davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1938-12-21
MISSING GIRL
SEARCH FAILS

KINGSTON, Pa, Dec. 81
Q.N.S0.-The mystery of the dis
appearance Of pretty 20-year-old
Margaret Martin, who vanished
Saturday from the busiest inter
section of Kingston, deepened to-
day as State police announced
they had tentatively cleared a
lone suspect.
Miss Martin was apparently
lured away from her home by q
man who represented himself
over the phone as a prospective
employer and asked her to meet
him at a street corner for an in
terview. Police now believe she
was kidnapped by white slaverS.
All road houses in Luzerne
county, in which Kingston is sit
uated, and in adjoining Lacka-
wanna county are being searched
by posses of State, city and
county police. G-men were also
reported on the scene.
State police refused to reveal
the suspects name and said he
was still being held pending one
further check
The Washington times., 1938-12-21
W|FEVAN|SHES,
MATE, SON HELD

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 21.-A
husband and son were held by
police today for questioning in
the strange disappearance of
Mrs. Rose Spinelli, who has been
missing for the past 10 days.
Suspicion of murder arose
when the house was searched and
police found bloodstains, frag-
rent. of bone, ashes and a
stained ha5chet.
those held are William Spi-
nelli, So, and his son, William, %.
The son told police that his
father forced him to write letter
to an aunt, telling that his
mother had left for South
America with another man. and
threatened to kill him if he did
not write the letter.
A charred purse and a GOLD
ring were found in an incinerator
and the son identified the ring
as the property Of his mother.
Neighbors recalled that the
rather had a fire burning for
several hours the day his wife
disappeared.
The Washington times., 1938-12-21
AIDE OF MEANS
LOSES DEBATE
With JURIST
Whitaker Must Answer
Libel Case Query

Norman T. "The Fox" Whitaker
came out second best in a legal
with Justice oscar R.
Luhring in District Court today.
The convicted accomplice of
the late CASTOR B. Means, who
$104,O00 from Mrs.
Evalyn Walsh Mclean during her
efforts to find the kidnapped Lind
bergh baby was in court because of
a libel suit he has filed in New
York Federal courts against a pub
fishing firm, Blue Ribbon Books,
Inc.
ARGUES WITH JUDGE
Attorneys for the firm have
been asking Whitaker for a pre-
trial statement. He has refused
and they asked District Court to
compel him to make it. He filed
a motion to quash that request.
Today he appeared as his own
lawyer before Justice Luhring
The hearing quickly developed
into a spirited debate between
Whitaker and the jurist as to
whether Whitaker would give
"yes" or mo" answers.
OFFERED EXPLANATIONS
Finally Justice Luhring ordered
Whitaker to submit to the exami,
nation requested. Whitaker had
interposed a number of explana,
tions and exceptions whenever the
jurist sought one syllable answers
Whitaker is seeking $45,000
from the publishers and Sidney B.
Whipple, author of "The Lind
bergh Crime" which he claims
falsely represents his part in the
famous case.
The Washington times., 1938-12-21

HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 81 G.N.s).
A quick-thinking wardrobe woman
averted what might have been a
tragedy for Film Star Bette Davis,
it was learned today.
The actress had gone to her
dressing room on the "Juarez" set
at Warner Brothers to rest until
she was needed again before the
camera.
In leaning over a table, she
brushed the voluminous skirts
of a period costume against an
open gas stove.
The star was unaware of her
danger but wardrobe woman Ida
Greenfield saw Miss Davis petit
coat ignite. She dragged the ac-
tress to the floor and threw her
own body on the burning cloth.
Miss Davis suffered nothing
worse than shock
The Washington times., 1938-12-21
Stores Jdmmed in Yule Rush
*>x *~*
Sales Girls Hard Pressed, But Bear Up Well

With four days of Christmas
shopping left, F Street crowds to-
day began to react like a theater
The Washington times., 1938-12-21
LYDIA LOCKE
Wants Divorce Voided
NEW YORK. Dec. 21 (C.T.P.s.!

NEW YORK, Dec. 81 (C.TP.S0.
F. en- years after her divorce
Arthur Hudson Marks, mil
re organ manufacturer, Lydia
(Laay of the Sables) Locke, prima
donna of Hammerstein opera days,
wants him back-deSpite the fact
that she has married twice since
then and Marks has a new wife.
This was disclosed on the eve
of a trial to set the 1924 decree
aside, scheduled to open this morn
ing.
Recently Marks brought a $685.
900 annoyance suit against his
former wife, charging that her
perpetual litigation already had
cost him $1,000,000 in settlements
which failed to satisfy her.
The Washington times., 1938-12-21
SYPHILIS TESTS
SOUGHT IN ALL
U. S. COLLEGES
Prevalence Is Revealed
BY Health Service

G.N.SO The U. S. Public
Health Service today urged
syphilis tests for all American
College students as a staff study.
based on restricted testing, re-
vealed that the syphilis rate in col.
leges is as high as it is in nom
college groups.
RATE OF INFECTION
Out of 1888 undergraduates
examined, two in every thousand
were found to have syphilis, the
staff study showed. But. since only
Is per cent of all students were
tested, and since syphilis does not
run in any constant ratio, the per.
centage Of infections may be
higher,
The rate of infection for the
general population in the age
group 1919, the years during
which most college students matri-
culate, is about 18 per 1000. The
health service explained the ap-
parently higher college rate as due
to an undetermined number OF
students in higher age groups, up
to "a years, being unavoidably in
cluded in the undergraduate
study.
LESS AMONG WOMEN
The study deplored the attitude
of "a fair proportion" of college
administration officials, who ARE
still of the opinion that syphilis is
bounded by class or racial lines,
and hence think that blood testing
is unnecessary in colleges"
Two-thirdS of college admins
tration officials approached be-
lieve, however. that syphilis test
Il ing is desirable.
The study also showed about IS
per cent less syphilis among col
lege women than among men, a
difference paralleling nationwide
prevalence rates by sexes.
The Washington times., 1938-12-21
Children Will See
Capitol Show Friday

WaShington'S underprivileged
boys and girls will be treated to
a two-hour and forty-minute show
starting at II a. M, Friday at
Loew's Capitol Theater, it was
announced today by Carter T.
Barron, eastern division manager
of Loew's, Inc. The show is being
staged under auspices Of the Wash.
ington Rotary Club. Besides the
sceren feature of Young DR.. Xii.
dare" the youngsters will see a
complete stage show, featuring
Salici Puppets, Woolford- Weenies
trained dogs; Barte and Tagi, dan
GERS: Don zelaya. pianist and
humorist: the "a Chester Hale
Girls and Phil Lampkin's or
cheStra.
The Washington times., 1938-12-21

and he was taking it. In more
ways than one.
The Shopgirls were bearing up
as well as could be expected. but
any moment now another one Of
them will ask a male customer
The Washington times., 1938-12-21
Stockings Gifts

Christmas stockings were dis
tributed at a party staged last
night by the entertainment COM
mittee Of the Participants Club of
the Washington Self-Help Ex,
change in the parish hall of ST..
Johns Church.
The Washington times., 1938-12-21
'GRETNA GREEN
DOORS CLOSING
IN OLD VIRGINIA
Fairfax Clerk Ready to
Follow Arlington

The open door to quick mar.
riages was almost closed in nearby
Virginia today as Arlington fol-
lowed Alexandria's lead in requir.
ing q 72-hour wait for licenses,
Fairfax, too, was ready to shut the
portal tight.
Licenses for weddings without
waiting. however, were being issued
by Clerk John M. Whalen at Fair.
fax courthouse this morning pend
ing developments" Clerk Whalen
said:
II have been advised by
Commemorative Attorney Paul
Brown that it is legal for me to.
invoke the three-day delay regu-
lation put into effect in Alex.
andria and Arlington. If Fair
fax gets the rush of marriage
applicants today, I will put the
ruling into effect tomorrow"
MANASSAS ON DECK
In the event, Fairfax applies
the same remedy to stop the muSh.
rooming haSty marriage "buSi-
ness" Manassas is next in line for
the Gretna Green emblem, trans
ferred with rapidity from Elkton.
Md, to Alexandria to Arlington in
the past few days.
Manassas, seat of the Prince
William county, is only % miles
from Washington, and about 10
from Fairfax court house. Fred
erickSburg, As miles from Wash
ington, and Winchester, near the
Maryland-West Virginia lines, also
are in the part of the Marry Me
Back in Old Virginia" trade.
LAYCOCK'S RULING
After debating two days the ad-
visibility of making marriage
bent couples wait three days for
licenses, Clerk c. Benjamin Lay
cock of Arlington announced last
night he would put the 72-hour
wait ban into effect today. At
the conclusion of a second con-
ference on the problem with Com
monwealth's Attorney Lawrence
w. Douglas, the clerk stated:
IT have decided to require, In
each case, that such applica-
tions remain on file for three
days, in order to give this Of
flee a reasonable opportunity to
determine whether the license
should be issued"
Arlington issued only IA licenses
yesterday, after breaking its previ-
Gus all-time record by giving out
q nuptial permits Monday.
CLOTHS OPINION.
Despite unanimous opinions Of
Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax
officials on the legality Of the
three-day wait regulation, other
attorneys, including former Com
monwealth's Attorney William C.
Cloth, of Arlington, expressed be-
lief the ban was illegal. Cloth
said:
'The statute is applicable
only to Virginia couples, and
then cannot be construed to
give court clerks the power to
delay issuing licenses, except
in instances where there is ap-
parent reason to believe that
the applicants are not quail
flied"
Alexandria, which continued to
refuse to issue licenses yester
day, took the applications Of
three couples. Licenses will be
granted them Friday, if they meet
marriage requirements. Clerk Of
Court E. F. Hoffman said.
The Washington times., 1938-12-21
ABC Board Denies
New Liquor Permit

The Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board refused today to grant JOS
eph Miller a license to sell liquor
in addition to beer and light wines
in the 2100 block of Fourth st.
N. E.
The Washington times., 1938-12-21

every Woman ought to Spend Some
Time in Jail " So says Lady Edmee
Owen, once frivolous nOblewOman, In
describing her narrowing experiences
In four unpleasant French prisons.
Don't miss this dOuble-page feature
illustrated in color In The American
Weekly, the magazine distributed
with next Sundays Herald. Times.
The Washington times., 1938-12-21
Trio, Just
4 Months Old,
Newest Here

Christmas comes but once q
year, it's true, but Christmas
comes for the first time to Wash
ington's latest triplets and to the
Bavarian Lang twins, Santa Claus
has already come and gone.
Out on Landover Road, in Chev-
erly, Md, the Knapp triplets just
four months old yesterday, are
not exactly aware that Santa
Claus is an individual to be
reckoned with during this season
of the year. But G. Ernest Knapp,
their young daddy. is sure that
Santa will visit them.
I'm going to get them all
ponies," he said proudly.
Which, he admitted, was slight
exaggeration, because the tripletS
have grown so much since their
incubator days that they have out
grown their first clothes.
SANTA CAME EARLY
The triplets, to an inexperienced
eye undistinguiShable one from
the other, are known as Leila, vii.
liam and Lester.
In the Lang household, at 2O27
Huidekoper Pl. N. w., Elizabeth
and Annemarie, three years and
seven months of age, granddaugh
tiers of the late Anton Lang, who
was Christus in Oberammergau
passion plays, have already been
visited by Santa Claus.
Neither the twins nor their 20
month-old sister, Roswitha, speak
English, but through their mother
who as Klara Mayr played the
role of Mary Magdalene in the
passion play, they explained theil
present anxiety over the arrival oi
the Christ Child on Christmas
eve.
SANTA CLAUS EARLY
Earlier this month, on Decem
ber S, to be exact, when the
Knapp triplets were first learning
the joys of cod liver oil, the Lang
children were being visited by
Santa, who in accordance with
Bavarian custom, brought then
candies and cakes and warned
them to be good or the Christ
Child would not bring them theil
presents on Christmas Eve.
DR.. Anton Lang, their father
a professor of German at George
town University, further explained
that our reference to Kris Kringle
as the bringer of Christmas gifts
derives from the German WORD
for Christ Child, or Christkind,
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
Detroit to Offer
Bounty for Rats

DETROIT, Feb. 10 GN.S0.
Three cents a rat. Public Works
Commissioner Henry E. BeySter
today considered a plan in which
every Detroit citizen would be
made a "Pied Piper" to rid the
city of a rat pestilence. Each rat
would bring a bounty of 8 cents
under the plan. Beyster said 9O0..
900 rats we're killed with poison
gas by workers in his department
last wear.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
SEVEN KILLED
BY HURRICANE
IN CALIFORNIA
Property Damage
In Millions

SAN FRANCISCO. Feb. 10
QNS). - Seven persons were
dead today and millions Of dol
lars In property damage through
out California exacted by the 76-
mile-an-hour hurricane which cut
a wide path through the center
of the State yesterday.
Trees, poles and houses were
felled by the terrific wind.
So great was the wind that the
new $35 100000 Golden Gate
Bridge swayed approximately 13
feet from its center.
However, the bridge is built to
include q 20-foot sway without it
being noticeable or without caus-
ing damage to the huge span.
Sacramento, the capital, was
the most severely hit, a survey
showing at least $780, 900 loss. In
Pajaro Valley, so miles south Of
San Francisco, the hurricane did
another 100000 damage,
Other regions of the State re-
ported heavy damage, numbers in
jured and several deaths.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
3 Flooded Towns
Marooned Again

STERLING, H.. Feb. 10 G.N.s.,
Though half a dozen factories
here were still flooded and closed
today, gas service was restored to
5000 persons here and in sur
rounding towns as lines crippled
by flood waters were reopened.
Further down the Rock River,
residents Of Moline, ILL.,, hoped for
collapse of ice blockades, which
would furnish an escape for
waters now inundating fields and
highways. For the second time,
families were fleeing their homes
at Osborne, Cleveland and Bar
ston as flood waters marooned
these towns.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
SANTA ANITA SCRATCHES
Wounds Kill Young Victim
Of Latest Virginia Feud

A posse, headed by Sheriff j.
Mason Smith, is combing the
thickly wooded section near
Georgetown for John Sprouse, said
by witnesses to be the man who
fired the shots.
sprouse, a truck driver and dis.
tant relative Of Cleo Sp. ouse, tho
was murdered last year, fled fol,
lowing the shooting.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
LEGALITY ASKED
FOR NUMBERS

Playing the numbers is like
drinking liquor, in the opinion o1
Representative Leon sacks CD ot
Pennsylvania. Put a ban on it
and what have you got? "a
superstructure of rackets!"
With the House District Com.
mittee about to launch an investi
CATION of the numbers racket in
Washington, Representative Sacks.
a. member of the committee, threw
out the suggestion today Of legaliz-
ing numbers playing as a possible
solution.
when we passed the prohibi-
ton law" he continued, people
didn't stop drinking ard the il
licit manufacture of liquor
flourished. Over that developed
a superStructure of rackets,
which virtually disappeared
when prohibition was repealed.A
If we passed this bill,
the police would not be
able to get at the higher ups in
the racket. They would be forced
to arrest numbers players to
show they were enforcing the
law"
The bill makes possession Of a
numbers slip prima facie evidence
nf o11i1t.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va, Feb.
10.-Shot in a fresh outbreak Of
another hill country feud, Tandy
Gibson, 27, died in the University
Hospital here today.
Gibson was shot last Monday
night at his home in Georgetown,
six miles from here. His sister-in-
law, Mrs. Marion Gibson. Is, also
was wounded and Is In a critical
condition in the hospital.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
Woman Swallows
Lininent; Burned

Mrs. Thomas H. Henry, Al, OF
Alexandria, realized at once she
had reached for the wrong bottle
when she took a spoonful of
tonic" this morning. She also
kept liniment in a bottle that
looked just like tonic. She was
treated for mouth burns. Her con-
dition is not serious.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
Japanese Lose
81 Planes in Var

TOKYO, Feb. 10 G.N.S).-Jap-
anese airplane losses in the Sino-
japanese conflict have amounted
to 81 planes up to February 8, an
official navy communique an
nounced today. Two hundred and
sixty-nine Chinese planes have
been shot down in aerial duels and
1858 have been destroyed on the
ground, the statement said.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
Rep. Disney Calls
On Mr.. Roosevelt

GN.S.) Representative Wesley
E. Disney CD of Oklahoma, who
intends to oppose Senator Elmer
Thomas in the Oklahoma Demo
cratic primaries in July, called on
President Roosevelt today. I'VE
talked a little politics." said Dis
ney as he left the White House.
He requested the appointment.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
BUTLER'S SON
HURT IN LEAP

GREENsBURG, Pa. Feb. 10
GN.S).-A youth identified as
Keyin Butler, son of Justice Pierce
Butler of the U. S. Supreme
Court, leaped from a speeding
railroad train near here today
and was injured critically.
An attache at the Greensburg
Hospital said the justice had tele-
phoned from Washington and
asked the hospital "to do every
thing possible" for the young man.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
Shooting of WOms
Is Ruled SuiciC

ROCKVILLE, Md, Feb. TO-
certificate of suicide was issue
today by DR.. William Linthicun
in the death last night Of Nellie
Reese, 43, employed as q maid in
the home of Charles BeaI. Of
Derwood.
Members of the family told
police they were inspecting a barn
in the rear of the house when
they heard shot and returned to
fu-4 Miss Reese lying dead on the
kitchen floor. A shotgun was
found beside the body.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
Germans Must Register
When Residing Abroad

BERLIN, Feb. 10 U.N.SO.-One
of the final laws officially signed
by former Foreign Minister Baron
Konstantin Won Neurath before
he turned over his post to Joachim
Won Ribbentrop compels Germans
travelling abroad for more than
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
Hull Proposed
For Peace Prize

BUENOS AIRES, Feb. 10
UN.SD.-Argentina's retiring for.
eign minister, Carlos Saavedra
Lamas, announced today that he
has proposed the name of Ameri-
can Secretary of State Cordell
Hull for the 1899 peace prize. The
Argentine statesman said he was
actively campaigning on HullS
behalf.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
Jacob Is Cleared
In Bonds Theft

VIENNA, Feb. 10 Q.N.S0
Henry Edward Jacob, a German
emigrant, was acquitted today on
a charge of having attempted to
sell shares of the Northern and
Central Railroad stolen two years
ago from the Baltimore Trust
Company. Jacobs mother was
sentenced to 10 months imprison-
ment on a similar charge and his
half-Sister, Alice Lampel, to two
years,
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
BURGLARS LOSE COATS
Mrs. Hahn's Case
Goes to High Court

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 10
G.N.SD.-Denied new trial by
the Court of Appeals. Anna Marie
Hahn, facing the electric chair
March 10 for the poison murder of
Jacob Wagner, of Cincinnati, was
reported today to be near collapse.
Meanwhile. her attorneys said
they would file their appeal with
the Supreme Court before March
/. Such action would stay the
execution,
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
REVOLT limited
IN GERMANY

PARIS, Feb. 10 (z.N.SJ.-
"Grave military incidents" in
northeastern Germany were re-
ported today in Warsaw dis
patches to Paris newspapers.
The dispatches said that the
incidents occurred at AlIenstein,
East Prussia, and StOlp, POme-
rania.
BERLIN, Feb. 10 (I.N.S.).
Rumors circulating in Warsaw
and Paris that "revOltS" had Oc-
Cured in East Prussia and
POmerania were denied tonight
by the German foreign office.
LONDON, Feb. 10 U.N.S.).
''Unrest" among members Of
the crack regiment which usual
ly provides escorts for Chancel'
lOr AdOlph Hitler was reported
tonight by the Berlin correspond
ent Of the London Star.
Officers of this regiment, the
star. said, are all "Old monarch.
ists," and the regiment itself
was one of the favOrites of the
ex.KaiSer before the war.
A dispatch to the exchange
telegraph company from Basic
stated that according to word
reaching there the German gov
ernment was planning to close
the French, Belgian and Swiss
frontiers "tO prevent people
from fleeing" A similar report
also was received from Brussels.
BERLIN. Feb. 10 Q.N.S0.-Th
sudden disappearance of forme
Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm
from Germany while the arm
crisis was at its height arouse'
keen speculation here today.
The prince left Saturday 70
Cortina, Italy, while Reichsfuet
rer Hitler was busily engaged il
wedding out the army high CON
mand amidst rumors of a prC
jected monarchist coup.
His household, however, brande
as a base canard" a report Il
the Paris newspaper LIE Jour tina
Friedrich Wilhelm had filed
from Germany
The major-domo of the prince
household at Potsdam insisted tn
trip itself was in no shape or mar
ner influenced by Hitler's lates
and bloodless purge.
Friedrich Wilhelm encountere
some difficulty and delay on tn
Austrian frontier. 1t was learned
when 1t was discovered the party
passport had been left behind.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
POLICE NAB IS
HERE IN DRIVE.
TO CURB CRIME.
Woman Gives $12 to
Unarmed RObber

A relentless drive against police
characters, "floaters," and va,
grants was started today under
direction of Inspector Bernard W.
Thompson, chief of detectives, in
a determined effort to prevent a
repetition of Washington's recent
crime wave.
From now on" Inspector
Thompson said, "the men have
orders to pick up all suspicious
characters. Pool rooms. beer
taverns, and other places fire.
quented by these types are to
be visited repeatedly.
"Our principal concern Is
keeping down the volume of out
of-town floaters. We can cope
with the local criminal ele-
ment."
I'D NAONE14 AN NE4
Starting the drive, a squad led
by Detectives Elmer Lewis and
Paul Ambrose made a tour Of pool
parlors and beer taverns last
night, rounding up is men and
one woman. The suspects will be
paraded before victims of a score
of recent holdups at a police line
up. Extra duty for more than 100
policemen. assigned the night
bandit patrol, will be continued.
Overnight reports showed 40
crimes, mostly of a petty nature,
with loot totaling 500.
Most daring was a robbery by
an apparently unarmed colored
man. Mrs. Annabelle White, 3414
Fourteenth st. N. W., expecting
return of her son, answered a
knock at the back door. The
colored man confronted her. she
said, and demanded money. She
surrendered $12.
BURGLARS LOSE COATS
Frances Robinson profited by a
housebreaking at her apartment,
1900 Florida Ave. N. W., last night.
She walked in as two colored men
were ransacking her rooms. While
one held her at bay with a re-
volver, the other ran out a rear
door. The armed man climbed
Continued ON Page 2, Col. 81
The Washington times., 1938-02-10

three months to register with Ger
man consulates as well as all
other German residents abroad, it
was announced today.
Penalty for infraction of this
rule will be loss of citizenship and
protection by the German Reich.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
Makes Self Torch
To Prove Miracle

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10 Q.N.SD
To prove her faith a miracle would
save her, Mrs. Elizabeth Miller, As,
soaked ae, clothes with gasoline
and then set fire to them. She
told this to police today as she was
being treated at a hospital for
severe nurns expected to prove
fatal.
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
DARWIN RIGHT"--MENJoU

HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 10 G.N.sO.
Adolphe Menjou, film actor, thinks
Darwin may be right:
"Trinkets and gadgets are
running evening clothes. Men
are going to look more like
monkeys than the monkeys do"
The Washington times., 1938-02-10
TREASURY CONDITION

U.NSO. Treasury balance as
of February 8: $3,O0s, ,692. .631.7s;
internal revenue, $6,711, ,3s9 .0s;
customs receipts, $6,8O7, 453.31;
receipts, $3.6S4,436.122; expendi.
lures. $4,sls.s s.s6s, ,s3s.