davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1937-07-22
L Cover HOLLYWOOD

hbroadest English accents in Holly.
wood . Though she can afford
the best lipstick on the market,
Gertrude Michael gets hers from
q dime store.
Difference in stature between
Frank McHugh and Wayne Morris
almost led to tragedy. In their
current production both are In q
submarine that has been rammed
by a battleship and the water starts
to pour in through the wide Of
the craft.
According to script directions,
the water comes Up to their chinS,
but the Scenarist failed to take into
account the fact that Morris is a
foot taller than McHugh. Water
up to his chin would leave the
comedian entirely submerged. The
technical crew, operating the ap-
paratuS to flood the submarine are
a literal crew and "up to the
chin" means Just that to them.
AS McHugh was about to disap-
pear entirely beneath the water,
he grabbed q floating stool, took a
deep breath and went under long
enough to plant his feet on it, and
emerge! with just his nose stick.
ing out in the air.
It'll take more than q scenarisSS
to drown q M Hug b." Frank
chortled.
The Washington times., 1937-07-22

next week never played on the
F Street screen Though he
made $4,000 a week as cowboy
star, the Western pictures in
which he appeared were not given
a nod by first running booking
executives Tony, his famous
horse, now "a years old. is prob.
ably the only equine who was
officially on the White House
visitor list He called on both
Presidents Harding and Coolidge.
which shows that he must have
had a live press agent in those
days The White House cor
respondents remember Tony as an
animal who forgot to bring his
best party manners for the his
toric occasions The Mix Circus
will play at Twenty-fifth st. and
Benning Rd. Northeast, an area
that has never before had such
an attraction 1t plays under
the auspices of the District Ma.
tional Guard Irish Koran is
doing the Mix tub-thumping.
BEN AT $4,000 WEEK
Ben Hecht at $4,000 a year on
the Samuel Goldwyn pay roll is
credited by Variety with being
the highest priced individual
writer in the motion picture In
dustry.
What does a fellow write to
make $1,000 a week on a So weeks
straight contract? Well, some
thing like this:
I've always had the notion
that the theater could hit
harder than the screen, bounce
higher, say more and dig
deeper"
"After an hour and q half
look at Mr.. GOIdwyn's prOddc-
ton of Dead End 1 entered
Mr.. Goldwyn's office with head
hung and ready to join the true
faith, and murmur that ] may
have been wrong"
Izzatso, Ben. Have faith in Sam
Goldwyn and collect ST, 900 a week
Stop murmuring, sir. You were
wrong.
LOU BROWN MOVES UP
Congratulations to Lou Brown.
Lou, who for several years wa
The Washington times., 1937-07-22

head Of the local Loew publicity
and advertising department, and
who for the past year and a half
has occupied a similar post with
the Baltimore Loew Theaters, has
been moved to the company's
home office in New York it was
announced today by Division Man
ager Carter Barron.
In the home office Brown will
work under oscar A. Doob, director
of all Loew publicity and advertiS-
ing, and help in the preparation
of exploitation manuals and will
occasionally be sent out on special
assignments in connection with
various motion picture eXploita-
ton campaigns. No successor has
been named for the Baltimore posi-
ton which he vacates,
The net earnings for goth Cen
tury-Fox for 1887 are expected
to total $10,000,000, Joseph M.
Schenck, chairman Of the board,
has announced.
In 1886 the net was $7,722,955.
The goth Century-Fox fiscal year
comedies with the calendar year.
"Tovarich," record breaking
stage play bought by Warner
Brothers as a vehicle for Claudette
Colbert and Charles Boyer, became
''Tonight's Our Night" at close of
a studio title conference.
The Washington times., 1937-07-22

tbout with bottles and glasses has
ended. For weeks Fred Warine
and his Pennsylvanians expert
mented with all kinds Of bottles
and glasses while rehearsing for
novel drinking song. Each one
had to give out q certain note
when blown or tapped and the
boys tested at least 5000 before
the needed 100 were found.
Nat Pendleton would rather ex.
ercise than act, and he loves to
act. He believes exercise is the
secret Of good health and he
boasts that he exercises every
muscle several times a day.
When Nat isn't In a picture he
works hardest. He's up at six, has
a glass of water, does his breath
ing exercises, takes is minutes on
q rowing machine and runs two
miles on the beach. After break
fast he rests an hour. Then he
wrestles. In the afternoon he
throws a medicine ball or plays
beach football. Great life If you
can stand it.
B. P. Schulberg ended q two
months title squabble by changing
his latest picture from Accidents
Will Happen" to "She Asked For
It /" Frederick Clarke, little
Negro actor, boasts one Of the
The Washington times., 1937-07-22

GETS HIS CHANCE
My dear Mr.. Kelley:
If am not asking too much,
can l respectfully ask If you
would give my little son, Donald
Edward Ford, age 6 years, now
in Hollywood, a little space in
your column.
At the advice of the National
BroadcaSting Co. we took this
child to Hollywood just six
weeks ago, and with the Compe-
tition, this child has received
part in a picture with Para
mount Pictures-the picture
that he has been engaged for
is Sapphire Lil"-Starring Mae
West. Probably you know OF
this but as he is a Washington
boy, and thousands Of Washing
The Washington times., 1937-07-22

Tom Mix who brings his circus
70 Washington for three days
The Washington times., 1937-07-22

MIX CIRCUS CONF
The Washington times., 1937-07-22
VARIETY SHOW A HIT
Donald Edward Ford, Of D. c..
Gets Movie Chance in q
Mae West Picture
By ANDREW R. KELLEY

Variety Club bounced against the wall in Griffith
Stadium last ngh-an $1S563 hit. First time these show
ever sell prize fight and, like Carter Barron,
got kick of scanning the house Harry 1ohmeyer
guessed the gross almost penny this show had been
downtown they would have held Best laugh of the
night from the newsboys who shouted washington finally
wins ball game" Walter johnson was among those who
heard At the rngsde was Joe Freeman who 20 years ago.
introduced the first bill legaze boxing in the District They
him. and your editor who drew up the BILL as unde
srabes Freddy Steele real champion. He could have
taken Hobo Williams any after the second round but
Variety show letting out tuck when he decided it had gone
far enough like to agree with Jack Dempsey but his
white hope looked kinda hopeless though he flat
tened Buck Everett My Hollywood trained eye picked out
Young Bill Shelton of Dartmouth the best prospect for the
cameras in the big audience Congratulations to Rudy
Berger whose of helping out underprvged children
in the of Variety, moved bit Also geranums
Sidney Lust for the he handled tickets and to Ray Bell
who did a masterful job of balyhoo.
The Washington times., 1937-07-22

Hollywood's most prolonged
The Washington times., 1937-07-22
Nat PendIeton's Doq
Remembers Master

Absence may make some hearts
grow fonder, but not Nat Pendle-
tons Great Dane Shadows.
As the husky M-G-M actor .un-
locked the door of his beach
house, after a four-monthS absence
in England, a vicious growl. came
from inside.
Pendleton, afraid Of no one,
waited until his Great Dane was
chained before entering. It took
a full five minutes Of shifting on
Shadows part and coaxing on
Pendleton's before the dog began
to recognize his master.
The Washington times., 1937-07-22
HOLLYWOOD GOSSIP

} Jan CARRIER, orchestra leader at
Catalina, is agin' practical joking.
Feted and toasted as honorary
mayor his opening day, CARRIER
also was presented with the city'S
keys which turned out to be q
bouquet Of tin cans, torn up tele-
phone books, an old shoe, and .
battered fiddle.
The Washington times., 1937-07-22
Brother Acts Also

Tom Herbert, brother Of Hugh
Herbert, Is making a debut as a
CosSack comedian III Madame
Walewska." He plays the man
who laughs when a rearing horse
knocks over a rare vase in CARLOS
castle, in the Cossack invasion Sc
Quence.
The Washington times., 1937-07-22
Nv HARRISON CARROLL
CcopyriEht, 1887. by international
News sArvteel


HOLLYWOOD, July 22.-Hun'
cry ducks by the score came whtz-
ling around the heads Of q cast
when William Gargan wagered q
dinner for the company with Don
Wilson, broadcaster now making a
picture, that the tame mallards
on Lancaster Lake, where they
were on location, would come when
he called.
"He quacked and honked me
out of about fifty dollars" COM
planned Wilson. "I thought he
was an actor not an ornitholo-
gist!"
Cliff Edwards strung his ukelele
with wires used in his latest pic
ture, but it wouldn't work.
Sounded like q bull fiddle with
the Group.
Betty Jaynes, youthful singing
star, has decided to move her
family to a new home in Benedict
Canyon, Beverly Hills. The family
furniture Is being shipped from
Chicago, and the Jaynes troupe
will take up their new abode dur
ing the next week.
Hollywood's most prolonged
The Washington times., 1937-07-22

tonians are interested in the
child, I feel that you might give
him . little publicity.
This boy appeared regularly
over WRC in the National Chill
dren's FrOlic, Bud Ward M. C.
He was a leading performer at
the Presidents Birthday Ball,
Mayflower Hotel.
Last but not least this child
Is . protege of ~he Virginia G.
Hunter School of Dance, Wash.
ingSOn, d. c., and is now en-
gagged at the FanchOn g. Marco
Studio at Hollywood, CAL, in
order to keep up his dancing.
Thanking you in advance for
your hearty cooperation which
I assure you will be greatly ap-
preciated.
Yours very truly,
The Washington times., 1937-07-22

The Bankers of Washington Pulled
Sl8,563 With Their First Boxing Show
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-25

He had been one Of the first per-
sons on the scene and had more
or less taken charge of things that
tragic night. He had sent tele-
grams to trustees and alumni
all over the country, had been
appointed one of the committee
of three to carry on the duties
Of the headmaster's office, and
had been one Of the speakers at
the first school chapel. He had
urged the students to carry on
and play the game" despite the
absence of their beloved master.
And he had been most important
witness at the inquest.
Elder was himself an alumnuS
Of Mount Hermon, having been
graduated in 1907. He had re-
turned to become assistant super
intendent of the school farms, had
married Grace Holton, a cousin of
Dwight L. Moody, founder Of the
school, and had been named dean
in 1928 by Dr.. Cutler. He had
been in line for headmaster when
Speer succeeded Cutler, and after
Speer's death he was mentioned
as a possible successor.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-25
Took Le0Ue of Absence

But Mr.. Elder had not remained
for long at Mount Hermon after
the tragedy. Within a few days he
went away on an indefinite leave
Of absence, interrupted by his ap-
pearances on the witness stand at
the inquest. He never did reas-
sumo his duties at the school, for
On February IL, 1885, the publicity
department Of the institution had
announced Dean Elder had re-
signed.
Since then matters had not gone
especially well with him. After
his years Of service at Mount Her
mon, he naturally expected a pen
sion, but this was unaccountably
withheld. Then he had purchased
an old farmhouse at Alton and
started raising poultry, but bad
luck struck the place in March,
1887, when fire destroyed all the
buildings except the dwelling
house, as well as $500 chickens.
The search for Elder. following
Nortons accusation. ended at
1890 the next morning, when
Chief Albert Cooley. of the Alton
police, learned that the wanted
man and his wife had arrived
home. Cooley went there, CUES
toned Elder for an hour, then
took him to the police station.
The suspect. a heavy-featured man
with thick straight brows and in.
tense eyes, remained quite cool,
chatting amiably with friends and
neighbors.
His answer to the accusation
was a complete denial. He de-
clared that he had spent the pre-
vious night In a hotel at Keene,
N. H., 30 miles from Greenfield.
Mrs. Elder corroborated his alibi.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-25
Indicted For Assault

The prisoner was taken to
Greenfield and held on a charge
Of assault with intent to murder.
On June 3 District Judge Philip
H. Ball, sitting as a committing
magistrate, ordered him held for
the grand jury. In this hearing
Charles Fairhurst, Elders lawyer,
brought out some details about the
misconduct Norton said he had
witnessed.
In crossexamination Norton ad-
mitted that in 1880 he had cut a
peephole in his office to another
office and that he had witnessed
scenes between the dean ana the
deans attractive red-haired secre-
tary, Miss Evelyn Dill.
II reported to DR.. Cutler" said
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-25

titled that on the night in ques-
ton Elder, when he bought gaso'
line at the station. was wearing
long coat that reached almost
to his ankles.
Another rebuttal witness, Mrs.
Nettie Burt, a chambermaid in
the hotel. testified that In her
opinion only one person slept in
the room Elder hired the night
Of the crime.
Justice H a m m ond. in his
charge, told the jurors:
Don't look to me for any IN
timation as to whether ! be-
lieve one witness and not an
other"
He explained that the prosecu-
ton did not have to prove a
motive, 'but II you are shown
that a motive I'd exist you have
q right to consider that on the
question Of intent"
The Jury retired on the after
noon Of July 20 and after five
hours and IS minutes announced
that they had agreed on their
verdict-not guilty on each count
Of the Indictment.
In diSmissing the Jurors, Jus
tice Hammond said quietly:
THANK you for your efforts"
AS a crowd surged around, e.
der walked from the court room
with his wife and lawyer. They
went to a small room on the same
floor, where Fairhurst made a
statement to the newspapermen
which Elder approved:
IT am naturally deeply CRATE
full that a Franklin county Jury
should acquit me Of the charge
instituted by Stephen A. Nor.
ton. I have had at no time
any doubt Of the result once
the case was placed fairly before
a court and jury in the county
have so long considered
home"
Copyright, 1887. Chicago Tribune
New York News Syndicate. Ine.)
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-25
Threats Described

The first witness for the de.
tense was Richard ]. watson, So,
who had been connected with the
school for 80 years before becom'
ing a probation officer at East
Haven, Conn. He testified that
he was informed Of the peep-hole
episode by Elder and that he went
to DR.. Cutler about it. He said
that Norton apologized to DR.. Cut
Ter, Miss Dill and Elder.
DR.. Cutler himself, now rs, next
took the stand.
He admitted that Elder had
been greatly angered at Norton's
misconduct story and that he
once threatened Norton with VIC
lence over the incident.
A letter from Elder to DR.. Cut
Ter, written July /, 1895, almost
10 months after the mysterious
killing Of Dr.. speer,. was read. FL
der had written: ~. T..
II think am not wrong In
believing that Mr.. Norton had
used the story about Miss Dill
he started under your admins
tration. That kind Of gossip,
contemplate as it may be, may
have found fertile ground in
the gossip.loving brains Of some
Of the investigators, as well as
in certain types Of mind at
Mount Hermon.
Miss Dill denied on the, witness
stand that the dean had ever
kissed her, chucked her under the
chin, or acted otherwise in an un-
Seemly manner.
The big moment Of the trial
came, Of course, when the defend.
ant himself took the stand.
Under direct examination by
Fairhurst, he said that early in
his career he had taken over
many Of the duties Of the vice
principal and that his accuser had
never given up resenting this.
Then, during the war, when he
(Elder) tried to go to France with
the Y. M. c. A., Norton wrote a
letter to someone not identified,
Saying I was not fitted for that
kind Of work or any responsible
ity." IS
The lawyer shifted his question
ing to the kissing accusation and
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-25
Sequence of EOents

Now we continue with the Sc
uuence of events which may or
may not have direct relationship
to the killing Of DR.. Speer.
Late the night Of Tuesday, May
rs, 1887, police officers Of Green
field, which is near Northfield'
were summoned to the home of s..
Allen Norton, Sc, former treasurer
Of Mount Hermon School, who
had retired in August, 1896. Nor
ton, who appeared to be in a state
of extreme fright, told the Of
ficers that Thomas E. Elder, 81,
former dean Of the school, had
Just attempted to kill him with a
Ghotgun.
Elder hao not fired at him, he
admitted, but his intent had
seemed unmistakable.
Norton had driven to a church
affair with Mrs. Norton and some
friends, and the attempted attack
had occurred upon their return,
while the former school treasurer
was putting his car in the garage.
Norton said that Elder, whom he
recognized Immediately, had pro
duced a shotgun from under his
ankle-length topcoat, but the in
tended victim had lodged behind
the car and fled into the house.
eve shall go into this in greater
detail laterO
AS a possible explanation for the
attack, Norton said he had in
Cured Elders enmity years before
when he threatened to report GER
tain alleged acts Of misconduct to
the then headmaster, DR.. Richard
Franklin cutler. 1t also was re-
ported that Norton, only a week
before the shotgun incident, had
given the authorities vital informa-
ton about the Speer murder.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-25
Admits Differences

Defense Attorney Fairhurst now
took the witness for a cross-exam-
ination which continued for an
hour.
Norton admitted that over a pc.
Rod Of 10 to IL years he had dis.
agreed with Elder on school mat.
tiers while they were at Mount
Hermon.
I'VE had differences over
school matters" he said, "and,
I will not deny, in other mat.
ters."
Fairhurst asked some questions
about the alleged misconduct Nor.
ton had witnessed through his pri-
Vate observation post.
Q.-Was it something got by
spying on Dean Elder? Ayes.
Q-What was it you reported
to DR.. Cutler? Al reported
having seen him kiss his stem.
ographer, and having seen him
and his stenographer In each
others embrace.
He went on to relate that he
drilled a hole through the wall
which separated q closet Of his
office from a closet Of Miss Dill's
office. He had kept the aperture
hidden, when not in service, by a
piece Of cardboard.
After he had made his report to
the headmaster, he continued,
there was a sort Of get.together in
DR.. Cutters office. These attend.
ing were DR.. Cutler, Norton, Elder
and Mrs. Elder. The matter was
threshed out, said the witness,
and the meeting ended "in a ses.
sion Of prayer in which we all
participated"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-25
Names Him as Elder

After the jury had visited the
scene, District Attorney David H.
Keedy briefly outlined the States
case, then summoned the com.
planning witness to the stand.
Norton was offered q chair but
said he preferred to stand.
His story was as follows:
On the moonlit night Of May
Is, he, Mrs. Norton and three
guests drove to q meeting Of the
Congregational Club In Greenfield.
Returning at about II o'clock, they
dropped their guests at their
homes, and Norton drove the car
into the lane to his garage, con-
nected by vestibule to his home.
He stopped the car in front Of
the garage and Mrs. Norton en-
tered the house through the vesti-
bule door into the kitchen. Norton
then went into the garage, opened
the folding doors and drove the
car inside. There was a light shin
ing in the ceiling Of the garage.
He had stepped out Of the car
and had gone a step toward the
doors Of the garage when a fig
ure in soft gray hat and long
coat, reaching almost to the feet,
appeared on the concrete ramp,
saying, Mr.. Norton, I want to
talk to you"
Instantly I recognized his
voice and his face as that Of
Thomas e. Elder" the witness
continued. ''I took a step to.
ward him. He said, Get back
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-25

In that corner I saw nothing
to be afraid Of and continued to
walk toward him. He said,
You've got to do it, His voice
at first was natural, then 1t was
raised, though not very loud.
He opened his coat and brought
a gun up with both hands"
What effect did that have on
you?" the prosecutor asked.
II realized I was in danger. It
put me in terror Of my life. I
dashed across the garage and
grabbed a portion of the door,
bringing It partially with me,
partly in front Of me. I saw a
gun directed at me and I dashed
into the vestibule."
What condition were you
IMP"
II was exceedingly fright
ened."
He said that while his wifi
called the police, he climbed thu
stairs to the top and sat there
He was still there when the Off
GERS arrived at 11:10.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-25
Took Over His Duties

The defense lawyer brought
out that Elder. during his long
service at Mount Hermon, had
gradually taken over the duties OF
L. l.. Norton, brother Of the wit.
ness, until the brothers office Of
vice principal was abolished.
Yvonne Arsenault, maid in the
house next to the Norton home,
testified that she saw a man in q
long coat, and with a gun in his
hands, in the Norton driveway.
She said he left the driveway and
drove off in a car parked across
the street.
Mrs. Edith Weymouth, q neigh.
Dor, said she had seen q car with
white license plates" drive past
the Norton home before the at
tempted assault. It was estab-
liShed that Elders car had been
registered in New Hampshire and
that the New Hampshire plates
have a white background.
The prosecution rested after
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-25
Concluding I1Stalln1ert of
Campus Murder Mystery
Most Significant Details of
Speer'S Murder Never
Reached Public

the scene In the headmaster's Of.
flee.
Q. What did Mr.. Norton say?
A. I would say in substance
that he said I had laid across
the desk and chucked Miss Dill
under the chin or kissed her. I
don't remember.
Q. What did you say? Al
said 1t was a damned lie.
@. Was that all? A. I asked
DR.. Cutler If he would take the
ladies outside q minute or two
and let me give Norton q thrash.
ing.
Then came the praying scene.
Mr.. Norton" said the defend.
ant, prayed that he might be
forgiven for his habits Of spy.
ing. I asked God to forgive him,
also"
His story Of his movements be-
fore and after the night Of May
25th was as follows:
Early that day he drove with
Mrs. Elder to Brattleboro. His
heart bothered him all day, so he
did not plan to return home. After
finishing at Brattleboro, he and
Mrs. Elder drove to Keene, where
they had stayed before.
After checking in at the hotel,
he asked three persons-the man.
ager. a policeman and the man at
the filling station-where he
might find a parking place. He put
in eight gallons Of gasoline at the
station, he said, explaining that it
was his custom to fill up his tank
on the evening before. even when
he planned to leave his car in a
free lot. Then he returned to the
hotel, had dinner, and retired.
He emphatically denied that he
had been wearing a long coat such
as Norton had described.
There was also testimony con.
corning his efforts to get a retire
ment allowance from the school.
This was tied UP to the case. since
Elder had represented himself as
being destitute when Norton knew
he had $4,000 to $1,000 in a Green
field bank.