davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1937-11-28
Engagements
In Service
Circles
Miss atsy Donohue
And Lois Arnold
To Be Brides.

INTEREST in service circles centers
today on the formal announce
ments of engagements of two
L popular members of the younger
set. one to an officer in the United
States Marine Corps and the other to
an officer in the United States Navy.
Comdr. Robert Donohue of the
United States Coast Guard and Mrs.
Donohue will announce the engage
nent Of their daughter Patsy to Capt.
Edward Bruce Carney, U. S. NJ c., at
a cocktail party which they will give
this afternoon from until z o'clock
in their residence, 1906 Rittenhouse
street. The reception will be given in
honor of Mr.. and Mrs. Taylor E. Car
ney Of Churchland, Va, parents of
the bridegroom
Miss Donohue had planned to make
her debut this winter and has been
prominent in debutante festivities
since the season opened. However, she
decided to give UP her plans for a
debut, and in place of a debutante
bouquet she has chosen bridal bou-
quet. The wedding of Miss Donohue
and Capt. Carney will take place III
the spring. Miss Donohue was gradu-
ated from Holton Arms and attended
George washington University. Capt
Carney was graduated from Virginia
Military Institute in 1880. and is now
stationed at Quantico, Va.
The other engagement, Of no less
import in service circles, is that of
Miss Lois Elizabeth Arnold to 1t.
Ernest Maynard Snowden, U. S. N.
which Is announced by her parents.
Brig. Gen. Henry H. Arnold Of the Air
Corps and Mrs. Arnold.
Miss Arnold attended Penn Hall,
Pa: Riverside Junior College, Calf,
and the University of Arizona at Tue
son. She is a member of Kappa Kappa
Gamma and the Army and Navy
Chapter of the D. A. R.
1t. Snowden IS member Of the
class of 1882. United States Naval
Academy, and is at present stationed
with Fighting Squadron 4, U. s. S.
Ranger, Coronado, Calf.
The wedding will take place next
month in Coronado.
Evening star., 1937-11-28
LondOns in CAPITAL.

Mr.. Hugh s. London, British Con-
sui General. and Mrs. London have
arrived in Washington from New Or
leans. They are ct the Wardman Park
Hotel. Mr.. and Mrs. London were
among the guests at luncheon given
by the British Ambassador and Lady
Lindsay yesterday.
Evening star., 1937-11-28

lie 1870 r SJTeeC CluD was LIle
scene of Mr.. and Mrs. Dewey's party
last night. It seems as though some
magic spell has been woven about the
four walls and roof Of that building
situated on the northeast corner of
twentieth and F. streets, for the many
parties given there when it was the
residence Of Mrs. James F. Curtis still
remain IN the memory Of her innumer-
able friends, and during the five-year
lifetime of the building as club, the
reputation has been created, and justly
"a. that Republicans. Democrats. rich
and poor and persons from far-away
countries have met and spent no end
Of happy hours enjoying the attrac-
tive surroundings and faultless serv-
ice always so obvious at the delightful
and entertaining gatherings.
Mrs. Dewey, petite, attractive and
noted for her chic, wore a white satin
dress last night, simple Vionet-
type affair which made it all the more
smart. Her sleek black hair was done
to perfection and the whole ensemble
was enhanced by her set of ruby jew
els. The club for this occasion was
decorated entirely with white flowers.
At the four round tables, at which the
dinner guests were seated, white roses
were used, and throughout the other
rooms of the club masses of pure
white chrysanthemums were beauti-
fully arranged.
Dewey Guests Hail
From Many Sections.
Since Mr.. and Mrs. Dewey's many
friends hail from Chicago, New York
and Philadelphia, not to mention q
few European capitals, there was a
good deal Of out-of-town talent in evi-
dence last night. The following New
Workers were among the guests: Mr.
and Mrs. Byron G. Foy, Mrs. Foy, the
older daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Walter
Chrysler, is another brunette noted
for her chic; Mr.. and Mrs. John
Drummond Kennedy, who are moi
stranger in Washington, and their
many friends hope that they will move
back here some day; Mr.. and Mrs
James Finan, the latter before her
recent marriage Mrs. Henry Field Of
Chicago, who with her husband ART
stopping with the Commandant of the
Navy Yard and Mrs. George r. Pet
tengin; Mrs. Roger Tuckerman, Mr.
and Mrs. Edward p. Farley, Mr.. Lester
Spaulding and Mr.. Felix Ferry, the
latter q Rumanian by birth, who
visited the Rumanian Minister, Mr.
Charles Davila, here last year. From
Chicago came Mr.. and Mrs. Philip
Maher, and from Philadelphia Mr.
William Taylor, while from their beau
tiful estate in Annapolis Mr.. and
Mrs. William Labrot wended their
way.
The Virginia hunt country was rep.
resented also by Mr.. and Mrs. George
Sloane and Mr.. Richard Wallach Of
Warrenton, Mr.. and Mrs. John Arthur
Hinckley and Mr.. and Mrs. William
0don Doeller, whose estates are both
located near Orlean, Va. L
Evening star., 1937-11-28

Riddell is a student at Upper Cana
dian College, and will not join their
parents except for vacations.
The new Counselor Of the Czecho-
slovak Legation, DR.. Karel Brejska has
arrived in Washington and taken up
his duties at the Legation. He was
accompanied by Nine. Brejska and
they have taken the house at 1890
Thirty-sixth place for the winter.
The Naval Attache of the British
Embassy and Mrs. Bradley will enter
tain at dinner Wednesday evening in
their apartment at 2101 Connecticut
avenue. They were hosts at dinner
last Wednesday.
The Secretary of the Finnish Lega-
tion, DR.. Sigurd Won Numers and Nine.
Won Numers have taken the house at
4922 Brandywine street for the season.
The marriage Of DR.. and Nine. Won
Numers took place during the summer
while the former was in Finland.
The new Third Secretary Of the
Turkish Embassy, M. Orhan Kutlu
and Nine. Kutlu are among the recent
additions to the diplomatic corps in
Washington and have taken an apart
ment at 1923 Sixteenth street for the
winter.
The new Third Secretary Of the
Canadian Legation, MI, Hector Allard,
who recently arrived 70 take up his
duties at the Legation, was joined last
week by Mrs. Allard, who remained in
Paris after Mr.. Allards departure for
this country. Mr.. and Mrs. Allard
have taken . house in Falls Church,
Va. for the winter.
Evening star., 1937-11-28
.Opers Have Guests.

The Secretary Of Commerce and
Mrs. Daniel 9. Roper have a. guests
at their residence ON Woodland drive
their son and daughter -in-law, Mr..
and Mrs. James Hunter Roper, who
arrived from their home at Los An
geles, Calf.
Evening star., 1937-11-28

put 1t tritely, would be that. She
would ruin her whole career as Lon
don lovely, and would spend the rest
of her life in the inferno Of those
ignored. .-
Taken in Hand
BY Her Family.
So, slightly stunned, she is taken
in hand by the family, who are then
allowed to do their part in preparing
Continued on Page D-3, Column 1)
Evening star., 1937-11-28
Gay Week Is Climaxed
With Dance Given by
Mr.. and Mrs. Dewey
Brilliant Function Last Night.
Debutante Parties Will Hold
Spotlight From Now On.
BY PHYLLIS THOMPSON.


ME dance last night at which Mr. Albert Bromed
Dewey hosts fitting function complete
very holiday week. Washington like all large cities,
has been IN the throes continuous activity
the past weeks which climax at Thanksgiving
Now perhaps there be slight breathing space
few weeks before the wh
down upon One thing is certain, that debutane
which the young make their first to
society and meet all their friends part
fa accomp and from debut dances will hold the spot
light
Speaking of late afternoon parties from the number
cons which have been held this
tons in celebration Of foreign independence would
that these functions be almost though Monday
December g. will find heading the Finnish
respects to the Minister Finland Jarnefet
day which much their small efficient
well ordered country the reception of the twentieth
anniversary of the independence Republic of Finland
Evening star., 1937-11-28
Kaufmanns Hosts
At Dinner.

Mr.. and Mrs Victor Kaufman en-
tertained SO guests at dinner last eve
ming at$ the Chevy Chase Club in
celebration Of their forty-third wed.
ding anniversary.
Evening star., 1937-11-28
Miss Virginia. Lee Howard
Engaged to MIR. James Milne.

THE Assistant United States Treas
ury Attache at London and Mrs
Charles R. Howard announce the en-.
gagement of their daughter Virginia.
Lee to Mr.. James Terrence Geddes
Milne, elder son of Sir James Milne,
K. c. v. o., c. S. l., and Lady Milne
of Dildawn, Nottingham, Surrey,
England Mr.. and Mrs. Howard are
of WASHINGTON,
Evening star., 1937-11-28
Miss Betty Jones

Miss Betty Jones
And 1t. Wickens to Wed.
MIR. AND MRS. HARRY JONES
A announce the engagement and
approaching marriage of their daugh.
ter Betty to It. Justin Wickens, United
States Navy. Plans for the wedding
will be announced later.
Evening star., 1937-11-28
British Debs, Restrained,
Seek Self>Expression
"Hothouse Flowers" Contrasted
With American Freedom,
Present Question.

The third of series OF articles wrtten for The Sunday
Star by Miss Margo Garrett comparing Washington debu
tantes h those OF London and other European capitals
Evening star., 1937-11-28
Miss Inez Hollingsworth
Engaged to Marry Mr.. Myer.

MR: AND MRS. o. A: HoLL1Nos-
A'A WORTH of Seat Pleasant, Nd.
announce the engagement Of their
daughter Inez Virginia to Mr.. G. Mil
ton Myer, jr., Of Atlanta, Ga. The
wedding will take place January =.
Evening star., 1937-11-28
Miss Barbara DaSkam
Engaged to Marry.

MR.. AND MRS. RALPH DASKAM
AA formerly of Chevy Chase, Md.
announce the engagement Of their
daughter Barbara Stock to Ensign
Charles Hampson Keyser Is. g., U.
s. NJ, the marriage to take place in
the spring.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-18
Writer'S Methods

In presenting the story OF a
murder, q writer may use one
of two approaches. The usual
method-and by far the easier
is to start with the crime and
then follow the police through
their investigation, filling in the
background as various bits OF
pertinent information are I'M
covered. The other alternative Is
to sketch the background first, fol-
low with the events leading up to
the murder and then go on from
there.
The difficulty in this instance
is that we have no way OF know
ing what were the significant
events leading up to the killing OF
Elliott Speer. Were we to start
off with certain incidents in the
victims life, the reader might re-
ceive an utterly wrong impression.
That is the trouble one encounters
when the crime remains unsolved.
In this case, it is particularly
dangerous.
Method No. :. slightly modified,
therefore seems the only fair ap-
proach.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-18
Careful Planning

Bodley said the car appeared to
have been a Franklin sedan sew.
eral years old. No one had no
ticed the license number, since
they attached no Importance to
the matter at that time.
That the killer had made care
full preparations for his crime was
indicated by the fact that the
electric fuses in the garage had
been withdrawn on the night Of
the murder. This meant that the
entire back yard and rear Of the
house were in darkness when
speer's assailant escaped.
Detective Dasey, although ad-
hitting that he based his belief
on pure theory, said on the 10th
that he believed the murder would
be solved fright on this campus"
He went so far as to say that "the
guilty person is probably in daily
contact with the children going to
school here and closely associated
with the school life"
But there was no hint as to the
identity Of the guilty person.
School reopened on schedule
the Wednesday after the tragedy.
Porter was the principal speaker
at memorial services at the first
chapel Of the fall term. Dean
Elder, another speaker, urged the
students to carry on and play
the game" despite the absence of
their beloved master. Naturally,
the boys had talked of little else
but the murder since their arrival
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-18
Clock Changed

Other witnesses, it was said.
gave testimony tending to show
that the suspect, as further part
OF his scheme to cover his tracks
had turned the chapel clock Is
minutes ahead on the evening Of
the crime, and had done the same
with a clock in his own home!
One witness, a student at the
school, had been in the home of
the suspect about 20 minutes be.
fore the shootings When the
hands Of the clock pointed to
$40 the suspect Gas he was
anonymously described in all thu
dispatches) called attention to the
time, saying:
cts getting late. I have to
go some place."
The theory was that the stu.
dent was to be used as an alibi
witness, should the need arise.
But it happened that, few min.
utes after leaving the suspects
home, the witness took a short
wave radio message on his set.
and so learned the correct time.
Another witness, Daniel Van
Valkenburg, a Mortified black.
smith, was understood to have
testified that the person under
suspicion had owned a 12-gauge
shotgun, the stock Of which had
been broken and replaced with
one Of curly maple.
A friend Of the victim, L. G.
Treadway, asserted that speer re-
allied month before his death
that he had an enemy. Treadway
was quoted as saying:
when I heard that Elliott
speer had been killed, the name
Of just one man flashed into my
mind"
On December 10 the headlines
were saying:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-18
Those at Home

Those in the Speer home that
night were MIR. and Mrs. Speer,
their three children, Mrs. Speer's
parents, and two servants, Mrs.
Constantine George, the maid, and
stephanie Woyniak, the children's
nurse. Mrs. Speer was upstairs
helping to put the children to bed
when
She heard shot.
She rushed downstairs with her
father. AS she entered the study,
located at the northeast corner Of
the first floor, she saw her hus-
band staggering toward the door.
Blood was gushing out Of his chest.
whats the matter?" she
cried.
He moved toward her, gasping:
Somebody shot me through
the window"
Then he collapsed In her arms.
Mrs. Speer and her father
dragged him to sofa. Speer told
them to put a tourniquet on his
arm-which had also been hit. AS
they did this, they asked again
what happened. But he could say
no more.
Twenty minutes later he ex-
pired.
The killer had stood outside the
window on the macadam path. It
was believed at first that he had
fired shots through the brightly
lighted window as Speer reached
up for a book. Later the accepted
explanation was that the slayer
attracted his victims attention by
tapping on the pane.
Clues were pitifully lacking. The
only evidence discovered were two
bits of shotgun wadding and a
small piece of cardboard from the
shell.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-18

and Richard L. Watson, superin'
tendent Of the school grounds and
buildings. Watson furnished him
with a detailed blueprint map Of
the campus.
Soon a wide search for the MUIR
der weapons 12.gauge shot
gun-got under way, but no trace
Of it could be found.
According to police, there were
four cars on the campus on the
evening Of the crime. Three had
been accounted for; the fourth,
it was said, had been seen by
four persons-Daniel Bodley, in
charge Of the school laundry:
Mrs. Bodley: William N. Dierig,
head Of the carpenter shop, and
Mrs. Dieris.
The Dierigs had been in their
car, parked at a junction Of the
winding campus road less than q
quarter Of a mile from the Speer
home. They had been talking to
the Bodleys at about 8:15 o'clock
when they saw a machine come
from the direction of the bridge
road to Mortified. and proceed up
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-18
Clues Scarce

Mrs. George, the maid, told Dis.
trict Attorney Joseph Bartlett and
Detective Lieut.. Albert Dasey, both
Of Greenfield, that she had been
standing at a window in another
part of the house when her en-
ployer was shot. She saw the flash
of the gun and Immediately after.
ward caught a glimpse of a man
running into the nearby woods.
A few moments later she heard a
car start, about 200 yards from the
house.
The two officials declared, after
five hours Of investigation, that
their efforts had been unproduc.
tive. Mrs. speer appeared com
pletely mystified.
District Attorney Bartlett said
he was convinced that, in the
pitch dark and in the heavily
wooded school grounds, with their
paths forming a veritable lahy
rinth. many leading to blind ends
the murderer must have been "a
person very familiar with the ter
rain Of the school," He said that
in the blackness which prevailed
on the campus at night mo stran.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-18
Bitter Enemy

That Speer must have had a
bitter enemy seemed obvious
enough. Undoubtedly the killer
must have known whom he was
shooting at, and he must have had
a reason for his act. Yet Detec-
tive Dasey said that no enemies
of Speer could be discovered.
1--WE are up against a stone
wall"
He added:
The tragedy was not allowed to
interfere with the work Of the
school. Mrs. Speer controlled her
grief and continued to carry on
with her duties. Dean Thomas E.
Elder. veteran member of the
school staff, sent out wires to
trustees and alumni all over the
country, and they responded at
once, leaving their various pur.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-18

"They studied stenographtc
reports Of several questionings
Of him, said to show many dis
crepancies, and to leave his
movements for at least is min.
utes on the night Of the murder
unexplained.
"A veteran member Of the
faculty. the suspect was said to
have been jealous Of the rise Of
DR.. Speer, who became presi'
dent of the Northfield schools
in 1925, at the age Of %, and
headmaster Of Mt. Hermon
School five years later.
Letters supposedly written by
the suspect to DR.. speer recently
have been seized and investigat-
ors hold them to be either fic.
titious or insincere-planted to
disprove reports of friction be.
tween the two men.
"The suspect has denied own
ing a 12.gauge shotgun, but
authorities assertedly learned
that he carried such q weapon
deer hunting and is a crack
shot,"
Here was, indeed, promising
stuff. Newspaper resders-and ed
itors, too, for that matter-gath
cred the impression that 1t wa
only a matter Of hours before the
suspect would be named.
But the days passed and thu
promise was not fulfilled.
On October 30 it was reported
that Dean Elder, who had been or
an indefinite leave Of absenc'
since soon after the tragedy. hac
been summoned to testify witt
some 40 other witnesses. The In
quest was scheduled for November
IL.
However, that proceeding had K
be postponed and did not get I'm
der way until December 8. Mean
while, the school trustees had Of
fered 5000 reward.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-18
Lead to Campus

The investigation continued in
effectually. Officers frankly ad.
nitted thai each clue or angle
they had followed definitely
turned them TACK toward the
campus center. They refused to
disclose the nature Of the infor.
nation leading them in that di.
rection.
On october 10, more than q
month after the tragedy, detec'
tives announced that the shell
used in the crime had been one
Of four purchased in a Greenfield
sporting goods store. There was
no hint as to the purchaser.
Then, on october 20, big news
came out Of Northfield-or at
least a promise Of big news. Said
a United Press dispatch:
THE shotgun Staying Of the
Rev. Elliott Speer. headmaster
of Mount Hermon Preparatory
School for Boys, appeared to
have been broken tonight
when state detectives announced
they were questioning q mem
Der Of the school faculty whose
alihi did not satisfy them"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-18
Family Prominent

Elliott Speer, IS at the time OF
his death, came of family long
prominent in religious activities.
Born in Englewood, N. j., he was
a son of the Rev. DR.. Robert Elliott
Speer, renowned writer on reli-
gious subjects and senior secretary
of the Presbyterion board OF for
eign missions. The victims mother
had once headed the national
board of the Y. w. C. A. Young
Speer was educated at Phillips
Andover, Princeton, the University
of Edinburgh and at Columbia.
In March, 1921, while still a
theological student, Speer married
Miss Charlotte Rose WelleS at
Wilkes:Barre, Pa. She was the
daughter of his fathers friend, DR..
Henry Hunter Welles, jr., a mem
Der Of the staff OF the Presby-
terian board. Three children were
born of the union-Carolina, who
was IL when her father died;
Eleanor, 10, and Margot, 4.
For a brief period, after finish
ing his schooling, Speer was the
minister of Bethlehem Chapel in
New York city, then became Bible
professor and chaplain at Lafay-
cite College. In 1925, when only
81 years old, he was appointed
head of the Mortified Seminary
for Girls. This institution and
the Mount Hermon School for
Boys had both been founded in
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-18
1879 by Dwight L. Moody, the
evangelist. In 1881 Speer became
headmaster of Mount Hermon.
Home on Campus

He lived with his growing fam
lily and two servants in Ford Hall,
Georgian home surrounded by
trees and spacious lawns. The
school grounds covered 1900 acres,
largely woodland, remote from any
town or village center. Homes of
other instructors and employees
were widely scattered over the
campus. Dominating the land
scape was the chapel tower with
its Illuminated clock.
The clock will figure, perhaps
Importantly, in this story.
Headmaster Speer and his family
returned from their summer home
at Lake Temagami, Ontario, on
Monday, September 10, 1884. He
Immediately plunged into his prep
arations for the new school year,
scheduled to start on wednesday.
the 10th. Other employees arrived
during the week-also a scattering
of students. The staff expected
about $40 students in all, includ-
ing those who had remained
through the summer for the sum-
mer school courses.
Having avoided mention of all
possibly significant events, we
come to the murder. e.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-18
Arrest Predicted

ARREST predicted in speer
murder"
The next day the inquest termi.
mated with the testimony Of Dean
Elder, his wife, Grace, and his
lawyer, Charles Fairhurst. Elder,
the sixty-fifth witness, was on the
stand five hours.
And would there be an arrest?
He indicated that the authorities
were not quite ready to make an
arrest. Besides. it seemed wiser
to await Justice Hayes report.
This became public on January
9, when the court announced that
the murder had been committed by
a person whose name is unknown
to me-" The evidence had failed
to prove that any suspect was at
the scene Of the murder at the
time Is was committed"
Justice Hayes said that were he
to name any person whose unlaw.
full act appears to have contrib
uted to the death of Elliott Speer.
and thereby charge that person
with the commission of a crime. I
must do so purely in circumstan.
tial evidence"
Thus the speer mystery. Thus
the perfect crime.
And thus the matter stood in
May, 1887, when s. Allen Norton,
retired treasurer Of the Mount
Hermon school, accused Thomas E.
Elder Of a serious crime. He az.
cused Elder, who had resigned
his post soon after Justice Hayes
announced his decision of attempt.
ing to kill him with a shotgun.
Copyright, 1897. by Chicago Tribune.
N. Y. News Syndicate Inc.)