5
MURDER OR SUICIDE
QUERY UP TO JURY
Neighbor Testifies Mrs. Ron-
ning Had Expressed Fear
l of C. P. Kirkland.
LETTERS ARE QUESTIONED
TTTE MORXTG OREGONIAN, TUESDAY. DECEMBER 1, 1914.
Coroner Admits Violation of Law
Requiring Document Signed by
Ioctor Before Investigators.
Inquiry Resumes Today.
' Did Mrs. Hannah Ronning.- who died
from carbolic acid poisoning November
19, commit suicide, or was the poison
administered to her by a murderer?
This is the question a coroner's Jury
was asked to decide In an inquest yes
terday afternoon. The testimony re
quiring more time than expected, the
Inquest was continued until this after
noon at 4:30 o'clock. The inquest was
held at the demand of John Ronning,
divorced husband of the woman, who
halted the burial Saturday.
C. P. Kirkland, proprietor of an apron
factory on Bast Twenty-eighth street,
who admitted being with the woman
when she took the acid, the police say,
was present, but did not testify yester
day. Evidence yesterday was to the
effect that Kirkland had threatened
Mrs. Ronning's life several times, but
also that she had quarreled with a
neighbor the 'week before her death
and nan been despondent. Letters pur
ported to have been written by her
were accepted as showing clearly an
Intention by the writer to commit sui
cide, but the prosecution questions the
authenticity of the letters.
Neighbor Attacks Suicide Theory.
The testimony of Mrs. Christina Luft,
a neighbor of the dead woman, scouted
the suicide theory. Mrs. Luft declared
that Mrs. Ronning had had a horror of
suicide, and that In the week of her
death she had complained about threats
she had said Klrkland had made. Mrs.
Luft testified that Mrs. Ronning had a
1700 note Kirkland owed her.
Although Mrs. Ronning had former
ly liked Kirkland, Mrs. Lufts said,
she repulsed him four days before ber
death when she had fled to Mrs.
Luffs home and that she had declared
she would rather die than marry Kirk,
land.
Attorney Harold O. Sawyer, who ap
peared on behalf of the former hus
band of Mrs. Ronning, cited to Coro
ner Slocum apparent neglect of duty
on the part of the Coroner in not obey
ing section 1837 of Lord's Oregon laws,
which says that the Coroner should
summon a surgeon or physician, "who
must, in the presence of the Jury, In
spect the body and give a professional
opinion as to the cause of the death
tr wounding."
Omission Is Admitted.
Coroner Slocum replied that exami
nation by a physician in the presence
of the Coroner's Jury is not customary
and has never been done in his term
of ofTice, or, so far as he knows,
during the term of office of any of his
predecessors.
"1 would consider It a useless ex
pense to the county," he said. Inquests
are often dispensed with when a death
appears to be a clear case of suicide,
staid the Coroner, although Attorney
Sawyer held this to be illegal.
Dr. George H. Buck, who first was
Summoned and who conducted the au
topsy, testified that he was called by
phone by one he thought to be Kirk
land, and found the woman breathing
ner last, tie said he hunted for and
found the bottle of acid where It had
been thrown, as If in haste, but the cork
was still in.
Argument as to whether Mrs. Ron
ning would have been able to have
corked the bottle after taking the poi
aon led to testimony by Dr. Buck that
she could have done so. Dr. J. W.
Sifton substantiated this testimony.
Kirkland s face bore a scratch and
his clothes were disarranged when Dr.
Buck first saw him on the way to the
house of death, the physician testified.
Woman Had Called Police.
Patrolman Humphrey said he had
been called by Mrs. Ronning November
17 to protect her from Kirkland. She
had told him that she was afraid to
swear out a warrant, for fear that if
Jvirkland was not put in Jail after
ward, he would come back and kill her.
Mrs. H. A. Kenyon, a neighbor of
Mrs. Ronning, testified that Kirkland
was drunk the night of the death. She
also said that Mrs. Ronning had con
tided to her a few days before that
persons had been talking about her
relations with Kirkland and that she
had seemed depressed later, but evaded
lurther conversation.1
Q. A. Russell, - Ambulance Service
Company driver, also testified. The
Jurors are James J. Bravot, K. IX Smith,
John M. Brauer, John Nygren. K. W.
luoorehood and Peter MsJstrom.
Coroner Slocum and Deputy District
Attorney ueicn conducted the cross
examination.
Inquiry Called for by Ijstt.
Section 1070 of Lord's Oregon laws.
cited by Mr. Sawyer, defines the duties
of the Coroner as follows: X
1. When he is informed that a person has
Deen Killed or dangerously wounded bv an
other, or has suddenly died, under such cir
cumstances as to afford a reasonable ground
to suspect nai nis aeatn Has been occa
sioned by criminal means, or has committed
suicide, to inquire, by the intervention of a
Jury, into the cause of the death or wound,
and to perform the other duties incidental
thereto, in the manner prescribed by
statute.
Section. 1837 of Lord's Oregon laws
reads:
The Coroner must subpena and examine as
witnesses every person who. In his opinion,
has any knowledge of the material facts,
and also a surgeon or physician, who must.
In the presence of the Jury, inspect the
body and srive a professional opinion as to
the cause of the death or wounding.
NOW, men, is the one genuine opportunity of the season to buy the best clothes in America
at genuinely reduced prices. Beginning this morning at 8 o'clock, I offer without reserve my
entire lines of Men's and Young Men's Suits and Overcoats at the drastic reductions named below!
It has not been necessary for me to close my store in order to mark the prices for this
sale neither do I quote "values" The original price ticket remains on every garment
This is the ONE store in Portland that never exaggerates in its advertising!
Come and buy clothes made by the best clothes makers in America at genuine,
absolute reductions. It's the opportunity for which you've waited!
Men's
House Coats
Reduced
Buy Now for Xmas!
$ 5.00
$ 6.00
$ 7.50
$ 8.50
$10.00
$12.50
$13.50
$25.00
Garments
Garments
Garments
Garments
Garments
Garments
Garments
Garments
9
3.95
4.95
5.95
6.95
7.95
9.95
$10.95
$18.65
Men's and Young Men's $20 Suits and Overcoats $14.85
Men's and Young Men's $25 Suits and Overcoats $19.85
Men's and Young Men's $30 Suits and Overcoats $23.50
Men's and Young Men's $35 Suits and Overcoats $28.50
All Blues and Blacks are Included.
Men's $5 Ruff neck Sweaters $3.75 Men's $6.50 Ruff neck Sweaters $4.95
Men's $8.50 Ruffneck Sweaters $5.95 All This Season's Make
Men, Mam Flooi Young Men, Second Floor
Men's
Bath Robes
Dressing Gowns
Reduced
$ 4.50 Garments $ 3.35
$ 5.50 Garments 4.35
$ 6.50 Garments $ 4.95
$ 8.50 Garments $ 6.95
$10.00 Garments $ 7.95
$12.50 Garments $ 9.85
$13.50 Garments $10.35
$15.00 Garments $12.85
$25.00 Garments $1S.65
Morrison
at Fourth
Leading
Clothier
PLAY IS BEAUTEOUS
"The Bird of Paradise" Wel
comed Back at Heilig.
HAWAIIAN STORY GRIPS
Island Scenes Are Magnificent and
Portrayal by Irge Company Is
Perfect Iienore TTlricIi Is
Magnetic as Heroine.
BY LEONg CASS BAER-
Whether "The Bird of Paradise" re
turns often or but this once, always we
will remember little Luana through a
mist of tears and happy smiles. The
play works a mood of tenderness that
makes quick conquest of the heart, a
tenderness that sweeps upward and
finds expression In honest moisture. It
is for Luana, the little bird of para
dise. who wants only to be happy in
her own Hawaiian forests, that we en
list our consciousness.
We sit as onlookers and witness the
development of souls and character in
this play by Richard Watson Tully.
Whatever of pity, whatever of under
standing, whatever of love there is in
us goes out to Luana, the weaker side
in the unequal battle. Against tradi
tion and all the laws of right she
wages her little battle and loses. It
is the world-old story of racial mar
riages. In this instance Hawaiian life
in all its sensuous loveliness. Its music
and song-filled days Is pitted against
the cold, hard realism of workaday
American hours.
Plot Around Americana.
Two American men, one Paul Wilson,
an ambitious young graduate, comes
to the Islands to take up a career of
self-sacrifice and devote his life to
searching for a cure for leprosy. With
"THE BIRD OF PARADISE."
CAST.
Lillha Minnie caruthers
Makla. Mane Ebllng
Kanca W. B. Aeko
Kapuls W. -K. Kolamoku
Nalh B. Waiwalolo
Kuakini H. N. Kalaka
Lanipulo ........ .J. A. C. I.anlir. i
Mahumahn Laura Adams
Kala '. Kay W. Robie
Hopoe .Gvendolyne Nesblt
Konia Sarah Howe
Lemuele James Harrison
Hewahewa .......... David Hartford
Luana ................ Lenore XTlrlch
Paul Wilson William Desmond
Captain Hatch Robert Morris
Mr. Sysonby John Burton
Mrs. Sysonby May McKay Lane
Diana Larned Mary Grey
Ten-Tnousand-Dollar" Dean ......
David Landau
Hoheno Joseph Burton
Tomoro George H1U
Mrs. Crothers Frances Newhall
Miss Kennery Gladys Bangs
him comes Diana Larned, fresh from
her university and she, too, wants to
learn of the island, and its people, to
put them in a book. They meet Luana,
a Hawaiian, a ' princess of her people,
and untutored save by her beloved
"mlkkonarles." They meet, too. Dean,
a human derelect, a beachcomber, who
has followed the line of least resistance
and "in whose brain are tangled the
flowery fingers of the Hawaiian sun."
It Is a story of the survival of the
fittest. The beachcomber, "looking to
the light." listens' to Diana's offer to
help, and shaking off his lethargy, he
follows her into regeneration.
Paul Wilson, basking in the sunlight
of Luana's smiles, listening to the mu
sic of her Beductive voice, living the
idle happy days of the Hawalians, for
gets his great mission and sinks to the
level of those about him. But Luana.
the gay little bird of paradise, is happy.
Her hours are spent in waiting on
"Paula," her adored white husband. He
sleeps in the sun and she sings to him.
she mothers and croons to him and
gives him often to drink of the native
liquor. Then, after two years, back
come Diana and the regenerated Dean
and awaken the sluggish ambitions of
Paul.
Heroine Defies Own People.
Luana Is the first to read the signs
of the awakened ambitions in her
Paula," and defying her people, who
would crown her Queen, she hurls de
fiance at their traditions and loilows
where Paul leads. It is into the man
ners of white women that he leads.
and the poor little Queen is racked with
all the agonies of Jealousy ana tne
miseries of social ignorance.
The story does not end in Joy. It
could not. Luana is followed by the
curse of her people they have invoked
the death prayer and when she is
crazed with fear of losing Paul's love,
she goes as a martyr and flings her
self into the "House of Everlasting
Fire," the erupting Mount Kilaula.
The story is one of life, handled with
consummate art, wrougnt witn delicate i
ingenuity and delicious satire." It Is
beautifully presented. Oliver Morosco
has furnished it with Ave pictures of
Hawaiian life, so amazingly real that
spectators exclaim in wonder. A large
company of players, including Hawaii
ana, who play the ukalele, and native
dancers. Is headed by lovely Lenore
Ulrich, who 1b perfection In the role.
Not one actress In 10,000 could play
Luana as vividly and as tenderly, as
wildly passionate and as wistful as
does Lenore Ulrich.
David Landau as the beachcomber.
William Desmond as Paul, and John
Burton, a Coast favorite, as the mis
sionary, all , are remarkable for the
verity of the types they portray.
'The Bird of Paradise will end its
stay Wednesday night. There will be
& matinee tomorrow.
REED INSTRUCTOR DIES
A. Blaine Roberts, Here but Four
Weeks, Passes at Hospital.
A. Blaine Roberts, temporary in
structor in English in Reed College,
elected to fill the place of W. H.
Boddy, who was compelled to leave' his
work on account of illness, died Sun
day night at St. Vincents Hospital fol
lowing an operation. The funeral ar
rangements probably will be made today.
Mr. JKoDerts was a former student of
President Foster's in Bowdoin College
enu neipeu ur. r oster in the prepara
tion of a text on "Essentials of Argu-
uioiii.tti.iuii aim exposition.
i-or several years after cruHnotUi,
from Bowdoin College Mr. Roberts was
an instructor in English in the Univer
sity of Utah, where he served also as
secretary of the faculty. He was living
In California when he was called to his
position in Reed College. He had been
in rteea i;ouege oniy a rew weeks.
president roster spoke of Mr.
.Roberts aeatn at the chapel service
yesteraay morning. Mr. Roberts i
survived by. a widow In Oakland. CaL
ADVERTISING TALK NO. 18.
The Oregonian
Reaches All
Classes
The Banker the Lawyer the Business Man
the Mechanics the Clerk and their families.
It reaches the homes.
Its advertising columns carry the very latest
business news of the day before just as its news
columns give, you the news of the world up to
within a few hours of, the time you receive the
paper at your home in the morning. The Ore
gonian stands alone as a business message-carrying
medium. There is no other single sales force
in the City of Portland that can compete on a
dollars and cents result-producing basis. If your
business message to the homes of Portland ap
pears in its columns, you know. If your announce
ment is not there you are overlooking a business
opportunity, AND A BIG ONE.
RAID FOR OPIUM MADE
POLICE AND CUSTOMS OFFICERS
CAPTURE FOUR CHINESE.
Pipes aid Materials Collected to Be
Used mu Evidence Secret Closet
Gives Up' Goods.
Two tins of opium were seized and
four Chinese were arrested In a raid by
police and customs officers on a build
ing at 28 Everett street last night.
Ah Lee, a wealthy and prominent
merchant, of 105 Fourth street, and
Moy Ham. one of the Chinese inter
preters in the Municipal Court, were
said to have been smoking opium and
were arrested. Lee Sam and Lew Gin,
proprietors of the place, were held un
der $500 bail on a Federal charge of
having contraband opium in their pos
session. The raid was conducted by Customs
Inspector McOrath and five deputies.
and Police Sergeant Harms and Officer
Martin, of the "moral squad." They
found a room on the second floor of the
building, burst through a door and say
they caught two aristocrats of China
town in the act of "hitting the pipe."
A thorough search of the building,
which has long been suspected as an
opium den. was then conducted. Wind
ing through many mysterious alleys and
narrow hallways. Sergeant Harms
finally discovered a loose panel inside
clothes closet. Prying the board
back, he reached in between the two
walls and pulled out two boxes of re-
GERMANS BREAK WAY OUT
Desperate Attacks Against Russian
Lines Surrounding Succeed.
LONDON, 3:17 A. M Dec L The
Petrograd correspondent of the Daily
Mail in a dispatch to his paper, testi
fies to the extreme skill and courage
with which the Germans are conduct'
lng their retreat. He says:
"Refusing to consider surrender as a
possibility and closing their eyes to
inevitable enormous losses, the German
officers ordered their forces to break
their way out.
"The Russians were not in sufficient
strength to close up immediately any
break in the surrounding forces, and
at the point where the Germans con
centrated their attack In order to
Join up with the other forces in the
neighborhood of Strykow, the Russians
were unable to pile up sufficient troops
to hurl back the desperate onset which
the Germans made with the equally
desperate knowledge that their food
and ammunition could not last long.'
GERMANY TO GET PARCELS
Prohibition of Post Packages Lifted
by Washing-ton.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30. Resumption
of the parcels post service between the
United States and Germany and Aus
tria-Hungary was announced by Post
master-General Burleson today. The
lifting at this time of the prohibition
against acceptance of parcels for these
countries, caused by the lack of means
of transportation resulting from the
war, will make possible the sending of
thousands of Christmas remembrances
to Europe, which otherwise would have
been Impossible.
. Parcels post packages are now mail
able to all countries with which the
United States has parcels post conven
tions except Belgium. Turkey and tbe
northern and northeastern parts of
France, where military operations pre
vent a resumption oi the service.
volver cartridges, a delicate pair of
scales, such as is used for weighing
opium, and two tins of opium and part
of another one hidden In a far corner.
The opium is the largest amount seized
in Portland for some time. The retail
price of the contraband drug is quoted
now by Chinese as about $60 a tin.
A dozen Chinese besides the. four ar
rested were in the room at the time of
the raid, but they were not held.
Ah Lee and Moy Ham were released
on $25 bail each. The two proprietors
of the place, who are held for viola
tion of the Federal drug law, soon fur
nished their bail of $500 each.
W. H. Warren, private secretary to
Mayor Albee. accompanied the raiding
party as a spectator.
PERUVIAN NOTABLE TARGET
Train of ex-President Dynamited
and Political Suspect Held.
LONDON. Nov. 30 A Lima, Peru,
dispatch to the Central News says that
a special train from Callao, on which
Dr. Jose Pardo, ex-President of Peru,
was a passenger, was dynamited Sun
day. The ex-President escaped, but
six other were Injured.
As a result of the outrage many
political suspects were arrested.
Motorcycle Hurts li. G. Hungerford.
R. G. Hungerford, of 1328 Taylor
street, was bruised badly last night,
when he was struck by a motorcycle
ridden by Chester Buchtel at Forty
fifth and Belmont streets.. Mr. Hunger
ford was taken to his home and attend
ed by Dr. E. W. Roclsey,. who found
that no bones had been , broken.
SON DONATES HIS DLOOD
PIJfT TAKEN FROM D. M. BOTSFORD
TO SAVE FATHER'S LIFE. .
Veteran. Attorney. However, Reported
Sinking; Rapidly Volnnteera Are
Tamed Away.
A pint of blood was transfused yes
terday afternoon from the body of
David M. Botsford to that of his father,
Charles L. Botsford. who is in St. Vin
cent's Hospital suffering from per
nicious anemia. The transfusion was
made as a last recourse to save the life
of the sufferer, but late last night Mr.
Botsford was reported sinking rapidly.
More than 30 men called yesterday
at the office of Dr. Leo Ricen, in the
Broadway building, in response to a call
for a healthy man to give some of his
blood to save the life of Mr. Botsford.
It was decided, however, that the vol
unteers were not needed, and the sons
readily offered themselves. The opera
tion was performed late yesterday aft
ernoon. Dr. Ricen would make no statement
concerning the operation, but said later
last night that the patient was in a
serious condition. Mr. Botsford became
unconscious about 9 o'clock, and it was
said at the hospital that he was not
expected to live through the night.
A week ago Mr. Botsford underwent
an operation for the removal of his
spleen. His condition was weakened as
a result, and the transfusion of blood
was resorted to as & last expedient to
save his life.
"If only I had that
old-time endurance"
AND as the years slip by, there comes
to every man a longing for. that
old-time endurance of youth when
no task, no effort seemed too much.
You, too, have known that longing; and
perhaps you, too, have come to realize that
stimulants can not supply the reserve
forces on which endurance rests. Know,
then, that in Sanatogen you are offered a
true tonic which science has proved will
actually make good the overdrafts upon
the system, help you regain the old-time
energy and store up new vigor for the
days to come.
For Sanatogen, at once food and a tonic, not only
nourishes the nerves and the tissues, replacing the
waste and reinvigorating, but tones up the whole'
system through its steady rebuilding influence.
Dmvid Bihun, nhm trmmmHt wW, srWrur
"it gives fn plniur, to let you know trie wonder,
tully beneficial results 1 have experienced from the
use of your Sanstogen. It h.ie a most invtgostlns
effect upon the nerves. and 1 heartily recommend it to
oil. who. like mvsell, are obligedto overwork. Aire
my persons! experience 1 can readily vouch lor lis
recuperating' qualities.'
Sir Cilktrl Pmrttr. Af.1., iht rnarai wwilin-tuto-
ataa, sprite' frwm Lmmdtnt
"Sanatogefi fs to my mind a true feoel.ttm1c. feert.
Ins the nerves. Increasing the energv, and giving
fresh rigor to Lbe overworked body and salad."
And when you think that scores and scores o
other equally celebrated people have found in
Sanatogen the kindly help they sought and
that more than 21,000 doctors have endorsed
Sanatogen in letters sincere and enthusiastic
can you . refuse your nerves this wonderful,
endurance-building help of Sanatogen?
Sanatogen is sold by good druggists everywhere,
in three sizes, from $1.00.
CrsseT rrUu,lUrwMtUmmt Ceaxre.ro Af reTirier, LmJfm. 1911
m
If Si -Si -
4zm&frMm -?CHs
R;lltwlliit::"
mmmy
" It- T il o.. 't'at Slllosasawal
for Elbert Hubbard's new book "Health in the Making." Written in his attractive manner and filled
with his shrewd philosophy together with capital advice on Sanatogen. health and contentment. It is free.
Tear this off as a reminder to address THE JsAUER CHEMICAL, CCX, 28-Q Irving Placo,New York