Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • Page 3

OAKLANIUPRIBUNE, MONDAY, APRIL 3, 1933 STATE MAY BUY S. BUILDING AT CUT PRICE FIGURES IN 'DEATH CULT SLAYING INSTRUCIIOII: ON VETERAN! Sacramento Legislators Busy on Bill To Tax Beer PURCHASE IS ADVISED BY SEN. I Ml UN ON TEACHERS' LOBBY GIVEN ULHJII IILHUr imm muj CULT MURDER hyM- PHOBE STftR i i I and Leon Kintanella, assert Here are some of the outstanding figures in the "death cult" slaying of Mrs. Kaheiin Navarro, 27, whose body was found yesterday in a shallow grave on Jersey Island in the San Joaquin River, where she asscrtedly was buried alive by order of members of a Filipino secret society. In upper row (left to right), are Pablo Codosr.

one of the Mrs. Navarro for the victim ed head of the Lower George Shafer Mrs. T. the women's branch the death sentence. lodge shown in the regalia of his office.

photo shows Deputy Coroner betide the grave, while inset is Kintanella, alleged high priestess of of the lodge which pronounced Tribune pholos. Solons Would Fix Rate to Insure Revenue, hut to Discourage Bootlegger SACRAMENTO, April 3. An Assembly sub-committee worked today on a bill to tax and regulate 3.2 per cent beer, with two principles in mind a tax high enough to give the State needed revenue, but not so nign as to m- vne Dooiiegmns. After conferences today with At- torncy-General U. S.

Webb, on legal points involved, the sub-committee win suDmn a Din 10 me revcnuu and taxation committee tomorrow night. One member of the committee ex plained an attempt would- be made to fix definitely the total taxes to be placed on beer, including licenses issued by cities and coun ties to tirevent overtaxing and con sequent danger of traffic in illicit brew. FOR UNIFORM RATE Some Cities and Counties have proposed high local taxes on places of sale. The sub-committee will recommend a uniform state-wide Whether the State can regulate the beer business in chartered Cities and Counties remains to be determined by the attorney-genetal. He has said tentatively the State may not be able to fix license schedules for such political The sub-committee sought the advice of Finance Director Rolland A.

Vanrlegrift before deciding how much tax the State should get from each barrel of beer. Vandegrift has said $1 a barrel would be approximately the proper figure. Other proposals range from 31 cents to $2 per barrel. SHIPMENT IS PROBLEM Another problem before the sub committee was how to tax beer shipped into California from other States and from Mexico. By THOMAS B.

MALARKEY United Press Staff Correspondent SACRAMENTO. April 3. Four issues beer, the budget, educational economy and the Riley Stewart plan directly affecting every inhabitant of California, commanded the legislative scene as the tenth week of the fiftieth session opened today. Paramount in importance is the Assembly ways and means committee's budget, a revision of the administration budget. After many delays, it was expected to be submitted to the Assembly early this week.

Reliable reports indicate the S258.000.000 administration budget has been pared approximately 000,000. The committee worked many hours during the week-end in col laboration with the Senate fact finding committee in an effort to reach agreement on how and where economies shall be effected. The budget will release a flood of appropriation bills which have been held up pending its introduc tion. It will accellerate the lawmaking pace in both houses. PASSED BY SENATE The Riley-Stewart tax plan.

which would revolutionize the state's tax system, comes before the assembly committee on revenue and taxation Tuesday night. It has already been passed by the Senate. The issue is whether the proposal shall be submitted to the people for a vote in early June. This plan calls for abandonment of California's separation of tax sources system. Real property would bear 50 per cent of the cost of government.

The other half would be derived from a one per cent gross transactions tax. Strong opposition, revolving around Assemblymen from urban areas, has developed in the lower House. Sentiment, however, is in favor of giving the electorate opportunity to vote on the plan unless a more logical solution is offered to the state's tax problem. Assemblyman B. J.

Feigenbau'm. San Francisdo. was reported to be drafting an alternative measure. Riley-Stewart Tax Plan Hearing Slated SACRAMENTO, April 3. VP) The Riley-Stewart tax plan will be given a puDllc hearing in the Assembly chambers of the Capitol here tomorrow at 8 p.

m. before the Assembly revenue and taxation committee. i State Controller Ray L. fliley and Fred E. Stewart, member of the State board of equalization and director of the state ta.x research bureau, proposed the plan to change the state's tax system in the interest of a more equitable distribution of the present burden of governmental expense.

Highway Work Bill Passed by Assembly SACRAMENTO, April 3.P) Directors of a joint highway dis trict would pe authorized to order construction work done by 'the district engineer when all bids for the work have been rejected as being too' under, terms of. bill passed by the Assembly, Assemblyman' Albert Ross of Bedding is author of the bill. Lindberghs Plan Wales Home, Report LONDON, 3. (U.B -r Residents of Cardiff. Wales, have" received reports that.

Col. and Mrs. Charles A. Lindbergh plan to live near Cathedral City, in Llandaff, the Daily Mall reported today. It was pointed out that Mrs.

M. Morgan. Mrs. 'Lindbergh's sister ha 1 I Grand Jury Probes Cult After Wife's Buried Alive Field Workers Prepare To Carry Out Reduction Of $400,000,000 Yearly WASHINGTON, April 3. i In, structions to field workers were today by the veterans" ministration to carry out Roosevelt's order for a slashing cut of 400,000,000 in annual benefits paid to war veterans.

'i The Chief Executive's action hits all along the line, with offcials that new construction of, veterans' hospitals0 will be held up. unless the improvements already are under "way. Some institutions may even be closed if conditions warrant? NEW SYSTEM ESTABLISHED. The biggest savings, about 000.000, will come through removing, from the benefit lists all veterans'. whose injuries or sickness are non-service connected, unless the.vic- tims are totally or permanently dis; abied.

Those totally or permanently' disabled even though not rendered so by service will receive only. $20 a month as compared with $40. The new allowances, effectiv's? July 1, for service connected cases-are cut a flat 20 er cent and a ney system of five ratings of disability; established. The new ratings and allowances: Ten per cent disability, $8 month ly; 25 per cent, $20; 50 per cent, $40; 75 per cent, $60, and 100 per cent, $80. WILL BE RECLASSIFIED.

k. In-between ratings such as 41 per cent disabled are discontinued and all such cases will be reclassified. All payments for temporary dis abilities of a non-service character" and free hospitalization for such, disabilities will be eliminated. Under one regulation veterans of the Spanish-American war, Philippine insurrection and Boxer rebellion and the widows and children of World War veterans will continue, to receive present pensions under a "presumption" that the pension i. payable because of service-connect ed disability, but the government can challenge this "presumption," 'i Officials said that there also would be a cut of 10 per cent, on July 1 in pensions for Civil and Indian war veterans and their widows under the new economy, law.

Civil War Veterans Are Included in Cut WASHINGTON, April W-i Veterans' administration official explained today that two of the present pensions which would re ceive 10 per cent cuts after July 1 under the President's executive or der for 400.000.000 in veteran sav ings annually would be the $100" monthly paid Civil War veterahs disabled to the extent of reauirine ine presence oi anomer person anq the $30 monthly caid widows- of In. aian war veterans. Items which will remain un changed include the S12 to S30 (with $2 for each additional child) ft uaiu wiuuwa ui opanisa war vei- erans whose death was service con nected and the $30 monthly $4fr for one child and t6 for each ad ditional child) paid widows' of World War veterans whose deaths were service-connected. 1 The- NEWS-JIGGER 4- -r Cat this along the while lines, pi together again and you'll ft iro this confusion a man hose so' tifie theories made jmt I jumble of old beliefs, li.is 1 1 1 fisy a Senator reed savs that 1 ml School Savings May Be Lost If Words Not Heeded SACRAMENTO, April 3. A series of victories for the taxpay ers in the Senate in the shape of retrenchment in school costs may be jeopardized unless vigilance is exercised in counteracting the in- fluence of the teachers' lobby in the Assembly.

I This was the warning sounded today by Senator Arthur H. Breed of Alameda County, who pointed out that some of the measures for cuts in educational expenditures already approved by the Senate face vigorous attack in the lower Miouse. 'It is to be hoped that taxpayers and citizens everywhere will realize the urgency of the situation and will express themselves to their representatives in the-Assembly in unmistakable language," said Breed. 7 MEASURES CITED The Eastbay Senator listed seven key measures approved by the Senate as likely to be subjected to attack in the other house. These are the I 1 constitutional amendment to reduce county mandatory contributions to schools whereby Breed sees possible sav ings of $15,000,000 a year, the Rich bill abolishing teacher tenure, the bill to give boards of supervisors control over school budgets, the Hays bill to give kindergartens op tional with a higher entrance age the Rich bill abolishing school su pervisors, which he estimates will save $3,000,000 a "year, the Jones bill to cut by one-third the maximum levy of school district taxes, and the fact-finding committee's bill to abolish the division of research and statistics of the department of education, which it is estimated will save $57,860 a year.

The issue of reasonable reduction in school costs is now squarely before the Assembly," said Breed. "Whether the taxpayer is to receive any. consideration in the present situation of grossly extravagant educational expenditures will be determined in the dramatic battle soon to be waged in that body. It will be a story, possibly, of sharply divided committees and political pressure on the part of the teachers' lobby, which steadfastly refuses to submit to the people any question of school economy. MAKES STRIDE "The Senate has made a very important stride in the measures adopted and passed, with the teachers' lobby arrayed in power ful opposition.

By far the most potent organized minority in our state, these political leaders of the schools have waged stubborn warfare against any and all proposals to reduce educational Members of the Senate who voted against them are now under threat of political extinction. "These victories for the taxpayer in the Senate are now confronted with the menace of defeat in the Assembly. The teachers' lobby is concentrating all its efforts on members of that body. The only hope is that citizens throughout the state will rally to the support of their Assemblymen to serve in the interest of the taxpayer. "These steps in every reasonable reduction of school costs are undoubtedly in jeopardy in the Assembly.

An aroused public opinion, clearly manifested, would give. As semblymen the encouragement and support they urgently need if the entire set of Senate measures is not to be wrecked. "As was to be expected, new tax plans are mitigating the demand for retrenchment. The political argu ment Is being made that we shall be 'raising enough money to con tinue on our present extravagant plane of public expenditure. The truth is that only by drastic re trenchment can the tax load be No matter where it may be shifted, the excessive burden would continue on the industry and people of the state.

Bill Will Open Pigeon Hunting SACRAMENTO. April X(JP) Wild pigeons may be hunted from December 1 to December 15, if a bill passed by the Assembly becomes law. The birds are now on the forbidden list. The bill, intro duced by Assemblyman William Hornblower of San Francisco, fixes a bag limit' of 10 birds a day or 20 a Week. It would be unlawful for sports' men to ship more than two daily bag limits of game fish during one calendar week, under terms of an other Hornblower bill passed by the Assembly.

Another "bill passed forbids taking any fish, except salmon, within a half a mile of a trout spawning station or any rack, trap or darn used in taking spawn. Taking of crabs from the Eel River at night would be forbidden, as well as sale of crabs from that stream, and daily-limit of 10 es tablished, under terms of a bill by Assemblyman Michael J. Burns of Eureka which the Assembly oassed. Assemblyman Hubert J. Scudder of Sebastopol has a bill, which the Assembly approved, forbidding por session within a clam preserve of any tools' or apparatus that could be Figure Set Much Below That Originally Proposed; Would Settle Legal Issues By ANTHONY MOITORET SACRAMENTO, April 3.

Purchase of the state for $318,600 of the state annex building in. McAllister Street, San Francisco, instead of the original option price of $550,000 was recommended today by the Inman Investigating Committee in a report to the Senate. The recommendation a made "upon mature consideration and with the advice and co-operation of certain state agencies, including: the attofjiey-general, the state controller and the state compensation insurance fund." The state annex building was the subject of one of the more sensational phases of the Inman conv mittee's probe of acts of the Rolph administration, resulting in sharp criticism of Finance Director Rol-land A. Vandegrift in the committee's report a week ago. FIGURES IN ACTION.

It also figured in a suit brought by Vandegrift in the State Supreme Court against State Controller Ray L. Riley to force the latter to issue warrants for payment of rental. Riley had held up payment on allegations of fraud in connection with the lease, and attacked its constitutionality. The committee's report recommending purchase of the structure, filed today, declares in part: "The proposal herein recommended Is that the state buy the buildin; for the sum of $318,600, instead or the sum of $550,000 contained in the present option held by the state, and the sum of $2800 a month rent for the period that the state shall have occupied the building up to the time of consummation of this proposal, instead of the sum of $5068.04 a month rent as contained in the present lease. "This constitutes a saving of $231,400 in capital outlay and $2200 a month rental for the period of the state's occupancy of the building prior to the consummation of this proposal.

REASONS GIVEN. S.The committee feels that this building could be erected for a lesser sum than herein recommended. Nevertheless, taking into con sideration legal complications, rent- al commitments heretofore made byP. me state, ana me possiuimy ui an er than that recommended herein, the committee has decided to recommend the acceptance of the offer contained in the attached communication from Realty Income the owners of the building: "In the event that the action pending in the Supreme Court should be decided adversely to the state, the state would have a lease on its hands calling for a payment of rentals, over a period of twenty-five years, practically double that herein recommended. Although by refusal of legislative sanction, this obligation could be postponed indefinitely, yet it would be inequitable and unfair for the state to occupy property and refuse tp pay anything for such use.

IN LINE WITH REPORT. "The above recommendation is in line with the committee's previous report, except that the amount herein recommended is slightly in excess of the sum therein mentioned. We feel thai, fn view of all the circumstances, the State, in accepting this proposition, is escaping in satisfactory manner and at a great saving to itself a legal entanglement which might prove annoying or serious in years to come." In its previous report the committee had fixed $300,000 as a reasonable price to pay for the building. A letter attached to the committee's new report from Henry S. Magee, San Francisco real estate man and secretary of Realty Income, owners of the structure, declares willingness to sell at and accept $2800 per month rental to date.

"It must be fjRgiderslood, of-course," Magee wrote, "that this offer is made solely for the pose of accomplishing a settlement of all controversies between the parties in the pending mandamus proceedings before the Supreme Court, and that such steps will be taken therein as may be approved by the Attorney-General to clear all parties con- neciea inercwim ox any cnarge of fraud." A letter from State Controller Ray L. Riley, also attached to the report, recommends acceptance of the proposal. Riley points out that the cost per square foot under the lease negotiated by Vandegrift is .1177 cents monthly. This, he says, would be reduced under the proposed reduced rental until purchase is effected to .03228 cents per square foot. The proposed purchase hinges on passage of emergency legislation and consummation of the deal before the end of this' "month.

Berkeleyan Held As Drunken Driver BERKELEY, April 3. After crashing into the parked car of, Patrolman Hafis Salich at University and Shattuck Avenues early yesterday Theodore G. Hummel, 28, University Hotel, Berkeley was ar rested for driving under the influ ence of liquor and held in default of faOO-baiL. of in of E. if A (Continued From Page TS INEZ, April 3.

(IP) The Martin County grand jury was to meet here today to hear witnesses unfold the story of a strange re ligious service that culminated in the sacrifice of an elderly mother a mountain cabin near Toma hawk, a small village in the east em Kentucky mountains. The victim, Mrs. Lucinda Mills, in her lates 60's, was found choked to death and her body bound in chains last February. Shortly afterwards her son, John H. Mills, 33, was bound over at a preliminary hearing as the actual slayer.

Eight others, all relatives, were held as accessories. John Mills and Ballard1 Mills, 19, a grandson of the slain woman, are still in jail, but the others were freed under $10,000 bond each. Should the Accused be indicted and brought to trial, S. M. Maynard of defense counsel indicated pleas of insanity will be entered.

The two prisoners declined to discuss the case as the grand jury prepared to start its investigation. At the investigation that followed Mrs. Mills' death, witnesses said the tragedy resulted from a misinterpretation of a divine message telling how to demonstrate- "the death of sin." Roamer Returns From Treasure Hunt SAN FRANCISCO, April Harriott, San Franciscan who has roamed the world in search of precious metals for 33 years, is back home today from a ten years' search for a fabulous treasure said to have been hidden in the mountains between Costa Rica and Panama. The hunt, he said, was unsuccessful. The treasure was supposed to have been raided by the Spanish adventurer Alvarado from the Incas, and hidden in a cave.

Harriott said natives of the district refused to aid him in his search. Woman Takes Poison On Street; to Recover SAN FRANCISCO, April 3. Taking a vial of poison out of her pocketbook, Miss Jean Bennett, 26, 340 O'Farrell Street, attempted suicide last night while walking with a friend on a downtown street. She was walking with Miss Betty York, Golden State Hotel, when she said, "I'm sick of it all!" She drank a part of the poison. Miss York snatched the vial from her and summoned an ambulance.

Miss Bennett was taken to Cen tral Emergency Hospital, where it was said she would recover. Garbage Proposed In Reclamation Work SAN FRANCISCO, April 3. Data on the probable costf to the city of using garbage to reclaim submerged lands at Mills Field by the fill and cover method, will be pre sented to the Board of Supervisors today by Chief Administrative Of ficer J. A. Cleary.

The board will also consider i new proposal for fill and eover on San Pablo Bay tidef la submitted by. Kenneth C. Adams, representing interests which are said to have a franchise for and cover reclamation on tht site. men who alleoedlv Ana the orave BALLOT PROBE CARMEL, April 3 Carmel takes its politics, as well as its art and literature, seriously. Warrants for the arrest of a half i dozen of the leading literary lights' the town were demanded today on charges involving "high pressure" electioneering tactics last Friday during the hotly contested school trustee election.

While a State law prohibits elec tioneering within 1U0 feet of the polls, Assistant District Attorney Argyll Campbell declares the pro testants informed him that authors turned from their books, painters dropped their brushes, and sculptors abandoned their chisels on election day to put their favorite candidate office by campaigning in front the election booths. TWO MAKE CHARGES Police Judge George L. Wood and L. Taylor, husband of Mrs. Daisy Taylor, school board trustee, who sought the warrants, charge that voting officials left their booths to discuss the meritsof the candidates with voters, and that the booths were patroled by members of the Carmel art colony.

E. H. Ewig, successful candidate for a placemen the Sunset Grammar School board of trustees, defeated his rival, Mrs. Emma Rendtorss, wife of "Rendtorss; former Stanford University professor, by about 100 votes at the election. The incumbent, Dr.

F. H. Haasis, did not run. Judge Wood and Taylor claim, according to Campbell, that Mrs. Rendtorss lost the election through the methods employed in behalf of Ewig.

PROBE ACCUSATIONS. "I will investigate this situation thoroughly," Campbell said, "and a basis for warrants exists, they will be issued." Frank Sheridan, actor, and A. T. Shand, realty man, were revealed by Campbell to be two of the persons against whom warrants are sought. He said he would reveal the names of the "literary lights" later.

Among the tactic employed to put iiwig into office, the protestants claim, was the bundling of sick people into automobiles and driving them to the polls, where election booth officials got into the machines to take their votes. BETTING LEGAL IN N. H. CONCORD, N. April 3.At- bill legalizing betting on horse races in New Hampshire automatically became law today upon the failure of John G.

Winant either to sign or veto the measur I kidnaped and brought by force to the meeting. While there, accord ing to Mrs. Aseas, she first admitted and then denied her acquaintance with a man In Atwntpr Mer- Ced County, while her husband was a patient in the County Hospital at Stockton. The two men present at the women's meeting were Kintanella and Bustamante, Joseph said. GIISTAMANTE TAKES OFFICERS TO GRAVE Bustamante revealed the "living sacrifice" of Mrs.

Navarro when he appealed to the police of Slock- ton and led the authorities to her grave on Jersey Island. "Pablo feared that he would meet the same fate and this led him to come to us with the story." Deputy Sheriff Earl Mosher of San Joaquin County said today in explaning the circumstances leading up to the discovery of one of the strangest murders ever perpetrated in California. Navarro, kept in ignorance of his wife's execution, although he was a member of the cult, grieved himself to death in the hospital just a month after he was told she had gone to Honolulu. Meanwhile rumors spread among the men cult members as to Mrs. Navarro's fate, By a peculiar irony Bjdstamante was delegated to investigate.

He feared that the men's lodge would bury him alive al the women had buried Mrs. Navarro and for that reason divulged the entire affair of which he had been a witness. SIGN PLEDGE TO KEEP AFFAIR DARK After the ten women and two men had sat in judgment, found Mrs. Novarro guilty and imposed the death sentence, authorities said, those present were called upon to sign a pledge never to reveal the proceedings. This document was then stamped with the great gold seal of the lodge, according to Sheriff R.

R. Veale, and if discovered will furnish a complete list of those taking part After the death sentence was pronounced, officials said, Mrs. Novarro was put into an automobile and hauled to the island where Codog and Kang were routed out of bed and ordered to dig the grave. While they dug the other' conducted the rites of the cult and then the victim was flung Into the grave and earth heaped upon her as she struggled against her bonds. After that a fire was built over the grave to obliterate traces of the digging.

Police "said they found $130 ia the grave said' to 'be a part pf $190 which Mrs. Novarre -was accused having stolen from her husband's brother. The quarrel which led Busta-mente to confess, police said, was based on a quarrel over bootlegging activities in which he was preparing to embark. WAS WITNESS IN ASSAULT CASE. Among the records seizgd by authorities was the minute book of the lodge, known as the "great register." This contained the names of those present at the Stockton meeting but officers said the name of Mrs.

Novarro had been cut out and that of Kintanella inserted in its place. Merced county records showed that Mrs. Novarro was one of the principal prosecution witnesses in the trial of B. Fernandez, F. Ron-dez, C.

Rondez, his brother, and P. Dorian, on charges that they kidnaped and beat Frank Pepita and A. Perales, of Wlnton, last May. She identified the four as the men who took Pepita and Perales to a Stockton rooming house where she was living at the time. All were convicted of assault and kidnaping and are now in San Quentin prison.

Investigators said fear of possible reprisals by cult members had caused islanders throughout Central California Jo take refuge in silence. RITES BASED ON OLD TRIBAL LAWS. They learned, however, that many of the tenets of the society are derived from ancient, tribal laws. These teachings are no bar to polygamy or polyandry, if conditions of the tribe are such that there, is a preponderance of either men or women. But if a woman is unfaithful to her husband or husbands, the entire tribe will suffer through poor crops and bad trading.

Burial alive is the punishment for infidelity, police were told. The ritual, according to authorities, is so strongly impressed in the minds of converts that usually the burial is preceded by confession of the guilty person with a request for the punishment in order to save the entire tribe from disaster. Burial of the victim on the Island was explained by the belief that the earth about her body would rendered sterile but the surrounding water would prevent any adverse effect on the mainland. DAKOTA OFFICIAL DIES SIOUX FALLS-, S. April 3-W) B.

F. Myers, former state secretary of agriculture, died here last night' after a long illness. Myers was widely known In agricultural circles. used to dig clanu. Bume near mere..