davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-17
WHAT'S DOING
TONIGHT

TONIGHT
THE Countess, 8, st. Mary's
hall.
l. o. o. +. No. 397, s, Davis
hail.
l. V. Commandery No. 81,
1880, Masonic Temple.
Oasis Shrine No. 20, w. S. of
j., s, Masonic Temple.
1. V. Choral club, 1880, Wilson
school.
Night school, 10, high school.
Brunk's Comedians, 8, I'm
perial avenue.
Fox Imperial Theatre, THE
Man Who Came Back.
TOMORROW
Ladies day, Barbara Worth
country club.
Junior chamber of commerce
breakfast, $3.50, Barbara Worth
hotel.
Chamber of commerce lunch
con, Barbara Worth hotel.
Project leaders, 10, court
house.
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-17

(Contihued on page 81
Imperial Valley press., 1931-02-17

Continued on page 81
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
HARTLY-RIDGELY BANK CASE
Woman Known Under Three Alias
es Arrested as Suspect-AIso
Chester Leach of Smyrna

Miss Clara Reynolds, alias Clara
Gordon, alias Ruth West and Alias
Lacy Taylor, is in Denton, Md,
Jail held in connection with the
dynamiting recently of the Hartly
and Ridgely, Maryland, banks. She
is being held in $4,000 bail bond,
but no date for the hearing has
been fixed According to the de-
tectives at work on the case, dur
ing her residence in Wilmington
the woman known as Clara Reyn-
olds and under the various other
aliases, had been under surveillance
and was recently accused of pass
ing a worthless check at Kennett
Square, Pa, but the case was not
pushed. A room on West Twenty
ninth street, Wilmington, recently
occupied by her, was searched but
nothing was found. She is the
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Sol. Den
mis-, of Caroline county, Md. Mr..
Dennis is in serious condition in
w
at present, suffering from cancer.
He made his home recently on
West Fourth street, prior to enter
ing the hospital. Detective Davis
said that additional arrests will be
made following an alleged confess
sion by one of the men now under
arrest. Those in custody are: Miss
Reynolds, who is under $4,000 bail
in Denton jail; George Blanchfield,
of Townsend; Jerome Skaggs, of
Townsend; Joseph Reynolds, of
Bellevue; William Alaband of Ken
nett Square, all in Denton Jail un-
der $4,000 bail each; and Chester
Leach of Smyrna, in Dover Jail
awaiting removal to the Denton
Jail, under $4,000 bail Captain
Ray arrested Leach yesterday
Tuesday, and after hearing be-
fore Magistrate Stevenson was
taken to Dover jail. Leach had
been occupying the apartment over
Hutchison Bros Store. Those un-
der arrest are believed to have TAX
en- part in a number of other rob-
berries in lower Delaware and on
the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
The detectives believe that Miss
Reynolds was the leader Of the
gang and planned the robberies
perpetrated. Miss Reynolds is said
to have been in Hartly the day be
fore the robbery Of the HartIy
bank on the night Of December 80.
1880.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
ROBBERIES ABOUT SMYRNA
Stores of j. E. Wilson, Gardiner
Ford, and Office of Esley vi. Rust

On Wednesday night thieves
broke into the furniture store of j.
E. Wilson on Commerce street, ap-
parently at the rear of the build
ing They took about SIS from the
safe and some small change from
the cash register, leaving checks.
notes, and other papers scattered
over the office. There have been
not only this robbery, but series
of small robberies. The stores of
William H. Tomlinson, L. NJ. Hi
rons, Gardiner Ford, William G.
Roe, the home of w. H. Stayton,
and Davidson's Billiard Parlor
have been robbed of small sums of
money and other merchandise. In
addition to the above the office of
Esley NJ. Rust at his coal yard on
N. Delaware Street was broken
into. Attempt was made to rob
the safe without success. They
also broke into his garage at the
same yard and attempted to steal
his car. They broke the ignition
switch but did not succeed in get
ting the car out.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
ST. PETERS ELECTS vESTRY
Annual Congregational Meeting
Shows Report for Past Year

At a meeting of the congrega-
tion of st. Peters Protestant Epis-
copal Church Monday evening, re-
ports of the Parish were made and
the annual election of Vestry
entered into. The Vestry and Of
ficers elected were: Senior Warden,
Harry B. Grieves; Junior Warden,
Joseph B. HUM; Vestrymen:
George W. Boehmler, v. Wallace
Elterich, Dr. e. S. Dwight, c. W.
w. Schantz, George Carter, John
d. Morris, B. Franklin Middleton,
and c. Leland Harmonson. After
the congregational meeting a meet
ing of the vestry was held. At
this meeting V. Wallace Elterich
was elected secretary and George
w. Boehmler. treasurer. Usual
services will be held on Sunday:
Church School at 10 a. m, and
Morning Prayer and Sermon at IL.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
KENT COMMON PLEAS COURT
Act Making 1t Law Passes Both
Houses of Delaware Legislature

Senator Ernest v. Keith of Do
yer, representing this, the first dis
trict of Kent County, is being con
graduated by his friends in intro
ducing and engineering a bill thru
the Delaware Legislature creating
a common Pleas Court for Kent
County After it had been ex-
planned and advocated by Senator
Keith, the House Friday afternoon
by vote of 80 to 2 passed his bill
to create a Court of Common Pleas
for Kent County. An amendment
to have the Resident Judge of the
county to act as the judge of the
new court was defeated with only
Representative Johnson voting for
it. Representative Cooper and F.
B. Webb were the only two mem
bers to vote against the bill. The
Governor would appoint the judge
of the court and his salary will be
So 900 a year The bill is pattern
ed after the law creating the Com
mon Pleas Court of New Castle
County. Senator Keith was con-
graduated by many of his friends
on getting the bill through.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
COURT DISCRETION
Governor Buck VetOes Chicken
Thief Bill Passed by Legislature
and States His Objections

Governor c. Douglass Buck Mon
day vetoed the bill compelling the
courts to impose a penalty of lash
es for chicken stealing. The Gov
ernor's veto follows: Il return
herewith House Bill go entitled an
act relating to offenses against
property and offer the following
objections to the bill: The act as
I understand it provides that any
person over 16 years of age con-
victed of stealing chickens must in
addition to fine and jail sentence
be publicly whipped with not less
than ten lashes. To take away
from the courts the discretion of
imposing lashes for this felony or
any felony is in my judgment a
mistake, as a law of this kind
could prove most embarrassing to
the State. Particularly would this
be true if the culprit was a girl or
a woman, an imbecile or physical
derelict. Delaware believes the
post is a deterrent to crime or law
legalizing it would not remain on
the statute books. 1t has with
stood years of criticisms and is
likely to withstand many more,
provided its use when authorized
is left to the judgment of the
courts. Furthermore the language
of the bill as it relates to New
Castle County, while do not think
it is so intended, is such that the
Court might necessarily have to
construe it to mean that chicken
thieves would have to be whipped
in the City of Wilmington as the
county seat, instead of at the coun-
ty prison at Greenbank. This is
not desirable I regret that under
the circumstances 1 cannot bring
myself to approve the bill, there
fore I return it without my sigma
ture to the House in which it or
iginated.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
TO REGULATE BILL BOARDS
Must be 500 Feet Away from Road
Intersection or Railroad Crossing


Intersection or Railroad Crossing
The House Monday afternoon by
a vote Of "a TO 8 passed the first
bill regulating billboards along the
roadways. 1t has been sent to the
Senate for concurrence. For sew
eral years efforts have been made
in this direction but in each in
stance the bills were unsatisfac-
tory and they were killed. The
subject has been given considerable
thought by the members of the
House at this session and when the
VanSciver Bill, as finally framed,
was presented in the House Mon
day afternoon, Paul c. Hessler who
controls most of the outdoor ad-
vertising in Delaware, was granted
the privilege of the floor and advo-
Gated the bill The VanSciver bill
requires every concern dealing in
the business of outdoor advertising
outside of incorporated towns to
obtain license from the chief en-
gineer of the State Highway De-
partment which license shall be
5000 annually. The bill will be-
come effective after January l, Of
next year. The entire enforcement
Of the bill is put up to the State
Highway Department. Those firms
from outside the State who would
desire to do business in the State
would be required to furnish a
$1,000 bond. The bill provides that
no billboard shall be erected out
side of incorporated cities or towns
within a distance of five hundred
feet of an intersection Of a high
way with another highway, or with
a railroad or street railway, at a
point where it would obstruct or
interfere with the view of a train,
street car or other vehicle on the
intersecting highway, railroad or
street railway.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
SMYRNA ODD FELLOWS PLAY
Will Be Given in Smyrna Town
Hall, Tuesday Evening, April 21

Smyrna Odd Fellows Lodge,
Morning Star, No. 16. are adver-
tising in this issue a four-act
drama Dust of the Earth" to be
presented in the Smyrna Opera
House, Tuesday evening. April 21.
The play is to be shown by Mil
ford talent who recently, with
much success rendered the play for
the benefit of Milford Odd Fellows
and the Sunshine Glass of the Mil
ford NJ. P Church. The play was
directed and staged by Miss Annie
Elizabeth Rodney and judging by
the large audiences that have
greeted it, the people of Smyrna
can expect good and wholesome en-
tertainment. Enjoy an evening of
good talent and at the same time
help our splendid lodge of Odd
Fellows who have arranged to
bring this excellent comedy drama
here. Read advertisement for
prices and particulars.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
SMYRNA ROTARY CLUB NEWS
Annual Election of Officers Held
-Rev. f. p. Thomas, President

Annual EIetl1O1t OI -OuICtIS ftttu
Rev. E. z. Thomas, President
The Smyrna Rotary Club at their
weekly meeting held last Thursday
evening at the Wayside Inn, elect
ed the following officers for the
ensuing year: President, Rev. Es-
sell P. Thomas: Vice-president,
Hervey P. Hall; Secretary, Robert
H. Denney: Treasurer, Alexander
HandIoff; Directors, Charles w.
Hall and DR.. R. F. Corley After
the election of officers, there being
no program arranged, the members
discussed several projects now un-
der consideration William E. Mat
thews. chairman of the program
committee. announced that next
Thursday w. w. Mack, Chief En-
gineer of the Delaware State High
ways would be the speaker of the
evening. In addition to the newly
elect president and secretary, sew
eral members are arranging to at
tend the District Conference to be
held in Reading, April 20-21.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
SMYRNA LANDING SURPRISE
Maxwell Jester of Chicago Makes
First Visit to Uncle. Steve Jester

Smyrna Landing, April l. Steve
Jester had a surprise Easter morn
ing he will not forget soon, when
a nephew, Maxwell Jester, "a years
old, of Chicago, ILL.,, whom he had
never seen, came to visit him.
Maxwell has a brother Charles
Jester who lives at Newport. When
he was II years old his parents
left him in care of an aunt in Will
mington who raised HIM, and they
went west where Maxwell was
born. Not long after his arrival
his father died. Young Jester is
connected with an oil business. Rec
emily he was ordered to come to
New York, his first trip East. He
arrived there Saturday and called
his brother on the telephone. The
voice of his brother over the tele-
phone made him more eager than
ever to accept the invitation to go
to Newport and then on to Smyrna
Sunday. While here with his uncle
he repeated often II am so happy
can't express my feeling" They
all agreed that their meeting made
Easter the brightest that either
had ever observed. On account of
business his visit was brief. He has
promised to return again at his
earliest convenience to visit them
again and also to visit his parents
childhood home at Milford. Mr..
Charles Jester, his brother, accom-
panied him back as far as New
York
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
SMYRNA HIGH WINS ORATORY
Kent County Oratorical and Decla-
nation Contest Won by Isadore
HandIoff and Mildred Ryan

On Thursday evening, April 2,
the Kent County Oratorical and
Defamation Contests were held in
Tie auditorium Of the Caesar Rod
nev High School, Camden-Wyom-
ing. Delaware. The pupils repre-
senting the Smyrna High School in
the Defamation Contest were JOS
eph Simpson and Mildred Ryan.
Those representing the local school
in the Oratorical Contest were Isa-
dore Handloff and Melvin Bleck-
man. The Smyrna contestants
were successful in winning three
out of four places in the County
Contest. Mildred Ryan, whose Sc
lection was THE Littlest Rebel,
took first place in the Defamation
Contest. Isadore Handloff, whose
selection was World Peace,
took first place in the Oratorical
Contest. Melvin Bleckman, sub
iect, Theodore Roosevelt" took
second place N the oratorical con-
test. All of these pupils will rep
resent Kent County in the State
Contests to be held on Friday
April 10, 1881. For the past sew
eral years the pupils Of the Smyr-
na High School have distinguished
themselves as being the best ora
tors and declaimers in Kent Coun-
ty. On several occasions, the pu-
piIs of the Smyrna High School
have taken first place in the State
Contests.-Th assembly programs
for Tuesday, March 81, was in
charge of Miss Starts class, the
IA grade. The program was as
follows: Song, School; Bible Read
ing, w. Skinner; Poem, D. King;
Defamation, J. Magill; Poem, A
Oras; Song, School; Al Easter
Jubilee. IA Class; Music by the
IA class.-The banking results fol
March 81, was as follows: Number
Of pupils present, 585, number Of
depositors 1868, amount deposited
$50. %. Amount deposited for tho
YEAR to date, S1747.43.- The irst
baseball game of the current sea
son will be played on this Friday
afternoon at Wyoming, with tht
team Of Caesar Rodney Higf
School. The inclement weather
has made practice on the loca
grounds impossible, but it is the
hope Of the coach that the boy:
will be in the best Of shape for tht
fray The Easter party for th'
Junior and Senior High School anc
their friends which was held in th'
Gym on Tuesday, March 81, wa
without any question the bes
party of the year. Several games
were played and enjoyed by al
those present, and the heavy win
ner of prizes was George Davis
The refreshments consisted for thl
greater part of Jelly Beans. Abou
200 pupils and their friends were il
attendance.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
M|DDLET0WN BOY DROWNED
IN LAKE AS ROWB0AT SINKS
CLIFFORD POORE, AGED IA,
GOES DOWN WITH HIS BOAT
He, With Other Playmates, Were
Transporting Sand TO Make
Beach When Boat CapsiZed

Clifford Poore, IA years old, died
of a heart attack when the row.
boat in which he was crossing Sill
yer Lake was swamped Monday
morning. George Richards, IA
years old, who was with Poore,w
able to swim ashore, but dropped
of exhaustion as he reached the
bank. Another boat in which
Bradford Poore, 10 years old, Cliff
ford's brother, and Vaughn Thom-
as, 13 years old, were crossing,
sank just as they arrived at the
other side. Leonard Davis and
Earl Kirk, of Middletown later re-
covered the body after graphing
for two hours, assisted by State
highway police and local firemen.
Upon inspection of the body it was
found that death was due to heart
failure since practically no water
was known 10 have had a weak
heart. Coroner II. P. Ahern re-
leased the body Monday afternoon
and it was taken to the undertak-
ing establishment of G. Lester
Daniels at Townsend. Funeral
services will be held Wednesday at
o'clock at the home of his par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. John Poore. In
terment will be made in Townsend
cemetery Clifford, with the other
boys had been using his holiday
from school Monday to build a
bathing beach on the shore of the
lake, by hauling sand in a rowboat
from point on the opposite shore.
The boat was too heavily laden and
when the boys arrived at the mid
die of the lake it was swamped.
Clifford was known as an excellent
swimmer and it is believed that his
heart failed as soon as he struck
the cold water, George Richards.
who was impeded by a heavy over
coat, had great difficulty in reach
ing the shore The spot where
Clifford sank is near Buckaroo
Beach, a popular bathing beach
frequented during the summer
months by residents of Middle
town and nearby towns
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
DEL-MAR-VA *. II. DIVISION
Merger of Delaware r. r. With n.

-
Y. p. and n. R.R. Big Undertaking
The transfer Of the Wilmington
unit of the Delmarva Division
train dispatching force of the
Pennsylvania Railroad, the past
two weeks to Cape Charles,
Va, marked the completion of the
consolidation of the former Della
ware and Norfolk Divisions. The
merger of these two branches of
the railroad started year ago,
when the general offices were COM
bined at Cape Charles and the en-
ployes composing the staff organ
ization of the Delaware Division
were moved to the new terminal.
There were eight train dispatchers
transferred to Cape Charles in this
last move. It was also necessary
for the construction forces to make
considerable change in the first
floor of the office building at Cape
Charles so that there would be suf-
ficient room for the additional en-
ployes and the new dispatching
tables with the most up-to-date
equipment. The moving continued
until 800 p. NJ, Sunday, when the
final change-over was made and
the last of this Wilmington unit
relieved from duty and sent to
Cape Charles.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
BOULEVARD At ST. GEORGES
New Pavement Required by Wild
ening Boulevard to Dual Highway

The State Highway Department
Monday started work at St Georg-
es on the construction Of the five
foot concrete sidewalk to run
through the southern section of the
village to where the new dual high
way will run up to the edge of
town. Six St Georges property
owners have donated to the State
enough land to make the new side
walk possible The land represents
a stretch about thirty feet wide
and around fifteen hundred feet
long. The sidewalk, however, will
be but five feet in width. The
property owners who have given
the State the land are Mrs. John
Gam, John w. Carrow, Sr., Nor
man Sparks, Walter Moore, James
r. Roberts and Mrs. Harry Burris.
Mrs. John Gam gave the State the
largest bit of land, 700 feet. The
new concrete walk viii be con-
structed by the State from the
property of Mr. Carrow, south
ward down the State highway to
the intersection of the Lorewood
Grove road with the State high
way Monday employees began to
remove trees and shrubbery from
the yard of Mrs Gam to clean the
right of way One of the trees
being removed is mammoth
swamp maple many years old. The
shrubbery in the yard will be
transplanted.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
WALKERS PARENT TEACHERS
VIII Hold Their Last Meeting or
Year and Elect State Delegates

Walkers April T. Walkers
Community Association will hold
their last Parent Teacher Meeting
Of the year at the school on Fri
day evening, April 10. Delegates
will be elected to attend the State
p. t. A. convention and officers for
next year will also be elected. A
special program is being arranged
by the teacher and Mrs. Katharine
Roe will entertain us with several
Of her comic recitations.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
SCHOOL BOARDS IN THREE
COUNTIES TO Be APP0INTIVE
HOUSE PASSES BILL VESTING
POWER IN RESIDENT JUDGES
Vote in Senate is 8 to S-Smyr-
Schools Will Be Effected

If Senator Green had any idea
that he would place the members
of the Legislature on record as
favoring the resident judge of New
Castle County to appoint the mem
bers of the Wilmington school
board, but opposed to giving the
same system to the state, he was
mistaken. When the Wilmington
bill was passed, Senator Green at
once announced that if the bill was
a good thing for Wilmington, he
was going to offer one to cover the
remainder of the State. He offer
ed the bill although he did not vote
for it and the Senate passed it by
a vote of 9 to s. That was We'd
nesday. Thursday the bill came
up in the House and was passed by
a vote of 27 to 4 and is now in
the hands of Governor Buck for
his signature The new law does
away with annual school elections
in Smyrna. Resident Judge Har-
rington will have the naming of a
successor to Walter o. Hoffecker
whose term expires in June. Eff
forts are being made to have Judge
Harrington name Mr. Hoffecker to
succeed himself for another term.
Senator Green, who charged that
the Tatnall bill, which has beer
hxy n
and signed by the Governor, dis
franchised the citizens of Whining
ton in school affairs, offered as a
retaliation measure, a substitute
bill which authorizes the Resident
Judge of each county to appoint
all school board members in both
special and local school districts of
the county. The board, the bill
provides in each district, shall be
composed of four members instead
of three as now provided. Prob
ably to the surprise Of Mr.. Green,
who fathered the bill but voted
against it, the Senate passed it by
a vote of 9 to 8 and again to the
surprise of Senator Green the
House passed the same bill by a
vote of 26 to Z. Advocates of the
original bill for Wilmington say
they are perfectly satisfied with
the Green bill which he sponsored
but did not vote for and which
leaves the appointment of mem
bers of boards of education up to
the Resident Judge of each county
The same arguments that were
made for and against the bill wher
it came up in the Senate, were
made in the House. Senator Greer
the father of the measure, took the
ground that he only offered it tC
give the rest of the State a bill
that was thought good for Viii.
mington so they could vote for il
themselves. Representative Virder
argued that the Wilmington bill
disfranchises the citizens of the
city on school matters, and if those
members outside of Wilmington
who voted for it for Wilmington
would be consistent they woulC
vote for the bill to do the same K
other districts. Representative
Tatnall, introducer of the Whining
ton bill, said he voted for the vii
mington bill and as he considered
that bill for the good of the people
of Wilmington, he would also vote
for this bill believing it for tn,
good of the people in other section!
of the State. Those voting agains
the bill were Representative Barn
es, Cooper, Raughley, Rupp, ,Schei
fele, Virden and F. B. Webb.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
Fire at Henry Ennis on Boulevard

Firemen were summoned last
Wednesday evening to a fire at the
home of Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Ennis
on the boulevard. 1t was caused
from an explosion Of a gasoline
stove. Firemen soon extinguished
the flames. More damage was
from fire engine chemicals than by
fire.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
CUT DUCK CUNNING SEASON
Season Shortened by Federal Gov
ernment November l to January 81

Season Shortened by Federal Gov
ernment November l TO January 81
Hundreds of duck hunters doubt
less will be surprised to learn that
new Federal regulations have been
promulgated apparently without
any widespread knowledge on the
part of sportsmen, which shorten
the shooting season in by exactly
sixteen and one-half days. Under
the new amendments to the Migra-
tory Bird Regulations, approved
March II by President Hoover, the
season here is shortened from No
vember 1 to January 81. Shooting
also is prohibited until noon of the
first day of the season.
Smyrna times., 1931-04-08
.Asfs Pc. ChnroL

~ s,'i Which always
f@,I,' Easter services,
Ea 5,,,.Aa handicapped
h. ,,sslng y, a regular
r. ''f'GI, !, p. Rev.Fred-
FL, ! Nv 'Wisaahicken
b. y y. 'ucc ceeded ''dD y
+ ~ ,,aane's Church
eoaae down and
pses Fopr