davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28
Bruce Cation Says
- AVERAGE Man Taken at Face Value

Probably the best of all commen-
taries on the amazing Coster case
is the plaintive note contributed by
the publisher of Who's Who, who
remarked: "Who's Who takes it
for granted that a man elected
president of an S87,000,000 concern
is a man of good reputation and
standing in his community
Because practically everybody else
follows the same rule, an imagina-
tive swindler was able to put across
one of the most fantastic hoaXes
of modern times, deceive everybody
from the U. S. government to Wall
Street, and come to grief only be-
cause of a Slip-up on a minor de-
tail.
People probably will drawing
morals from this case for years
to come. But in some ways the
most striking thing about it is the
way it illustrates the almost uni
versal tendency to take a man
at his own valuation.
Banks have a commendable war
mess in the matter of cashing
checks, and most business firms
want to know a little something
about you before they will let you
open a charge account; but be-
yond that you can get people to
believe practically anything you
say about yourself, and your history
is what you say it is.
And the odd thing about it all
is not that a man like Coster, or
Musica, pops up once in a while to
make everybody look like a sucker,
but the fact that it doesn't happen
oftener.
1t could happen. All our business
and social machinery is geared to
the supposition that the average
man is a decent and honorable
sort-the belief that it isn't nee
eSsary to take extraordinary pre-
cautions against SWindling because
most men simply aren't the swim
ding kind. Any man who has plen-
ty of nerve and imagination can
take advantage of that Set-up and
get away with it for a long time
as witness Coster, Ivar Kreuger,
DR.. Cook, and sundry others.
But ordinarily people live up to
our expectations. They pan out
just about as we think they will.
We don't have to police every de-
tail of our personal relationships.
BY and large, this really is the
sort of world that our belief in the
next fellow tells us it is.
And that is a rather important
point. For it goes back to one of
the fundamentals in the existing
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28
new YEARS RESOLUTIONS
SERVE THEIR PURPOSE

1t has become almost a standing Joke
about this time of year that New Years
resolutions are made only to be broken,
yet we submit that this peculiarly Amer
ican tradition serves a worthy purpose
in all lives.
Even though we break the resolutions
we make on New Years day, they have
served to remind us that we are far from
perfect. and that reminder itself does
a mighty lot to improve our personal
relations with our fellow men.
The mere making of a resolution indi-
Gates that the person who makes it is
alive to the necessity for improvement.
AS long as there is an effort to improve,
hope is not lost for the betterment OF
the race. 1t is only when we sink so
deeply into self esteem that we cannot
realize there is room for improvement
that our cases are hopeless.
The human race goes ahead, or 1t goes
backward There is no standing still.
When we do not improve we fall behind.
Therefore it is good that, at least once
a year, we should take stock of ourselves,
find out what has been wrong, and at
tempt to right that wrong.
And this year let's all make at least
one New Years resolution-JuSt to
keep ourselves from getting rusty.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28

annual convention OF the Amerl-
can Association for the Advance
ment of Science, Merritt said that
medical schools have given made
quate" instruction for treatment
of syphilis.
The whole blame for the con-
tinued extension of the disease" he
said in a paper prepared for pre-
sentation to the symposium, can
not be placed on the public; the
chief responsibility lies with the
medical profession, which has
evaded its duty in the past.
There has been very inadequate
attention paid to this disease by
the medical schools and as result
very few practicing physicians are
capable of intelligently handling
the disease. This defect must be
remedied first of all"
DR.. Merritt's paper was one of
several presented at the opening
session of a three day symposium
which seeks to determine some of
the factors that cause $4,000 Amer
leans to be confined in institutions
with mental diseases. The sympo-
sium, a major feature of the asso-
cations annual meeting, has at
tracted some of the country'S most
famous psychiatriStS.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28
The Good
Desert

December in the desert! Genial
sun, light, vitalizing breezes, IN
vigorating air, sparkling stars that
hang in the sky like miniature
moons. This month and its twin,
January, are the zenith OF mete-
geological beauty!
What are the records of past De
cemberS in the Imperial? KAN
Does it ever rain? An average oil
about an inch for the month, al
though a dozen years ago 1t ralned
nearly four inches during the
month. The average temperature
hovers around SO, while daylight
temperatures equal or exceed DO
and at night the thermometer often
drops to 40, with infrequent frosts.
The noon relative humidity aver
ages ga per cent. which is the near
est TO moist atmosphere Imperial
Valley ever records except during
some of the humid thunderstorm
days in late midsummer or early
spring. The wind blows about as
strong as in San Diego or Los An
eeles during December on the deS-
ert; daylight winds average 9 miles
per hour. whereas the night winds
are light. The highest wind ever
recorded in any December during
more than half a century OF wealth
er observations was 30 miles per
hour. more than two score years
ago.
The coast Of southern California,
especially that of Los Angeles coun-
tv, is this season experiencing the
same sort of desert weather as the
Imperial Valley. The first decade
of December recorded the highest
average temperature and the great
est daily minima with least relative
humidity of any year since mete-
GEOLOGICAL observations were begun
in southern California. 1t is a
taste of transplanted December
desert weather that when 1t has
passed, and cloudy cool and windy
weather succeeds it, as must be in
regular meteorological progress,
memory will hark back to these de-
lightful days and the radiator caps
of autos will turn desertWards 10
Imperial, where that same brand
of pleasantness is not "unusual
but the regular thing.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28
Famous Sayings

social organization. What happens
when that fundamental is discard
ed can be seen today, in all its pris-
tine ugliness, in the dictator Lands
overseas.
There the belief in mans innate
deeency and intelligence has been
discarded. Because it has been dis
carded, elaborate machinery to
make men think and act as their
leaders want them to think and
act is required For by an ineXor-
able logic, once you assume that
your fellow man is not to be trusted
in some things you must assume
that he is not to be trusted in any
thing. And the same logic forces
you to regiment every detail of his
life.
So perhaps we had better go on
taking people at their face value, in
spite of the Coster hoax. The only
alternative is to start something
we wouldn't like at all
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28
GEORGIA ANECDOTE
(St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Among those not entirely satisfied
with the results of the Georgia primary
is the man whose platform was recorded
in a Post Dispatch article published
prior to the primary.
This Georgian said he was for Eugene
Talmadge (who was defeated), Governor
Rivers (who was renominated) and Pres
ident Roosevelt. He explained: Gene
Talmadge will give 40 acres of land; Ed
Rivers will exempt it from taxes, and
the President will pay me not to farm
it. That's my ticket"
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28
MUSICA LACKED ONE VITAL
ELEMENT OF SUCCESS
(Hanford Sentinel)

The fantastic life story of Philip Musi-
ca, better known in recent years as f.
Donald Coster, is a striking reminder
that the Midas touch holds power of
woe as we'll as veal. Musicals flair for
high finance gave him wealth and mater
ial comforts; his lust for gold and more
gold finally gave him death-at his own
hand.
AS head of going concern, the Nc
Kesson & Robbins Drug company, Musi-
ca acquired riches fast-and legitimately
for time. His criminal bent however,
directed his money making talents into
channels of richer, quicker profits by
subterfuges, substitutiOnS, fraud and
smuggling.
He was an organizer of first water,
dynamic high pressure salesman who
bartered his soul along with his talents
for mergers and stock manipulations.
He hurled the full force of his personal
ity and the stock of information he had
gained in the bootlegging business dur
ing prohibition days into a wholesale
drug venture that finally had ramifica-
tions in the gun running and other Illicit
enterprises. He was the brains of an
enterprise that finally dragged into the
slime of dishonOr three of his brothers
and many of his associates.
Musica had everything, apparently,
but one vital essence of success. He lack
ed honesty and lacking that had nothing
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28
NOTICE OF TRUSTEES SALE

On January 5, 1889, at 2:30 O'Clock
PM. at the North entrance to the
County Courthouse in Ell Centro,
Imperial County, State of Califor-
mia. Walter c. Dean, Frank r.
Hodgson and H. w. Browning, as
Trustees, or their duly appointed
successors, under and pursuant to
that certain trust deed, and the
power of sale therein contained, dat
ed December l, 1888, executed by
John S. Rogers and Esther U. Rog-
erS and recorded January %, 1884,
in Book 1863, page $50 of Official
Records in the office of the Re-
corder of Imperial County, Califor-
mia, will sell at public auction to
the highest bidder for cash in law
ful money of the United States,
without warranty express or i'm
piled, all right, title and interest
conveyed under said trust deed in
the property situated in Judicial
Township No. 8, in said County and
State, described as:
Farm Unit II" or the South
east quarter of the Northeast
quarter, and Farm Unit "a" or
the Northeast quarter of the
Northeast quarter of Section Z,
all in Township 16 South, Range
90 East, San Bernardino Base
and Meridian, in the County of
Imperial, State of California,
according to the Farm Unit
Plat.
The above described property
contains 80 acres more or less.
Subject to existing right OF
ways of record.
TOGETHER with 78 shares in
Yuma County Water Users AS
ISOLATION.
TOGETHER with all other
rights of every kind and nature,
however evidenced, to the use
of water, bitches and canals for
the irrigation of said premises.
Said sale will be made to satisfy
the obligations secured by said
trust deed, with interest and ad-
vances, if any, fees, charges and
expenses of Trustees, all as provid-
ed by said trust deed.
The beneficiary under said trust
deed, h;' reason of default in the
obligations secured thereby, has
heretofore executed and delivered
to the undersigned a written dec
laration of default and demand for
sale. A written notice of breach
and election to sell said property
to satisfy said obligations was duly
recorded September 27, 1888, in Book
400, page 300 of said Official
Records.
Dated: November 28, 1888.
WALTER G. DEAN, Trustee
FRANK r. HODGSON, Trustee
II. w. BROWNING, Trustee.
d.. Ia, 81, %.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28
illegal ADVERTISEMENT
s u Nj NJ o N S
No. 18467

County of Imperial
In the SuperiOr Court of the State
of California, i'm and for the
IMPERIAL IRRIGATION
DISTRICT, Plaintl1t
JAMES HARRISON MARSTON,
ct al, Defendants.
Harry w. Horton and Geo. H.
Kirk, Attorneys for Plaintiff.
The People of the State of Cali
fornia Send Greetings to:
JAMES HARRISON MARSTON,
MABEL c. MARSTON, his wife,
CONSOLIDATED TITLE INSUR-
ANCE COMPANY, a Corporation,
as Trustee, and CONSOLIDATED
TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY, a
Corporation, JAMES HAVL1K,
MARY HAVLIK. his wife, HOW
ARD w. BARBOUR, and JESSIE
BARBOUR, his wife, JOHN DOE,
JANE DOE, RICHARD ROE, JOHN
DOE COMPANY, a Corporation,
RICHARD ROE COMPANY. a Co
partnership, and JOHN DOE as
Administrator of the Estate OF
Richard Roe, Deceased, Defendants.
You Are Hereby Directed to APP
pear and answer the Complaint in
an action entitled as above, brought
against you in the Superior Court
of the County of Imperial, State
of California, within ten days after
the service on you of this Summons
if served within this county; or
within thirty days if served else
where.
And you are hereby notified that
unless you appear and answer as
above required, the said plaintiff
will take judgment for any money
or damages demanded in the COM
plant, as arising upon contract, or
it will apply to the Court for any
other relief demanded in the Com
plant.
Given under my hand and the
seal of the Superior Court of the
County of Imperial, State of Cali
fornia, this 18th day of October,
1888
w. j. McCLELLAND,
(SEAL) County Clerk
BY CITHA LAMSON,
Deputy Clerk.
o. 26-N. 2 8 16 % BOD. 7 IA 81 20.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28
Legal Advertisement
NOTICE OF TRUSTEES SALE

NOTICE OF TRUSTEES SALE
On January 5, 1899, at 2:15 PM.
at the North Entrance to the County
Courthouse in Ell Centre, Imperial
County, State of California, Walter
C. Dean, Frank r. HodgSon and
H w. Browning, as Trustees, or
their duly appointed successors, un-
der and pursuant 10 that certain
trust deed, and the power of sale
therein contained, dated June l,
1884, executed by Andrew l.. Storie.
also known as A. l.. Storle, and
recorded July 81, 1884, in Book 1856.
page 149 of Official Records in the
office Of the Recorder of Imperial
County, California, will sell at pub
lie auction to the highest bidder for
cash in lawful money of the United
States, without warranty express or
implied, all right, title and interest
conveyed under said trust deed in
the property situated in Judicial
Township No. 2. in said County and
State, described as:
Lots 8 and g. in Section l,
Township 161a South, Range II
East, San Bernardino Base and
Meridian, as per map of the re-
survey approved May 2, 1913,
and filed in the United States
Land Office at Los Angeles, CAL
ifornia, excepting therefrom
that part of Lot described as
follows:
Commencing at the Southwest
corner of said Lot 8; thence
North along the West line of
said Lot 8, to point where said
West line intersects the Easterly
line of public highway, as locat-
ed thereon; thence in South
easterly direction following the
contour of public highway to a
point in South line of said Lot
8, so feet East of the Southwest
corner of said Lot 8; thence
West along the South line OF
said Lot 8, distance of 60 feet
to the point of beginning.
The property described here
in contains 80 acres, more or
less. Subject to existing rights
of way of record.
Together with all rights of
every kind and nature, however
evidenced, to the use of water,
bitches and canals for the irri-
CATION of said premises.
Said sale will be made to satisfy
the obligations secured by said trust
deed, with interest and advances, If
any, fees, charges and expenses OF
the Trustees, all as provided by said
trust deed.
| The beneficiary under said trust
deed, by reason of default in the
obligations secured thereby, has
heretofore executed and delivered
to the undersigned a written dec
laration of default and demand for
sale. A written notice of breach
and election to sell said property to
satisfy said obligations was duly re-
corded September 27, 1888, in Book
499, page 30l, of said Official Rec
ords.
Dated November 28, 1898.
WALTER G. DEAN, Trustee,
FRANK r. HODGSON, Trustee,
H w. BROWNING, Trustee.
d. IA, 81, 28.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28
Community Auction!

At the ZINNERIE SALE CORRALS
One-half mile due east of Conn's
Service Station, Ell CENTRIC, FRI
DAY, DEC. 30th.
Sale starts at 1G o'clock sharp.
Lunch stand on the grounds.
so Head of Dairy Cattle-spring-
ers, fresh COWS, heifers, beef cows,
veal calves, baby calves, bulls.
Horses and Mules; Sows, 20 nice
feeders, Weaned pigs.
Chickens, turkeys, rabbits.
100 sacks White Rose potatoes.
Mowers, rakes, wire, posts and all
kinds of miscellaneous implements.
Beds, dresSers, chairs, tables,
stoves, etc.
Terms: Cash.
M. D. zINN and F. w. zINN,
AuctioneerS. (advD
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28

most famous race in the world:
the Derby at EPSON Downs. One
of the horses bore the euphonlouS
name of Allenby. Lowell Thomas
was lecturing at the time on Allen
by's campaign in Palestine. We had
a hunch. We placed our money on
Allenby, but the old boy failed us.
My next experience was three or
four years later in Bad Ischl, Aus
tria. Those were the days of wild
initiation. You could take half
dollar to the bank and get SO many
Austrian kronen that you required
a pack mule to transport them to
the hotel. 1 was writing book on
Lincoln at the time, and something
tempted me TO bet on the horse
races. Maybe it was Lincoln'S in
fluence, for he used to act as judge
at the horse races in New Salem,
Illinois, hundred years ago. Well,
anyway bet five dollars on a
horse; and he won. And the book
maker couldn't pay me. The ma
tiyes were wagering a hundred or
five hundred Austrian kronen; but
here I was an auSlander, betting
dollars or "edel vauta," noble mon
ey, as they called it. The book
maker was staggered by the sum
l had won. No such amount had
ever been wagered on a race before
during the century that the HapS-
burg kings had had their royal
| hunting lodge at Bad Ischl. This
book-maker was profuse with apol-
ogies and offered me all the kro-
nen he had.
The third time 1 bet on a race
was in 1881 I Wagered ten dollars
without having the foggiest idea
on what horse 1 was betting, or
what track he was running on, or
why he was running. He mayor
she may-have been running in
Havana or Havre de GraS or Aqua
Caliente-I didn't know, and l did
MT care. A friend of mine told
me he thought the horse might
win; so I handed him ten dollars
and 1 got back $33.38
One of the best known book
makers in the United States who
attended one of my classes in pub
lie speaking and with whom L got
pretty well acquainted, told me
that if he wanted to get revenge
on some man he despised, he would
MT know a more sure way to gain
his end than by getting his enemy
to bet large sums on the races.
Yes, sir, I am ahead of the horse
racing racket to the extent of $33.38
and I'll always be ahead that much
because I'll never bet again. Why?
Because 1 know that if I continue
to bet, I'll eventually lose.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28
TOday's Horoscope

You whose birthday Is today
must be careful not TO let super
sensitiveness spoil your birthday.
If you heed this warning you will
have a happy day with family and
friends. Prosperity rules in this
period, but do not permit yourself
to be involved in unnecessary mon
etary obligations.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28
Legal Advertisement A
NOTICE OF INTENTION TO
ENGAGE IN THE SALE OF
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

December 27, 1888
TO WHOM 1T MAY CONCERN:
Notice is hereby given that fifteen
days after the above date, the un-
dersigned proposes to sell alcoholic
beverages at these premises, de-
scribed as follows:
RAINBOW INN,
Lot /, Blk 81, Heber, California
Pursuant to such intention, the
undersigned is applying to the State
Board of Equalization for issuance
of an alcoholic beverage license Cor
licenses) for these premises as fol-
lows:
On Sale Beer and Wine, On
Sale Distilled Spirits, Off
Sale Distilled Spirits.
Anyone desiring to protest the
issuance of such license (s) may
file verified protest with the State
Board of Equalization at Sacrament
to, California, stating grounds for
denial as provided by law.
GEORGE A. BOREN.
n %
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28
TREASURY DEPARTMENT
TELLS THE GOOD NEWS
IS. F. Chronicle)

The treasury department notes jubi-
lantly that interest rates on long-term
government bonds are the lowest in his
tory. Bank reports show that interest
rates on other loans and investments are
correspondingly low because the banks
have more idle money than ever in their
history.
This hits the Money Trust. 1t also
hits individual thrift. By saving $40
week for 20 years, with interest around
five or six per cent, man might assure
himself of SO a week thereafter. At
lower interest rates he must save more
or longer. With idle money in the banks,
he finds it harder to get something to
save. His deprecated dollars when he
gets them will buy less at higher prices.
Probably it serves him right for being
a miser instead of looking forward to
some scheme to get something for moth
ing.
His discomfort, at any rate, is small
beside the triumph over the Money,
Trust, forced to keep most of its money
idle and cut rates on what it can lend.
There is similar triumph over Wicked
Business, forced to keep its labor idle
and taxed out of what it can make on
small volume.
There is no connection, of course, be-
tween taxes, idle bank money, low rates
and unemployment. They just coincide.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28
An Economist S
Viewpoint
By John 7. Flynn

An architect in Washington writes
to ask a question. In a previous
article I said a depression appears
when we stop making goods sold
on long-term credits. He wants to
know why. He says he fails TO
see the difference between goods
made to be sold on lcng-term
credits and those sold on short
term credits or cash so far as
bringing fresh supplies of money
into the capitalist system is con
cerned. 1t all seems foggy to him.
But it is the most important
thing to understand now. And the
reasons can be made fairly clear.
Here they are. First, when a man
comes into possession OF money
from any source, he is the master
of that money. He can decide what
he will do with it. He may decide
to spend it or to save it. If he
decides to spend it he hands it
promptly enough to someone else
and that persons hands it on to
another.
And as long as the fellow who
receives it decides to spend it, It
circulates, makes business, makes
income. But if this man who re-
ceives income 49, money - decides
not to spend it but to save it, then
an entirely different economic con-
sequence ensueS.
When a man saves money he
does not necessarily hoard it, put
it in a tin box He more probably
decides to invest it. That is, he
decides to put it into some in
dustry or enterprise, to open a
store, start a business, build a
house, lend it to a builder, buy a
newly issued share in some cor
poration. buy a new bond. All
these would be ways of investing.
When a man invests that way il
results in spending. The builder
buys materials, the corporation
buys machinery, etc. But you will
see at a glance that the kind OF
goods a man spends money on when
he is spending his income is very
different from the kind he spends
it on when he is investing.
I one case he buys clothes, food
theater tickets, radios, luxuries,
etc.-things which he consumes
himself. In the other case he
buys materials which are used in
the manufacture of other materi-
ais
Now it is clear that when man
who is saving money refuses to in
vest it. these kinds of materials
machinery, iron, lumber, cement
etc, which go into investment goods
cease to be produced. The failure
of these types of industry results
from the failure to invest.
AS long as a dollar paid to a
man as income is spent by him 1t
moves and may go on moving
through any hands. But the mo-
ment someone in the chain decides
to save that dollar and puts it
aside as such, its spending days
are over. They are over until he
decides to invest the dollar.
The dollar flows back into the
stream of spending. The only de-
vice in the capitalist system for
returning saved dollars to activity
is through investment. If invest
ment ceases, dollars pile up in the
savings reservoir and remain In
active. The great investment in
dustries lag and in turn the con-
sumner industries lag. And we have
a depression.
There is more to it than this,
however. Very often, a man in
vests money he has not got. He
borrows money from a bank to
invest. If he does, this is even
more potent than investing his own
funds, as a bank loan has the effect
of creating new money.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-12-28

ponies - except
once; and, what.
is more, I'll al
ways be ahead
of the game. I'll
never lose. My
secret? Here it
it:
My first ven
ture was back in
1920, in London.
Mr.. and Mrs.
Lowell Thomas
and 1 went out
to W a t C h the