The Independent-Record from Helena, Montana • Page 1

Palm Beach, Millionaire's Playground, Fire-Swept, Loss is 4 Millions THE WEATHER Weather for Montana: Generally fair Thursday and Friday; not much change in temperature. VOL. 60--NO. CENTS. DAILY Fmtt Anodated Pmt from Etut and Wttt.

Member of the Newspaptr Enttrprm AitociaUtm. NTDAY HELENA, THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1925. Storm's Toll Dead II FLUES FLOfll RESORT COUNSEL SAYS PLEA WILL BE NOT GUILTY AND CHARGES CONSPIRACY ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT IN A GUEST ROOM OF HOTEL STARTS BLAZE Palm Beach, March i tonight was brought under control after two the Breakers and Palm Beach, had been destroyed. Property damage estimated at more than $4,000,000. The Palm Beach hotel, a 250- room structure, was in direct line with the breeze 1 fanning the Breakers' fire less than a mile away and it caught fire shortly before six o'clock.

Calls for assistance were bent to all fire departments from Fort Pierce, along the east coast down to Fort Laudcrdalc. Police Press Crowd Back. crowd of approximately 10,000 persons assembled near the Breakers and 'police were forced to throw a line about the burning building. As the walls of the south wing fell, the heat became so intense that some of the onlookers were slightly burned before they could fall back. Early tonight the fire threatened (Continued on Pago Two).

Chicago, March the Associated doors closed on William Darling Shepherd late today after his counsel had failed in a hard fight to keep his client and heir to $1,000,000 from meeting immediate service on an indictment charging he murdered Young William Nelson MeCHntock, his foster son, by administering typhoid fever germs and subtle poisons. C. C. Faiman, head of a science named with Shepherd in an ndictment of 22 counts, after he told Robert E. Crowe, state's attorney, hat he had supplied the fatal ty- )hoid bacilli and taught Shepherd low to feed them to the youth, was not jailed.

He was held in custody of the state's attorney, and indica- ions were he would not face 1 im- RESCUERS FIGHT IN SLOWLY WAY Fairmont, W. a March the Associated fate of the 34 miners entombed in No. 41 mine, of the Bethlehem Mines Corporation, three miles from here, remained undetermined tonight; 24 hours after the blast, which wrecked the mine and toppled the tipple into 'the 300 foot shaft. Throughout the day the rescue crews battled with tangled wreckage and fallen timbers which must be surmounted before it can be determined whether the imprisoned men arc dead or alive. Leaders in the rescue work have abandoned hope of reaching them tonight, declaring they did not expect to reach that section of the mine until some time tomorrow.

The mine had been penetrated to a depth of about 2,000 feet at that time with an estimate made that rescuers have twice that distance yet to go. Hope Fades. As the rescue work progressed hope virtually faded that any of the men would be found alive, no signa of any kind having been rcceivec from sections not yet explored. Three men were placed under arrest today, on the report of a possibility that the disaster had been caused by the explosion of a bomb. prisonment in a cell until after Shepherd's trial.

Shepherd, through his counsel, William Scott Stewart, demanded immediate freedom on bail but it finally was agreed to go into matters of bail next Saturday. To Plead Not Guilty. Shepherd was not called upon to enter a plea today, but Stewart announced that "our pica is, has been, and will be not guilty." "Our charge is that this is a giant conspiracy in which the defendant is about to be deprived of his rights under a will," said Stewart. Prosecutor Crowe agreed to have present at the hearing Saturday the five witnesses whose testimony bc- (Continued on Page Ten) While 3,000 Others Are Hurt, Many Towns Wiped Out, by Tornado in East 'UNWISE TO IMPOSE ADDITIONAL BURDEN" AT THIS TIME, IS OPINION OF EXECUTIVE--ACT HAS TO DO WITH REDEMPTION OF PROPERTY MOUNTING FIGURES ON DEAD AS DETAILS POUR IN Ccntralia, March 18. Associated with unprecedented fury, a severe tornado late this afternoon ally destroyed the town of Murphysboro, a ically obliterated Parrish and severely damaged De Soto, Duquoin, West Frankfort, Thompsonville, Logan and scores of other towns in southern Illinois, causing an unestimated number of a a i according to reports reaching here today.

Only 3 of 500 Escape. But three persons out of a total population of about 500 are said to have escaped injury in the storm (Continued on Page Two). Governor J. E. Erickson yesterday vetoed house bill 40 which provided an entirely new method gov- crningjthe collection of property taxes, tax sales and redemptions on the ground that the redemption of property sold for taxes under the provisions of the bill would work too great a hardship upon the citizenship of Montana, which has gone through several lean years and now has a chance to pay out and save their property.

"It seems extremely unwise to impose the additional burden provided by this act upon those who are now making a heroic struggle to save their homes and their property from tax sales," the governor says, at one place in his veto statement which is flied with the secretary of state. The statement of the governor follows March 18, 1925. Hon. C. T.

Stewart, Secretary of State, Helena, Montana. Dear Sir: I am transmitting herewith house bill Xo. 40, "An act relating to the sale of real property for delinquent taxes." without approval and i my objections thereto. This is an act which proposes to Lima, Peru, March The Associated Official and private radio advices from jillo, tl-e third important city of Peru, say I 1 the city has been completely destroyed by inundations caused by torrential rains. The inhabitants abandoned their homes, taking refuge in elevated fields nearby.

Efforts made to erect flood gates to stem the advance ot the rising waters were useless. New Attorney General Sworn in, Gets on Job By Associated. Press. Washington, March substitute an entirely new procedure or the present statutory system gov- irning the collection of property taxes, tax sales and redemptions. Evidently, it was the intention of the cgislaturc to adopt, with some important changes, the Illinois law upon subject.

While the act is not without merit, I do not believe that this is the time to make this radical change in the present law. This bill provides that instead of the sale of property upon which taxes are delinquent, as now provided, the county treasurer shall apply to the district court for a judgment against the land'upon which the taxes have not been paid for the amount of taxes due, interest, penalty and costs. Upon this judgment the court issues an order directing the treasurer to sell said property for the amount of taxes, interest, penalty and costs of court proceedings to the person i the lowest penalty. The land owner may redeem his on Page Two). PARENTS GONE, NONE TO CLAIM THEM Centralia, Ills March IS.

(By Associated graphic eyewitness account of the destruction of the De Soto public school and the widespread damage there was told by Max Burton, a telegraph operator for the Illinois Central railroad at Tamtnaroa, about two and one-half miles from the scene of the disaster. Burton hastenec to the little town immediately after word of the disaster. "Jtescue workers were piling the bodies of little children on mat- SUFFER IDE MURPHYSBORO, ANNAPOLIS, DE SOTO, PARRISH, WEST FRANKFORT, GRIFFIN AND SCORE OF SMALL TOWNS ARE SWEPT, MANY ARE BURNING DOWN disaster had not been thoroughly spread in the city. First Relief Train Goes. At 7 o'clock tonight the-.

Chicago Herald and Examiner organized the first relief train, which left at 10 Chicago, March 18. a tnat; a general circulation of the Associated Press). More than 3,500 persons ore reported killed or injured by a tornado wMch swept through southern Illinois and Indiana late today, causing great prop- o'clock for the stricken area with erty damage and virtually TM "--'wiping out two or three towns in its path, from Missouri to the northeast. Wires were down in every direction under the fury of the wind and it was impossible tonight to check the reported casualties. A preliminary tabulation of towns that liad made reports of their casualties gave a total of 957 dead and 2,674 injured with virtually no record of the damage that must have been done in rural regions.

At midnight the Chicago Tribune, at the request of Mayor William E. Devcr, started a. financial relief fund. The newspaper gave $1,000 and added subscriptions were reported in later hours despite the on im is LOSS OF LIFE THERE IS HEAVY STURISITI O'CLOCK RAGES FOR HOURS AND LEAVES MULTITUDE HOMELESS 200 doctors, nurses and assistants aboard. Four Pullman cars, tfwo baggage cars of medical supplies, and a teats-sufficient to establish a tented city, comprised the special.

werc lhat 20 Radio appeals early in the evening Physboro. brought 125 doctors and nurses to the newspaper office, and the remainder gathered at suburban stops to board the special. By Associated Press. St. Louis, March Western Union Telegraph company received a message tonight from a railroad man who arrived at Ava, 111., reporting that Murphysboro, a city of 11,000 population, had been "virtually wiped out" by a tornado late today.

Scores' were dying on the streets, h'e said, Ava is 16 miles north of Murphysboro. The railroad man urged that aid of all kinds be rushed to Murphysboro. Latest estimates received over railroad wires at Mount "Vernon were killed in Mur- Chicago, March Associated Press)--A tornado tore thru southern Illinois today after lashing eastern Missouri and then caused considerable damage in Indiana before it died out to the northeast after collecting a reported toll 3,634 persons, dead or injured Town Down. Passengers arriving- in St. Louis at 8 4 5 o'clock tonight on a Mobile and Ohio train which passed through Murphysboro two hours previous, reported that the city is "completely (Continued on Pago Seven) and blankets on the playground, oiitsido the school house," Burton said.

"It seemed that there was no one Ihpre fo claim them. Their parents were being- taken to hospitals on special (rains and in ambulances. "The hallways of the school house had been blown in, and the a covered with bricks. The few people engaged in rescuing the children could not get into them. I saw about 20 bodies, and while 3,000 HOUSES GONE AND I as there they carried some away, meanwhile, others were being brought out of the wrecked build- -John G.

Sargent became attorney general of the United States today. Two days ago he was a private citizen in a little village in Vermont. At 2 p. today, he arrived here. An hour later, he took the oath as field marshal of the law enforcement arm of the federal government.

Meanwhile his day was getting busier every moment. The inevitable news photographers were arriving. They reached the department of. justice ia distinct battal- ions, and with a submissiveness not wholly in keeping with his gigantic Sargent is more than six feet tall--the attorney general posed. Hastens to AVhltc House.

Then for the first time since receiving his appointment, he hastened to the White House for a confer- 20,000 FOLK HOMELESS Tokio, March 18---(By The Associated thousand parsons rendered when a major conflagration swept northeastern Tokio today destroying 3,000 buildings. The fire vas brought under control tonight. It was a by a Great confusion prevails. There were no casualties. U.

S. TO AID. Washington, March 18. Secretary Kellogg cabled instruction 5 late today to" Ambassador Bancroft at Tokio, directing that inquiry be made at once to ascertain if American assistance was needed in caring for those injured or made homeless' by the new fire disaster in the Japanese capital. ing.

See Bodies of Bates "A few yards behind the school house, in a field near the city limits, I taw the bodies of two little babies, about six or eight months old. Both were dead, and their clothes were torn HORROR IN DE SOTO GROWS DC Solo, I March the Associated Press) --The number of dead and injured here in this afternoons tornado wai estimated late this evening to run between 510 and 400, most of the being children, caught under the crumbling debris of the school building of the town. The population of the is 703. At a late hour this i 88 bodies were reported to have been a from the wreckage of the school, and it was said that only three of the 250 pupils had escaped. More than 100 grown people arc reported to a i been injured, mosti oi them being taken to i hospital, and others to Carbondale buildings, i i the a i road station were standing, the others being twisted and into a mass of destruction.

LUTE ESTIMATE OF Chicago, March IS--(By the Associated Press)--The latest list of casualties with the towns listed In the order in which the storm struck, follows: Dcnil Injured A a i Mo '1 Biehlc, Mo 10 A Mo 1 Cape C'rardeiia, Mo. 32 111 Ills a Ills fie Soto, Ills Busn, Hum, I West a 111 Benton, Ills Logan, I Parrish, Ills Thompsonville, I McLeansboro, Ills Carmi. 111? Crossiille, i i I I i I i I i Khz.iQcth, Ind 0 100 100 6 3 5 0 50 20 10 50 no so so 10 10 ion coo 20 li Totals '-'37 2,674 down and In flames." Water mains have bursted, they said, and there are no electric lights. As the train stopped, to take on 50 refugees, citizens by the hundreds were seen running- frantically through the streets, some clad only in blankets. Estimates of the dead jn Murphysboro ranged from 100 to ISO.

Chester, Gorham and Duquoin u'ere reported as "pretty well hit." Town of 500 Gone. Seven were killed and between 75 a SO injured at Gorham, near Murphysboro, according to reports received here by the Missouri Pacific lailroad. This town of about 500 population was said to have been virtually destroyed, fire consuming (Continued on Page Seven) Chicago, March. Associated destruction -of property and many casnaltlesj-ie- suited from a tornado that swept Mnrphysboro, and other southern Illinois towns late today. 1 4 Centers at Mnrphysboro "llrC The storm apparently centered at Murphysboro, jwtere streets are reported lull, of is said to have.Jjrokea^ouEln^the 1 hospitals dale 'are filled with injured." aiongr.r other towns-reported strickeifiare-' West Frankfort, De Soto, Hurst, Duciuoin, Parrish, Benton.

'and Bush. Princeton, was also reported severely 'damaged, with upwards oi three score persons killed or-Injured. "West Frankfort, Ills, mmins' town, on the face of tonight's i ports, suffered the greatest loss of life, estimates of the dead running as high, as 1,000. Murphysboro, 30 miles southwest of "West" Frankfort, with a population of 11,000. suffered severely with a casualty list reported as high as 250.

Great havoc was wrought to buildings ia this city, and fire broke out in (Continued on Page Ten) CAIRO SENDS TROOPS TO CARBONDALE PRINCETON IS HEAVIEST SUFFERER ISLE OF JERSEY IN PATH OF A QUAKE St. Paul Asks Receiver Friendly Suit is Begun London, March The Associated a were felt along the northern coast of the Isle of Jersey and ence with the president. Ho was other of the channel islands be- there an hour with the president, his friend since boyhood. Immediately afterward he went back to the department to meet officials there, most oi whom, he bad never seen. cween 2 and 3 o'clock this morning.

Residents declare the shock was the severest felt in the locality for many jcars. JS'o damage was reported. By Associated Press. Chicago, March Application for a receivership lor the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway company was filed in the United States district court The petition as a i action i the company concurring was filed in District Judge James II.

Wilkerson's court. Tl-c receivership is the climax of the weeks and months of uncertainty, marked by steady and heavy declines of the market quotations of the road's securities, as to the i a i of the $48,000.000 of 4 per cent bonds due next June. Under the receivership a drastic reduction in the capita! structure, now exceeding $700.000,000. 15 expected. Harry E.

Byrain. president of the company, Mark W. Potter and Edward J. Brundagc, the latter recently retired as attorney general of Illinois were appointed rccciv- DAWE WILL CARRl Indianapolis, March 18. received at Indianapolis, Terre Haute and Evansvillc, late tonight placed the casualty list in Southern Indiana from a late today at 300 killed and more than 300 injured.

Princeton Casualties. Tcrrc Haute, I March the Associated Press). The entire section of Princeton, Ind, v. razed by a tornado which struck that city late today and according to aduccs i here at 9 o'clock tonight, 27 bodies had been recovered from the wreckage. Many other bodies were said to have been buried I under debris, and i the exact i on Page Seven) Cario, 111., March Hill, of Carbondale, in a telephone call to W.

H. Wood, mayor of Cario, early tonight, appealed for assistance "in every form." for the storm swept section about Carbondale. He urged especially that relief workers be rushed to the scene. Special trains were hurriedly made up by the Missouri Pacific at Dale and Howlson and left early tonight with doctors and for the stricken section. Morgues Overflow.

The armory and hospitals at Carbondale have been filled to capacity i bodies. A fire is now raging in Murphysboro and threatens to destroy the entire town, according to reports received here. Orders were gii.cn Company of the 157th Infantry, the Cario unit of the Illinois National Guard, tonight to leave at once aboard a special train for West Frankfort, which, according to advices received here, suffered probably the heaviest damage in the tornado. Press. Washington, March IS--Secretary Jardine today directed the grain futures administration to make an immediate investigation of the recent violent fluctuation in the market prices of wheat crs by Judge Wilkcrson in bonds of $50,000 each.

No Opposition. The petition was filed 1 in the name of the Binglcy Coal company, but was in the interest of the road itself, with II. If. Field, general counsel for tl-c railway company, (Continued on Pagfl Two), Annapolis is Wiped Out, 1,200 People Homeless St. March entire of Annapolis, about 1,200 population, approximately 111 FIGHTTO COUNTRY By Associated Press.

Washmgton, March Vice I rst- dent Dawcs will carry to the country in public addresses the issue he made with the senate in his inaugural address for a revision of the rules so as to prohibit one man filibusters. tatecl and several persons were according to reports horo to- mg of a tt)rnado which struck terr in intensity shortly after noon toda. Scores WTO injnnnl and the entire population, apj-rosimaUly 1,300 persons, were left accord- ins to C. E. Pyrtle, a Kansas City traveling man, an cyc-witncss to tin disaster.

People in Tunic. A account gave no name? of the persons killed. Ho was seated In' an automobile Jn the main and escaped with minor injurltB when the driving wind Column hurled down houses, 'business lishments and trees. Into MM. KWSPAPERl.