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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 10, 1915)
. THE JHORXIXG- OREGOXTAN, WEDXESDAY. ypVEJIBER 10, 1915. ' : - . - i - : 1 1 III ARSON QUARTET TO SERVE TERMS Long List of Crimes Unearthed After Extensive Investiga i tion by District Attorney. SYNDICATE IS WIDESPREAD 7 V Operations in Three States Exposed nd .Methods Similar to Those . ol Other Incendiaries Two . -More to Face Charges. Four men stood before Circuit Judgre Gan'.enbein, yesterday morning' and were sentenced to indeterminate terms of three to seven years in the Peni tentiary lor arson. Thereby, according to District Attor ney Evars and his deputies, a blow tvaa struck at the heart of the "arson eyndicate" which has assumed coast wide and probably ICation-wide pro portions within the last few years. Th men sentenced were: Sanford W. Currier, for burning- his house at Saginaw Heights November 13, 1913. He will be recommended for parole at the end of one year if his behavior is good. Mont Akeyson, for burning a house at 269 Lombard street May 3. 1914. He will be recommended for parol at the end of six months if his behavior Is Srood. Georgo TV'. Wollette, for complicity in tho Lombard-street fire. He also will be recommended for parole at the md of six months on condition of good It eh a vi or. Mordio Keeney, ex-lieutenant in the Portland Fire Department, for setting the Lombard-street fire. At the end of two years, on condition of good behav ior. Judge Gantenbein will recommend that he be paroled. Web I W idespread. Currier was the first man arrested, wid it was his arrest last August that brought to the public eye the exist ence of the "arson syndicate," to un cover which District Attorney Evans and his deputies had been working since- April. Evidence secured against Currier showed that the tentacles of the arson organization extended into California, and indications were that its members operated actively in other states. Currier was a contractor and builder of some standing. After he had been under arrest several days he made a statement to the authorities ir. which he acknowledged his guilt, and told of his operations in Oregon and California over a period of nine years. Several others were implicated in his confession, . but most of these were outside the state and could not be lound. The Oakland. Cal., authorities, however, arrested Lester Burright and his wife, with whom Currier had oper ated in that city. Investigations by Tire Marshal Ste vens and the District Attorney's office continued vigorously, and, although the other members of the Currier gang could not be located, the officers suc ceeded in unearthing- an entirely fresh crew in Portland one. however, that had operated with Currier, used exactly the same methods, and, in fact, had a eort of understanding with him, it was alleged. Sunpcfts Make Contentions. Keeney, an ex-lieutenant in the Fire Department and ex-teammate of Kire Marshal Stevens himself, was arrested by the. fire marshal. Woollette and Akeyson also were arrested and in dicted and made confessions. Keeney, hpwever. "stood pat," and it took a tedious week s trial to convict him. The methods of the "arson syndi cate" bore a similarity that would have suggested the existence of an organi zation if the officials had no outside evidence. Most frequently houses were "built to burn in the outlying districts. A small payment was made on the property. The shell of a house was put up and then the fire occurred. Casters, drawer handles, furniture nails and broken cut glass were strewn on the floor so that, after the fire, the Insurance man could be shown that the.1 House was fully rurnished. A certain inflammable formula was found. Turpentine, linseed oil and var nish were mixed in such proportions that it would burn with a hot blaze, a ouick one, and yet have substance enough to last some time. Tho causes for the fires usually ascribed were that somebody fell down stairs with a lighted lamp, food boiled over on a stove and caused an explo sion, and similar excuses. Convictions Total Mne. Tho sentence of Currier. Keeney, TVoollette and Akeyson makes the ninth conviction and sentence of firebugs in Portland since June 1. The others sen tenced have been William Stewart, Fred TV. Castle. Ben Tanaka, Philip Harris and Earl Mashburn. Two more remain to face charges, and both of these are women. Mrs. Mary Kennedy, implicated with Kee ney, is charged in an indictment with setting fire to her house at 1553 Wil bur street October 27, 1912. The other is Mrs. Daisy Miller, who "was arrested only Monday and is await ing preliminary hearing She is alleged to have burned a house at 226 Thir teenth street on November 26. 1914. t Twenty-four fires, entailing losses to insurance companies of approximately SS0.000. have been positively laid at the door of the "arson syndicate" members now under sentence, and evidence- in the hands of District Attorney Evans indicates that these are only a fraction of the number of fires for which the arsonists are responsible. X.Ist of OffenseM Compiled. Among those which the convicted men and women have clearly estab lished as incendiary are the following fires: the- Keystone State, but he has given up active Dusiness. He has extensive interests in the Pa cific Northwest, being the head of the Twin Falls, Idaho, irrigation project, which was carried out by private capi ta, and is said to be about the only successful privately-owned irrigation scheme in the country. Mr. Buhl reports business exception ally, good in the steel manufacturing line in the East at present and says that many mills that had been shut down have been re-opened to take care of the great demand for war materials. Traveling with Mr. Buhl and his wife are Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Hadley. J. E. TVood and Fred A. Koehler, of Sharon, Pa.; Ira B. Bassett, of Hyannis, Mass., and It- S. Coon, of Boston Hobos Sit as Jury . to Hear Fellow Wayfarer' Plaint "Knight of the Itoad," Unable to Prove Stolen Blanket Roll His, Is Sentenced to Treat All. HAIL FLEET EXIT IS LAID TQ AGT BURDEN Not Only Language but Other Objectionable Features in Seamen's Bill Blamed. REPLY GIVEN MR. REDFIELD ALBANY, Or., Nov. 9. (Special.) An impromptu court, with John Catlin, Albany's pioneer Constable, act ing as judge and hoboes as the 'jury, dispensed substantial justice here last night. When Catlin. who patrols the rail road yards here at night for the South ern Pacific Company, visited the hobo camp in the baseball grounds south or the depot last night a hobo com plained to him that a fellow traveler had stolen his blanket roll and asked to be taken to the District Attorney's omce to make a complaint. "How do you know he took your rou:- asKea tne officer. "I saw him with it; he's got it now," was the answer. "How do you know it is your roll?" was the next question. "It looks Just like mine," he said. Explaining to the "knight of the road" that there are hundreds of blankets which look alike. Catlin de termined to have the blankets iden tified before proceeding. Calling sev eral hoboes together as a jury over the test, the officer rounded up the com plaintant and the suspect. Banishing one while the jury heard the state ments of the other, Catlin forced each man to tell exactly what articles were insido the supposedly stolen roll. He then opened up the blanket roll and found it contained the articles tho man carrying it said it did and its contents did not tally with that of the roll stolen. The suspected thief was promptly discharged. "How much money have you?" Cat lin demanded of the complaintant. He was informed that $1.00 represented his total assets. "You are sentenced to spend that sum buying grub for the crowd," said the officer. A volunteer committee of two accompanied him to see that the order of "the court" was obeyed. WOMEN IN NEED OF WORK Municipal Applicants Number 4 7, With 92 Children to Support. Forty-seven women with 92 children dependent upon them are on the city's free employment bureau list of day workers, according to a report issued yesterday. Applications for workers are so few and far between that the women are having1 a difficult time earn ing enough to buy food. A plea has been made by Mrs. C. M. Rynerson, who has charge of the bu reau, for women having day work or odd jobs to give out to call the office. The telephone numbers are A 4125 and Marshall 4100. - La Grande Reservoir Finished. LA GRANDE, Or., Nov.9.(Spec!al.) The municipal reservoir has been finished and workmen left the Beaver Creek camp today. Chairman of Southern Pacific De clares Other Provisions Helped Toward . Discontinuance of Pacific Service. It was not the language provision in tne seamen's bill alone that forced the Southern Pacific Company to withdraw its Pacific Mail fleet from service across the Pacific, but numerous other ODjectionable features, in the measure that work equal hardships upon vessel owners, says Julius Kruttschnitt, chair man of the Southern Pacific, in a com munication to Secretary Red field, of the Department of Commerce, yesterday. Copies of Mr. Kruttschnitt's letter. which was sent in reply to a recent communication on the subject from Sec retary Kedfield, were received at South ern Pacific headquarters in Portland yesterday by telegraph. The text of the letter follows: - I have read your letter to mo of Novem bef 5. The reasons why the Pacific Mail could not continue to operate its trans-Pacific ships if the seaman's bill became a law have been given to committees of Congress in detail with supporting figures which have never been answered. Objections Bummed T7p in letter. Tn a. letter to President "Wilson, July ft, 1914, I summarized the objections to the proposed legislation and gave notice that It would result in the withdrawal of the trans-Pacific ships. The language clause, while one of the most objectionable features of the bill, wa only one ot several un reasonable and cnerous provisions. After a careful review of the subject when the bill was passed, wo were unable to find any way to overcome the difficulties with which., we were confronted, and with the approval of the shareholders, withdrew from the business and sold the ships. You refer to a reported dinner-table dis cussion in December, 1013, between the Surveyor of Customs at. San Francisco and Ir. Schwerin (which, however, differs so much from tho latter" s opinions as ex pressed to me as to raise grave aoubt as to tho accuracy of the reporter's memory), and to excerpts from what Mr. Schwerin said before a committee of Congress in 1913 about the Panama Canal act and argue that he ascribed the withdrawal of our Oriental service to the Panama Canal bill, the pro visions of which were not applicable to that line of ships, it clearly appears even from the excerpts contained in your letter, that Mr. Schwerin meant that the Panama Canal bill would put Pacific Mail out of business "so far as the Panama route is concerned. , by law." I favorable Outlook Cited. Tou reiterate that, the Pacific Mail with-1 drew from trans-Pacific business because it i was unprofitable In years past, but you can- ! not deny, what everyone knows, that con- ditions had changed at least a year before the withdrawal and had become profitable and the prospects for the future most favor- i able. 1 If the Pacific Mail persisted in the service during poor years, it would certainly not have abandoned It when a good year had ar rived, and others were in sight, except for sole compelling reasons. Shall we look for that reason in the Panama Canal act, which 1 did not interfere with the business In the j least or in the seaman's bill, which Imposed upon it most Duraensome restrictions? Acj cordinjr to the press tho same restrictions have been assigned by Robert Dollar and J. I J. Hill as the cause or withdrawal of their J Mokes Stubborn Coughs Vanish in a Hurry Saryrtstnglr Good Conga Syms tsaally and Ckeaply Made at Home -If some one in your family has an ob stinate, cough or a bad throat or chest cold that has been hanging on and refuses to yield to treatment, get from any drug store 2 -ounces of Pinex and make it into a pint of cough, syrup, and watch that cough vanish. Pour the 2 ounces of - Finer (50 cents worth) into a pint bottle and fill the bottle with plain granulated sugar yrup. The total cost is about 54 cents, and gives you a full pint a . family supply of a most effective remedv, at a saving of $2. A day's use will usually overcome a hard cough. Easily prepared in 5 mtnutes full directions with Pinex. Keeps perfectly and has a pleasant taste. Children like it. It's really remarkable how promptly and easily it loosens the dry,- hoarse or tight cough and heals the inflamed mem branes m a painful cough. It also stops foraation. of phlegm in the throat and bronchial tubes, thus ending the per sistent loose cough. A splendid remedv for bronchitis, winter coughs, bronchial asthma and whooping cough. inex is a special and highly concen trated compound of genuine Korway pine extract, rich in guaiacol, -which is so Healing to the membranes. Avoid disappointment bv asking your druggist for'2H 'ounces of Pinex," and do not accept anything else. A guarantee of absolute satisfaction goes with this S reparation or money promptly refunded, he Pinex Co., ft. Wayne. Ind. ships from the Pacific. A..e these gentlemen knaves or fools, either to conceal or not to know. as you do, that the Panama Canal act and not the seaman's act was the real cause for withdrawal? Finally, you again complain because the Pacific Mail - did not wait o see how you would, construe away the noxious provisions of the law. The law speaks for itself, the men who advocated it and tho men who made it worded it so as to carry out their Intention to effect a change in existing con ditions. The Sea mens "Union worked etren uouslv for its passage with that end in view Xe.t us see what they sought: Senators Are Quoted. In the hearings held before the committee on merchant marine and fisheries, of De cember 12, 1911, Mr. McArthur, editor of the Coast Seamen's Journal, says: "Thls bill Is designed to get rid of these aliens in tongue, color, Instinct, and everything else and to replace them with. Americans.''' P. 31. "But the purpose of this bill Is to" prevent the shipment of Chinese crews on American ves sels." p. 36. Andrew Kuruseth, president of the Inter national Seamen's Union, says : "A vessel that has that kind of a crew (Chinese) is so utterly unscaworthy that she is not only a danger to herself, but to every class of vessel that she meets" P. 95. Thus the Legislators: "Congressional re cordsproceedings October 2 to 2S, -1013." Senator Fletcher I think that the pro visions in section 12 of the proposed substi tute requiring 75 per cent of the crew In each department to understand the , orders of the officers' is not so much Intended tn promote safety at sea as It Is to affect wages and prevent employment of Asiatic seamen on the Pacific. Senator Burton The committee thought that the adoption of the provision as it stands in the substitute would drive our flag out or tne trans-facmo traae. What would be the result of adoption of this provision? The six boats engaged In business on the Pacific no doubt would be forced to with draw. P. 58. Burdens Held Unwarranted. Referring to the language test section: The law requires the collection of customs upon the sworn complaint o any reputable citizen that the section is not complied with (which may be made at any time up to cix hours before the departure of the vessel) to cause the matter of the crew to determine the fact. -Tou are powerless to change the law or to control the action of members of the Seamen's Union, who are all "reputable citizens." 1 It is easy, however, when the lines of the Pacific Ocean have ceased to be, to giv Instructions which apparently take the teeth out of the law. Perchance yon have not read opinions of THE STYLISH OVERCOAT . Varsity Six Hundred follows' the lines of the natural figure- : A THLET1C young men will "-.be glad of it; but ;otners needn't worry. Hart Schaff-' ner and Marx designers know how to adapt an overcoat to any figure: it's all in the drap ing; they've done it artistically and we5 re ready to fit every one of you at $16. 50 and up. Varsity Fifty Five Suits . At $20.00 and up. 7 CooyTirkt Hart SchaOner & Marc Sec the New "Multnomah" Hats at $5 New colorings. ' new shapes.. SAM'L ROSENBLATT & CO. The Men's Shop for Quality and Service. M. McCombe. chairman' of the lemocra.tic National Committee, which- appeared In tho Now- York Sun of November 4, thus: "1 believe that the Lafollette law should be re pealed. "I have Investigated carefully and believe the bill puts unwarranted burdens upon the shipping interests." It Is pleasant, indeed. Mr. Secretary, to note your satisfaction over the fact that the stockholders have received a good price for their ships. Its due to the accident of the war. however, and not the seaman's bill that the abandonment of commerce on the Pacific Ocean to foreign-owned lines of steamships was not accompanied- by dis astrous - financial - loss to American corpor ations and their stockholders. - Our Temporary Location 266 Morrison St., bet. 3d and 4th. Walla, Walla Bond Body Is Named. WALLA WALLA, Wash., Nov. 9. (Special) The committee to view the proposed Elgin-Walla Walla auto road was named today by President Paul H. Weyrauch, of the Blue Mountain Good Roads' Association. This com mittee, S. K. Harris, C. A. Galloway and O. B. Ryder, all of Elgin, is to view the routes proposed on the Elgrin side. Three routes have been dis cussed. The -road to the summit on this side will be selected by Walla Walla and Milton people. It is planned to have the survey completed before Winter sets in. Roseburg Germans Now Citizens. . ROSEBURG, Or, Nov.' 9. (Special.) In the Circuit Court here five former citizens of Germany were admitted to citizenship. They were: Dr. Henry Little, of Oakland; Charles Henry Van de Vord, of Brockway; Martin Martens, of Rosebursr; William Stauffer, of Wil- our. ana waiter Kinsel. of futherlin. HEADACH FROM E A COLD? LISTEN! 'Pape's Cold Compound" Ends Severe Colds or Grippe "in Few Hours. Tour cold will break and all grippe misery end after taking: a dose of "Pape's Cold Compound" every two hours until three doses are taken. It promptly opens clogged-up nos trila and air passages in the head, stop3 nasty discharge or nose running, relieves sick headache, dullness, fev erishness, sore throat, sneezing, sore ness and stiffness. Don't stay stuffed-up! Quit blowing and snuffling! Ease your throbbing head nothing else in the world gives such prompt relief as "Pape's Cold Compound," which costs only 25 cents at any drug' store. : It -acts without as sistance, tastes nice, and causes no in convenience. Accept no substitute. Adv. Everybody Says That - ELECTRO t I)EntisTS WILL DO IT FOR LESS With a 15-year guarantee. Why not save money on your dental bill these hard times? Come in and let us examine your teeth and give you an estimate free. , Open Day and Night ELECTRO PAINLESS DENTISTS 2-Story Bldg. Sixth and Washington Sts. 1110 County line. Oakland. ChI June 23. Firland Station mno Clark Station 3U0 August. Krultvale. Ca! Jltlu October, rruitvale, Cal.. San Jose. Cal 3311 Manchester ave.. Los Anseles. ... 3ill July. Thirty-first and Holman fits. !UU2 ChehaJis. Wash 3012 April 18. Uenver avenue 3012 June, Sixty-fifth, and Holman sts. 3012 July. Marguerite- street anil Kil- llngsworth avenue 3P12 October 27. Kirov street 31'12 October 27, Mentone Addition.. 31H2 October 27. lro.'; wilour street... Mary Kennedy to be tried. 391.1 January 5. East Burnsido and "KiKhty-nilit n street 3!i:-. February 1. M Kiniey Park 391T, October 2B, 7O01 Powell Valley road 301U November 13. Sarinaw Heislita.. 3914 May 3, 29 Ijombard street 3 914 August Ul. Third and Beach sts. 3I14 November 2rt. 226 Thirteenth St. 3 915 February. Ouk Park. Cal 3915 Aujrust 16. lo.'.l Greeley street... Daisy Miller to be tried. 1.o 1.B50 1.200 SOrt 300 700 2.600 .000 i".:ir.6 2.600 2.S0O 2.SO0 l.tlrtil 2,000 40n 1.000 R9(l 2.500 4 on 32.". 1.300 f PIONEER STEEL CHIEF HERE t". H. Buhl, Owner ot Idaho Water Project, Is on AVay to Fair. A r'oneer of the steel industry in Pennsylvania, K. HL Buhl, now retired, was a Portland visitor yesterday, trav eling with a party in a private car en route to California. For almost half a century, 3Sr. Buhl was an ironmaster in OFIltani&: a ireal Cfcisftinma witii a Viclbfola mi Ae HicDme The Wiley B. Allen Co. Morrison Street at Broadway, Portland, Or. r t Please send catalogues and full information regard ing Victor Victrolas and your easy payment plan. (Sign here) Address. (Oregonlan) There are Victors and Victrolas in great variety of styles from $10 to $350, and any Victor dealer will gladly demonstrate them to you. VictorTalking Machine Co. Camden, N. J. START TODAY to arrange for the delivery of a Victrola to your home on Christmas. There is no gift that means so much to the whole family or that will give so much pleasure to all. Each Christmas time finds the number of Victrolas insufficient to supply the great demand. 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