davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1933-12-21
Racketeers, Gamblers, Speakeasy Owners
Not Expected, However, to Identify
Them in Lineup at 7 O'Clock

men who have been terrorizing
Washington speakeasy proprietors
and gamblers, many Of whom
they have robbed.
Detective Got Tip
Brass declared he had received
a tip some time ago that the men
would attempt to kidnap Moore
and Smith, best known here as
hackers of the numbers racket.
He learned the time it was to be
done and yesterday warned Moore
and Smith to stay away from the
hotel.
Moore, however, went to the
hotel and found his door locked.
He called Brass from headquar-
ters and the latter went into
Smiths apartment, adjoining
Moore'S.
AS Brass stepped into the pas
Sageway connecting the two apart
ments, a shot was fired at him
from Moore's apartment. The
bullet whizzed by the lower part
Of his body.
Fired Three Shots
Brass backed into Smiths
apartment and fired three shots
through the door into Moore's
place. He called out to the men:
'This il Brass from head
quarters. Come ON out before
I pour hot lead into yOu."
There was silence for a few
seconds, Brass said, and then one
Of the men called out:
20. X, Frank"
Two pistols were showed onto
the rug and two men crawled from
under a bed. Hearing a noise,
Brass went to the bathroom and
collared a third man. This one
also was armed.
Moore had been standing in
CONTINUED on Page 2. Col. s.
The Washington times., 1933-12-21

RacketeerS, gamblers and speak
easy proprietors who have been
the victims of q recent wave of
holdups have been invited to at
tend the police lineup at 7 o'clock
tonight to see if the four men ar
rested last night in battle with a
detective are the same who have
extracted several thousands of
dollars from them within the past
several weeks.
Police hold little hope that any
Of the racketeers will identify
them.
It is expected, however, that the
office force at Heurich's Brewery
and possibly persons in other
legitimate businesses who have
fallen prey to holdup men re-
Gently will be on hand in an ef-
fort to pick out the guilty ones.
Brass Springs Trap
The spectacular arrests Of the
four came at a late hour last
night when Detective Sergt. Frank
o. Brass deliberately walked into
q trap set for Thomas Moore and
Harry Smith, well known gam
blers, in the Arlington Hotel.
Those held are:
James e. Davis. alias Neal,
%, Of the 270O block Four
teenth Street Northwest.
Leslie Weldon, 80, Of the 1900
block Thirteenth Street North
west.
John M. Taylor, alias Tabler,
26, Of the HOO block Eleventh
Street Northwest.
Lawrence E. McNalley, ~, of
the 200 block K Street North
east.
All said they were Statesmen. I"
Police assert, however, they are
the men who held up the Heurich
Brewery and took $1,000 recently.
The police also say they are the
The Washington times., 1933-12-21
M'LENNAN, RACE
OFFICIAL, DIES

CHARLES TOWN, w. Va, Dec.
21.-Racing in this State, as we'll
as throughout America, suffered
an irreparable loss with the death
today of Joseph McLennan in
Miami, Fla.
McLennan was race secretary of
the Shenandoah Valley Jockey
Club, which is conducting the
present 20-day meeting here. He
left last week for Miami, where he
was to fill a similar role during
the winter racing. In his absence
the programs here were being ar
ranged by his son, Charles Nc
Lehman.
Young McLennan, after placing
John Purcell Turner, of Baltimore,
in the role of race secretary here.
left by --lotor for Washington
where he was to take a plane for
Miami.
The late Joseph McLennan in
addition to being race secretary
here filled similar roles at Bowie,
Havre De Grace, Miami, Haw-
thorne, Jamaica and Arlington
Park. He was also clerk Of the
scales at Laurel.
A native Of Scotland, he came
to this country when a child,
settled in New Orleans, but later
went to Baltimore to become one
of the best known and best liked
racing officials,
The Washington times., 1933-12-21
DRY LAW TEST
PLAN Of j, 8,
BY International News Service

ny AhSoEHaIAOHal news service
The Government has decided
to take a direct appeal to the
Supreme Court in a North Caro-
lima Federal court decision in
volving prosecution for violation
Of the prohibition law, Attorney
General Cummings said today.
The case will be argued before
the high court on January 18,
and the Government intends at
that time to raise every question
involving prosecutions of viola
tionS of the prohibition act in or
der that the court may lay down
a yardstick for future action.
Up to the present time there
have been four court decisions
holding that prosecutions for vio-
lation Of the prohibition act can
not be made since the repeal of
the Eighteenth amendment, while
two decisions hold that prosecu-
tions can be maintained.
Cummings said that a plan was
under consideration to have De-
partment of Justice agents COM
misSioned as Treasury agents in
detection of liquor law violations.
The plan probably will be broad
ened to include postal, customs
and other inspectors.
The Washington times., 1933-12-21
FALL IS FATAL
T0J F, BOWIE !.

Death claimed John F. Mac
Gregor Bowie, A, prominent real
tor, in Emergency Hospital early
today. He has been in serious
condition there since Saturday as
the result of a fall down flight
Of steps in his home, 2916 Thirty
second st. N. w.
Bowie, vice president Of the H.
L. Rust Company and member OF
the Gridiron Club, is said to have
tripped over one Of hts pet dogs
as he descended the steps into
the basement. He was uncor1-
scious for several days.
Mr.. Bowie was native OF
Prince Georges county and a
member of one of Maryland's
oldest families. He was born
October 81, 1886, and came to
Washington when he was five
years old and received his educa-
tion in the public schools.
He was noted for singing abil-
ity and he usually sang the song
which introduced the President
at the Gridiron Club dinner. He
sang at the funeral of Calvin
Coolidge, jr.
Mr.. Bowie was a member of
King Solomon Lodge. the Albert
Pike Consistory. Mt. Vernon
Chapter, of the Washington Com
mandery, Almas Temple, WASH
ington Real Estate Board, Board
of Trade, and Friendly Sons of
st. Patrick. He was a member
of the board of governors of the
Columbia Country Club.
Surviving are his widow, Mary
Elizabeth S. Bowie: two sons,
John McGregor Bowie and Jo-
seph Tyler Bowie: two sisters,
Mrs. Ladder Mackall and Mrs.
j. T. Norris, of Aquesco, Md,
and a brother, G. Calvert Bowie.
The Washington times., 1933-12-21
SPY CONTACTS
TRACED To
AMERICA
"Mata Hari" of French Ring
Received Much U. S. Mail,
Surete Reveals

PARIS, Dec. 81 G.N.S).-Pos-
sibilities that Lydia Stahl, mys-
terious Russian school teacher,
named by police as the "Mata
Hari" of the alleged international
espionage ring uncovered here, ex-
tended her far-flung activities
into the United States arose
today. =
With two Americans under ar
rest and police investigating the
possible participation of third
United States citizen, officials of
the Surete Generate, the French
secret police, communicated with
New York and Washington in an
effort to trace Miss Stahl's move
ments in the United States.
b Master Of a dozen languages,
possessed of a powerful personal
sisy, and characterized by Paris
A0NlaS of the femme fatale"
(fatal womanO type, Miss Stahl
remained the pivotal point of in
vestigation into the spy ring BE-
lieved to have had international
ramifications.
Got U. S. Mail
She received large quantities
of mail from the United States
and from Japan, police revealed,
and at the time Of her arrest
was deeply engrossed in learning
the Chinese language.
Authorities attached great i'm
portance to the linguistic attain
ments of Miss Stahl, especially in
view of the fact that another
prisoner, Prof. Louis Martin. inter
prefer, employed by the French
army, has command of 68
languages and dialects.
American authorities were
drawn into the case against Miss
Stahl following declaration by
French newspapers that she was
married to an unidentified per-
sonage described as a New York
business man." whom she visited
last year.
While investigating this report,
the United States Embassy and
consulate continued to interest
themselves in the cases against
Robert Gordon SwitZ. of East
Orange, N. j., and his wife, q
Vassar graduate, held as alleged
ringleaders of the espionage con-
spiracy.
Interview Denied
United States Consul Robert
D. Murphy conferred with Ex-
amining Magistrate Benon, who
declined to grant permission for
him to interview Switz, held in
a cell at the Sante prison
Revelations made by police TO-
day included the disclosure that
CONTINUED on Page 2, Col. y
The Washington times., 1933-12-21
6-STORY LEAP
KILLS DOG

A valuable police dog, owned
by DR.. Thomas Miller. Park Lane
Apartments, today ended his life
with a leap through a screen Of
q SiXth-floor window.
It was considered probable the
animal did not know the window
was such a great distance from
the ground.
DIR. Miller had only brought
the dog to his apartment two
days ago. No one was there when
he leaped, but there were evil
dences that the dog was restless,
as a telephone had been knocked
down.
The Washington times., 1933-12-21
SHOT
IN MARYLAND
H|JACK|NG
HandCuffed and Flung Out of
Truck; Gangsters Believed
Headed for D. C.

Hijackers, believed recruited in
Washington, staged a mysterious
raid early today on a highway
near Hagerstown, Nd, kidnapped
q man they. had shot and his
companion, seized two truckloads
Of liquor, and were reported last
seen speeding toward Washing
ton.
Russell Clark, SO, a farmer liY-
ing near st. James, Md, was shot
during the affray, handcuffed,
and later thrown into. the road
near Kensington, along with AL
bert Mulberry, %, of washington.
The two men later were picked
up by James Shoemaker, Mont
golnery county policeman, who
filed the handouts Oft Clark's
wrists while the latt vas hettaa
treated for his wound III Ken
sington. The police officer later
whisked the two men off to
Hagerstown.
Washington police concentrated
on a hunt for the hijacked trucks.
Maryland police at noon had not
yet learned whether the cargo. on
the trucks was legal or bootleg
whisky.
A neighbor said that a sedan
containing eight men pulled up
to Clark's farmhouse at $3.50
this morning. Later, he said, he
heard shots and the roar Of
trucks speeding away.
The Washington times., 1933-12-21
PROSECUTION
. H|NTED[AT
. HEARING
Federal Attorney Sits In;
Deception in Condition
Reports Alleged
BY International News service


Robert o. Lord, Detroit banker
today changed his testimony al
the Senate banking inquiry tc
deny he knew banks in the Guar
dian Detroit Union group juggled
their books to conceal outstand-
ing debts.
Lord testified yesterday that
he knew some of the Guardian
unit banks had concealed their
bills payable in public statements
of their financial condition. He
Withdrew this answer today. ex-
planning he had misunderstood
the question.
Prosecutions Hinted
John S. Pratt, Assistant Attor-
ney General, attended the hear
ing. He was under instructions
froma Department Of Justice
to detefn1iEae.sWhether officials
of the Guardian group should be
prosecuted on criminal charges.
Lord startled the Senate com
mittee by changing his testimony
He first read from the record this
question:
$50 you used this process to
enable unit banks to make re-
ports, showing no bills payable
when actually there were bills
payabIe?"
He had answered this question,
eyes"
He said today:
"'That reply was incorrect. My
answer should be, 'unqueStiOn-
ably no. According to the re-
ports made us by unit banks,
had no doubt there were no bills
payable on December 81, $780,"
DEBTS CONCEALED
This was the date when the %
banks in the Guardian group re-
ported they were free of bills pay
able. Actually, several of the banks
had bills payable but concealed
them when the parent Guardian
bank in Detroit changed loans into
deposits in the unit banks. Ferdi-
nand Pecora, Senate counsel, said !:
"YOu are changing your an
Swer?"
Lord replied:
'T'm correcting my answer.
I didn't understand the queS-
tiOn."
Pecora drew from his admis-
sion that funds were placed in
the unit banks to enable them
to liquidate their bills payable.
Lord explained that in some
instances loans were made the
unit bank. Then, he added, a de-
posit would be made by the
Guardian Detroit bank, which
enabled the unit bank to pay off
the loan and relieve it of the
(cOntinued on Page 2, Col. y
The Washington times., 1933-12-21
BOY FREED
N THEFT,
CHARGES
BEATING
Raymond Hammer Proves Al
AIibi; Jury Fails to Indict
Him in School Case

Charging he was beaten In No.
6 precinct station in an effort to
make him confess to charges
which later proved groundless, 23-
year-old Raymond Hammer today.
filed formal charges Of assault
against three policemen with In.
spector L. I. H. Edwards at
Police Headquarters.
He accuses Patrolmen Robert
N, Floyd and John C. Daniels,
of No. 10 Precinct, and Patrol
man Morris Fishman. Of No. 8,
of employing the third degree
methods.
-A' Named In Robbery
Hammer declared he was picked
up by four officers December II
in front Of his home in the 3100
block Mount Pleasant st. N. W..
and taken to No. 10, which is
on Park Road between Georgia
and New Hampshire Aves. N. w,
where he was booked for "tn.
vestigation."
Later he was escorted to No. 8,
Thirteenth Street and Colorado
Avenue Northwest, where Daniels
and Floyd questioned him for
nearly an hour.
During that time, he charges,
Daniels slapped him repeatedly,
knocking two teeth loose and
kicking him on the knee, while
Floyd looked on and made no
effort to intervene.
The only basis for their holding
him, Hammer asserted, was on
the strength of confession made
by Charles w. Baker, naming
Hammer as an accomplice in the
robbery Of Roosevelt High School.
Pushed, Head Cut
After they had tired Of grilling
him, Hammer said, F1shman
joined them and he was led to a
cell. On the way. Fishman
showed him and his head struck
against a cell door, cutting 1t
open, he charged. He was taken
to Freedmen's Hospital, treated,
and returned to No. 10 precinct
this time.
Hammer says he was held IN
communicate at the station house
until the night of December IA,
four days later, when his mother
and sister finally were permitted
to see him. He was repeatedly
refused the use Of the telephone
or any other means of getting in
touch with friends or relatives, ne
declared.
On Friday morning he was
taken before Judge Ralph Given.
pleaded not guilty and held IN
$1,000 bail for Grand Jury action.
Establishes AIibi
Meanwhile, his attorney got
busy, established Hammers alibi
that he was at work in a George
town candy store at the time the
crime in which Baker implicated
him was committed, and pre-
sented the facts to the Grand
Jury.
It was 2 o'clock yesterday after
noon that Hammer was given the
welcomL news that the Grand
Jury had refused to indict him.
and he was released.
The Washington times., 1933-12-21
White House Blaze
Is QUICKLY Put Out
BY International News Service

BY International News Service
Recalling the blaze which on
Christmas Eve, 1929, virtually de-
stroyed the White House execu-
tive offices, a small fire broke
out in the office waste paper
room today and had to be ex-
tinguished with chemicals. There
was a lot Of smoke and excite
ment, but very little fire. The
blaze started in the basement Of
the executive offices. It was
promptly extinguished by Lieut..
Larry Seaman. Of the White
House guard. .-s..
The Washington times., 1933-12-21
No Christmas, Ship
Will Jump Full DGv

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 81 G.N.SO.
There will be no Christmas Day
for passengers and crew of the
S. S. Monterey. The Monterey,
out Of Los Angeles harbor last
week for the Antipodes, will cross
the international date line, bound
for Suva, about midnight, Decem-
ber "a. The calendar then jumps
to December 26. for the ship will
be on the other side of "the line"
The Washington times., 1933-12-21
Cuban Rail Wrecks
Kill TWO, Injure One

HAVANA, Dec. 81 Q.N.S3.
Two persons were, killed and five
injured in the derailment Of two
Cuban railway trains today, al
legedly the work Of political agi.
tators attempting to prevent
demonstrators reaching here for
q mass meeting. A baggageman
was killed when Havana Express
No. / was derailed near Ajuica.
Havana Express No. 2, rerouted
over other tracks. was derailed
near Manguito. The fireman was
killed and the engineer probably
fatally injured.
The Washington times., 1933-12-21
Philadelphia Facing
HUQe Transit Strike

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 81
U.N.S0.-UnleSs the Philadelphia
Rapid Transit Company acts
favorably by 10 o'clock tonight on
the National Labor Boards dictum
to rehire all striking taxicab
drivers, the city will be plunged
into the throes of a general trans
portation strike involving $4,000
drivers.
The Washington times., 1933-12-21
j. s. BARS WINE
FROM FRANCE
BY International News Service

BY International NowS Service
Striking back at France for its
attempt to put one over on
American trade negotiators, the
United States today moved to cut
off entirely the flow of French
wine into this country.
The Federal Alcohol Control
Administration announced the
French wine quota was exhausted.
In State Department quarters
it was made known no more
French wine will be permitted to
enter the country until France
clears up the situation which has
developed in connection with
American fruit exports to France.
Imperial Valley press., 1933-12-28
BUCKS
DRAW PRAISE

Attracted by the long here,ded
"knee action ! wneeis, several hun
dred interested automobile owners
visited the j. R. Robertson agency
yesterday to see the new 1884 Buick,
displayed for the first time.
By means Of charts and actual
demonstrations, the "knee action -
principle, which promises to revo-
lutionize automobile construction
was thoroughly explained to all Wis
itorS by Robertson and members of
the sales staff.
The "knee action" construction
permits each front wheel to move
up and down individually, absorbs
the road shocks without communi-
eating them to the car or the pas
sengers and provides a smooth,
gliding ride with steadiness and
safety. The principle is SO simple
and natural that many observers
wondered why the manufacturers
had not adopted it long ago.
Other new features of The 1884
Buick brought favorable comment,
among these being the ride stabiliz-
er, which eliminates side-sWay and
keeps the car on a level keel at
all times; the new vacuum-power
brakes, which operate with one
third the former pedal pressure and
give smooth, silent positive stop
at all times; complete automatic
starting, the choke, heat control,
spark advance and idle control all
being automatic; new air-cushion
tires and the improved body con-
struction by Fisher.
"We are highly gratified with the
reception the new car has received,
and invite all interested persons to
inspect it. We agree with what one
observer remarked yesterday, that
Buick has lived up to its slogan
when better automobiles are built,
Buick will build them'.''
Imperial Valley press., 1933-12-28

Irene and Forrest Merrill, and
Shorty Blackwood drove to Red
lands on Saturday to spend the
| holidays with Mrs. Merrill's par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. M. P. Montana.
On their return home TUESDAY
night they we're accompanied by
Stanley Merrill who has spent sev-
eral months with his grandpar-
entS.
Miss Geraldine Shultz spel,t
Christmas with her parents III
Holtville.
Mr.. and Mrs. Isaac Mcbride en-
i tertained on Christmas having as
their guests Mr.. and Mrs. Jesse
Mcbride. Richard Mcbride, Max
inc Mcbride, and H. E. Kirby.
The Alex Meyer home was the
scene Of a family gathering on
Christmas day, their guests being
Mr.. and Mrs. Roy Rumsey and Le..
10y Rumsey of Ell Centro.
Ward McGreW drove to Orange
Saturday where he spent several
days at the home of his sister,
Mrs Earl Crawford, who accom-
panied him on his return Tuesday
and will spend a week at the Nc
Grew home.
Mr.. and Mrs. Guy Neifert and
two children of Whittier are spend
ing the holidays at the home Of
Guys parents, Mr.. and Mrs. r.
Neifert. Other guests of the Mel
ferts at a family dinner on Christ
mas day were Mr.. and Mrs. I. w.
McGrew ana Evelyn McGrew.
Dinner guests of Mr.. and Mrs.
w. j. Gregg on Christmas were
Mr. and Mrs. Dale Cooper and fam
! lily of Holtville.
Mr.. and Mrs. Sherrol Belts spent
the Christmas holidays with rela-
tives on the coast.
San Diego visitors over the week.
end are Mr.. and Mrs. Harry James
and Mrs. James sister, Miss Edith
CAIRO, who are spending several
| days with Mr.. and Mrs. j. A. Krum-
| holz.
Mr.. and Mrs. S. D. Clevenger
and family enjoyed a pleasant af-
ternoon on Wednesday at the home
of Mr.. and Mrs. F. G.. Reid of He
| her.
Loretta Peters who missed several
days of school due to illness is re-
covering nicely.
The next meeting of the Melo-
land Social club has been post
poned until January II when Mrs.
Merrill will entertain at her home
Mrs. w. J. Gregg will assist Mrs.
Merrill.
On Thursday Prof. B. A. Madison
made a tour of inspection at the
experimental station. Professor
Madison came from the State Agri-
cultural school at Davis.
Mr.. and Mrs. H. o. Galloway
and sons, Garland, Junior and
Maurice, were dinner guests of Mr..
and Mrs. Waldo Weeth on Christ
mas night.
Mr.. and Mrs Dan Scott and FAM
lily returned Tuesday from trip
! to Los Angeles for the holidays.
Meloland residents who spent
Christmas day in Brawley were Mr..
ana Mrs. W. II. Palmer, Mrs. An
lie Crawford and Charles Sum-
merS.
Imperial Valley press., 1933-12-28
CURRENT BOOKS REVIEWED BY
EL CEMTRO PUBLIC LIBRARY

He has an instinct for the telling
anecdote, and an ability to sketch
character with a few acid lines,
but he does not allow his obvious
interest in the oddities of the lead
ing figures of the book to lead him
away from his first purpose, the
statement of an era. His conviction
that history is best told in terms
of personalities has a sound enough
basis, for one feels uneasily that
far too much recent world history
was made from the sorry material
of personal likes and dislikes, and
far too little from considered decis-
ions for the general good
We feel it safe to say that no
reader can fail to enjoy The Ed
wardian Era. The publishers call
it "a caValcade of the immediate
and haunting past, and SO it is,
indeed; a cavalcade decked with
the flashing banners of shreWdness
and wit, and armed with the sharp
steel of sensibility.
Imperial Valley press., 1933-12-28

The Edwardian Era, by Andre
Maurois, Cd. Appleton Century
Company.
The pages of printed history are
moving upon us. Ten years ago
each publishing season brought
forth new biographies, collections
of memoirs, and historical analyses
of the Victorian era; now the Ed
wardians are being dealt with in
the same thorough manner.
Although many of us remember
the events and personalities clear
ly, it is difficult for the reviewer
to refrain from complimenting bio
grapherS and historians on giving
life to the Edwardian era, quite as
If it were a part of the archaic
past. 1t is remarkable that the ma
jority of these chronicles make the
great of the postwar years seem
SO alien to us. 1t is as if by going
to school to catastrophe war we
have learned the answers to inter-
national problems they were mere
ly beginning to postulate, and these
answers make their political and
diplomatic behavior incredible.
However, M. Maurois relates his
tory in terms of biographical por-
traits, and reading this book is not
unlike turning the pages of a phot-
ograph album containing pictures
of distant and half-forgotten rela-
tives. All, one remarks mentally,
that is Uncle William. He would
wear uniforms and he believed he
was the ruler of the world. He
got into difficulties, finally, and
now he lives in Holland in COM
plete retirement. And this is Great
Aunt Victoria on William IS side of
the family; she was always scold-
ing William because he would tread
on his cousin IS toes.
This very pleasant attitude is, no
doubt, fostered by the intimacy of
Maurois character delineation. and
the amused tolerance he maintains
toward his distinguished subjects.