davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1936-11-22

M Secret Service half a CEN
" " tury chasing counter
feiters up and down the
land knows master when he meets
one. No one challenged the question:
able title of Jim the Penman until
Czechoslovakia's gift to America
Count Viktor Lustig-recently came
on the scene.
A man with forty aliases and forty
arrests and only one sentence. The
Count now serves a stretch of twenty
years on ''The Rock"-Alcatraz, in the
Harbor of San Francisco near the
Golden Gate.
Luxurious limousines, lveried chauf-
feurs, penthouse apartments, beautiful
women yachts, holidays on the Riviera,
Winters in Florida, Summers in
Canada-this was the life of the Count
until Chief Moran's men put their
fingers on him.
Records in the United States Treas
ury Department., memoranda in forty
police stations in forty cities through
out the land, additional data in Paris.
Berlin, London and Prague, Czechoslo-
vakia, tell the story of Count Lustig's
cleverness. Though he swindled every
body else, he was fall guy" for gam
blers.
The Count was travelling man.
Behind him he left trail of queer
money in five, ten, twenty and hun
dred dollar bills. In the course of his
notorious career he got away with
100000 in counterfeit money
through a number of "passers." Just
how many of these passers there were
nobody will ever know, but 40 were
arrested and more than 200 convicted.
Their sentences aggregate almost 400
years imprisonment!
The Count was bail-jumper. He
pumped bail bonds from $500 to
$4,000 each. Gamblers put up the
money so they could have him around.
What he took from others the gam
blers got from the Count. Their motto
with him was Never gives sucker an
even break"
Once in San Antonio, after arrest in
Del Rio, Tex, under the name OF j. r.
Richards, the Count jumped q $l.500
bond at 10 o'clock in the morning and
at O'Clock that afternoon wheedled q
cattleman out Of $4,500. Gamblers took
that money, too.
That episode, by the way. gives q
clear idea of how the Count operated.
He had visited Del Rio to interest
some wealthy prospects in the sale OF
machine to manufacture money.
While there officers picked him up as
q fugitive from justice and found on
his person certain damaging papers.
He was indicted, but the Indictment
was dismissed.
Since the Fall River, Mass, police
were looking for this man he was
turned over to their keeping. They
took him to San Antonio. There ne
was released on habeas corpus pro-
ceedings. Just as he was walking
away free man, Texas State authori-
ties stepped In and Slaced him under
Evening star., 1936-11-22

on the businesses of motor carriers are
not included.
A total of $147,l42, 900 was diverted
to non-highway purposes, $86,658, 900
going to general funds, $l6,925, 1000 for
relief, $30,773,000 for education and
cellaneous purposes. approximately
$10,000,000 af the total collections was
undistributed at the end of the year.
Only IA States report no diversion.
These are Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kan
sas, Kentucky. Maine, Missouri. Mon
tana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon,
Utah, Vermont and wyoming.
For other than highway purposes
the District of Columbia reports sum
of s914,543.
1t would seem that the fight against
diversion has just started.
A comparison of mortality from
automobile accidents with that re-
sulting from the four principal COM
municable diseases of childhood COM
bined indicate the need for continued
concentration of efforts to bring
about further reductions in automo-
bile accidents and fatalities, accord
ing to DR.. Donald B. Armstrong,
third vice president of the Metro
politan Life Insurance Co. DR.. Arm
strong Is also member of the Exec
utive Committee of the Greater New
York Safety Council.
Pointing out that among the in
surance companys 100000 indus
trial policyholders the automobile &C
cident mortality rate has declined
thus far this year to 1877 per 100000,
as compared with 20 in 1864 drop
of per cent-Dr. Armstrong says:
1T is not improbable that this may
be due partly to the intensive educa-
tional work carried on by our COM
pany in cooperation with other
agencies. This educational work has
been largely concentrated in the
cities, where most of our policyhold-
ers are to be found Much of it has
been directed at school children, who
constitute a fairly large percentage
of our insured group.
"A striking point is the contrast
between automobile fatalities and
certain other causes of death which
We have in the past been accum-
toned to think of as prominent. For
example, in the four outstanding
diseases of childhood-measles, scarlet
fever, whooping cough and diphtheria
diseases that still main and kill
thousands of children yearly, but that
are gradually being brought under
control-we note comparison that
astonishes many. So far this year
the combined mortality rates among
the company's industrial policyhold-
ers, from these diseases, total only SIS
per 100000. In contrast to this, au-
tomobile accidents cost the company
in lives lost this year volume rep
resented by a rate of 1877 per 100000.
or nearly three and half times
the rate for the four diseases Of
childhood"
Evening star., 1936-11-22
Flame Variations.
operators who

OH-BURNER operators who find
~ that the flame in the fire boxes of
their furnaces varies, to them unex-
plainably. may find the solution in the
temperature of their cellars or in
the temperature outdoors, if fresh oil
has just been loaded into the tank.
Naturally, cold oil will not flow in ex-
actly the same volume as warm oil,
and the body would be somewhat
denser. The adjustment on the burn
er is finely balanced and this condi-
ton, which, of course, is temporary,
might easily make fame for short
time a bit too robust and an adjust
ment made to meet tthe temporary
situation might easily result in a
flame slightly too thin when the tenn
porary condition is overcome.
Evening star., 1936-11-22

Agreed, next day the count and the
heiress would 60 to a bank. The cash.
ier, naturally, would turn over good
coin of the Nation for the perfectly
good Liberty bond.
The count would confess, then, that
he had advanced the young chemical
engineer, inventor of this contraption,
the sum of $4,000 to further his edu-
cation.
Five thousand dollars" the girl
would muse IF reimburse you would
you let me have that machine?"
The count smiled as he hooked his
victim. My dear" he would say, what
would you want-what would you do
, with such machine?"
"Oh, just have some fun-play
tricks on dad" she'd say. SHOW him
that I can make money as easily as
he can"
BY cajoling her father or her banker
or whoever it might be, the young
girl would place in the hands of Count
Lustig the sum of $1,000 for a phony
machine supposed to duplicate United
States Liberty bonds.
OF course, the machine never
worked unless the count operated it.
Victims always buried their pride and
said nothing. That is one reason the
United States Secret Service was a
long time putting the finger on Count
Lustig. There was nobody to appear
against him.
TIP AND DOWN the United States
the count piled his trade. He sold
his contraption everywhere. One day
secret service men swooped down on
the count as he left the Park avenue
apartment of his sweetheart.
In a plea for leniency the count
promised to surrender a counterfeiting
plant-in full operation. "Dapper
Dan" Collins, noted character, was
delegated to act as liaison officer.
Even he did not trust the count. So
'Dapper Dan" asked secret service
men to be with him when he broke
open an envelope containing the de-
sired information.
All the count turned over to the
secret service was lot Of bogus cur
rency made by his engraver, Watts.
This was $4,000 In counterfeit bills
which the count was unable to pass.
For double-crossing them the Secret
Service men determined to end the
counts career. He was imprisoned in
the New York Detention Home. Some
time later he escaped, disguised as .
window washer.
The count had another old sweet
heart in Pittsburgh. As soon as he
made his escape the count hit the trail
for the Smoky City. The count, when
he visited that bailiwick, bore his girl
friends name. Secret Service men
shadowing this girl, caught the count.
He was arrested and brought back to
New York to face two charges-coun-
terfeiting and escape from prison.
That did the trick. He got twenty
years.
Evening star., 1936-11-22

arrest-a swindling charge against
him at Laredo He was held for 9
while and released. The case never
came to trial. Again arrested in Sar
Antonio, he jumped bail.
In the era that began with the
World War and ended for him when
the steel doors of Alcatraz closed or
his back, the fine Czechoslovakiar
hand of Count Lustig came into con-
tact with high society in continental
Europe and America. Many an in.
nocent diplomat, coming to Americs
for the first time, found that the
counts illegal operations affected him
On one occasion five young members
of an embassy in Washington were
victimized on their way to their new
posts. They spoke a smattering oi
English, but knew little or nothing
about Uncle Sans currency. When
they got to Washington each man
had queer" $40 bill in his posses
sion. One of the counts henchmen
had been aboard the liner.
THE count Is a linguist. Speaks six
languages perfectly. He is at
home in any company. He was born
Viktor Lustig, on January 4, 1889, in
the little town of Rechenberg, out
side Prague, in what was then Bo-
hemia-a part of old Austria.
Records disclose the bogus count
came from honest parents. Quite
poor. Too poor to suit the son blessed
with good looks.
A quarter Of century after the
count shook the dust of his old home
town from wayward feet he went back
to the continent on the fastest ocean
liner, first class, and was entertained
by social leaders of three countries.
The count had spread enough queer"
money to buy himself yacht which
sailed English waters-nobility his
guests. That insured his social stand
ing. He returned to America q better
man socially than when he left.
Long Island and It's estates were
uuHicuiaociy cPcicu W eitc CSicuIaeeu
Count Lustig, and while he was the
count on Long Island he was, to list
only some of his various aliases, Rob-
ert Lamar in Omaha, Robert Duval
in st. Louis, George Shobo in Los
Angeles, Charles Gruber in San Fran
cisco, Charles Gromar in Detroit, Al
bert Phillips in Indianapolis, Robert
Miller in New York City, John r.
Kane in Oklahoma City. ]. r. Rich
ards in Washington. 6. r. Werner in
Fort Worth, Robert George In Miami,
G. H. Baxter In Spokane, Victor
Lustig In Denver and Victor Gross In
Chicago.
These and 80 others were his names.
Evening star., 1936-11-22

them because owners assume they do
not need such frequent tightening and
thus leave them alone"
Soft Tires for Safety.
With icy streets in prospect, I think
it is timely to remind drivers of the
skid protection in reducing tire pres
sures. A hard tire allows less tread to
come into contact with the road sur
face and, in addition, it encourages
the wheel to bounce. A soft tire, on
the contrary, dips into holes and
climbs over the humps in a way that
provides not only better traction for
power and braking. but for steering.
1t is always important in slippery
weather to make certain that the car
is going to follow the direction of the
front wheels. Obviously, it is only so
per cent effective to reduce pressure
in the rear tires alone.
Hold Tight After Blowout.
In previous article I stressed the
point that the main thing to remem-
ber when a tire blows out is to avoid
oversteering. Now I want to amplify
this by suggesting what should be done
Evening star., 1936-11-22
! Bogus Count MADE"
Thousands of Dollars in
Counterfeit Money, but
Never Passed a Dollar of
It Himself.

Mysterious silence has shrouded
the activities of the United States
Secret Service for more than halt
century. The country has mar
Deled ouer the breaking up Of
counterfeiting rings and capture
OF the men inuolred in this
netarious business, but the de-
tails hare heretofore been buried
in the terse report ease closed"
HotU the Secret Service succeeded
the methods used, the dangers
faced, the thrill packed battles-is
now described in a series OF articles
OF Which this is the first. The Sec
ond in the series ,DiH appear merit
Sunday.
Evening star., 1936-11-22
Argentine Boosts Cotton.

all possible to stimulate the grow
ing of cotton, particularly in the past
few years since the price of American
cotton has gone SO high that the de-
veloping offers attractive prospects OF
a substantial return, plans this COM
ing year to increase the planted acre.
age by nearly one third.
If the plans now under considera-
ton carry through, 100000 acres
will be under cultivation. During the
past season, 5000 acres were plant
ed. At present Argentina ranks eighth
among cotton producing nations.
Evening star., 1936-11-22

Now he is known merely as No. 30o-AZ
in Alcatraz.
Twas a merry life while it lasted,
but as Chief Moran sagely remarked
the other day, THE count will do nc
more counterfeiting."
The counts forte lay in the guilt
bility of his clients-wealthy persons
for the most part-whose consciences
were guilty as his, for he turned them
all into potential counterfeiters. Here
Is how the count worked:
Just of the boat from Europe, in
his penthouse apartment in New York
the count would throw a party" In
return the count would be invited
over to somebody else's apartment
for round of hospitality, though the
count did not drink. While at party
some one got him to tell of his travels
He told, then, of hobnobbing with
Baron Won Schweitzlogg in Berlin and
how the baron sponsored a young
chemical engineer. This engineer, 1t
seemed, had discovered q chemical
formula whereby money could be
counterfeited.
How does this invention work."
they would ask the count.
Some time when you're over to my
apartment I'll show you," he would
reply.
IN HIS apartment the count pro-
duced formidable black box, built
like huge camera.
Don't fool with money" the count
would say, prepared for his demon
stration. Lets duplicate Liberty
bond"
He'd go to his safe and get out q
Liberty bond-two, in fact, though he
showed only one.
Previous to this the count had ar
ranged the numbers on one Liberty
bond so they conceded with the num-
bers on another bond-both good. He
did this by getting two bonds in the
same serial, with only the last number
to be changed. Thus 181 easily be-
came 184.
So the count would put the changed
1874 bond in the box, let 1t stay there
while the chemicals operated-much
in the fashion that photographs are
developed.
After a while the count turned q
crank. Out came the original No. 1874
bond. ostensibly made OF the bond
that had been changed.
Perfectly gorgeous" some young
thing would remark.
''It is perfect" the count said, with
truth, land I'll prove it to you"
"How?"
Tomorrow take It down TO your
bank-your, fathers bank-and have
It cashed."
Evening star., 1936-11-22
Driver
Can, You .
AnstUer This .
AAA TRAFFIQUIZ.

AAA TRAFFIQUIZ.
1. Fall and Winter offer many
new hazards to motorists. Which Of
the following is a most frequent cause
Of skidding?
Check right space.
Paper lying in the
streets.
b Under-inflated tires.
c } Falling leaves.
d ) Loose steering wheel.
2. Foot ball rules as king In the
world of sports. Which Of the fol-
lowing is the most dangerous practice
in heavy traffic headed for the big
games?
az Crowded front seat.
b Weaving in and out
Of the line.
&C Driving too slowly.
d } Following cars too
closely.
8. One person is killed In a high
~ay mishap every - minutes.
Which Is correct?
a } Every 10 minutes.
b } Every 80 minutes.
c } Every IS minutes.
d } Every 40 minutes.
4. Which of the following is
dangerous practice for motorists in
cars waiting at crosswalks.
at } Talking to passengers on
back seats.
be } Keeping foot on the
clutch.
OF } Leaving car in gear.
Evening star., 1936-11-22
Shows Indicate New Boom
In Motor Car Production
District Drivers Urged to Get Busy on License
Tag Applications. Highway Tax
Diversions Noted.
Bv G.. Adams HOward.

high auomotive circles results
automobile pleasing to all manu-
enthusiasm of crowds and the
The Washington and
Evening star., 1936-11-22
AUTOMOTIVE OPTIMISM RUNS HIGH -: AVIATIO
Unified Air Control Plan
May End Vexing Problem
Flying Transport Development Gains by
Military Concessions in Wash
ington Area.
By Joseph S. EdgerfOn.

)oNsDERATION being by Air Corps officers Boiling
installing traffic tower Of
with
troubled aviation people for
Evening star., 1936-11-22
NO. l.
The LuStig Case,

The Lustig Case.
w Y H. MORAN, chief of the
M Secret Service half a CEN
" " tury chasing counter
feiters lid and down the
Evening star., 1936-11-22

"FiUe thousand dol
lars" the girl would
muse. "U / reimburse
you, Dil you let me
haze that n,achine?"
The count smiled.
Evening star., 1936-11-22

THE Canadian government has an
nounced that airmail service on
the prairie sections of the trans-Can-
ada route will be in operation next
Spring.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-11-04
TtUo States M
 London Column
sContlnued from Pare ll>

An lei2 when the election was com- pllcated by the 'Bull-Moose" bolt and h 1916 when Woodrow Wilson was reelected by . slim margin over Charles Evans Hughes. Roosevelt did not carry Maine in leS2, but his election the fol- lowing November had been fore- cast two months previously when Maine voters chose Democratic Governor Louis ]. Brann.
 An interesting highlight in yes- terday's balloting was Roosevelt's strong showing in Passport, site of the abandoned SS0, ,000, 900 PassaSna- quoddy project. The president poii- cd l,46S against Landon's 3le.
 The Aroogtook county town of Benedicta gave Lemke 32 votes against i7 for Roosevelt and four for Landon.
 Vermont Is c. o. P.
 Montpelier, Vt, Nov. 4-(Up) - Vermont, birthplace of Calvin Cool idge was one of the two New Eng. land states that remained true tc republican tradition, complete res turns showed today.
 Governor Landon was given a margin of about 10000 votes, 0 re- publican governor was elected and
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-11-04
JACK HAMILTON
 IN FINAL TALK

Chicago, Nov. 4-(UP)--John D, Hamilton, chairman of the republi- can national committee, said today the republican party will serve the country aS "a militant and vigor- ous minority"
 Hamilton conceded the election of President Roosevelt and defeat of the republican nominee, Ali M. Lan- don, at 12:18 a. m. today.
 None of those who have stood shoulder to shoulder in this fight need have regrets or fears, for in making this fight they have freely and courageously followed the dic- tates of their conscience" Hamilton said.
 Under our form of government Q militant and vigorous minority has a vital service to render to the nation.
 "rhe republican party, with the cooperation of those democrats and independents who find common cause with us will not fail in that obligation"
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-11-04
| MARITIME MESS
 IS SPREADING

San Francisco, Nov. 4.-(Up)-- The Pacific coast maritime strike extended It's paralyxing hand into factories and manufacturing plants of the west today, enforcing idle- ness upon thousands of workers af- fiiiated with industries dependent upon shipping.
 Several large factories along the coast were forced to shut down be- cause they were unable to operate without fresh supplies of raw ma. terials. The northwest's great lum- Der industry virtually was ct Q standstill.
 As shipowners and the seven striking unions continued in their deadlock over Fundamental Issues of the strike, new disputes arose which threatened more serious trouble.
 The question of placing skeleton crews aboard l60 idle ships became @ major issue of the walkout and gave rise to the possibility of vio- lence in the thus far peaceful labor demonstration,
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-11-04

House quartet" tried to start some singing, but the guests were not interested and he gave up.
 other Callers
 Other callers were Judge and Mrs. Samuel I. Roseman, of New York, Basil O'Connor, the presidents for- nner law partner, and Stanley High, leader of the good neighbor league.
 Meanwhile, ct the temporary White House offices in Poughkeep- sic. thousands more telegrams were arriving. As the presidents lead and the extent of his sweep widened during the evening, the volume grew greater. Most of them reflected the fervancy with which MT. Roosevelt's admirers look upon him. Many end- ed with God Bless You" or God Preserve You"
 Mr. Roosevelt was expected to rec main ct Hyde Park until Thursday, returning then to Washington to care for accumulated government business. He had promised himself Q fishing trip, win or lose, during the campaign, and he was expected to embark on 1t within the next few weeks.
 Garner Hears Of It
 Uvalde, Tex, Nov. 4-(UP)-Vice President John Nance Garner, who makes 1t an invariabie rule to go to bed early, apparently did not know until this morning that his republi- can opponent had conceded his re- election to the vice presidency of the United States ct midnight.
 While President Roosevelt, Gov. Ali Landon and Frank Knox were exchanging telegrams regarding the outcome of yesterdays election, Vice President Garner .was spending 0 quiet night at home.
 I'm sorry, but they have stopped answering the telephone" the op- orator said to newsmen trying to reach the vice president.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-11-04

was falling.
 First Lady Smiled
 Mrs. Roosevelt, in Q white evening gown, stood Q little behind him, smiling and greetin gpeople in the crowd. Sllhouetted in the light that streamed through the open door, were Vincent Astor and Henry Hooker, old friends of the president and the Roosevelt family, Mrs. Ai1- na Roosevelt Boettiger, his daugh- ter, Miss Marguerite Leland, his personal secretary, and Q half dozen other house guests.
 Prom all returns" the president said, "the sweep has been carried into every single section of the United States including New Eng land."
 Someone in the crowd spoke up with his personal congratulations and Mir. Roosevelt replied, smiling. He and his neighbors chatted back and forth, in easy familiar fashion.
 "Say that red fire smoke is get~ ting into my throat" he said. "I've got to go in now and get the returns from California. I hope that the next four years, the emergency be- ing over, l will be able to spend more time at Hyde Park" Newsmen As Guests The reporters, photographers, and sound. movie men who had accom- panied the president on thousands of miles of campaigning-many of whom have been assigned to the White House for all of his first ad- ministration arrived during the middle of the evening to be the presidents guests at Q buffet sup. per. Tn the library, they congra. tulated MT. Roosevelt.
 Tom Corcoran, attorney for the securities and exchange commission arrived to convey his congratula- tons. Apparently the gathering seemed too sedate for him. for he produced an accordion and played Q few numbers. Secretary McIn. tyre, basso profundo of the "Whitt
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-11-04
VENUE CHANGE
 BEING ASKED

Wise, Va, Nov. 4-(Up)--Attor- neys for Edith Maxwell, 22 year old school teacher who was granted Q new trial after being convicted and sentenced to 26 years imprisonment on charges of staying her father, will present Q motion for Q change of venue before Judge H. A. w. skeeh here Friday, 1t was learned today.
 Defense counsel have indicated that . change of venue will be sought on the ground that local prejudice will prevent Miss Maxwell from receiving e fair trial.
 At her first trial she testified she struck her father in self defense with the heel of Q slipper.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-11-04
DAMAGE CLAIM HEARING SET BACK

Civil action for $25,000 damages brought by Mrs. D. Q. Evans against the Byrolly Transportation O., had been assigned for hearing in su- perior court at 10 o'clock this morn- ing, but 1t has been put off until tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock No case was heard in superior court today.
 Mrs. Evans seeks to recover foI injuries allegedly caused by an &C., cident which she claims was due tC the negligence and carelessness oi an empioye of the trucking com pany. The accident occurred June 8, 1885 at l0:45 p. rl., on South ington mountain.
 The case will be presented before Judge John A. Cornell and Q jury by Attorney Michael V. Blansfield with Attorney Martin E. oormley for the defense.