davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
EARTHQUAKES s
DEATH TOTAL
IN THOUSANDS
Reports From India Indicate
Vast Section OF Country De-
vastated By Disaster.
FLYERS INSPECT DAMAGE
Estimates AS High As 10000
Made Following Survey Of
Districts Stricken.
FLYERS INSPECT DAMAGE

CALCUTTA, India, Jan. II. U.P)
Cities, villages, and hill stations
over a wide area of north central
India we're devastated today, their
populations scattered or seeking
dead in the ruins of their homes. af-
ter an earthquake that had reached
the proportions of major disaster.
Airplanes that surveyed the quake
area brought a story of country
prCstrated, thousands of it's build
ings crumbled, whole towns under
water, bodies lying in streets, buried
in ruins or floating down streams
toward the sea.
Captain Frederick Dalton, who pi-
loted the first plane to penetrate
the area, said he believed the dead
must total btween 5000 and 10000.
Threat of famine and disease,
age-old enemies of crowded India,
faced survivors who were still cut
off from ordinary communication.
The quake occurred at 2:39 p. m.
Monday. Many buildings here were
| cracked. Large towns over north
central India whose communica-
tions were not severed, began report
| ing damage and small death lists.
But it had not been dreamed that
/ the devastation was as severe as
Dalton reported.
Dalton stated that the town of
MuZfarpore in northern Bihar, an
| important trade center with pop
ulation of 49,750, was the center OF
thn ctvin thnra For 100
| miles around, he said, on the fer
! tile plain, where 970 persons live on
each square mile of ground, corpses
| were strewn and centerS of popula-
ton ruined.
Floods Cause Havoc
THE streets were full of bodies"
he said. Hundreds must have been
buried in debris. Apparently the
quake, ripping great fissures in the
ground, sent water squirting into the
air until some areas were flooded.
Tops of some houses were visible" !"
Three airplanes that flew over
North Bihar confirmed Dalton's re-
ports of terrible devastation. Their
| pilots said that the quake and
floods seemed almost to have wiped
out a portion of the countryside.
Floods had ravaged whole districts,
buildings were destroyed, railways
and over so railway bridges wrecked,
they said.
Reports from Patna, Jamalpore,
and other Bihar stations indicated
that towns and villages all over the
area would increase the roster OF
| dead
Reports today said that Monghyi.
town of $4,000 in Bengal, with
considerable European population.
was nearly destroyed
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
LONG WAC|NC
BITTER FIGHT.

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. II. U.P) -
Senator Huey P Long, hoarse from
last night S ranting public speech,
renewed his campaign today to
save New Orleans from a ring OF
hoodlum politicians"
His campaign is directed at the
cid regular Democratic party, which
controls the city administration
The goal is next Tuesdays munich
pal election.
Warfare between Longs state adj
ministration and the anti-Long city
ring has thrown New Orleans into
its worst political tumult of manv
months. Investigation, arrests and
threats echoed from half dozen
quarters.
City police still held custody of
the registrar Of voters office under
authority of civil court. Registrar c.
S. Barnes, a state officer, and 10 of
his associates, most of them Long
followers, face two charges of tam
pering illegally with the voting rolls.
They were arrested and jailed in q
spectacular midnight raid, but later
released on Writs of habeas corpus.
The state supreme court has re-
fused to grant Barnes request that
his office be turned back to him.
| Mayor T. S. Walmsley, head of the
old regulars and that factions cam
didate for reelection, has pledged
his forces TO "purging the state of
Longism
Long, who has entered complete
ticket in the municipal campaign,
has charged the old regular admin
istration with protecting murder
ers, bandits and racketeers, and de-
livering the city into the hands Of
outlaws"
A third ticket in the field is head
ed by Francis Williams, candidate
for mayor on platform that will
include putting Long in jail Will
liams claims a strong following from
anti-Long forces.
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
GREETING FOR
RUDY VA[LEE
FLAT AFFAIR
BY JOHN r. BEAL
United Press Staff Correspondent

NEW YORK, Jan II. - Neither
Rudy Vallee nor his attorney, Hy-
man Bushel, appeared gratified at
the efforts of Mack Millar to make
Rudy IS horAe-coming today Broad
way wow.
Mack Millar and five girls from
the Hollywood restaurant, where
Rudy is playing and grooming these
nights, had stayed up all night,
keeping awake on coffee and other
things, to give Rudy a rousing well
come at the Grand Central station
The girls, two blondes and three
brunettes, were dressed in white
sailor pants with a blue stripe. and
white sweater with big blue "H'
and carried huge megaphones. They
tied up early morning traffic in the
station, and commuters were late to
work.
Vallee and Bushel stepped from
the second section of the Century
and were not amused at the dis
play. Bushel took Millar aside and
said few words which included
disgraceful' and "undignified
The girls stood uneasily, waving
their megaphones unsteadily in the
cool breeze, and Rudy, observing
cameras in the offing. essayed a
brief stage-smile.
Millar was very crestfallen, and
informed Bushel that he was onl I
doing his part to make Rudy feel
at home and that he thought his
efforts might be better appreciated,
particularly since Rudy's engage
ment at the Hollywood still has
some time to run.
The girls who had won their
"H's' by perfection in the art of
undress began to feel the cold seep-
ing through their duck pants, and
finally piled into taxicab and de-
parted. Rudy saluted the gathering
crowd and made a hurried exit to
his waiting motor car.
The crooner and his attorney
made their way through the heavy
downtown traffic to Bushel IS office,
where they held heavy consulta-
ton over the form that Rudy's
statement to his public-if any were
made-should take.
Rudy appeared to be of the opin-
ion that everything that could be
said about his efforts to divorce Fay
Webb had been said.
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
SUSPECT HELD
FOR Staying
ADMITS GUILT

LOS ANGELES, Jan. II. W.R)-
Fearing another woman would come
between them, Harold V. Montfort,
38-year-old automobile salesman,
beat and strangled his sweetheart
to death, according to a strange
confession quoted by police today.
Detectives said Montfort broke
under questioning and confessed
when shown the blood-stained
clothes of Mrs Ruby Maria Hollar,
young divorcee, and when told his
17-year-old son, was under sus-
picion.
Mrs. Holiar'S battered body was
found Monday in the apartment she
occupied with Montfort and the
latter's son. She had been beaten
over the head with flatiron and
garrotted with a bathrobe cord. Her
body was stuffed under a pile of
bedclothes and deserted in gas
filled room. MOntford said he tried
to kill himself with gas but "got
only a headache -
| Detectives quoted Montfort as
saying he quarreled with his in
amorata over another woman who
he feared, would break up their re-
lationship.
"Last Friday I stayed away from
work and followed her MRS. Hol-
lar -, Montfort said, according to
queStioners. 'She met that woman
and we had an argument. The ar
gument continued over the week.
end and Monday morning after my
son left for school, she started to
pack. She told me she was going
back to her parents.
81 couldn It stand it. I lost my
temper and grabbed the iron.
struck her over the head. She fell
to the floor and I struck her three
more times Then l took the cord
from my bathrobe and pulled it
tight around her neck.
81 realized what l had done and
brooded, finally deciding to commit
suicide. 1 turned on all the gas jets
and fell asleep, but woke up few
hours late rWith a headache. Then
1 left the house,
The suspect said he drove to the
hours later with a headache. Then
Opal Montfort, but she refused to
see him. He then surrendered.
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
CUBA FILLED
WITH RUM0RS

HAVANA, Jan. II. U.P)-Strikes,
demonstrations, ominous rumors
and a vital matter of policy af-
fecting United States interests to-
day complicated the efforts of
Carlos Hevia, Annapolis graduate
and new PROVISIONAL president, to
form a government.
Rumors were of an imminent
breach in the apparently precarious
friendliness of those behind Hevia
The American phase was the set
tlement to be made of the dispute
between the Cuban government and
the American owned Cuban Electric
company, $2O0,0OO.OO0 utilities cor
poration, which supplies many towns
with electricity and gas.
jefferson Caffery, President Roos-
evelt IS personal representative here
he will be ambassador when
government is recognized-was un-
derstood to have sent President
Hevia a message, protesting against
seizure of the company's property.
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
NICK STICKS
IN HIS PLACE
President Backs Up Peanut
Vendors Right To White
House Corner.

WASHINGTON, Jan. II. U.P) -
President Roosevelt intervened to-
day to save mick the Greek" from
being forced to move his portable
peanut stand from the edge of the
White House lawn.
Nick, whose full name is Nicholas
Vasilakos, has been blue for more
than a week because Of threats by
the Washington chamber of COM
merce to remove him from his ia
vorite corner of Pennsylvania ave-
nue. and East Executive avenue as
a traffic obstruction.
The first news of Nick's plight
was contained in clipping that
went first to Mrs. Roosevelt, who
frequently purchases Nick's pop
corn. Mrs. Roosevelt was interested
and sent the clipping with this mem
| orandum to Stephen T. Early, White
House secretary:
Must this man go?"
AS Early prepared to act, he dis
! covered that the President also had
seen the story and personally had
/ got in touch with the chief of the
| police traffic division, giving in
structions that Nick the Greek, for
80 years a fixture at the White
House corner, was not to be molesC-
! ed.
Nick, when he was threatened
with expulsion, planned to take up
! his case first with Senator McAdoo,
Dem, Calf, Nick has voting ad-
dress there.
"If ! no can get action from
Meester McAdoo I go and see big
chief in White House" Nick re
marked at that time. The PreSl-
dents action makes that unneces-
sary.
Nick is a familiar figure to thou
sands of Washington citizens.
Years ago it was understood there
was another movement to GUST Nick
from his corner and at that time
President Wilson interviewed.
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
DENVER NEEDY
PLANNING RAID

Copyright, 1884, BY United Press
DENVER, Colo, Jan. II. W.P)-
More than 400 unemployed men,
carefully organized into districts,
and already equipped with trucks,
are prepared for raids on Denver
grocery stores and wholesale food
warehouses unless legislative action
for their relief is taken at once.
This flat statement was made to
the United Press today by Fred
Walker, unemployed father who is
the leader of the entire group.
Walker said the deadline for &C
ton to provide food and shelter for
the homeless and hungry had been
set definitely now for noon tomor-
row. Earlier the men had planned
to begin the raids tonight.
At noon tomorrow, also, he said, a
telegram will be sent to President
Roosevelt asking that the federal
government take complete charge
of the relief situation in Colorado,
where the state assembly, now in
special session, has been unable, SO
far, to pass relief legislation.
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17

Strike activities seem to have
died cut according to reports OBJ
tanned this morning from the sher-
iff's officea nd local police head
quarters. No calls for officers were
received at either place and al
though releasing most of the depu-
ties for other duties the county au-
thoritieS are continuing their atti-
tude of watchful preparedness to
cope with any possible outbreak.
That county officers feel the
backbone of the strike to have been
broken is evident from the fact that
most of the traffic officers who
came in last week to assist local Of
ficials in handling the strike have
returned to their own counties.
Two petitions for writs of habeas
corpus asking the release of 73 pri-
soners in the county Jail who were
arrested in connection with the
strike were filed at the couts house
yesterday.
The first petition, in which all
these prisoners are named. was pre-
sciitcu ny N1icVci ~. Joililooil, oSu
styled attorney for the strikers. In
it he charges that faxed charges"
were brought against these prison.
ers who are illegally held and de
prived of their liberty" The petit
ton further alleges that whatever
charges may be filed against these
prisoners are false and groundiess
and will be made because the pris-
oners are members Of the Agricul-
tural and Cannery Workers Indus
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
WIFE AMENDS
COMPLAINT IN
VALLEE CASE

LOS ANGELES, Jan. IT, U.P)-
Naming a fourth woman and max
ing additional charges that Rudy
Vallee, crooner, was guilty of mis-
conduct with Alice Faye, singer and
actress, Fay Webb vallee filed an
amendment to her suit for separate
maintenance today.
The amendment consisted mainly
of list of dates and places when
and where Vallee and Miss Faye
were alleged to have been indiscreet.
The fourth woman was identified
only as "Jane Doe IIIo. Two
other Jane Does had been named
previously.
Vallee, the amended complaint
alleged, was indiscreet with Jane
Doe III in Los Angeles last January
4.
Indiscretions between Vallee and
Miss Faye were alleged to have oc-
CURED in IL different cities.
The new complaint was filed soon
after Superior Judge Dudley S.
Valentine had continued for one
week hearing on the alimony petit
tion for $7,450 month brought by
Mrs. Vallee against the crooner,
pending trial of the separate MAIN
tenance action. The continuance
was taken when attorneys for both
sides expressed the desire to have
more time to prepare their cases.
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17

Copyright, 1884. BY United Press
WASHINGTON, Jan. IT. U.P-
More than 100000 families whose
homes are menaced by foreclosure
should be made secure under their
own roofs by July 81 if potentiali-
ties of the Home Owners Loan Cor
poration discussed today with the
United Press are realized.
The figure is unofficial in that
no loan quota has been fixed.
Chairman John H. Fahey of the
corporation said "we are trying to
make every safe and sound loan
that it is possible to make. We are
reviewing our operations in every
state finding out where screws are
loose and how they can be tight
ened.'
1t may be possible to extend
$1,500,O00,000 of aid to distressed
owners by July 81,
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17

LOS ANGELES, Jan. II. U.P) -
Mrs. Mate A. Hommel, who attract
ed nation wide attention several
months ago by styling herself the
mother of three scientific child
ren," moved her marital troubles
into court again today in an attempt
to save her home from foreclosure
proceedings. In a suit to quiet title
to her Beverly Hills home, she
charged her former husband, DR..
Wesley J. Hommel, with torturing
her into signing a $4,000 mortgage
three years ago. Hommel, we'll
known Hollywood physician, denied
the charges.
Her daughter, Jane, was horri-
fled witness when Hommell beat her
into signing the mortgage, Mrs
Hommel alleged The physician
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17

trial Union for the purpose OF
breaking up this union. A hearing
on this petition will be held before
Judge Thompson tomorrow after
noon at 1:30 o'clock.
Clarence Lynch, a Phoenix law
yer, who was arrested last Sunday
and found to be in possession of
strike literature filed the second pc
tition for writ of habeas corpus in
his own behalf. He alleges that he
had come to this county to aid
johnson in preparing a defense for
the other prisoners and was arrest
ed shortly after his arrival here. 1t
is further stated that the only pur-
pose for this said incarceration is to
prevent him from assisting in the
defense of the said alleged strikers.
A hearing on this petition was to
be held before Judge Thompson O.
1;30 O'Clock this afternoon.
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
CONGRESS To
SEEK CHECK
ON TREASURY
Belief Held Secretary Given
Too Much Power Under Stab
ilization Fund.
GOLD FUND CHALLENGED
McAdoo Demands Legal Opinion
On ConstitutionaIity OF Rocse-
welt Program.
BY IL. O. THOMPSON


United Press Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Jan. II. - A
move was started in congress to-
day to place check upon the
sweeping powers that would be CIV
en- the secretary of treasury under
the $2,O0O,OO0,00O stabilization fund
proposals OF the new Roosevelt
gold program.
1t was learned that support was
gathering to proposal advanced
within the senate banking and cur
rency committee that the secretary
be made accountable to congress
for his stabilization operations.
The bill as considered by the
committe said that the secretary's
decision shall be final and not sub
ject to review by any other officer
of the United States. The faction
desiring change will strive to
have this amended to read not
subject to review by an admins
trative officer, thereby leaving the
way open for review by the le-
gislative branch of the government.
Under the gold reserve act the
$2,000,000,000 Stabilization fund
would be used for the purchase,
sale or negotiation of all types of
securities, both domestic and for
eign. The object OF such operations
would be to stabilize the exchange
value of the dollar.
These stabilization operations
are counted upon to benefit the
United States international trade.
At the committe meeting Sena-
tors Glass, DEM, Va, McAdoo,
Dem, Calf, and Gore, DEM, Okla,
raised the issue OF the constitution
ality of the Presidents gold plan.
At McAdoo's insistence the COM
mittee called on Attorney General
Cummings for a written opinion on
the legality of various phases of
the bill. .-. f.--
Hearing on the bill were arrang-
ed to begin today.
Action on the gold bill in the
house was delayed by a squabble
over Jurisdiction. Speaker Rainey
decided that it should be handled
by the coinage committee, but the
banking and currency committee
was expected to insist on a vote in
the house before surrendering it's
claim to the bill. p.
Governor Black and farm leaders
endorsed the Roosevelt gold plan.
Black said that the federal reserve
board, instead of opposing the ma
tionalization of gold, actually had
proposed it.
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
SCIENTIFIC MOTHER FILES SUIT
Charges Husband With Beating Her To Force
Signature On Mortgage For Home.

dragged the girl from closet and
forced her to witness the signature,
according to Mrs. Hommels COM
plant. She asked that the mortgage
be invalidated to prevent her for
mer husbands creditors from fore
closing.
Mrs. Hommel styled herself o
scientific mother several months
ago when she sued DR.. Hommel for
division of community property.
She said her first husband, James
Shelley, of Detroit. agreed to a
scientific experiment by which Ra-
phael Corcoran, also of Detroit, be-
came the father of her three child
ren
Many physicians later declared
the experiment was nothing extra
ordinary" Shelley died last week in
Newport, Ky.
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
GRETA GARBO
AND 'FRIEND'
RETURN HOME

HOLLYWOOD, Jan. II. U.P)-
Greta Garbo and Reuben Nam
oulian returned to their homes
today, ending a fox and goose chase
through the southwest where pur-
suerS wanted to question them
about rumors they were eloping.
You can say definitely we we're
not married" the film director told
the United Press after he and the
Swedish actress had separated and
gone to their respective homes.
A check of their itinerary bore
out the denial
To the end, the sphinxlike Gin
ema star and the bespectacled
director were winners in the race
they staged with newspapermen
and curious Arizona townsfolk.
With Negro chauffeur at the
wheel of their car, they whizzed
through towns that dotted their
journey from the Grand Canyon,
halting only at the state border
for inspection, and then continu-
ing their homeward flight. They
left Kingman, Ariz., yesterday
morning.
I'VE were only out on a pleasure
trip" Mamoulian said.
Their return failed to stamp out
rumors that an engagement is in
the offing. To questions concern
ing romance, the director replied
briefly:
Il have no plans"
Miss Garbo with characteristic
secretiveness clustered herself be-
hind the walls of her home and
could not be questioned.
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
SECURITY ASSURED HOME OWNER
Over Half Million Families Threatened By
Mortgages Will Receive Relief

Home owners Loan Corporation
records show that loans are being
extended at the rate of about $780,
900 daily. During this week it is
to be stepped up. To attain the
ST 100000, 900 figure by July 81 it
would be necessary to achieve an
average daily business of about
$8,000,000.
T he corporations S2,000,00O 900
lending power represents potential
aid for 10000 home owners. The
staff is said to be capable of hand
ling business up to $10,O00,000 daily.
There has been some difficulty in
diSposing of corporation bonds
President Roosevelt recently said
that a government guarantee of the
principal of the bonds would be pro-
posed to congress. But the board
has not yet recommended such a
guarantee,
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
Chinese Revolt
Reported Ouer

SHANGHAI, Jan. IT, W.P)-The
Marking Central government Off
cially today announced that the re-
volt in Fukien province, where Eu-
gene Chen and the 10Th route army
defied Central authority, had been
suppressed.
The announcement came stimuli
taneously with the report that
Chang Chow and Chungchow. i'm
portant provincial cities. had fall
en- before the strong Nationalist
force. The Central government
troops already we're in control OF
Foochow, capital OF the Peoples
government" set up by the rebels.
The Kuomin news agency said
that Generals Chang Kwang MAI
and Tsai Ting-Kai, leading war
lords in the revolt. had sought par
dons from the Marking authors
ties. A
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
January 31st Is
License Deadline

January Is was the deadline date
for making applications for 1894 au-
tCmohile licenses, it was explained
at the office of the California High
way Patrol today. but there is no
intention of arresting anyone who
has not yet made application, it was
pointed cut. as proving that applica-
tion has not been made would be
extremely difficult.
However, those who have not OBJ
tanned their licenses by midnight of
January 81, will be subject to a pen
atty unless they can prove that APP
plication was made before that date.
Cars operating With 1888 license
plates after Januray 81, will be halt
ed and the operators compelled TO
get new license plates or show that
application for them has been made.
Imperial Valley press., 1934-01-17
WEST ROBBERY
NOT STUNT

LOS ANGELES, Jan. IT, W.P)-If
the robbery of Mae West l8 months
ago was a publicity stunt, the bux-
ON film star was unable to deny it
in her own words today WIN at
torneys representing Edward Fried
man, accused of holding her up,
clashed with state prosecutors.
Miss West, who already had des-
cribed how a man she said was
Friedman robbed her of $12, 200
worth of jewels and $34O0 in cash,
was undergoing cross-examination
by William j. Clark, defending
Friedman.
IT take it you didn't have this
robbery staged for publicity pur-
poses" began Clark.
Miss West Strengthened in her
chair, fire in her eyes, for a quick
retort, but John Oliver deputy dis
trict attorney, leaped to his feet to
roar an objection.
Superior Judge Harry Seweu sus-
tanned the objection and thus pre-
vented Miss West from replying.