davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1938-10-18

$1OO, ,0OO-and agreed to give MN
half ownership in their $6O'OOO
house in Hollywood, which was
rented for $4OO a month.
It appeared that this settlement
represented fully q third OF her
total wealth. Most of her savings
after years of hard work had van
ished in the 1929 crash. When
Ruth started recouping her for
tunes she told friends that when
she had 100000 she would quit.
She made fine investments with
relatives in David City and, II she
stopped at her 100000 goal, II
seems she dealt more generously
with her former mate than would
most women.
Her rise from obscurity to fame
was truly phenomenal. She was
born in David City, a typical Mid
Western farming community
around the turn of the century.
Theatrical reference books say
1907, but from Ruth's own state
ments of her early days this oo-
viously gives her the best, Of it,
She came of sturdy stock. Her
grandfather was one Of the or1gl-
The Washington times., 1938-10-18
One Explanation
Makes Him Hero

The Colonel often acted as
volunteer bodyguard for AL Jol-
son, Eddie Cantor, Ben Bernie and
other actors, routing hoodlumS
who tried to shake them down in
Chicago.
Snyder was born near Chicago'S s
West Side Ghetto. His name
originally was Moses Snyder.
Later it became Moe. Then he
adopted the still more genteel
monicker of Martin. But The
Gimp has been his sobriquet ever
since his early Chicago days.
There are three versions of how
he obtained the limp, which was
to make him a marked figure on
Broadway. One has it that one
of the II SlugS reputed to be in
his body struck the leg. Another
is that his mother dropped him
when he was an infant.
A third account is that when he
was IS he was riding on a street
car when some Gentle youths
started pulling the boards of Jew
iSh old men. Snyder fought the
boys down, but the conductor took
the part of the kids. He tossed
The Washington times., 1938-10-18
Small Political PIOGSaa
SrsNder''S OnUIy job

The Gimp has said that his
Sweet Singer" as he called her,
started her career as a seamstress.
Accounts from old Nebraska
friends dispute that version. They
say her first work was designing
the costumes used in the Marigold
Gardens.
It was there she met Colonel"
Nose Snyder on July II, 1920.
Two years later they we're married
in an elopement to Crown Point,
Ind. This marriage was the turn
ing point of Ruth's life. Her
choice of The Gimp for a mate
held possibilities that the most
fanciful fiction writer would have
discarded as too unreal to set down
or naner.
From that hasty marriage in
Cn4CAgO'S Gretna Green flowed not
only much of Ruth's later brilliant
success, but also much of her later
struggle. And from it came the
tragedy in which she now finds
herself embroiled.
SNYDER had a job with the Chi.
The Washington times., 1938-10-18
Snyder'S Love as
Violent as His
Early Life
By ELSIE ROBINSON

NEW YORK, Oct. IS. The
Gimp and his Sweet Singer. 1t
is the most nearly perfect
Broadway story the old street
has had to tell in years.
"CoIonel' Martin Snyder, a
muscle man, with an atmos-
phere of mystery about him, for
Is bulIdozing, clustering, snarl-
ing wears carried the torch and
fought the battles for Ruth Et-
ting. musical comedy and radio
singer.
And now she says he all but
killed the young bridegroom, Myrl
Alderman, with whom she had
found "ecStatic happiness" Well,
Broadway has been predicting it.
Broadway merely regards his as
sault on Alderman as having been
delayed.
Since they were divorced last
November his acquaintance have
seen him beat his fists in rage
against a wall until they bled.
Then he'd shout: That's how my
heart isl"
The Washington times., 1938-10-18

the colonel's in Chicago who was
willing to carry out the ruse.
In his despair the usually blus-
tering and self-confident Snyder
ran to priests and doctors seeking
advice on how to meet his trouble,
friends revealed.
One of these, a physician and
close friend, said yesterday:
Poor Nose. They won't have
to worry about him much
longer. He'll find a way to kill
himself in jail.
Ruth says in Hollywood that
he would have killed her, if he
could. don't think so. His love
for her was psychopathic."
After the melodramatic scene in
the singers honeymoon cottage
was ended and her bridegroom
had been taken to the hospital,
Miss Etting told police that Sny
der has gone through all I gave
him" If this is true, then the
reason of his poverty has only one
answer, his friends said-he gam
bled it away.
He was the sort of man who
would gamble on anything, they
AnvrnrU0RA1nN,r
The Washington times., 1938-10-18

Snyder off the car and he rolled
under the wheels.
Ruth left the Marigold Gardens
and went to the Rainbow Gardens
under Edward Beck. From there
she stepped to the Green Mill
night club. Her first theater date
was at McVicker's in Chicago,
with Paul Ash, the orchestra con-
ductor.
AS The Gimp bargained and
pushed and threatened and snarled
at managers, her salary started
going up. A tour of picture houses
upped her income from $400 q
week to $500.
Irving Berlin heard some of her
records. The upshot was that she
went to the Ziegfeld FollieS with
Eddie Cantor. She made many
movie shorts for Paramount, then
went back to movie houses at
81 900 q week. At one time, it is
said, her husband got 5000 a
week for her. She finally went on
the radio for 81 500 performance.
When Ruth obtained her first
New York engagement-at the
The Washington times., 1938-10-18
Brennan Plans
Garage Surrey

A survey of the adequacy Of
housing and repair facilities for
motor vehicles operated by the
District Government was begun to-
day by Roland M. Brennan, special
assistant to Director Of Highways
H. C. Whitehurst.
The purpose of the study is to
determine whether the District
needs a new garage and repair
shop, fOg its passenger cars and
trucks. 1kr. Brennan yesterday
returned to duty at the District
Building after two-and-a-half years
sick leave. He formerly was sec
retary to the board Of District
Commissioners,
The Washington times., 1938-10-18

nal settlers in David City, going
there when pioneers were breaking
the virgin soil of the Nebraska
prairies. Today her folks are still
prominent locally. In 1880. while
singing in Simple Simon" Ruth
received word that her uncle, Alex
ander Etting, had been elected
mayor of the town. His success
pleased her almost as much, it
seemed, as the plauditS of the
audiences for whom she toiled.
Believing she had knack for
drawing and designing, which
David City couldn't cultivate,
Ruth went to Chicago to study at
the Academy of Fine Arts.
The Washington times., 1938-10-18
Broadway GOSsipS
Not Surprised at
Tragic Sequel

cago sanitary district when he
married Ruth. 1t was a small
political plum, and aside from
taxicab Strike-breaking activities
and managing his wife's affairs,
it was the only regular. definite
employment Snyder ever seems to
have had.
Snyder was known as brag-
CART and as muscle-man Of the
most capable kind. An old &C
quaintance yesterday said: He
was one of the toughest apples in
the toughest apple orchard in the
world"
During Ku Klux Klan days, old
timers say, he broke many legs
and arms without charge-be-
cause he hated the organization
and its creed of religious prejudice.
He earned sporadic sums by doing
muscle work for Dion O'Bannon,
AL Capone's arch-enemy who was
later murdered amidst cascade
of roses in his own flower shop.
The Washington times., 1938-10-18
R U 7 H ETTING
IA CES S15O,OOO
B AL NJ ACTION
Husbands First Wife
! Charges Love Piracy

HOLLYWOOD. Oct. 18 G.N.S0.
A love piracy suit asking $l50,0OO
damages from Ruth Etting, radio
singer, today added further com
plications to the shooting OF her
second husband, Myrl S. Alder
man. by her divorced mate, Mar
tin Snyder, New York gambler.
The suit was filed late yester-
day by Mrs. Alma Alderman,
former wife of Miss Etting'S
wounded husband. Alderman is
in a critical condition from
gunshot in the abdomen.
Mrs. Alderman accused the
famed singer of blues of Turing
Alderman away from her and
their infant daughter.
Snyder shot Alderman at Miss
Ettings hilltop home in Holly
wood Saturday night.
NEW MYSTERY ADDED
Mrs. Alderman's suit added new
mystery to the sensational shoot
ing fray. in that Mrs. Alderman
questioned the legality and au-
thenticity of Alderman's marriage
to Miss Etting in Tia Juana,
Mexico, where the couple state
they had been secretly wed.
Married on January 9, 1884,
Mrs. Alderman's suit alleged, the
couple lived in harmony together
and planned the coming OF their
first born-until Miss Etting en-
tered the picture.
CHARGES LOVE STOLEN
In 1886, Mrs. Alderman charged
Miss Etting launched her cam
paign of coaxing and contrlvance
to win Alderman'S love-" and on
October IT, 1887, just a week be
fore the Aldermans' baby, Norma,
was born, brought her conquest to
q climax.
On that date, Mrs. Alderman
alleged in her suit, Miss Ettlng
succeeded in influencing Alder
man TO leave his wife, which ne
did en- December 3, 1887, when
the baby was less than two months
old.
During the months Miss Etting
wooed Alderman, Mrs. Alderman
charged, she showered him with
expensive gifts, including clothing
and jewelry.
BRANDS WEDDING PRETENSE
Mrs. Alderman referred to the
Tia Juana wedding of Miss Ettlng
and Alderman last July Is as a
"pretended marriage ceremony"
declaring Alderman is still her
husband in the eyes of the law.
The Washington times., 1938-10-18

recalled. Baseball, hockey, elec-
tions-Whether a batter would hit
a fly, what the innings score
would be-he always had a cen
tury ready with which to take a
chance, they said.
Ruth felt that the husband SHE
had married back in Chicago in
1922, when she was merely an
obscure cafe singer. had con-
tributed greatly to her success.
Perhaps if the tired, overworked
young girl of those days could
have foreseen her brilliant fu-
ture-the very pinnacle Of stage
and radio success, bringing her
the highest salary ever paid to
an ether artist-she would have
been content with smaller re-
wards and single bleSSedneSS.
The Washington times., 1938-10-18

Alderman was granted a divorce
on a cross-complaint on December
2, 1887. Under California law, the
final decree cannot be granted
until full year has elapsed.
Meanwhile, Snyder, better
known as Colonel Gimp" was at
liberty on $4,000 bail.
Before this thing is over" he
said. Il may blow the whole case
wide open"
Ruth is not telling the truth
about what happened Saturday
night. didn't force Alderman to
take me there. I had been In
vited to dinner with the fam
ily!"
It was alleged Snyder forced
Alderman, at gun point, to drive
him to the Etting home.
CHARGES HOME WRECKED
Snyder declared that it was
common Hollywood gossip" that
Alderman, 30-year-old composer
broke up his home.
"I hired Alderman six years
ago as Ruth'S piano player"
Snyder recalled. He added:
Maybe they did get married
In Tia Juana, but I'll bet it
can't be found on the books
there"
AS Snyder was released from
jail. Miss Etting asked police II
provide her with guards for he
home. saying she feared anothe
attack.
Miss Etting spent most of yes
terday and last night at the bee
side of Alderman.
The Washington times., 1938-10-18
Romance Of The Gimp and His Sweet Sinse1'
Made His Wife a
Star, Then Hurt
Her Prestige

a musician from drowning out her
voice. An instrumental obbligato
was played behind Fittings singing
and in order that the musicians
would not dominate her, the Col
onel scratched chalk marks at q
generous distance from the mike.
He told them to stand on them,
not an inch closer.
"The musicians resented this
but managed to outwit him. They
would stand on the chalk marks
until the last minute. AS the
broadcast started, and still stand
ing on the marks. they would
simply have the mike moved to-
ward themselves"
He appeared determined, not
only to see her a great star, but
also to keep her irrevocably and
uncomprisingly his own property.
On one occasion q pair of come
dams sought to make a date with
her. They gave her a playful i'm
polite shove at a matinee one
day.
Snyder waylaid them after the
show and yowled:
80 you're comedians, are you?
I'll make you look funny enough
so you can be comedians, all
righto." Then he beat them into
inSenSibility.
The next audience howled.
Never had the comedy pair had
such applause. Spectators believed
that the puffed ears, the mashed
noses and the purple eyes and
cheeks were makeup. The per-
formers to this day use makeup
initiating the battered faces given
them by The Gimp.
The Washington times., 1938-10-18
Gould Kill Him;
Now, Says Ruth

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 1S.
Ruth Etting was bitter to-
night against the ex-hus-
band who shot Myrl Alder
man, her present mate
Pacing restlessly outside
Alderman's hospital room'
she asserted:
"I would gladly have
killed Moe Snyder if l
could have held the gun
steady e enoug hand l
could kill him now if I had
q gun"
The Washington times., 1938-10-18
Enc bCg1'1'GSSed Her
He The BIG Time

After she came to New York the
class of customers improved. Ad-
vertiSing agencies and musical di-
rectors did not respond to The
Gimp'S blasphemous, menacing
brand of persuasion as had the
Chicago cafe operators. From this
time on he made enemies by the
dozen. He became a hindrance
rather than a help to Ruth.
Richard Himber, orc hestra
leader, recalled the difficulties,
due to The Gimp, at rehearSals.
II directed seven programs in
which Ruth appeared" he said.
'The Colonel was quick to prevent
The Washington times., 1938-10-18

when she deCloeQ
to embark on a
new life of peace
and fresh air and
gardens and leiS-
ure, he did not
fit into the pic.
ture. R u t n
wanted to be fair,
so she made what
seemed a just
even generous
arrangement for
him.
She had al
ready divided her
money int o two
funds, one in her
little prair / e
hom Q tow n
David City, Neo.
the other the
Ettin TT Us t
Fund of 5000. 600
She paid Snyder
holf that sum
The Washington times., 1938-10-18
For Months He
ShO1Ded Letters

For months after she left him
and had their marriage dissolved,
he has been flashing letters in
Lindy's, where he generally ate.
They we're from Ruth, he said. But
intimates believe they were not
from Ruth, but from q friend Of
The Washington times., 1938-10-18
ADYERTISENGENT A
T'Sb!lksRIesFqq$$S$fH
MsAhnsuk lnnnssaaa-anA K RnR :
E1srXt6ins irSSa s. -

kVeEythMg kOm S0sIp b Nuf8
Th0 stomach ahoald digest tRO Dcsadb Il hooA
daily. When yOa 0aG heavy, GFeaV, egAES0 q HiaA
foods o. when you ere nervous, hurried q chow
poorly-yOur Stomaeh pOuEs out TOO HHch 18iA.
Your fo0d d0s@'t @gest and yen h1Ns gas. hsaEt-
burn, nausea, pain q 0OlR stOmaehs Y0a Goes g0us
SEX and upset al ever.
DOCangB cay nSER take . laxstaDO fR sAsmneA
pain. 1t 10 dangerous aRd foolish. N takes th0sO
1ittle black tablets aallsd Bell ems for 1ndig1m
70 make the aZc01 Sanm0eh Gaids haKmlaas, 11lR0QO
distress IN Mlna4ss and Pat y0u bask 0A HgR
fSst. RsRisf b - qnAek & b amazang and eDS 2E0
pSsEaso BeoRss u Az ~ 1sll-aas S0g hAlOssHaA
The Washington times., 1938-10-18
GiveS Him Half
OF 100000 Trust

However she may have reasoned
in that era Of smoke-filled cafes,
dirty stage door alleys, and tear
ing, all-night work, she did marry
The Gimp. And IS years later,
The Washington times., 1938-10-18

'Paramount-The Gimp rounded
up Cantor and Bernie and got
them to take Ziegfeld, the ShubertS
and others to her opening. He
even got Governor Small of Illinois
and Mayor Dever of Chicago to
send endorsements. The very
next week, Ziegfeld hired her.
The Washington times., 1938-10-18
FRFF ENLARGEMENT e.
Inst To 1et aeUu~fufal

0USE 70 BoI hcQuhInUbu,
we will beautifully en-.
large negative OF your faVOrite Kodak
picture, photo or snapshot to 5x7 inches
FREE-if you enclose this ad with IOe
for return mailing. You can also have
1t beautifully hand tinted in natural
cOlOrs FREE with frame TO place on
the dresser or table. Your free cOIOring
certificate sent Immediately and your
original returned with your free en-
largement. Look over your snapshots
now and send today, as this free offer
is limited. DEAN STUDIOS, Dept. 40,
11S n. 18th St., Omaha, Neb.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-05-09

NTRANGE as it seems, the man who
built the trans-Andean Callao-
Oroya Railroad was a fugitive from
justlce-Henry Meiggs, man who
had failed in business in the United
States and escaped the country owing
close TO 100000.
After making fortune in lumber
in CALIFORNIA; 40" days. he lost
everything when the boom died down.
In an effort to recoup Meiggs forged
warrants stolen from San Francisco's
city treasurer, and when discovery be-
came inevitable. he and his family
shipped unknown for South America
in 1854
Meiggs' luck held out in South
America. He founded a bank in La
PaZ, built $500 600 home, celebrated
the completion of one Of his railroad
projects with Today banquet cost
ing 100000. Meiggs reached high
point in his career with the building
of the trans Andean railroad for a
commission of SIPS 100000.
He repaid most of his old San
Francisco debts and secured the pas
sage of the California law making 1t
Illegal for grand jury to indict him
for ofenSeS committed prior to 1855.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-05-09
Winning Contract
BY THE EOuR ACES.

David Burnstine Merwin D Maier.
Oswald Jacoby, Howard Schenkeu,
worlds leading am-of-four, inven-
tors Of the system that has beaten
every other system in existence
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-05-09
Texas Slam.

Oswald Jacoby, whose second son
was born in Dallas on March %, flew
back to New York just in time to start
playing in the Vanderbilt Cup Tour
nament. His bidding the first day
showed either fathers elation or the
Texas influence. but his playing did
not seem to have suffered from his
stay in the West.
North. dealer
Both sides vulnerable.
A84
KlO7e
= KISS
= K Q96
MIR. Burnstine.
A K 963 n A. 10 =
vQJ9 WE Va
= QJ1o5 S 97642
4 J8 i 10 43
a A q
VA 5 4 80
-
+A752
Mr.. Jacoby.
The bidding:
North. East. South. West.
Pass Pass ~ Pass
~ Pass 81 Pass
Pass Pass
Mr.. Jacoby's six-heart bid is an ex-
ample of his Texas style of bidding.
more elegant to have shown his con-
trolls, but as he explained later, since
his partner had passed originally, he
felt that seven would be an unsound
contract, and at the same time he did
not want to insult his aces by bidding
less than six.
West opened the queen of diamonds.
Mr.. Jacoby won with the ace in his
own hand, laid down the ace of hearts,
and then caShed dumny'S king, East
showing out. Now Mr.. Jacoby led the
king of diamonds and discarded club
from his own hand, ruffed the small
diamond and started the club suit.
West refused to trump in but it did
no good, since, after taking the last
club, Mr.. Jacoby led a trump. Now
West was in the lead. Realizing that
diamond lead would allow Mr.. ia
CODY to ruff in his own hand and dis
card one spade in dummy, West led
away from the king of spades and
hoped that his partner held the queen,
but this did no good. and Mr. Jacoby
made his contract by means OF
rather simple elimination play.
(Copyright, 1889
The Four Aces will be pleased to an
SWer letters from readers If a stamped
t3c), self addressed envelope is in
closed with each communication ad-
dressed to the Four Aces care The
Evening Star. II you desire the pocket
outline of the Four Aces system of
contract bridge. send with your re-
quest TO the Four Aces stamped cc).
self dressed. large-size envelope. and
you will receive an outline without any
charge.
The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-12-20

agitation throughout 1888 believe
he will not press the issue with
the assembly.
North Carolina abandoned a
long tradition Of liquor prohibit
ton in 1885, when the legiSla-
ture passed the "Pasquotank Ii
quor control act" which permit
ted Pasquotank and II other
counties to vote on whether they
wished to install county liquor
stores. One county rejected the
option and the other II accepted
it and the county stores were set
up during the latter part of 1885.
In July, 1886, Governor J. c. b.
Ehringhaus appointed a commits
sion to study liquor control. A
bill based on the commissions rec
concentrations was adopted by the
1887 assembly, providing for the
state board to control the coun-
ty liquor sales and permitting
any additional counties that wish
ed to vote on the question of
county stores.
Eight counties approved and
were added to the wet" list. Ten
counties held referenda but vot-
ed against liquor sales. A COM
plete state organization to super
wise both the buying and selling
of liquor stocks was perfected
under the direction of the COM
mission, and rules for advertising
an dactivities of statesmen were
The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-12-20

adopted.
A reserve of five to ten per
cent of each "wet" county's prof
its must be set aside fof enforce
ment of liquor control-for elm
mating bootleg operations. Each
county must employ an enforce
ment officer, and the state main
tain three full-time inspectors.
During the 1888 fiscal year, en-
forcement activities of the 27
"wet" counties included 1900 ar
rests with convictions in all but
651 cases. On those convicted,
fines totaling S36,555.61 were
levied and Jail sentences totaling
474 years were imposed. Nearly
$4,000 gallons of illegal liquor
were seized and 157 automobiles
were confiScated.
The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-12-20
SAYS BUILDING
IS LEADING IN
u. S. UPTREND'
Roy c. Bennett { Reports
Findings at Building
Clinic In in Charlotte,

"The home building industry III
1899 is expected to have its best
wear since 1929" Roy c. Ben
nett of the Rigby-Morrow Lum-
Der company, declared today up
an his return from a building IN,
Jmstrv merchandising clinic held
in Charlotte. Mr.. Bennett was
accompanied by Roy c. Bennett
Citing facts and figures brought
ont at the conference sponsored
bv Johns-Manville and which was
attended by II building material
retailers, Mr.. Bennett said:
"This year we can offer the
irrespective home builder more
house for his money than at any
time in history. We have better
designs. better materials and con-
struction methods, insulation, ar
conditioning, automatic heat, bet
ter equipment, lower cost financ-
ing, and, actually, because OF pet
ter use of space, the home OF to,
dav costs less than 10 years ago. -
Mr.. Bennett revealed that plans
have been formulated to make IL
possible for prospective home
owners to select and build home
much as they might purchase an
automobile. These plans, he sald'
will be announced shortly after
the first of the year.
Commenting upon general BUS
mess conditions, Mr.. Bennett
said:
"Past business cycles have
shown that real recovery can be
had only when supported by
strength in the building industry.
Today it is a fact that the build
ing industry is leading the cur
rent general Improvement in bus
mess.
"The latest figures made pub
lie, those for October Of this year,
show all construction is 26 per
cent ahead of last year, residen-
tial building for October was 90
per cent ahead Of a year ago, and
for four months is up so per cent.
Mortgages accepted for insurance
by the FILA since April have
shown increases for every month
over the corresponding months of
last year, and commitments for
October were more than 80 per
cent over October of last year.
Practically all of these gains have
been made since the middle of
the year, and show that we are
now in a definite upturn period.
"If general business conditions
continue to improve" Mr.. Ben