Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • Page 1

Ex'cluiivg Prcst Oakland and vicinity: Tonight 'and Friday, fair uibil- rri rr. crate" northeasterly Untted Press International ttewa ttrvc VOLUME XCIX THREE CENTS UNDA EN CENTS. -V t- OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 27, 1923 26 PAGES Copyright. 1923. by TRIBUNhi Publishing Co.

'Eugenic' Rale Is Observed At Scene as Old Bridges Span of Life Game to an End HARRISON STREET; BRIDGE, over which Southern i Pacific Jrains have cosed the Oakland estuary for twenty-five yean, is shown a it was borne away today by Southern Pacific tugs. The bridge "was "removccl Inompliahce" with" War Department orden" This TO COOLIE Oakland Couple Meet Rer quirement of Leavens Before Church Ceremony. GOVERNOR TO HEAR PLEAS IS. KELS ASSASSIN AT TOKYO FIRES AT PRINCE l(LJgE Wedding 1 fly I I it I OF Richardson Willing to Grant Edward Y. Clarke, Imperial Giant of KuKIux, Appeals to President to Stamp Out Hooded Terrorism Order Bullet Barely Misses HIrohite and Wounds Chamberlain in Limousine With Him; Mob Anarchist Life v.

Hfel-T'rHNI )c I Jill 4wu i 1 4 i rv vlli 1 vp i i 1 IV Evidence of the increasing popularity of the eugenics idea. as ap plied to marriages and as a direct means of raising the health standard of the human race, was furnished by. the wedding of Peter Crumbaugh Nichols and -Miss Genevieve Jane- Thomas, both of Oakland, who were united in. marriage on the day before Chrl6t-masi by Robert F. Leavens, of the First Unitarian church in Bere ley.

The bride is a University of California graduate, class, of 1923. The ceremony was performed in that church. In accordance with the requirement of the' officiating minister, health certificates were furnished by the bride and groom. In order to. combat the evil of Vv Secref Society Branded us Defiance to U.

S. Courts; Inter-Klan Feuds Seen as Sure to Start Bloodshed BT rRTERATJOAT irrws (TOSSED WIRE TO TRIBUHE. WASHINGTON, Dec, 27. The Ku Klux Klan as national lsue was brought dramatically into the open today and laid on the doorstep of the White House. In an 'open letter to President Coolidge, Edward Young Clarke, Imperial giant and former head of the klan In the United States.

60- dared the organization which he was instrumental In founding hat degenerated Into a "cheap political machine" that "is brazenly super- feeding the authority of American 1 and he concluded his letter with an appeal to the president to take the lead in a national effort to aamp out "hooded terrorism." or else-force the klan to disband. In a statement this afternoon amplifying hlsf letter to the dent, Clarke asserted the klan 1t now divided Into two hostile factions and that bloodshed Is) Imminent. BLOODSHED SEEN FRUIT OP FEUD. "The far famed mountain feuJe of Kentucky are playthings In comparison to the bitterness and hatre-1 now existing between the two factions," he said, "and bloodshed as certain to come as night follows day." Clarke's letter created a sensation In the capital. Not only illl the founder of the klan confirm In his letter some otthe grav't charges that hae been mnia against the organVzatia by its enemies, but be als6 served" notice cf a war to a finish upon Hiram W.

Evans, present imperial wizard. The fate of the klan as a ratio ral organization Is said to hang in the balance. SUBMITS EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT CIL1RGFS; Besides the letter Clarke submitted to the president a mas of t. Inherited iriental and physical deficiencies, Rev. Leavens has made it a rule to refuse to marry couples unless they could show statements from physicians to the effect that they were mentally and physically fit to become the parents of normal, healthy children.

WEDDING WITNESSED BY SMALL COMPANY. 'The wedding of Nichols and Miss Thomas was. witnessed by a small company of relatives and friends, including the groom's brother and the bride's sister, "Mr. and Mrs. William E.

Nichols of Willows, who were married in the same ehurcn four years The church was decorated with Christmas greens and- red candles. The first, eugenic jrlarriage per formed by Rev Leavens in First Unitarian church, took place February 4 of last year, when- Miss Dorothea: Xangguth, graduate of University of California, and Cecil Andrew McCoy, a San Fran cisco business man, were united in matrimony. Both parties furnished 100 per cent health certificates. Rev. Leavens has maintained" his rule of; performing only eugenic marriages for more than seven years, EXPLAINS VIEWS ON "EUGENIC MARRIAGES." In a talk before-members of the Berkeley of the California Civic League for; Women VoteYs, on the subject "Eugenie Marriages," Rev, Leavens expressed the following hope' concerning 'the fu ture attitude of humanity towara tne relationships between men'and women: That no -marriage lidehse will be issued to any persons suffering from communicable diseases, or BOOTLEG ESI STORMSCHURGH TIDE IS HARNESSED TO RAZE HARRISON ST.

RAILROAD BRIDGE water out of the barges, 'so that Vi .2 1 I ft "I calmest" person in :.7.:. Audience to Slayer Wife in S. F. Meeting Probable Late Today or TomorroW Petitioners Start Campaign Mo Save Condemned Man's Life? Murderer Pictured as Kindly and Charitable TJT united press LEABVn WIH TO FRANCISCO. Dec.

27. Mrs. Alex. Kels may plead for: clemency for her husband, Kels, condemned Lodl "bay- stack" murderer, ut any) time, Jt as announced at the office of-i Governor Friend Richardson in the state building here. Gov.

ernor Richardson, who will re. main here unUl late tomorrow transacting routine business, has Indicated his willingness to grant Mrs. Kela an i audience should, she appear today or to-' morrow. According to wflrd re, celved here from 'Lodl, Mrs. Kels may make tbe-trlp from lodl to San Francisco tomorrow i to see "i the governor.

r-'" vffrrzo i. LEASED WIRE TO TRIBTOE. SACRAMENTO, Dec. 27. Petitions asking Governor-Richardson to spare the life of Alex Kels, Lodl butcher, convicted of; murder, are being circulated in Lodi(and elsewhere today by his friends and relatives.

-The" petition asks that death sentence be commuted tod Ufa' Imnrlsonnient- and; -bases the bequest on the following grounds: Mr! Kels entered plea of gtriltyo murders This Plea precluded any trial merits and also precluded any, evidence in mitigation of ptmishment being offered at or before, the time of sentence' for the reason that" he was not represented by coun- el and for- the further reason that at the time- of his. eentence his wife was Jn lgnbrano of the fapt that he yna still living, 2 -Consequently, no bpportun- Ity was afforded her to give any testimony In court- and no opportunity was afforded her to take part in his defense. "CHARITABLE NATURE; KINDLY DISPOSITION. VT4 believe that had 'Mrs, KeJ been giveii'the of being present In court and testifying on behalf of her husband the punishnlen would not even under plea of guilty, be greater than life 1 4 In substantiation of our con tentlon we desire to state that we have known Alexander A. Kels as a citizen of Lodl and prior to the time of -the crime in question he was to us a man of charitable nature, kindly disposition, and was held in high esteem by the community in which he lived, We reconcile the crime, committed by Mr.

Kels in our minds on any other theory 6ave that at the tfroe Qf the'edmmission he was mentally deranged, "MENTAL DERANGEMENT" ARGUMENT IS USED. When it is remembered that he had a wife and two children, one of which was born sub- eequently to the commission of the crime, and when it is remembered, that immediately following the crime he wandered 'apparently aimlessly" In' an automobile wjth the body of his victim in the machine and subse-qnently that he traveled abour various states in an apparently aimless we. believe that our conclusion as to his meritl derangement Is not. exaggerated, and Is founded in undisputed facts in this case. We are also of the opinion that the commutation of sentence in this case will-work no Injury to the people of the state of California, or to the proper Administration xf Justice.

Coolidge Considers Mines Department BT ASSOCIATED PRESS LEASFD WIRE TO TRIBUHE. WASHINGTON. legislation to create a department of mines was discussed with President Coolidge today by Chairman Oddie of the senate mines committee. The department would have within It a bureau of coal which would have powers similar to those of the federal coal com-1 mission. The president proposed to eonsiaer we proposar inn cuneuu with cabinet members, iV New York Girl to Be Bride of Prince COPENHAGEN.

Doc. 57. King" Christian today to public announcement of the engagement of his young kinsman, Trince Vlg- go, and Miss Eleanor Margaret Grpn, daughter of Ir. J. O.

Gren ef New Tork City. P. of 1 documentary evidence to support hJs-chargethatth nreaftnta.d.r. ministration of the klan has violated laws, that it "deprived citl-zens of their constitutional rights," and that it has "encouraged physical violence and intimidation of citizens." The promise of still further documents of a highly sensational ctinr-acter. bearing on the history of th klan in Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana, was said to have been given the president as Wjell.

The letter was delivered to President Coolidge this morning by Ed Japanese Cabinet Resigns in Body After Attempt to Murder Prince Regent Assailant Is Senator's Son -H'. BT nKITED 'PRESS tEJSTtlV WIRE 10 TRIBUNE. TOKTO. Japan, Dec. 27.

Hie members of the Japanese cab-Inet presented, iolnt resignations to; Prince Regent tllrohito as a mark of their humiliation over the attempt made upon his The ministers have not yet received a reply from the 'prince 'regent, who Is expected to de--dine to, accept' the resignations. Tokyo newspapers thisaf ternoon did not Carry any actual stories of the attack opon the prince, the news presumably having. 1 been suppressed. By DUKE N. PARRV, International News Service Staff i Correspondent.

TOKYO, An attempt to assassinate tllrohito, prince regent of Japan was made today as hej hers ttf convoke' the forty-eighth Diet session. The prince, regentwas uninjured by the. assassin's bullet, which shattered Jhe glass. of rbla. limousine, but Grand Chamberlain Iriye, who was riding with him; was lightly injured.

POLICE RESCUE ASSASSIN FROM MOB;" Dalseike Natiiwa, 25, who' fired atrthe Japanese ruler, was-'' captured immediately after the at-tempted being leaved by the "polloe menacing In- about him. Th prin'pe after returning, to palace. With bis wounded -chamberlain, prooeeded to the. Diet, chambers and'' deiivircd ilia fcpccCxi, nppr- AH newspapers carry ingthe. story were suppressed.

The metropolitan of ponce, assuming full responsibility, resigned immediately, GUJfMA. 4' DARING ATTACK. S.The attempt upon the prince re gent's life occurred at Toranamon tram stop at, 10:35 this morning. walked Jauntily from the crowd which the police had pressed baCk from the tram carry ing apparently a walking stick, which was in reality a revolver. Proclaiming to the.

crowd that he was a son of a member of the Diet and "knew what he was do- ing'' Nanfwa fired aoihtblank at the prince regent, whose automobile was directly abreast the would- be 'slaver. -'---v- The craph of the shattered glass brought realization to the crowd that their ruler's life had been en dangered and Naniwa was threat ened with death when the police managed to rush him to the saf etyk of -ft police He was taken there to central police headquarters, where' officers are still grfllin'g' him In 1 an effort to de-termlaei who was behind the lot. Jfaniwa or Namba is well educated. Police InvestlgaUon boTe ojjtjhis he was a eon of member of, the lower house of the Imperial Police are withholding a lengthy statement which he made "following his arrest. RUSJIAX PLOT OPE5LY CHARGED.

The 'attempted assassination wr lmmedlalily seized upon as a political 'Popular opinion aor cused Minister Goto of bringing the Hussian'envoy Joffe Into Japan and thus aiding In spreading Socialism. A special cabinet meeting was at once called to determine what. action, the Tamamoto cabinet would uk the cabinet's resignation finally being determlhed One offlcial expressed belief that the attempted assaaslnaUon, coupled with the cabinet's resignation, will defeat the universal suffrage measure wnicn win come peioro this session of the Diet. The Seiyukal. or opposition po-lit'ical party, seized -be opportunity to discredit the Tamamoto' min- brtry.

Former Premier TaklhashI Immediately etkrted a series' of caTls on fUcials and aided; In spreadtng the popular disfavor against the existing cabinet Following his address to the Diet, Prince Regent Hlrohito received the foreign envoys, who called to express their pleasure at hie safety. gar Fuller, secretary to. Clarke, while the ex-imperial wizard himself is said to be en route to Washington to lay, before the president. If permitted, documents relating to a score of sensational klan secrets, and cases. KLAN CALLED i MENACE TO LAW.

Clarke in his letter savagely assailed the existing klan. Its present policies and the acts- of its officials, in part as follows: "To the President, The White House. "Sir: "As the man most largely re-' sponsible for the building of tta Knights of the Ku Klux-Klan, an-1 having recently been confronted with. indisputable information Continued on Page 2. 4.

Four, Including Two Women, Beaten During Attack on Congregation, 1 BT A8S0CTATED TRE9S LEASED WIRE TO TRIBUKE. HANCOCK. Dec 27. Boot leggers end moonshiners Joday were declared br authorities to have- composed a- band of ten men that stormed the Methodist church at Black Road, about six miles from here, Christmas night, damaging; the edifice and beating up four members of the congregation, including two women. 4 The invaders ehtered after breaking windows.

Once Inside, they, began to break up chureh fixtures. Two members. of the congregation were attacked when thfX attempted to interfere. When their wives went to their assistance the assailants turned upon and beat them. Member of the church have aided authorities In breaking up stifs and apprehending bootleggers.

i 4 Shortridge Urges Tax Claim Decision BT SPECIAL WIRE TO THE TRIBUNE WASHINGTON, Dec, 27. A plea that jthe Department of Justice expedite a decision on claim of California to have its community property law recognized by the Federal government In assessment of inheritance taxes was taken to President Coolidge late yesterday by Senator Shortridge. Shortridge also spoke to the President about filling the two vacancies on the Federal bench In California. It was reported today that Coolidge plans to send nominations to the Senate for these two poets in January. Steamer Conejos Sends S.

O. S. Calls ft uwrrso mesb LEASED WIRE TO TRrSUlfE. LONDON, Dec. 27.

The U. S. shipping board steamer Conejos sent out S. O. S.

calls for assistance this afternoon which were' picked up by the wireless station at Alexandria, according to a private message to Lloyds. The Conejos, which presumably is somewhere in the vicinity of Alexandria, reported that one hold was under water. The Conejos, a steel screw steamer of 1110 tons, was built at Hog Island In 120. She "was out et Philadelphia. Robert Edeson Sued For Nori'Support BT ASSOCIATED TRESS LEASED WIRE TO TRIBUTE.

LOS ANGELES. Dec. 2J. George Edeson. known on the stage and screen, as vRobert Edeson, today was named defendant a divorce action filed by Mary Neweomb Edeson.

whom he married In Newark. N. In 191J. when both were playmg on the legitimate stage. Mrs.

Edeson's complaint alleges non-support. Admission Increases Racial Friction, Says Washington Representative. 1 BT ASSOCIATED TRE6B LEASED WIRE TO TRIBUNE. WASHINGTON, iec. 27.

Argument in favor of barring" Japanese fromthe United States was made today at a bearing before the House Immigration committee by Representative Miller Washington, who declared that the -immigration laws should place Japanese on the same basis with Chinese. Admission of said, is having the -result on the Pacific coast of increasing racial friction, which might lead to an "un pleas-Ant situation of national scope." Mexican Solons Ask Amended S. Pact BV ASSOCIATED MESS LEASED WIRE TO TRIBUNE, MEXICO CITY, Dec. 2. (Via Laredo Dec.

27.) Lack of a quorum prevented the senate from holding its regular meeting today. Opposition senators showed a willingness to ratify the special convention recently arranged between the United states and Mexico relative to claims for damages during Mexican revolutions. They refuse, however, ratification of the general convention unless some clauses are amended. Another attempt at holding a regular meeting will be made tomorrow. Dawes and Young Talk With Hughes By A.

L. BRADFORD, United Press Staff Correspondent WASHINGTON, 27. General Charles G. Dawes, Chicago, and Owen D. T.oung, New Tork, today held a conference with Sec retary of State Hughes to receive the views of the United States on the Impending American-Allied ex pert Investigation into Germany's financial condition and capacity to pay reparations.

1 Expelled President Sentenced by French DUSSELDORF. Dec 27-Herr Gruetzlner, the expelled preside of the Rhine province, was today sentenced to twenty years Imprisonment by a French court-martial on the charge of resisting Franco- Belgian orders. Minor sentences were Imposed upon a number of German police, officials, Herr Pohl. former German submarine com mander, waa among those sentenced. 500,000 Japanese U.

S. for Help TOKYO, Dc27. A handsomely bound volume containing Hie signatures of half a million In rank from princes to beggars, expressing thanks for the assistance America gave Japan after ber earthquake was handed to th American embassy today. The Harrison street rallroaer- bridge, Eastbay landmark for the past quarter of a century, 'is no more. Only a few pltes, carrying a short spin out -from the shore on each side, and the concrete bulkhead in the middle of the estuary, on which the "draw" formerly todayila remlnd.Ala meda commuters and others ot the bridge over which the familiar "dinky" and the "loop" trains have traveled since 18L88.

The removal of the bridge, which was made necessary by a ruling of the war waa begun by Southern Faclflo engineers and a crew of several hundred workmen. shortly after midnight last night, Before noon the central span of the bridge had been removed, and had been floated to the northern shore of the estuary. The middle of the afternoon found the work of demol ishing the remaining portions of the old structure almost completed. TIDE riELPS BARGES-TAKE AWAY BRIDGE. An Ingenious method of lifting the bridge" off Ita support by means of barges floated under it at low tide, which lifted It and floated it away as the tide rose, was employed by the railroad eom pany engineers, and made possible the removarjf the huge structure In the record Om of one The Increase of navigation in the Oakland inner harbor, together with the fact that the bridge was of the obsolete swinging type, resulted in an announcement by the war department that It must be removed by the end of the present year.

Ordinarily this would have meant the discontinuance of train service across the bridge more than a week ago, because of the time that would have been required to demolish the huge apans and remove them from the estuary. But by the method used, which Involved letting the natural force of the tide do most of the work, it was estimated that the removal of the bridge could be accomplished in two or three, days at. the most, Accordingly, train service was continued until midnight last night i ENGINEERS' CREWS RAPIDLY DO WORK. At 3:30 o'clock this morning, which marked the period of low tide Southern Pacific engineers and construction crews arrived on the eceie and set to work. Huge barges, each with its deck almost awash as a result of a heavy ballast ot four feet of water Inside, was floated under the central span of the bridge, at regular distances apart.

In order to facilitate the work, the bridge had been opened, that the span pointed up and down the stream. When, the barges had been attached In their places under the bridge; workmen rapidly erected scaffolding upon them which reached to the bridge epan above. The next step was to pump the a pressed me oLanoiaing upward against the bridge. After that the tide did the rest As the water of the estuary rose, the barges and their superstructure ot scaffold rising with-it, slowly, 'lifted the great bridge up from its foundations, until, at 10:45 O'clock, It was ridinff freer-wlth the- barges as It only supports. with the aid of the Southern Pacific tug? AJax and several smaller craft, the barges and their burden were towed to the side of the estuary and moored alongside the Hunt-Hatch docks.

There the bridge span will later be broken up, 1 SHORTER SPANS BEING TORN APART. Workmen at once set to work tearing up the shorter spaas which projected out into the estu-arsr from each shore. It was expected that this would probably be completed before nightfall. The huge concrete bulkhead In the cen-ter of the stream, which served as the pivot on which the draw used to turn, will be blasted out In charge of the work of removing the bridge were: G. W.

Rear, bridge engineer of the Southern Pacific; D. A. Porter, division engineer for Oakland pier; W. IL Phelps, division engineer for elec-trio lines: -T. W.

Bratton, supervisor of bridges end buildings. The bridge had been in constant operation for almost 28 years. It was built by the Southern pacific company In 1898, taking the place of the old Alice street bridge, over which the company's trains had previously been routed. The latter bridge waa afterward removed. The bridge was used both by the dinky," which ran between Ala meda and the Fourteenth and Franklin streets station in Oakland.

and by the electrlo trains which operated between the same station and th Alameda pier. Million to Join Protest Parades i BY IWTERWATIOWAt JTCWS LEA8ED WIRE 10 I RIB UNI. MANILA, P. Dec. l27.

The Knights of Rizal protest parades are likely to assume monster proportions Sunday. It was estimated today that SO, 000 people will parade in Manila and 1,000,000 throughout the islands bearing "1 Protest" placards. Organisers are spending much money circularizing the public against the local American stand in favor of territorlalU-lng the islands. Italy Prepares for yi Russ Recognition bt rwfrtifATioxAt rrws LEASED WIRE TO TIIBDXE. LONDON, Dee.

27. Official recognition of theRussleja eoviet government, will be embodied to the draft of a commercial agreement now being negotiated between Rome and Moscow, according to Central News despatch from Rome this evening. That a single standard'Of morat i That the of human J)e- Ings shall be. cohdircted infuture years with the same are-that now is (given the ra4sng of livestock. That minlstersof aU qenornina' tloris will "see the light" and will refuse to nerf orm any- but eugejile r7 Women Overcome By Gas From Heater Mrs.

M' MatraU.684 ThlrtyTthir street, and Mrs. J. Wassmari, pi. of the Bame address, overcome by gas, from a defective heater fnr- their apartment a this" afternoon and are in a-critlcal condition at the Emergency hospital. Mra Wassman -waa at telephone' when she.

was affected by the gas and fell to the floor. Persons the adjoining "apartment heard her fall, and found the Matrat apartment filled 1 with gas. Mrs. Matrat, an aged woman, who was ill in bed, had lost- conscious- nesa It is i.they will reeovet. Refuses to Move And Is Suspended SACRAMENTO.

Dec 27. The state civil service commission "today "ordered immediate', and permanent suspension of Miss, Ruth McLaughlan, member of the state library staff, for insubordination, i Miss McLaughlin- refused to move her office from San Francisco to Sacramento on the order of State Librarian Milton Ferguson. The commission ordered reinstated Dr.JHorence Chapman, who was removed from the staff 'of the Sonoma state, home about year ago by' the 'slperintendent' on charges of neglect of duty. I Farley to Resign From Ship Board T7ASHINQTON. Deq.

17. Edwin Farley of Chicago announced late today he would resign from the chairmanship- of the United States' shipping board' as a result the action ot the Senate infer- 'State commerce committee In fall- lng to approve bis 'nomination by President. Coolidge. Ruhr Evacuation May Begin Jen. lltht FRANKFORT, Gem' any, "bee.

17. The Frankfurter ZeUang Information that the 1 of French and Be'p-j jevacijate the liunr gir nins (January 11. That a single itybe recognize fobofeennd Fortune-Good and Bad! Curious, isn't it, now many more persons seem to lose ilwt find things of raJuet in ye-. terday's TRIBVXE ice find 2 advertisements in the Loxi column, end but 2 in tA "found" column. Looking more closely eocer eight losses of clothing an unusually high percentage, and tie could imagino si: nations that uould bo decultjty vexing, not to soy embarrass ing.

Animals seem to hart been ot their holiday good behaiisr since but fivo strayed an whereas normally they -rule about half of the c. ficatioa. Perhaps it is beeaus ue rr' our Christmas fifts so I that there seer a but fur I of jnrelry. in nU cf t' number of articles i tura scorn or carrier The crudest Uotv nho lost suit rmv refi(-J food thit the rertnrr to remind -1 i ti hit i 1 jl A Criminal TT2 Tlr.t 1 is Lyescnueu TOT! V. LrlVi'ii In Sunday's I.