is
not the excitement there that pre-
walls in other sections as there is
no race for director from that dis
trict.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
kkWILL
w '.s0ys:

ARDMORE, Okla, Feb.
3. Especially = From all
the pictures in the papers
of these admirals that are
to be at the Smedley But
Ter trial in full dress, why
it's not a legal procedure,
its a social triumph.
When you see an admir-
al going along the street
wi h those wide gold
braided tasselled spring
boards on his shoulder,
why, we don't know if he
is going to a wedding, or
a hanging. Poor I'D
Smedley. He just seems
to have a mania for get
ting in bad in peace times,
but you let a war start
and there don't ever seem
to be any kick about what
he does.
Yours, WILL ROGERS.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
CONVICTED MAJOR
TO FIGHT VERDICT

TOPEKA, Kans., Feb. 4. UP) -
Major Charles A. Sheppard S attor-
ney began today preparing an ap-
peal to the United States court of
circuit appeals from Sheppard S
sentence to life imprisonment for
conviction of killing his wife with
poison.
Judge Richard j. Hokins SEN
fenced Sheppard late yesterday al
ter overruling his claim that he was
entitled to new trial because there
had been errors i'll admission of
testimony.
The colorful 59-year- old army Of
ficer whom the government charged
Killed his wife so he could be free to
marry blonde Texas stenographer
less than half his age, was released
under $4,000 bond after his attor-
ney was allowed 90 days to perfect
the appeal.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
CLARA'S FORMER
ESCORT WILLING
TO HELP DAISY

MILWAUKEE, Wis, Feb. 4. W.D
The resources of a millionaire
were offered here today in an ef-
fort to win a new trial and eventual
acquittal for Daisy De Voc, former
secretary to Clara Bow. who Is
awaiting sentence on charges OF
misappropriatlng the screen stars
personal funds.
kilograms offering financial as
sistance and affidavits intended 10
prove the secretary Innocence
were dispatched to Los Angeles
from Milwaukee by Thomas o.
Payne. Dallas, Texas. oil man, for
mer escort of Miss Bow.
Payne arrived in Milwaukee late
yesterday on business and left by
airplane today for his home In Dali
las. From there. he said. he VIII
continue the air journey TO Los An
geles.
The "peculiar financial arrange
ments'' that existed between Clara
and Daisy "haye never been re-
vealed and were carefully avoided
during the trial." Payne declared.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
Coast Gangster
Held By Police

LOS ANGELES, Feb. T. UP)-
Agusto Sosso, known as "Chito"
notorious underworld power. was
arrested today under mysterious
circumstances.
Police refused to give details of
the affair but booked "Chito" on
suspicion of illegal entry.
"Chito" was head lieutenant for
Albert Marco before Marco went TO
San Quentin prison after a beach
cafe shooting.
Federal officers also refused to
comment on Chito's arrest.
However, significance was seen in
the fact that the arrest occurred
within three days of the arrival
here of w. F.. Watkins, special SUI
perintendent for the department of
labor. Watkins was assigned here
under orders to aid in the inVesti-
cation and deportation Of undesir-
able aliens in Southern California.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
HOOVER REFUSES
TO COMPROMISE
in RELIEF ROW
Informs Senate Leaders
He Will Not ApprOpri-
ate Government Money
By LYLE G. WILSON
United Press Staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Feb. q. tU.P)-
President Hoover today moved ag-
gressively in his contest with con-
gress over the question of drought
relief.
At breakfast with Senators Nc
Nary, Republican, Oregon, and
Watson, Republican, Indiana, and
his political secretary, Walter New
ton, it was understood he informed
the two senate leaders that he
could not compromise on the sub
Ject of relief appropriation in any
way which involved government ap-
preparations for charitable pur-
poses.
Even while he was breakfasting
he had his military aide, Col.
Campbell Hodges. flying i'll an
Army transport plane toward Ar
kansas, instructed to bring back to
him first hand information as to
the situation there.
Colonel Hodges left Washington
late yesterday and flew to Green
Vile. S. c. He was understood to
have left there early today and
should be in Arkansas. probably
Little Rock. before night. He will
be joined in Arkansas by Captain
Louis A. Pick. u. S. A.. now at New
Orleans, an expert on flood control
who worked with Mr. Hoover on
the Mississippi flood relief.
The senate acted quickly and
to protect the wage
scales of laborers on government
jobs. without Il rec
ord vote, the Davis bill was passed
requiring contractors on work in
more than $4,000 to pay
wages ON scale corresponding to
those existing in the community.
as to the existing rate are
to be adjusted by the secretary of
labor.
In the meantime senate and
house conferees meeting over the
S25 900 900 Red Cross appropriation
passed by the senate and rejected
by the house. formally disagreed.
The matter will be referred back
to both houses for another vote
within a day or so.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
Hunger Parade
Permits Refused

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4. U.P)--
Permission to hold a hunger par
ade" on the downtown streets of
Los Angeles was denied today by
unanimous vote of city council.
The permit was requested by w.
w. Busick, secretary of the Social
ist party, and was to have been
composed of unemployed persons.
Members of the council contend
ed, in refusing the permit that they
desired to avert any trouble which
might result from attempts of Com
munists and other agitators to par
ade with the group.
1t also was coptended in the
council that Busick was not backed
by legitimate labor organizations,
such as the American Federation
OF Labor.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
By LEICESTER WAGNER
United Press Staff Correspondent
NCopyright. 1921. bY United Press

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4. tU.P -
''Sure, the story is true Cornelius
Vanderbilt. Jr., said in letter re-
ceived today regarding the Butler
Mussolini incident.
The former publisher. writing n
close friend in Los Angeles. said
that visit he had with Premier
Benito Mussolini in 1926 formed the
basis for assertions made by Major
General Smedley d. Butler. for
which the latter is to stand court
martial.
The letter from the young au-
thor and former newspaperman
who is now in Phoenix. was exhib-
tied exclusively to the United Press
correspondent by the recipient. The
latter IS a writer of national prom
inence.
No reference was made to the re-
mark attributed to Mussolini by
Butler, and for which the United
Continued on Page 81
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
DISASTER
DAMAGES
INCREASE
New Zealand Death Toll
And Property Loss
Keep Growing
EVACUATE CITIES
Relief Being Rushed To
Survivors OF Natures
Outbreak

AUCKLAND, N. O., Feb. 5.
Thursday U.P)-The extent of the
disaster caused by Tuesdays earth
quake was indicated today by the
first reports of organized relief
forces which invaded the ruined ci-
ties of the Hawkes. Bay region.
With the death toll in three Of
the stricken cities placed at about
43l and with other regions unre-
ported, a general order was issued
for evacuation of the flourishing
city of Napier, famous resort town
on the eastern coast of North Is
land.
The evacuation was ordered car
ried out within two days due to the
breakdown Of sewage facilities and
the fear of authorities that an epi-
demic would start unless the inhab-
itants left at once. 1t was arranged
to evacuate 5000 women and chill
dren Immediately.
New tremors, preceded by a deep
booming noise were felt last night.
1t was revealed by aviators who
flew over the region that the entire
shore of Hawkes. Bay had been
raised about 10 feet by the earth
quake. The harbor floor was lifted
18 feet, it was estimated. The shore
in some places was raised more than
20 feet.
The flow of rivers was interrupted
and water were backing up in in
land lowlands. The coast line around
the bay appeared to have been
twisted violently and thrown up
ward.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
Board Furnishes
Accused Doctor

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4. U.P) :
The state board of medical exam
iners here today revoked the med
ical practitioner s license of DR.
William I. Kingsley, of San Diego,
whom the board found guilty on
charges of performing illegal oper-
ationS.
In addition to the two counts of
alleged illegal operations, Kingsley
who was a candidate for lieutenant
governor in the last election, also
was found guilty of prescribing to
narcotic addicts.
Cases of three Long Beach physi-
clans, all charged with performance
of illegal operations, had not been
reached by the board at late hour
DR.. Williams faces the additional
charge of narcotics violations.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
VICIOUS ATTACK
ON CRIPPLE BY
CHICAGO THUGS
Assailants Fail In At
tempt To Bury Victim
Alive

CHICAGO, Feb. 4. WP)-George
Wittbrod. "a, crippled salesman,
was rescued today from a rough
coffin in which he was placed by
seven men who kidnapped him, beat
him, let him hang for an hour from
cross in a cemetery and then bu-
ried him alive.
A farmer passing the cemetery at
daybreak heard stifled means and
called police. Wittbrod coffin was
found in a deep ditch, where he
had been tossed after a night OF
torture unequalled in the history Of
Chicago crime. He was suffering
from cold, exposure, the beating,
and fright.
Officials to whom Wittbrod con-
fided that he often had been the
object of practical" jokes by
neighborhood hoodlums, because of
his affliction, could hardly believe
such an attack as this had been
intended as a "joke. -
Wittbrod said he knew the names
of six of the seven kidnapers and
police began a hunt for them.
The salesman said he was on his
way home from a poolroom late last
night when the seven men seized
him in an alley and knocked him
unconscious.
When he awoke, he said, he was
in an automobile with the men.
They taunted him and told him
they were taking him for "ride. -
His feet and hand were tied.
They took him to All Saints ceme-
terry. There, he said, he was drag
ged from the automobile and sus-
pended on high cross. He was left
hanging there and as his body be-
came numb from exposure, the
hoodlums watched and laughed.
Burial Efforts Fail
They were leaving, he told, when
he managed to jerk one hand free.
One of the men saw him move and
called the others back. Seeing the
rough box nearby, the gang leader
suggested they take Wittbrod down
from the cross and bury him alive.
He was cut down, placed in the
box. his hands and feet retied and
a burlap sack placed over his head
The lid of the box was nailed down
and the box hoisted onto a con-
venient wheelbarroW.
Nearby was a half dug grave
which grave diggers had left un-
finished. An attempt was made tc
force the rough coffin into the
grave, but it would not fit when laid
horizontal. 1t was stood on end IN
the grave while the men debated
whether to get shovel and dig the
hole bigger.
The men, Wittbrod said, finally
removed the box from the grave,
fastened it to the back of their au-
tomobile, started away at rapid
speed and cut the box loose.
The coffin rolled from the road
way and into the ditch, where
Wittbrod was found, face downward
in the box and half dead from the
mistreatment he had received.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
BOMBING CASE
JURY REMAINS
IN DEADLOCK
No Verdict Reached At
Press Time This After
noon

While a small group of constant
watchers gathered in the corridors
of the county court house kept
watch today six men and six women
were deciding the fate CT A. l..
Hodges and E. It. Mccoy. charged
with the murder of Ariston Lamp
ky. Filipino, on the night of Decem-
ber in Imperial.
The jurors argued behind locked
doors, while business of the courts
went grimly on in both court rooms.
and friends of Hodges and Mccoy
paced restlessly through the upper
hall of the court house. In the
county jail Hodges appeared rest
less.
Mccoy rested easily under the be-
] lief that the jury would acquit him
| of the crime charged, for Judge A
c. Finney yesterday afternoon ad-
yiSed the jurors that evidence pre-
sented by the state was insufficient
to connect Mccoy with the crime
sufficiently to warrant a convic-
ton
Mrs. Hodges and her small daugh-
ter waited in the court house in the
hope that the jurors would bring in
a verdict of not guilty in regard to
their husband and father.
Child Is Present
Throughout the entire trial Mrs.
Hodges has occupied chair beside
her husband in the court room, with
the little daughter resting first on
her mothers lap and then on her
father s.
The case was given into the hands
of the jury slightly after 4 clock
yesterday afternoon. Until l CLOCK
the jurors argued, calling once for
re-reading of testimony given by
Harry Ditto, blacksmith, regarding
manufacture of the bomb that was
said to have killed Lampky.
Throughout the morning today
the jurors argued. Rumors about
the court house were to the effect
that the jury could reach no deci-
sion, and would hang.
Since 1923, when Ernest r. Utley
was district attorney here, II de-
PENDANTS have been convicted on
murder charges in local superior
courts.
District Attorney Elmer W. Heald
prosecuted the case against Hodges
and Mccoy, assisted by D. H. VOL
ford, deputy. Mccoy was defended
by Harry w. Horton, and Hodges
by Edward B. Patterson.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
Coast Trading
Fairly Active

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4. UP) -
Prices advanced fractionally or re-
manned generally stationary in the
fairly active trading on the Los
Angeles stock exchange today.
Richfield Oil, the most active
stock, was up as at on sales of
5000 shares while Richfield pre-
ferred lost i at 81 on trades in
2l00 shares.
Pacific Western Oil and Rio
Grande were up a and 2s respec-
lively at 8la and 6%.
Transamerica held steady on sales
Of 100 shares at 1875 and 13.
Pacific Gas preferred at 81, and
Standard Oil of California at 47ss
were unchanged.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-04
BY F. A. GRACE
United Press Correspondent

AUCKLAND, N. e., Feb. 4. W.H-
New Zealand rushed aid to quake,
tidal wave and fire survivors at Ma
pier and adjacent towns today while
reports indicated the death toll
would run into hundreds.
The latest estimate placed the
dead at Napier alone at 300. Twen-
ty-six were known dead at Hastings.
The injured already totaled thou
sands. The open air dressing sta
ton erected at Napier had account
ed for 600 serious injuries.
Recurrent earth shocks added to
the panic of the population and the
difficulties of rescue parties.
The pilot of an airplane who
flew over the earthquake zone said
that the magnitude of the disaster
could not be appreciated without be-
ing seen.
Hundreds of persons still were
missing while searchers probed
through debris, threatened by the
danger that other shocks would send
damaged edifices crashing down up
on them.
Fire at Napier fed by oil tanks
and famed by strong winds were
still out of control today Ships in
the bay reported the town looked
like it might have been leveled by
heavy gunfire. 1t was reported that
many victims were burned to death
as flames swept through the ruined
city.
Fires still were raging at Napier
at p. m. today. Many victims
were incinerated.
Seventeen bodies had been recov-
cred from the ruins of the hospital
and the nurses home. Attendants
worked heroically to remove pa
tients before the hospital collapsed.
One patient was undergoing an
(Contihued on page 81