Harrisburg Telegraph from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania • Page 1

Slayer of i CONDEMNED MAN SPENDS LAST HOUR WITHOUT FRIENDS Shows No Emotion Waiting For the Executioner By Associated Press tion. Warden Louis Kunkel, Prison (Continued on Page 2) SONS, DAUGHTERS HEIRS TO ESTATE Two sons and two daughters share in the $16,000 estate of David C. Alexander, Pennsylvania Railroad conductor, late of 1525 Penn street, it was learned when his will was filed for probate at the office of Meade D. Detweiler, register. A $200 bequest goes to a friend, Miss Alverta Mae Burkholder, Al toona, and the remainder goes to the following sons and daughters: Mrs.

Susan J. Mehaffie, Washington; Mrs. Martha M. Hoyler, Richmond, Samuel C. Alexander and Jacob A.

Alexander, both of Harrisburg. The Central Trust Company is named executor. A son and two daughters share in the $5156 estate of John A. Kay lor, late of Hershey. They are: Jacob H.

Kaylor, who is named executor, Mrs. Kathryn H. Rehrer and Mrs. Elizabeth H. Landis.

The $1500 estate of Mrs. Emma E. Richie, late of Harrisburg, goes to her niece and nephew, Mrs. Helen Osterly, Madison, and Harry Shaefier, Altoona. DAUPHIN INSTALLS ONE TRAFFIC STREETS Dauphin, Dec.

26. One way traffic on High street and around Market Square has been announced by Burgess C. H. Welker. Vehicles will be permitted to move westerly on Hill street and around the Square to the right only.

Parking within fifteen feet of a fire plug or a "stop" sign is prohibited and motorists who obstruct sidewalks will also be prosecuted. by the hundreds turned Christmas gaiety to sorrow in virtually all sec tions of the Nation. Traffic accidents were responsible for a huge share of at least 331 deaths on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. More than two score persons died by fire, drowning, falls, gunshot stabbing, airplane and train ac cidents or by other violent means, Highway Toll Thousands of motorists took to the highways to enjoy unseasonable mild weather and at least 282 of them met death in accidents. California led in the number of traffic fatalities 26.

Illinois had 25, Michigan and Ohio 19 each. New York City, with Its great concentration of motor vehicles, recorded only one traffic fatality. Six persons were slain In Kentucky and six others died in traffic mishaps. Brawls among Christmas merrymakers in New Orleans caused one death and sent more than a hundred persons to hospitals. Fireworks Dangerous The traditional use of fire crackers at Christmas time in the South brought death to a child in Florida in Michigan City, Dec.

26. A flip of an electric chair switch at Indiana State Prison early today abruptly finished the bloody career of Harry Singer, 25, farm handy man, who had confessed four gruesome mur ders. With no show of remorse or emo tion the cynical slayer slumped into eternity at 12:14 a. m. after a Christmas Day spent in grumbling, playing checkers and eating a fried chicken dinner.

Without Friends The "last mile" walk from "death row" was uneventful. When summoned, Singer shrugged his shoulders and stared blankly ahead to the last chair in which he would sit. At 12:07 a. m. he squirmed and twitched as the current coursed through his body.

Taken out of the chair at 12:13 a. he was pronounced dead a minute later. Singer died. without friends. No one visited him during the time he spent in "death row." No one made an effort to obtain executive clem ency.

Few Witnesses Only three prison officials and two physicians witnessed the execu BRISBANE DIES Arthur Brisbane, 72, famous col umnist and news commentator, died of a heart attack at his New7 York home. Until the last, he kept up his writing for some 200 dailies and 1200 weekly papers for a yearly salary of around $260,000. (Associated Press Photo). DUKE'S DAUGHTER SIXTH IN LINE TO INHERIT THRONE Empire Welcomes Second Child of King's Youngest Brother By Associated Press London, Dec. 26.

Britons toasted today an infant who some day may be their ruler. Born Christmas Day, she is the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent the youngest son of the late King George and the former Princess Marina, of Greece. The baby, as yet unnamed, was the second child of the youngest Windsors. An older brother, stal wart Prince Edward George Nicho las Paul Patrick, was born October 9, 1935. Outranked The new princess became sixth in line to the throne of Great Britain.

Ahead are her cousins, Princesses (Continued on Page 2) i MINOR ECLIPSE OF MOON TOMORROW The moon will enter the penum bral shadow of the earth tomorrow night at 10.52 resulting in an ap pulse or junior eclipse of the moon, but the sky show will be scarcely worth a glance from amateur ob servers, according to Harrisburg astronomers. While this partial eclipse of the moon occurs only about twelve times in a century, the effect on the appearance of the moon is barely noticeable. The moon, in an ordinary eclipse, enters the umbral or black shadow of the earth, making it invisible to observers on the earth. Tomorrow night, however, the moon will be visible the dim light of the penumbral shadow, provided the weather is clear. MORE LIVES LOST IN AMERICAN ACCIDENTS THAN IN SPAIN'S WAR By Associated Press Chicago, Dec.

26. Violent deaths and at least two persons in North Carolina. At Benton, four occupants of a car died when It crashed into a filling station's fuel pumps, setting them afire. A bystander was burned to death. In Michigan a baby smothered in its crib.

At least fifteen persons were drowned when an excursion launch capsized in the Kingston, Jamaica, harbor. An automobile carrying two men plunged into a river at Kankakee, 111., on Christmas Eve The thirty eight were convicted murderers, criminal assaulters and highway robbers, each serving a life sentence. MP Hit Run Victim Seriously Hurt; Pedestrians Are Struck Automobile accidents in the city and nearby districts over the Christmas holiday resulted in in jury to twenty six persons. Hurled more than twelve feet be neath a parked machine when struck by an automobile whose driver failed to stop, Morris Hob man, 59, 1508 Penn street, was injured seriously Thursday night at Third and Reily streets. He was ad mitted to the Polyclinic Hospital suffering from fractures of the skull and left leg, a possible fracture of the left hip, shock and a severe cut of the forehead.

His condition to day was reported fair. Police said Hobmati was struck by the hit and run automobile as he was crossing Reily street. The automobile sped west in Reily street and south in Green. S. G.

Shopp, 1744 Logan street, and Chester L. Chorpening, 255 Reily street, standing nearby when Hobman was struck found him under an automobile and halted a passing motorist who rushed him to the hospital. Crash in Walnut Street Struck by one of two automobiles involved in a collision last night at Seventeenth and Walnut streets, as (Continued on Page 2) CHRISTMASSY BRINGS ANOTHER TRAGEDY TO FAMILY Newark, N. Dec. 26, Emilio Ferrara, 51 year old WPA laborer, and his wife Caroline, 47, mourned today the third tragedy that Christmas Day has visited on them.

Seventeen years ago, two of their children suffered complications from measels and died on Christ mas Day. Last year their home burned on Christmas Day, leaving them in dire financial straits. Yesterday, while celebrating Christmas in the meager way their means allowed, they got word that two of their children Stephen, 10, and Thomas, 13, had fallen through the ice at Branch Brook Park Lake and drowned In a futile attempt to rescue the boys after the ice broke under their weight, Park Patrolman Joseph Halpin tied a rope around his waist and plunged into the water while a passerby held the other end of the rope. A third brother, Vito, saw the two drown and ran home to tell his parents and three other broth ers and sisters. The bodies were recovered.

MISSING GIRLF0UND Clinton, Dec. 26, P) Blonde Vivian Lee, 17, former Uni versity of Kentucky co ed, was back at her home in Pineville, to dav after hein? missins fnr a wm1t and was unnoticed until Christmas She was found alone at a hotel i here Christmas Day. Hardest Men in Penitentiary Celebrate With Good Dinner Raleigh, N. Dec. 26.

The thirty eight "toughest guys in North Carolina" held their own private Christmas dinner at Central Prison, sipped tea. nibbled salted nuts from green crepe paper passers, ana sang carols. The principal course was barbecued pig, roasted seven hours by the prisoners. "The life termers asked me If they could have their own private party and fix things their own way," Warden H. Honeycutt said, "and I told them they could.

They haven't much to look forward to and Christmas only comes once a HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH WEATHER Fair Founded mi Vol. CVI No. 308 16 Pages Dally except Sunday. Entered as Second Class Matter at the Post Office at Harrisburg. HARRISBURG, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 26, 1936 ONLY EVENING ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWSPAPER IN HARRISBURG SINGLE COPIES TWO CENTS "Gift Of God" Baby Perpetrators Get Long Sentences FINAL HOME 10 YEAR TERM FIXED FOR WOMAN WHO TOOK CHILD FROM SERVANT Two Men and Another Woman to Serve Many Years For Taking Part in Sensational Attempt at Fraud By Associated Press St.

Louis, Dec. 26 Mrs. Nellie Tipton Muench and three co fendants, convicted of using the mails to defraud Dr. Marsh Pitz man in the "gift of God" baby case, were sentenced to long prison terms today. Mrs.

Muench was given a ten year term as was Wilfred Jones. Dr. Ludwig O. Muench, husband of Mrs. Muench was sentenced to eight 26 ARE INJURED IN CITY, NEARBY AUTO ACCIDENTS years and Mrs.

Helen Berroyer to five years. Mrs. Muench and her husband were fined $5000 each. Federal Judge George H. Moore sentenced the men to serve at the Federal Penitentiary at Leavenworth, and the two wonem at the Women's Reformatory at Al derson, W.

Va. The judge acted immediately after overruling a motion for a new (Continued on Page 2) NEUTRALITY AND RELIEF PROVIDE VITAL PROBLEMS Congressional Leaders Be lieve Fights Are Brewing on Important Questions By Associated Press Washington, Dec. 26. President Roosevelt and his Congressional chiefs set about in serious fashion today to plan for the opening of congress ten aays nence, with many vital decisions facing them Some of the Democratic leaders in Congress were alreadly here Others, who stayed home for Christmas, were heading to the Capital for the important confer ences that always mark a new ses sion. The Chief Executive had to sandwich in between his confer ences some concentrated work on his opening message, which may chart the course of his second term in the White House.

He was (Continued on Page 2) 1 HUNDRED FAMILIES ARE ORDERED OUT OF UNSAFE HOMES Philadelphia, Dec. 26. More than hundred residents of an entire block of "band box" houses in Phil adelphia face the immediate neces sity of finding new homes. The sixty dwellings where they have lived at an average monthly rental of $12 per family were ordered con demned and torn down at once. Police Captain Herbert Black is sued the order yesterday, terming tne dwellings "unsafe." The block of houses is onlv short distance from the wreckage of a tenement building which col lapsed a week ago killing seven persons and injuring many others.

Mayor S. Davis Wilson said the evicted families could be housed temporarily in the armory of the Pennsylvania National Guard. John B. Kelly, State Secretary of Revenue, urged that a low cost housing program be undertaken with Federal, State and local funds as a solution to the problem of affording such families safe, habit able homes at rentals they can pay, FIFTEENDIEWHEN LAUNCH IS LOST Kingston, Jamaica, Dec. 26.

Grapplers searched today for the bodies of five persons lost yester day when a harbor launch, overloaded with Christmas merrymakers capsized less than a half mile off shore. The bodies of ten other victims of the Christmas disaster were prepared for burial. All were Negroes. PASTOR APPEALS An appeal to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania was taken today by the Rev. David Nakoff Steelton, in his fight to retain his Steelton parish, the Macedono Bulgarian Orthodox Church of the St.

Annunciation, from which he would be ousted under a recent ruling of Judge Henry C. Niles, York county, who heard the case in Dauphin County Court. President Judge William M. Hargest disagreed with the ruling of the York county jurist, while Judge Frank B. Wicker sham concurred in it.

HOLD YOUTH AS SLAYER Scranton, Dec. 26, (P) District Attorney J. L. Carrigg said Joseph Trohanovsky, 19, Forest City, would be given a hearing today on a charge of having and Wiled his Uncle, Andrew Mecko, with whom he had quarreled while Mecko was asleep. Queer Quips and Quirks By Associated Press 'quick exchange Yonkers, N.

Y. It was a merry Christmas for fourteen of William F. Carter's friends while it lasted, police said. Yonkers officers found fourteen radios missing when they investi' gated a store robbery. Carter, 27, was arrested and de tectives set about recovering the radios they charged Carter had dis tributed as yuletide gifts.

CHEERLESS CHRISTMAS New Ton, N. J. Mrs. Melvin Degraw and her three children had a Christmas dinner of chicken, but it was a cheerless meal. The Penniless husband was arrested on a charge of stealing the fowls.

RESOURCEFUL JIMMY New York. Jimmy Maher, 6, found a nickel in his Christmas stocking and spent it for carfare to the zoo. Stranded and facing a three mile walk, Jimmy "touched" a policeman who "kicked in" with a dime. That went for a soda. Policemen were plentiful and Jimmy's desire for soda grew.

Seven times his ruse succeeded. The eighth policeman insisted on taking him to the station house after handing out the dime. Jimmy had called on the sergeant at the station house, and the jig was up. The sergeant called Jimmy's who came for him. FACE VALUE Denver.

Patrolman W. E. Scott smiled broadly as he shouted: "Get back there, you" at a pedestrian violating a traffic regulation. The offender rushed over to Scott pressed something into his hand and explained: "This is the first time a cop ever bawled me out and smiled about it." Then he hurried away. Scott opened his fist.

It held, he said, a $100 bill. A. W. O. L.

East St. Louis, El. Patrolmen Herman Dankenbnng and Peter Iwasyszyn wanted to question a mo torist. Aiier a nve miie cnase and a scuffle they overpowered their quarry, ine otiicers, one nursing a broken rib, the other a gash on the head, inquired why the motorist had been so unaccommodating. "Well, I was out without my wife's permission and I didn't want to get into any trouble, because I was afraid she'd find it out," he explained.

THE STRAW THAT BROKE, ETC. Omaha, Neb. The course of true love never runs smoothly, Police Sergeant Harry Marchant reflected as he watched a car cutting zig zag capers because its driver, Arthur Anderson, was using his liands to hug his Christmas bride. Sergeant Marchant decided to overlook the matter. But even love should halt at a stop sign, he concluded.

He arrested Anderson when the car failed to stop for an arterial highway. WIDOW AND TWO MEN ACCUSED OF late today. MURDER PLOT Ilicit Love Affair Behind Killing With Use of Poisoned Whisky Bv Associated Press Ozard, Dec. 26. Sheriff Champ trawiord said today two men had admitted giving poison whisky to Monroe Larrimore and implicated Larrimore's widow in a plot to kill the 44 year old World War veteran.

Sheriff Crawford gave an illicit love affair as the motive and said Arch Doss, 26, and Haskell Bent, 19 of Walalula, had signed statements admitting the poisoning. The widow, brown haired Mrs Julia Larrimore, 40, was held but made no statement. Await Autopsy The sheriff quoted both of the men in custody as saying Doss's affection for Larrimore's wife re suited in the poisoning. He an nounced he would file first degree murder charges against Doss and Mrs. Larrimore and accessory charges against Bent, adding he ex pected to make a fourth arrest today A coroner's jury withheld a ver dict until completion of a physician's autopsy report, expected Larrimore was stricken while walking from a dance at Watalula last Wednesday.

Sheriff Crawford said a bottle containing poison was found twenty feet from the spot where the veteran suc cumbed. ADMITS KILLING FATHER Philadelphia, Dec. 26, (Wil liam Faulls, 17, was held in $1500 bail after telling Magistrate Thomas A. Connor that he shot his father, John A. Faulls.

"when he csased my mother and threatened to punch her." BERLIN MAKES BOLD PLAY HOPING FEAR WILL DRIVE NATIONS TO COMPROMISE "WED FOR SPITE" 1 Virginia Ruth Laurel is shown in a Los Angeles court, where she obtained a divorce from Stan Laurel, film comedian. She said did not love her and "married just for spite." (Associated Press Photo). CHINESE PREMIER RETURNS IN PLANE WITH HIS CAPTOR War Lord Who Captured Generalissimo Closely Hidden By Associated Pr Nanking, Dec. 26. Rebellious Marshal Chang Hsueh Liang, as serting his willingness to "suffer death," threw himself tonight on the mercy of his former captive at Sianfu, Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shek.

Nanking, Dec. 26. Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shek, smiling and tri umphant, returned to Nanking to day after two weeks' captivity and assumed firm control of the Nationalist government he had charted through a perilous crisis. A virtual prisoner in the capital was the rebel Marshal Chang Hsueh Liang, whose capture of the premier December 12 created the gravest crisis in the history of the Chinese Nationalist movement. Wife Gets Credit Credit for the dramatic solution to the grim threat of civil war was universally accorded the general (Continued on Page 2) JAPAN'S FUTURE MAY DEPEND ON COURSE OF DIET Moderates and Militarists May Fight For Control of Island's Destiny By Associated Press Tokio, Dec.

26. The 70th Diet. which may become the battleground of Japan's future, was convoked formally today by Emperor Hirchito amid medieval pomp and splendor. Some authorities expected the Legislature, which adjourned until January 20 after the brief ceremonies, to be the scene of bitter strife between the forces of Liberalism and Fascism. In Japan the lines were drawn between adherents of the moderates and the militarists.

Tens of thousands of spectators and a lane of soldiers lined the Emperor's route from the Imperial Palace to the majestic new National Legislature which dominates the capital from a towering hill. Preceded by mounted Imperial guards, His Majesty, in military uniform, rode in a carriage drawn by four horses to the Parliament building to open the session. legend that the O'Leary cow kicked over a lamp in their barn and touched off the great blaze of 1871. She declared they first learned of the fire at 8 o'clock whn Denis Nazi Leaders Play Heavily on Readiness to Dispatch Troops to Spanish Soil FRANCE IS FEARFUL OF CLASH By Associated Press Berlin, Dec. 26.

Colonial concessions to Germany may solve the international crisis centering on Nazi aid to Fascist Spain, well informed sources said today. These persons disclosed that the week's grave conferences in Paris between French Foreign Minister Yvon Delbos and German Ambassador Count Johannes Van Welczek had involved not only the sending of German soldiers to Spain, but Germany's urgent need for raw materials as well. Minerals Badly Needed M. Delbos, it was stated, dropped the hint France was not blind to the theory that Spanish iron, copper, lead and manga nese rather than the pursuit of glory and prestige was the driving motive behind German "volunteers" who are fighting tor the Insurgents. Germany needs these minerals badly.

And, said informed observers, while a victory for the Spanish F.ascists would mean an economic victory for Germany, a Spanish Fascist defeat might spell economic disaster in the Reich. London, Dec. 26. The chancel lories of Europe watched Adolf Hitler today for a decision on whether he will send Nazi troops into Spain in an effort to turn the tide of battle in favor of Insurgent Fascists, possibly provoking a general war. Hope mounted, however, that Germany would avoid any action that might endanger European peace.

This hope was strengthened by reports Hitler was studying carefully the demands the Spanish insurgents were said" to. have made for increased support. SHORE BOROUGHS CONSIDER RADIO FOR POLICE AID Chiefs in Four Communi ties to Test Short Wave Communication A two way police radio system for Mechanicsburg, New Cumberland, Lemoyne and Camp Hill is now being planned. A conference was held at the office of the Pennsylvania State Police, at the Capitol, by the police chiefs of the four boroughs, at which three proposed plans were studied. The various systems will be tested January 12 and 13, by a radio en Continued on Page 2) 26 KILLED, 100 HURT IN SHIP'S EXPLOSION By Associated Press Rome, Dec.

26. Twenty six persons were killed and 100 injured December 23, an official communique said today, in an explosion aboard the steamship Cesare Battisti in the harbor of Massaua, Italian Eritrea, on the East Coast of Africa. A fire resulting from the explosion spread rapidly over the waterfront and the port, destroying several buildings including the offices of the port authority. Twenty of those injured were re ported seriously hurt. MORE BUILDING Washington, Dec.

26, (IP). The Labor Department reported today the number of new homes built in the first eleven months of this year was 86 per cent, greater than in the corresponding period of 1935 Building of all kinds, including re pairs and alterations, was up 22 per cent. ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY Havana, Dec. 26, (IP) The Menocalista party came forward today to assume responsibility for the ousting of President Miguel Mariano Gomez. Last of O'Leary Family of Chicago Fire Fame, Dies Chicago, Dec.

26. Mrs. Catherine O'Leary Ledwell, 70, last member of the O'Leary family whose cow some say started the Chicago fire, died of heart disease last night at her home. Mrs. Ledwell always denied the Sullivan, "the one legged drayman from next door," discovered it In the barn.

"That's the first we knew of the fire," she always said. "No one had been up. I know mother didn't milk the cow after 5 o'clock." Mrs. Ledwell theorized that young bloods of the neighborhood who sometimes drank beer in the wit of the O'Leary barn had left a cigar butt smouldering in the hay. The Spanish civil war, feared as a threat to all Europe since its beginning, appeared to have brought the continent to a final show down on the issue of war or peace for the immediate future.

Despite official silence in the great capitals of Europe, the Christmas holidays were broken by hurried conferences. Great Britain and France obviously, were disturbed but hoped Der Fuehrer might make a decisive (Continued on Page 2) GIRL 11 YEARS IS BOY INSTEAD DOCTORS LEARN Accident Injury Leads to Discovery of Child's True Sex By Associated Press Carlisle, Dec. 26. Dr. W.

Baird Stuart disclosed today an automobile accident led to discovery that Gretna Bobb, of Mt. Holly Springs, for eleven years reared and dressed as a girl, is a boy. The surgeon said a simple operation after the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bobb was injured by an automobile a week before Christ mas, revealed Gretna's true sex.

Gretna's ankle was broken, and the surgeon made a physical examination at the same time he treated the ankle. Now at home, awaiting rechrist ening as a boy, Gretna got a boy style haircut and clothing. He is going back to the hospital in a few days for another operation. Gretna's father was jubilant. "Gretna is very glad to be a boy," he said, recalling that he had been concerned for years because his youngster had played roughly "more like a boy than a girl" and that recently the child's voice began changing.

Physicians assured the father, his child would develop as a normal healthy boy. i BOY IS INJURED Norman Yingst, 5, son of Harry Yingst, 1197 Bailey street, suffered concussion of the brain and bruises of the face this afternoon as coasted into an automobile driven by George F. Potts, 1227 Bailey street, near his home. The child was riding in a toy wagon. He waa taken to the Harrisburg Hospital, INDIA TO PROTEST Bombay, India, Dec.

26, T) Adoption of a resolution by thi Indian National Committee to boy. cott coronation ceremonies foi George VI in India was considered by well informed sources today tj be virtually certain. COLD TO FOLLOW WEEK OF RAIN By Associated Press THE weather for the week beginning Monday December 28. Precipitation Monday and again about Wednesday. Mild at beginning of wek, somewhat colder Tuesday, much colder toward end of week.

THE WEATHER December 26, 1936. Harrisburg and Vicinity: Fail today; cloudy with rain tomorrow..