Altoona Tribune from Altoona, Pennsylvania • Page 1

THE WEATHER CH4r Salaraay aae Saaaar wKa -aalaail iBaatta ta tartar aaa aaailnlr BaaSa aMralac aaaUaawt hawf tan. TUTERIMTt TSHPU4TOKIW Ua. It aaaa 41 11 stlealfht Yti DO OUR MRT A V1GOBOCS NEWSPAPER A PROGRESSIVE TERRITORY PHONE 8181 CaatiamalT PaMtoM Staea Jaaaaiy UM ALTOONA, SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH 3, 1934 PRICE TWO CI miuuiM tv IEDi ft i 1 I 1 ffl On II I I I I 1 1 II II II III ill Sues Film Producer Assails Labor Program Jobless Tailor Strewl On Trial In Kidnaping Tariff Power Is Requested IEF Campaign -Will Continue Another Week ISP' Plane Controls Tampered, Is Among Reports Secretary Of War Dern Scoffs At 'Rumors' But Directs That Complete Inquiry Be Made WASHINGTON. March 2. President Roosevelt has ordered an Investigation into charges of sabotage of army airplanes carrying the mail.

This-was announced tonight by Secretary Dern of the war department who added that reports of punctured gas tanks, controls being tampered with and the presence of water In gasoline tanks were being investigated thoroughly. Although he said he did not believe In the truth of such charges, he nevertheless has directed that a complete Inquiry be made. Among the charges that will come under scrutiny is one that commercial pilots, 90 per cent of whom are members of the air corps reserves, are being threatened with black listing if they accept positions piloting army planes. War department officials have been extremely reticent to assign reasons for the accidents to army filers, although Major General Benjamin Foulois, of the army air corps, has stressed that only one pilot died while actually flying the mails. In congress Republicans have charged "legalized murder" against the administration as the result of PRINCESS YOUSOUPOFF 1 Manney Strewl (right), ex-convict, is shown in an Albany, N.

court when he went on trial charged with the kidnapping of John J. O'Connell, member of a politically powerful Albany family. Ransom of $40,000 was paid for the release of O'Connell last July. At left Is District Attorney John T. DeJaney and In the center Is Dan Pryor, attorney for the defense.

(Associated Press Photo) Shouts By O'Connell As Kidnaper First Week's Returns Show Definite Progress; Plans Furthered At Meetin Of Workers The IEF drive will be continued another week. This announcement was made by Alvin Hostler, chairman of the publicity committee of the drive, last night after; a checkup of returns from the first week's home-owners" campaign revealed marked but slow progress. The IE? Is meeting with favor, Mr. Hostler said, but the late organization of the home-owners' committee, has delayed the group in making a thorough canvass of the city. With 18,000 homes on their list, the home-owners' group, under John Gieg, has completed less than half of their calls.

This does not mean that the committee is not efficient, Mr. Gieg says, but! that the workers are concentrating on each home and staying there until the party is "sold" or gives promise of Signing the IEF pledge. The first united IEF meeting of the week was held yesterday noon at the Penn Alto hotel. More than 300 solicitors, captains and lieutenants of the campaign attended and were surprised when General Chairman D. Is'.

Slep. Charles Cohn and Dr. John A. McNeils announced they would pay for the meal served in the Logan room. The Sixth ward, which has been (CaaliaaW a Pf S) WAGE AGREEMENT DELATED WASHINGTON'.

March 2 (." Negotiation of a new wage ree-ment fc bituminous coal miners in the Appalachian region was halted today pending receipt of detld statistics of the industry's operation under the coal code. WILL ROGERS: OMAHA. Nebr, Mar. 2 The army is handling the mail very sensibly now. I left N.

Y. at 2 a. in. Arrived Chicago at 6 a. m.

Weather In and around Chicago was bad. They held us there till noon. No mail in or out Tou see both army and commercial are very careful Talked to General West-over, in charge of all army fliers and CoL of Chi-. cago area. They said they were taking no chances.

(Some banker may lose a day's in-; terest on his checks, but that's the worst can happen) and 'what about the fliers, and the old buck privates, some of which draw only 21 dollars a month. And have been moved away off up here from their posts. They want some money. They are eating and sleeping on credit, and living off the generosity of the towns they are In. So hurry up and get busy, congress, and straighten the whole thin; out All of you say you want to.

Well, then do it Salt Lake at midnight Beverly for breakfast Tours, WILL. ROGERS. ALBANY, N. March O'Connell, young scion of a leveled an accusing finger at a jury "that man right there Dr. Wynekoop, In Collapse, Denies Slaying CRIMINAL COURTS BUILDING, Chicago, March 2.

Self possessed except for one emotional collapse, Dr. Alice Lindsay Wynekoop today denied from the witness stand any knowledge of the gruesome "operating room murder." 'I neither shot nor chloroformed Rheta," she testified. How her daughter-in-law, Rheta, met her death in Dr. Wynekoop's surgery was as much of a mystery to her as to anyone, she insisted. Her one collapse came as she described how she found the girl's (Csatinaee aa Pate i 2 Own Daughter Confesses Slaying Wife And Mother-in-law; Shooting Follows Quarrel Over Divorce Suit DALLAS, Tex, March 2 (JPh-Giles S.

Boggess, 43, an unemployed tailor, confessed in a signed statement tonight he had shot to death his wife and mother-in-law and abducted his two-year-old daughter. Boggess, in the statement made to police and witnessed by newsmen, said he was angered because his wife refused to return to him after an estrangement and declined to drop the divorce suit she had filed. The wife, Mrs. Gladys Boggess, was 39, and her mother, Mrs Julia Woodward, 76. The shooting occurred at the home of Mrs.

Boggess' sister, Mrs. W. H. Fortson, where Mrs. Boggess, her mother and the two-year-old daughter, Martha Julia, had been living since Mrs.

Boggess and her husband separated at Bonham about a month ago. Boggess' statement said his son, Earl, 19, and a friend accompanied him to the Fortson home. After the shooting, he said, he told them to drive to Bonham with the girl and leave her at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.

S. Boggess. Boggess said he came to Dallas today to see his wife and plead with her to drop the divorce suit, set for hearing next Monday. "I asked her to come back to me, for the sake of the child," he said, but she refused." Mrs. Boggess, who was working as a stenographer for a tire con cern, had come home early from work to see him.

Boggess said that as she told him she would not come back to him, Mrs. Boggess was standing before the fire place, holding Martha Julia in her arms. He asked her to put the child on the floor, he said, then drew a pistol and. fired at his wife. As she fell, he MJd, Mrs.

Wood ward ran Into the room, threaten ing him with a stick of wood, and he shot her also. He said he seized the child. placed her in the automobile and directed his son to drive downtown, leaving the mthere after he had directed them to go on to Bonham to his father's home. Boggess' signed statement was made to Detective Lieut. Will Fritz and A Detective Robert Jones.

Police requested Bonham offic ers to hold the two youths as material' witnesses. Investigators learned from Mr. and Mrs. Fortson that Boggess threatened his wife shortly after she came to their home from Bonham, and that she had him placed under a peace bond. The Fortsons were away from horn In north Dallas when the shooting occurred today.

Police Arrest Two Men As Drunk And Disorderly Michael Murphy, 1505 Nineteenth avenue, and William W. Donoughe, 2022 Nineteenth street, were arrested at 6 o'clock last night and are held for police court today on charges of drunkenness and disor derly conduct Police also apprehended a run away boy last night Thomas Of-charek, 15, of Kulpmont, Northumberland county, came to city hall and asked police where he might stay for the night Due to his age, police questioned him and learned that he had run away from home. They placed him in custody of juvenile officials and at once notified authorities of Kulpmont Bernard McCulloch and Ralph Metzgar, arrested Thursday night on charges of drunkenness and disorderly conduct, are serving 10 days In the city jail In lieu of their fines of $5.80 each, which was the police court verdict yesterday aft- City Employe Fractures Hip In Fall Last Night John Martin, 2211 Washington avenue, employed by the city, suf fered a fracture of the right hip last night when he fell on the ice. Martin was engaged in checking redlanterns for the city highway department, filling and lighting them at various points of repair throughout the city. At Eighteenth avenue, between Eleventh and Twelfth streets, he slipped on the ice.

was admit ted to Altoona hospital at 9:20 o'clock. His condition last night was i-eported as good. John Basonm, 1921 First avenue admitted to the Institution yester day afternoon after he was taken ill in the vicinity of the railroad station, was discharged at 8:40 p. m. EYNON STILL II TOWANDA, Pa, March Benjamin G.

Eynon, former stats registrar of mc.r vehicles, again announced his candidacy for the Republican gubernatorial nomina tion in addressing a meeting of the Bradford county truckmen's association tonieht By Roosevelt Asks Congress For Auth ority To Bargain With Other Countries For Trade Benefits WASHINGTON, March 2--vfV- A wide change in the nation's tariff policy, the badge of political faith for more than a century, was proposed today by President Roose velt A thousand-word message, one of the longest he has devoted to any one piece of legislation, took to congress the news that the President desired authority to bar gain with other countries for trade benefits. There was agreement that it would set off much political de bate but Democratic leaders were hopeful that this would not prolong the session unduly. Through the years the traditional difference between the two parties has been the outwardly and tacit sub scription by the Democrats- to a low tariff and by the Republicans to a high one. The immediate reaction of sen ate Republicans came from Senat or McNary of Oregon, their leader. Too much power to put in the hands of one man, he called it; destruction of the tariff commis sion, he added.

In general, the President asked power to bargain with other nations for trade, the treaties thus arrived at not to be subject to the long and sometimes tedious process of renate ratification. He pointed to the foreign trade picture, said full and permanent domestic recovery depended upon revived international trade, that negotiations for it should be based on a carefully considered program. A second message sent by the President to congress asked for a re-enactment with changes that would eliminate American military bases from the Philippines, of the recently expired legislation to grant freedom to those islands. Whether to retain naval bases there, he said, should be left to be determined by a future study. Other developments of the day: The democratic national committee withdrew a review of the President's first year -in the White House with the assertion that the committee did not desire to be in a position of issuing partisan propaganda during the emergency.

The President called in a group of congressional experts to draft a bill to curb the activity before the government departmeats of lawyers with political connections. New defenses of stock exchange practices were put before senate and house committees by spokesmen for various exchanges in hearings on the Fletcher-Rayburn bill to regulate the exchanges. Norman H. Davis, chief, American delegate to the disarmament conference, was disclosed to be working en the disarmament problem with the idea of following out Mr. Roosevelt's idea for world wide' non-aggression pacts.

Police Recover Two Stolen Cars, Seek Third Police recovered two of the cars reported stolen Thursday night but last night a report was submitted by James A. Goma, Jean-nette. who said that his car was stolen from Juniata. The car owned by Durward Eck- ley, 215 Eleventh avenue, Juniata, stolen Thursday night was recovered yesterday afternoon at about 3:45 o'clock. The driver ditched the car in the Fairview district and ran from the scene.

Persons living in the vicinity reported the case to the police and the car was taken from the scene. The vehicle was not damaged. Last night police located the car owned by Ira F. Stitt 326 Fifty- eighth street It was found at 6:45 o'clock in Sixth alley between Third and Fourth streets. The car was not damaged.

James Goma came to city hall at about 9:30 o'clock last nigh' and reported that his car, parked in front of 605 Sixth avenue, Juniata, where be was visiting, was stolen at some time between 8:30 and 9 p.m. Police bad not located the vehicle up until an early hour this morning. Non-Holders Of Operators' Cards Run Into Grief Members of the Pennsylvania State highway patrol under Corporal Alexander yesterday continued their campaign on autolsts who had not acquired their 1934 operator's cards More than 40 arrests were made on the first day. Yesterday almost an equal number were stopped and were informed to call at the local headquarters at Plank Road, with their operator's cards In their possession. EXTENSION BLOCKED WASHINGTON.

March 2. An uprising of house Democrats that drove their leaders from the field in disorder prevented passage tonight of a bill to extend for an-; otter year the power of federal i reserve batiks to Issue currency I backed by government bonds 1 LATE NEWS FLASHES MRS. PINCHOT CriticsThanked By Johnson Administrator Replies To Mrs. Pinchot's Attack On NRA Labor Program WASHINGTON, March 2 A "diatribe and exaggeration" was Hugh S. Johnson's tart reply to Mrs.

Gifford Pinchot's sizzling verbal assault on NRA in a speech by the administrator from the same platform where the red-haired wife of Pennsylvania's governor launched her criticism last Wednesday. Concluding the sessions for open criticism of the unit he heads, Johnson thanked those who appeared in response to his appeal to tell him what was wrong with the recovery organization. He referred particularly to Mrs. Pinchot's assertion that NRA' enforcement of its labor program was a "grisly farce" and her reference to the Welrton case. "I am sorry," he said, "I could not be in five places at once and especially that I could not have welcomed Mrs.

Pinchot and discussed some of her statements with her especially about, certain labor cases in Pennsylvania. Apparently Mrs. Pinchot does not know that these are not in the jurisdiction or control of NRA at all." Mrs. Pinchot said defiance of the labor provisions in NRA codes by Ernest T. Weir, head of the National Steel company, and similar instances were encouraging the "lesser fry to chisel and cheat at will." She also charged she had been prevented from speaking about NRA in several Pennsylvania townsv Johnson said the Welrton case and others like it "are the province of the national labor board which is wholly independent of NRA" Since Mrs.

Pinchot's charges, the labor board has referred the Weir-ton case to the department of justice for action on complaints that the steel concern refused to allow (Continued an Fata G.O.P. Lists 20 Eligibles For Governor PHILADELPHIA, Mar. The Republican" gubernatorial situation for the coming primary was discussed by J. irty leaders today, and from the meeting came a list of 20 eligibles for the nomination. In announcing the list, after the conference of leaders from various parts of the state, General Martin, state chairman, challenged Democrats to produce a list of "similar emphasized that the qualifications of each man on the list which included himself had been mentioned and analyzed in his talks with other leaders, and reiterated his declaration that the primary gubernatorial race was "open to all candidates." He repeated, too, his statement that no slate would be "hand-picked" leaders.

"This list," he pointed out, "Represents a remarkably fine array of material. All of the men have ability and many friends. I challenge the Democrats not only in Pennsylvania, but any other state, to produce a list of eligibles for public office of similar calibre." Conferees at the meeting included former Governor John 8. Fish er, Indiana county; Auditor General Frank Baldwin, Tioga; State Senators Harry B. Scott, Centre; Harry J.

Bell, Fayette; Andrew J. Sordini, Luzer A Boyd Hamil ton, senate secretary and assistant to Martin, and Charles Johnson, Montgomery county leader. Martin said he Intend i to confer later with former United States Senator Joseph R. Grundy of Bucks county. The state chairman also talked with ite Representa- (CealfBBM rasa 1 Witness Thrills British Court Member Of Parliament Says He Was 'Invited' To Kill Rasputin LONDON.

March British member of parliament calmly disclosed in a musty London court room today that he had tried to save the Russian royal family from death at the hands of blood- mad revolutionaries and that he had been invited to join a plot to kill the mad monk Rasputin. Commander Oliver Locker-Lamp- son, the witness, brought to a start' ling finish the four days of testi mony in the $2,000,000 libel suit in stituted by Princess Irena Yous- soupoff against the Metro-Goldwyn Pictures, Ltd, producers of "Ras putin and the Empress," in which the plaintiff claims she was de famed. If thrill-seeking society members and others believed their shudders were over with the finish of ac counts of how the sinister monk was poisoned, beaten, and shot in the cellar of the St Petersburg Imperial palace they were mistak en, for Locker-Lampson's story sent electric waves through the packed court room. The commander, a member of parliament for 25 years and the holder of a distinguished war rec ord, declared he was partly responsible for recruiting an armored car force which went to Russia during the World war. I got back to Petrograd when the revolution broke out" he testi fied.

"I was besieged in my hotel there. I met the czar and served as a fighter under Grand Duke Nicholas." "Was it arranged," interrupted Defense Counsel Sir William Jow-itt, "that you should evacuate the royal family?" "We had a plot on foot to save the czar," replied Locker-Lam pson. "Unfortunately it could not be accomplished," commented Sir Wil liam. The plaintiffs attorney. Sir Pat rick Hastings, made several caustic remarks to the witness.

(Caatlaaed aa rat t) G.O.P. Leader John B. Elliott, prothonotary of Blair county, will be elected chairman of the Blair county Republican committee this afternoon at HoUidaysburg, according to the consensus of opinion among party leaders interviewed last night by The Tribune. The new chairman will be named at a meeting of the county committee and leading Republicans in the courthouse in HoUidaysburg this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. He will be elected to fill the office for the remainder of the unexpired term of former county chairman Col.

Ben C. Jones of Tyrone, who resigned last Saturday that he might be free to carry on his campaign for election to congress. The nomination and election of Mr. Elliott appear certain, since no opposition to his powerful support has developed. Other party leaders previously mentioned for the position have declined to enter the contest nd have thrown their strength in favor of the prothonotary.

Mr. Elliott's popularity with Republican voters Is attested by the overwhelming vote which swept him into office in the November el dons. Party leaders were unanimous in paying high tribute to Mr. Elliott's ability, and in emphasizing their complete confidence in his impartiality toward party aspirants seeking the same office or offices. A large attendance of Republican stalwarts from every Blair county community is expected at the committee meeting th.

Strewl Accused (AP) Lieutenant John politically powerful familyr Manny Strewl today and told was one of his kidnapers. "You're a liar" the nattily dressed ex-convict leaped to his feet I saved your life and you know it" It was the end of the fifth day of Strewl's trial. The na tional guardsman told of his 22-day abduction last July the first full story of his sensational kid naping. He told of how he was snatched away from his home. He told of being handcuffed to a bed while his uncles, Ed and Dan O'Connell, moved every police agency and finally paid 140,000 for his re lease.

Strewl was the intermedi ary who paid that ransom. District Attorney John T. De- laney asked young O'Connell to describe the visitors to his room. which O'Connell believed was near New York City. "I could see under the edges of my Blindfold," the blue-eyed wit ness said.

(Caatiaaea aa Fata t) New postmasters will take office Monday, March 5, in two leading Blair county communities. In Williamsburg, J. Ralph Det-wiler wiU succeed J. T. Patterson, incumbent In Duncansville, Mrs.

Ethel Davis will succeed Mrs. Isaac M. who, with her husband, has been in charge of the Duncansville office for more than 30 years. Word of the two appointments, announced in Washington yesterday, was learned last night by the Tribune in an exclusive news story. Born and reared in Morrison's Cove, but for 35 years a resident of Williamsburg, Mr.

Detwiler is one of southern Blair's outstanding Democrats. Prominently identified with the Democratic party from early manhood, he has served in a number of important public offices. He was for many years secretary-treasurer of the Woodbury township road board, and has for some time served as secretary of Williamsburg borough. He served one term as burgess of Williamsburg, the only Democratic candidate ever elected to the office. Two years ago, he was a candidate for assembly on the Democratic ticket He was recently a candidate for county commissioner.

He is a former postmaster of (Cealiaata ta fate DEAN MURDER CASE GOES TO JURY GREENWOOD, March 2 A circuit court jury tonight at 8:30 o'clock received the murder case of Dr. Sarah Ruth Dean, 36-year-old woman physician whom the state charged killed Dr. John Preston Kennedy, her surgeon associate, last summer by giving hint a "farewell" drink of poisoned whisky. SLAIN BY UNKNOWN MURDERER MEADV1LLE, Pa, March 2 Struck by at least three bul-. lets, Roy Sugar, 28, Meadvtlle, was Instantly killed by an unknown murderer at the home of his father here tonight PREPARE FOB FLOOD PITTSBURG.

March 2 Looking askance at rain clouds rolling In from the west, dwellers along the Ohio river tonight quickened their efforts to prepare for the flood they fear may come. TO FORM PICKET LINES NEW KENSINGTON, Pa, March Howling down suggestions of their coUective bargaining agents that they accept an 11 per cent wage increase, a mass meeting of Aluminum Company of America employes tonight directed picket lines re-established about the huge plant the mishaps and have seized upon these developments as a possible issue in the approachinsr orim- ary elections. Among army men there has been a generally hostile feeling toward the so-called "defenders" of the service who have claimed that by cancelling mail contracts with pri- vate companies, the administra tion has been indirectly responsible ior tne deaths. Three days ago the war depart ment ordered army mail planes to abandon the Washington-Hoover airport here, a commercial landing field, a headquarters for this area and use Boiling field, the army reservation. The only explanation made was (Caatlnaaa' aa Pan 2) Eldorado Youth Is Held For Breaking Barriers Robert Poet 5246 Kissel avenue, Eldorado, was arrested by city po lice last night and is held for police court today on a charge of disorderly conduct.

His arrest was the outgrowth of his alleged actions Thursday evening when he drove over the protected coasting area at Kissel avenue, breaking down the barriers at both ends and then setting fire to them. The fire was not observed when the case was first reported to the police Thursday night but when it was noticed, men and boys in the vicinity rushed to the scene and extinguished the blaze, although not until the wooden barriers were badly damaged. The boys coasting in the vicinity protested the actions of the driver, obtained the license number of his car and reported the case to city hall. Police checked the registration and learned the identity of the man, making the arrest last night. Probers Told Train Speed Was 60 m.p.h.

PITTSBURG, March 2 (Jf) -The Pennsylvania express train that crashed into a Pittsburg street with the loss of 10 lives was going 60 miles an hour when It wrecked, investigators were told Unable to leave his bed because of injuries, James V. Lowry, a trainmaster, filed a statement saying that he pulled the signal cord for a stop just before the train hurled Itself from the tracks Monday night Thirty-nine persons were hurt. Lowry was riding from his home in Sewickley to Pittsburg. The train was 14 minutes late and while 60 miles is not an unusual speed on the way up, it is the rule to apply brakes on the curve at the point of the crash, Lowry said. "When I did not hear the brakes I became alarmed," he added.

"I reached up and grabbed the signal rope and signaled the engineer to reduce speed. A moment later the crash came." D. E. Callahan, track supervisor, told the investigators that because of the curve a permanent speed restriction of 25 miles an hour was maintained at that point Conducting the hearing were representatives of the Interstate commerce commission and the public service commission. Much of the testimony centered around a switch at the scent of the wreck.

At first It was thought the engine might have split the switch. Experts testified, however, the switch was electrically locked (Ctntlaaea aa rate ft Aid Pledged Elliott Seen To I. E. F. BylNext Blair New Postmasters Named At Williamsburg, Duncansville B.

League Pledging themselves by motion to raise $19,000 for Altoona's Indus trial Expansion fund. 37 units of the Blair county Building and Loan league endorsed the entire IEF program for diversified industries at the regular league meeting last night in the Elks home. It was made clear, however, that the action of the central body did not commit any individual building and loan association to contribute to the fund. and that no assessments can be laid on any association. A detailed legal opinion clearing the way for building and loan contributions to the IEF fund was delivered by Attorney Isaiah Schee-line.

"A number of other attorneys present at last night's meeting concurred with the opinion of Mr. Scheeline. A letter from the deputy attorney neral of Pennsylvania, regarding restriction of space required for ad-verti- 'lie of b-iildins and loan properties was read by D. H. Baird.

President A. F. Shomberg was in charge of the meeting, with Francis Barron acting as secretary pro tern. ADMITS CHECK PASSING PHILADELPHIA. March 2 Conrad Sauter, 38, who said he lived in Harrisburg, walked into the office of the Pennsylvania prison society tonight and told an agent that he had passed worthless checks totalling $900 during the past six months.

Lee C. Beier, the agent said the man told him most of the checks were passed in Harrisburg and Reading. I J. RALPH DETWILER.