VOL. LIX NO. 18,633 Entered &t Portland (Oregon) Postoffice as Second -Clans Matter. PORTLAND, OREGON, FRIDAY. AUGUST 13, 1920 PRICE FIVE CENTS HOTTEST AUGUST DAY IN 46 YEARS IS 98 PORTIiAXD SWELTERS. WHILE MERCURY CLIMBS. BUSINESS BOOMING AT LUMBER CENTERS PREMIER OF GREECE IS SHOT IN FRANCE STATESMAN" ATTACKED BY FELLOW COl'XTRYMEX. UNCLE SAM PLANS TO HELP POLAND CONTRACT IS CLOSED FOR TWO BIG TANKERS PONZI ARRESTED FLOCKING TO COX IS TAKEN BY WIFE E BIG PURCHASES AT WESTERN 12,0 00-TOX VESSELS TO . - BUILT AT VANCOUVER. BE MILLS REPORTED. LIQUOR COHORTS HUSBAND'S POISON UN FRAUD CHfVHb V K V Prohibition Seems to Be Paramount Issue. WORKING MEN WANT BEER World, Democrats' Leading Backer, Gathers Data. NUMERICAL BREAK EVEN Harding and Ohio Governor Have About Equal Support, but All "Wets" Want Cox. OREGPNIAN NEWS BUREAU. Washington, Aug-. 12. Enthusiasm tor cither Harding or Cox appears to be lacking over all the ground covered by a representative of the New York World, democratic, who has been sent out through the country to interview Individuals at random and report ex actly what they have to say in their own words. Reports from Philadelphia, Pitts burg and Cleveland have been pub lished by the World for the last three days, and notwithstanding all of the talk about the league of nations, tax ation and other so-called paramount Issues, the only issue that appears to have caused a thrill Is prohibition. Ererrone Talks About Liquor. All classes. Including tradesmen, professional men and laborers, were Interviewed, and the liquor question eemed uppermost In more minds than any other issue. Cox is approved by many because they say his election means the return of beer, while Hard ing is denounced as "too goody goody." The World's symposium of yester day Included pick-up interviews in Pittsburg and the importance of the "wet" issue as developed by the World correspondent was carried un der a two-column head, reading, "Pittsburg man In street wants beer nd turns to Cox as liberal candidate. Opinions obtained by the World man how all campaign Issues are of sec ondary Importance to modification o the Volstead law." Many Seek Relief In Cooling Wat ers of Willamette Others De cide to Carry Fans. ' ' The record for all the 46 years of Augusts which have- been tabulated at the weather bureau was broken yesterday when the temperature climbed to 98 degrees at 3 o'clock. Hot days in previous Augusts there have been,, but never one. warmer than 97. Portland people who' could steal away, if only for an hour, sought the cooling waters of the Willamette and others dreamed of shady nooks and decided to start carrying fans. In four of the recorded 46 years the official thermometer has regis tered 97 on August 22, 1891, on Au must 3, 1898, on August 10, 1902, ana on August 28, 1915. There have been many hotter days than 98, however, for 102 degrees, registered twice, in July, 1891. .and July, 1907, is the record mark for Portland. ' A slight breeze from the northwest, which began about 6 o'clock in the morning, furnished considerable re lief early in the day, although In the afternoon the breeze turned warm. The forecast for today is continued warm. The hourly temperatures were: 8 A. M 722 P. M OS 0 A. M 76 3 P. M 9S 10 A. M 7'Ji4 P. M 07 31 A. M SSiS P. M 95 Sailor Admits He Mixed Capsule for Self. 12 M. 1 P. M. P. M .9316:30 P. M... ...92 .. .90 Roseburg Mercury Stands at 101 ROSEBURG, Or., Aus. 12. (Spe cial.) At 4 o'clock this afternoon the local weather bureau office reported the mercury standing at -an even 101 degrees, making this the hottest day so far recorded the present year. Yes terday the hG&t registered S6 degrees. The two warmest days of the present season - previously recorded regis tered 94 degrees. Astoria Registers 86. ASTORIA, Or., Aug. 12. (Special.) Today was the warmest of the pres ent season In Astoria and the ther mometer in the local government weather bureau registered 86 degrees. During the morning hours the air was extremely sultry as the result of a light east wind, but this afternoon the wind shifted to the west. GRILLING GETS CONFESSION Tubercular Condition Caused Despondency, Testimony. GIRL SAID TO BE SUICIDE Spouse Took Hand From Mouth and:. 1 0 Minutes Later Was in Con vulsions, Prisoner Tells Police. World la Cox' Chief Supporter. It should be understood that the World is the foremost newspaper supporter of Governor Cox, and there fore is not developing his "wet" strength to injure him. Some of the Pittsburg Interviews were: A boss steel roller What we want most and what we will insist of hav lng is our beer. It was taken away from the workers through trickery. Some administration must restore it. Most of us think Cox Is by far the best bet, and that's why we are going to vote for him. A steel puddler The men In and out of the steel mills don't care about the league of nations or anything else, save, perhaps, the high cost of living. They are for the presidential candidate who will make it possible for them to get their beer again. An engineer All the coal miners in Bteubenville, a suburb of Pittsburg, are going to vote the democratic ticket because they are sore on pro hibition and think Harding is dry. No other issue enters their minds. No Beer Causes Anger. A merchant In Carnegie, where I live, we all intend to vote for Cox and the whole democratic ticket. Not only are we hot over no-beer stuff, but ministers out there induced the democratic local officials to enforce the blue laws, and we can't even play baseball on Sunday. A cigarmaker Out In a little town where I live a lot of the miners and steelworkers are going to vote the democratic ticket, hoping to kill two birds with one stone. The election of Cox. they think, will restore beer, if not liquor, and reduce taxes. The reason taxes are so high is because the government does not get any ex cise tax and has to put the burden on property. A bartender I'm for Cox. Didn't he let them hold the Dempsey-Willard fight in Ohio? He's a regular guy.. Philadelphia Comment Given. From Philadelphia came these ex pressions on the liquor issue: Taxicab driver Election? Who gives a d n? Those fellows in Wall street own both parties, so what's the use of voting anyway? If I vote I'll vofe for Cox. He's wet and when it's wet my business is better. Talk about Philadelphia being dead! Say, man, a soft drink never made a man feel like taking a taxicab home. launch counter man T' --e was a man In here last night who said neither party was any good because you have to be a millionaire to get liquor. This country stands for being run by a lot of four-flushing fakers and prohibitionists. If Cox is wetter than Harding, I'm for him. Truck man When I lived in New York I always voted the Tammany ticket. Tammany put Cox over, and that's good enough for me. Barber Most of the men who come to this hotel have money and they're for the republican ticket. But the fellows I meet outside think well of Cox. They think he'll manage to get their beer back for them. Today's symposium from Cleveland, Ohio, was introduced with statement tCoaduded on Pago &, Column 6. Eugene Hottest In 10 Years. EUGENE, Or, Aug. 12. (Special.) The hottest weather experienced in this tfity in ten years prevailed today wltii the thermometer registering all the way from 98 to 104 degrees, but the official record is only 98. Several times during the last ten years the thermometer has been as high as 97. SAN DIEGO, Aug. 12. (Special.) T. F. Flash, chief pharmacist's mate on the U. S. S. Prairie, this afternoon collapsed completely under the severe grilling to which he has been subject ed since his arrest Tuesday evening and confessed to the chief of police that he had prepared a poison capsule which he said his wife, took at 5 o'clock the morning of June 17. She died 30 minutes later. - This confession came almost at the closet of the second day of severe questioning and cross-examination and was made only after everyone, excepting the chief and the detective. had been excluded from the room. Flash Faints After Confession. Immediately after admitting that he had prepared the poison capsule. Flash crumpled and fell to the floor in a faint. , It took the police some time to bring him back to conscious ness, when the questioning was re sumed. Flash said that he had prepared the capsule of poison for himself. tnat ne Had Become tired of Hie, as he was despondent over his condition caused by tuberculosis and the con tinual quarreling with his wife about the dope he said she used. He siid the capsule contained 1 grains of strychnine and 114 grains of atrophine sulphate and that he had taken It home, ' told his wife what it was and that he intended to kill himself. Wife Seen In Convulsions. At S o'clock on the morning of June 17 he said he was awakened by Buyers, Anticipating Coming Lift in Freight Rates, Place Orders In Market Freely. Lumber buyers, anticipating the coming freight-rate increase, pur chased lieavily the. past week, and the mills in western Oregon and west ern Washington took on the greatest volume of new business booked since the first week in April, according to the weekly report of the West Coast Lumbermen's association. A considerable volume of the new business placed is apparently to be put in transit for speculative pur poses, and if not shipped prior to August 26 may be subject to cancel lation,' says the bulletin. Cars for loading lumber continue scarce, only about 30 per cent of requirements being furnished. There is no evidence of the widely advertised "rush of cars to the west coast for lumber" which railroad men announced some time ago. says the report. Associated mills participat ing in the weekly statement pro duced 75,069,646 feet of lumber for the week ended August 7, and dur ing the same period these mills took on 78,490,612 feet of new business and shipped 68.457.790 feet of old business. New business for transcontinental delivery by .rail totaled 1792 cars, while rail shipments totaled 1486 cars. New cargo orders amounted to 16,503,702 feet in the coastwise do mestic trade and 5,974,939 feet for fu ture export clearance. Total new cargo business was thus 22,478,641 feet. Cargo clearances for the week amounted to 11.017.839 feet in the coastwise domestic trade and 8.825,757 feet for overseas, or a total of 19, 843.596 feet. Railroad freight advances effective August 26, concludes the bulletin, which increase freight charges one third on shipments consigned east of the Rocky mountains, will greatly curtail shipments by rail until such time as the transcontinental carriers work out and file tariffs permitting west coast mills again to compete for business in eastern markets. M. Venizelos Gets Bullet in Left Shoulder and Thigh Assail ants Roughly Handled. PARIS. Aug. 12. (By the Associat ed Press.) Eliphtherios Constantine Venizelos, prime minister of Greece, narrowly escaped assassination at the hands of fellow-countrymen tonight as he was entering the Lyons rail way station. He was shot in the left shoulder and the right thigh. At midnight at the hospital it was said his condition was as satisfactory as possible. The assailants were two former Greek officers, George Thtriakis ana Apostolos Iserphis, both lieutenants. It had been rumored that an attempt was to be made on the life of M. Venizelos and the police were on the watch. They overpowered the assail ants before they could empty their revolvers. The miscreants were badly beaten by the crowd. Plea for Aid Under Se rious Consideration. COLBY AND ENVOY CONFER 9 8 at Hood River. HOOD RIVER, Or.. Aug. 12. (Spe cial.) A maximum temperature of 98 degrees prevailed here today, the hot test for the season, while an unusual humidity caused residents to swelter. Orchardists report no damage from sunburned apples. Oregon City Has Hottest Day. OREGON CITY. Or., Aug. 12. (Spe cial.) Oregon City has experienced I her hottest day of the season today. and the thermometer registered at j 99 Vi at one location in the city. Salem Registers 110 Degrees. SALEM, Or., Aug. 12. (Special.) Today was the hottest of the year in I Salem. The thermometer in the down town district ranged from 100 to 110. ALBANY, Or, Aug. 12. (Special.) Heat records in Albany this year were broken today when local ther mometers recorded maximum temper atures varying from 99 to 102 degrees. (Concluded on Page 6, Column 1.) WOMAN RUNS FOR SENATE Miss Anne Martin Files Petition at . Reno, Nevada. '. RENO, Nev., Aug. 12 Miss Anne Martin filed today with Secretary of State Brodigan her petition of nom ination for the United States senate. Immediately after filing her peti tion Miss Martin started on a month's campaign trip. GIRL, 15, KILLS SELF Matrons From Rescue Home Seek ing Victim for Inmate. ASHLAND, Or., Aug. 12. (Special.) Alter telling matrons from a Port land rescue home that she would ac company them. Delta Reed, 15-year old girl, shot and killed herself today. Matrons Ruth Sharp and Emma Lovett of Portland and Chief of Po lice Hatcher of Ashland went to the home of the girl's parents to per suade her to enter the Portland in stitution. The girl has been giving her parents trouble, it was said. She consented to go and asked permis sion to go to her room to change clothes. Instead she procured a heavy caliber revolver and, going behind the barn, shot herself. She was the adopted daughter of G. C. Reed of Ashland. Purchase of War Materials May Be Permitted. RECRUITS ALSO DESIRED Enlistment or Polish Citizens Res ident In U. S. May Be Author ized by Government. SUGAR HAS HEAVY DROP X'ew York Dealer Makes Offering at Fraction Over 17 Cents. NEW YORK, Aug. 12. Heavy de creases in the sugar market, fore shadowed by movements during the last few days, took place today. One large dealer reduced his list price on the fine granulated from 21 cents to a fraction over 17 cents a pound, and raw sugar sold on a basis of 13.04 cents, 10 cents less than the high level' of three months ago." Holders of largo stocks of sugar expressed the fear that they had overstayed their market. Dealers de clared the weakness is due to lack of demand for refined sugar, free offer- I lng and a feeling of unrest. BOY IS SHOT BY FATHER Serious Accident Happens Xear i Castle Rock While Tvo Hunt. CASTLE ROCK, Wash., Aug. 12. (Special.) Ralph Harrison, 13 years 1 old, while out hunting with his father. A. R. Harrison of Sandy Bend, was shot in the shoulder by the accidental j discharge of a gun carried by the parent. The boy was walking ahead when the brush or some obstruction caused the discharge of the gun. The boy was brought to town where I the doctor found the wound to. be se rious but not fatal. The lad had just arrived from Walla Walla to visit his father after an absence of three years. GIRL SWIMMER SAVES TWO Hood River Mermaid Is Awarded Campfire Medal for Rescue. ' HOOD RIVER, Or, Aug. 12. (Spe cial.) Miss Bertha Norton, daughter of J. R. Norton, who has been spend ing the summer at a girls' campfire camp in the Wisconsin lake district. rescued two companions from drown lng while on an outing. A campfire medal was awarded Miss Norton. She is expected home this week. While away the local young woman visited relatives in Minneapolis. BIG SNOWFALL REPORTED Fall of Seven Inches on Pike's Peak Record for Angust. COLORADO SPRINGS. Colo.. Aug. 12 Reports from Summit house on Pike's Peak said seven inches of snow, a new record for August storms, fell last night. Snow plows were out today on the cog railroad and the automobile high way. Two inches of snow fell In Col orado Springs. v get rich quick ponzi hasn't anything on the ordinary spud . j ) Potatoes goimgt to 1 T WASje ON" THE FARIW VJLr-V 1 t t "y ill m i r. vm m v 5Hafr. 5-s . 57fj wyt-wm ,Rtas. " u r r w in t IT ONLY TAKES A POTATO 24 HOURS TO MAKE 300 PER CENT. J i i - T. ii; si- i i I T J AT THE SON-TOM i 'lttTi' fc'i 'fl - .ll t i I 1 l I V III ... p , a t peck --i-c; - a . f . t ' r-" xsawr.i . ' . . i 1 ' n i ' i li m.. 7 S3 upW-" "iff r ' t I m m . . . ' ' m m . . . . . ........ . m . . . t m . WASHINGTON. Aug. 12. (By the Associated Press.) Moved by the re iterated pleas for aid from Poland. the war department has under seri ous consideration today the request of Prince Lubonr.irsky. Polish minis ter, for permission to purchase war materials from the United States. After conferences yesterday and today between the Polish minister and Secretary Colby, the state de partment also took up the problem of finding means of reinvigorating the ebbing strength of the Polish state and thereby fulfilling the assurance of support contained in the American note to the Italian ambassador. Enlistments Also SouKht. Polish officials explained that in addition to the desire for war mate rials, they were anxious to obtain authorization to permit recruiting for the Polish army in America. It was said that not only had many offers of enlistment been received by the legation from Polish citizens resident in the United States, but that many offers had come from former Ameri can veterans. The Polish government. It was said officially at the legation tonight, had not made a formal request for the extension to It of so unusual privi lege. At the same time' it was con ceded that the privilege was one of which Poland would gladly avail itself if tendered by the United States. " . Law Suspension Possible. While a statute forbids enlistment of armed expeditions in the United States for employment against a friendly power,- some officials ex plained that the president could sus pend operation of the law under his wartime powers. Raising of recruits by Poland un der Paderewskl before the United States entered the war, it was re called, was agreed to by the Amer ican government and many Poles-en listed to fight under the allies were removed from the United States and trained in Canada and abroad. In order that the United States may keep in more intimate touch with de velopments In Poland, Hugh Gibson, American- minister to Poland, home on leave, will depart tomorrow for Warsaw. He will be accompanied by a. KODDins, acting chief of the 3500 to, 3600 Men 'ov Employed at Standifer Plant .Sure of . Work Well Into 1921. A contract was closed by the G. M. Standifer Construction corpcration of Vancouver, Wash., yesterday for the construction of two tank steamships of 12,000-tons capacity each for the Imperial Oil company of ToronU. Canada. The Canadian company is a subsidiary of the Standard Oil com pany. The contracts were closed by Guy M. Standifer, president of the shipbuilding company, and made pub lic by R. V. Jones, general superin tendent of the plant. The Standifer plant is now in readi ness to begin work on the new tank- i ers as soon as material for their con struction arrives from the east. Be tween 3500 and 3600 men are now employed in the big shipbuilding plant, and the contracts closed yes terday give assurance that at least this number will continue to have employment there until well into 1921. Contracts f6r 12 tankers of the 12.000-ton type have now been ob tained by shipbuilders of this district. Five such contracts are In the hands of the Standifer company, and the Northwest Bridge & Iron company has laid three keels on contracts for seven vessels. of this size and type. Larceny Warrant Also Is Served on Financier. 35,000 TOTAL BOND GIVEN Funds Handled Estimated at $15,000,000 to $20,000,000. LIABILITIES . PUT HIGH AUDIT OF BANK BEGINS Early Report Assured on Affairs of Jacksonville Institution. MEDFORD, Or., Aug. 12. W. H. Bennett, state bank superlntndent and his assistant. Marshall Hooper, ar rived in Medford today and after a two hours' conference with Prosecut ing Attorney Roberts, left for Jack sonville to investigate the books of the bank of Jacksonville, which was closed yesterday and whose president. W. H. Johnson, was put in jail charged with falsifying the bank's accounts. On his return from Jacksonville this afternoon Mr. Bennett said the audit of the books had started but there would be no public statement for sev eral days. A statement of the bank's assets and liabilities is what the public Is chiefly interested in, he declared, and this statement will be made at the earliest possible moment. Prosecuting Attorney Roberts an nounced the preliminary hearing of W. H. Johnson, president of the bank, will be held at Jacksonville tomor row morning at 10 o'clock. W. PRICE OF FLOUR RISES Higher Wheat Market Is Responsi ble for Advance by Mills. MINNEAPOLIS. Aug. 12 A higher wheat market was responsible for an advance of 40 to 75 cents in the price of flour at the principal mills today. One mill raised the price for family patents in 98 pound cotton sacks from $13.25 to $13.65, while another ad vanced its quotation from J14 to J14.75. INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS division of near eastern affairs, who has been temporarily assigned l chancellor of the legation. French Action Reported. The official communique announc 1 lng the intention of France to recog- I nlze as a de facto government that ' represented by General Wrangel in southern Russia, was received today. it says tnat a t rench diplomatic agent will be sent to Sebastopol with the title of high commissioner. Administration officials consider the French step as logical in view of the succession of General Wrangel to the authority of Admiral Kolchak and the Omsk government, which was rec ognized by both France and .Great Britain. France and U. S. Together. Without foreshadowing a similar step by the United States, officials de clared that the action of France was in no way inconsistent with the pol icy towards Russia advocated in the American note to Italy. The Ameri can government, it was recalled, while not having recognized Kolchak, at one time eiTueavored to place Kolchak in a position "in which he might be rec ognized. Reports that France's recognition of Wrangel's government had led to decided differences between Premiers Lloyd George and MUlerand generally were minimized here. CENSUS GAINS REPORTED Counties Containing Large Cities Show Substantial Increase. WASHINGTON, Aug. 12. Census announcements today were: Salt Lake county, Utah, containing Salt Lake City, 159,282; increase 27,- 856 or 21.2 per cent. Marion county, Indiana, containing Indianapolis, 348.061; increase 81,400 or 32 per cent. Onondaga county. New "York, con taining Syracuse, 241,465; increase 41 167 or 20.6 per cent. MAYOR OF CORK ARRESTED Official and 10 Associates Taken While at Sinn Fein Conrt. CORK, Aug. 12. (By the Asso ciated Press.) The lord mayor of Cork and ten associates were ar rested today while attending a ses sion of the Sinn Fein in the city hall. They were taken to the military barracks. The Weather. TESTE RD AT' S Maximum temperature. 98 degrees; minimum, tis degrees. TODAT'S Fair, continued warm; north erly winds. Foreign. Greek premier shot and slightly wounded at French railway station. Page 1. Bolshevik cavalry reported to have reached suburbs of Warsaw. Page 2. Portland newspaper man stirs natives of Samoa to revolt. Page 5. British premier asks red emissary to facili tate armistice conference. Page 2. National. War department seriously considering question ot aiding Poland. Page 1. Politics. Harding may inject protective tariff Issue into campaign. Page s. Liquor cohorts flock to support of Cox. Page 1. Democratic stump campaign gets under way. Page 3. Wastefulness must end. declares oolidge Page 1. Republicans are warming up to political campaign, raxe i-t. Gellatly kicks up dust In Washington gubernatorial campaign. Page 15. Xometlc. Ponzt Is arrested on charge of using malls to defraud. Page 1. Plight of Poland blamed on republicans. Page 4. Sailrr confesses he mixed poison that killed wile. Page l. Railroads take on new lease of life. Page - 3. Northwest. Fire destroys $100,000 business block at Bucoda. Wash. Page 7. Merchant marine measure will foster fleet, says Jones. Page 20. Wind fans two forest fires In Santlam. Page 15. Sports. Coast league results: Seattle 2. Portland 4; San .Francisco 5, Los Angeles 4; Salt Lake 9, Sacramento 2; Vernon 4. Oakland 7. Page 12. Rumler suspension demanded In coast gambling probe. Page 13. Jock Hutchinson leads In national open golf tourney. Page 12. Commercial and Marine. Steady decline In wholesale commodity prices. Page 21. Export buying lifts wheat prices at Chi cago. Page 21. Further advance in Wall-street stock mar . ket. Page 21. New rail rate Increase avoids establish ing differential. Page 20. Portland and Vicinity. Contract closed by Standifer corporation for two 12.000-ton tankers. Page 1. fHigh point in buying for buyers' week reached. page l. Civil engineers inspect municipal terminal No. 4. page 2U. Court denies writ of prohibition in Leskella case. page xu. Lumber buyers, anticipating freight rat increase, purchase heavily. Page 1. Druggists indorse plan for purs drug law. page iu. Northwest travel gains 300 per cent. Pa.se 14. Salmon Industry declared in danger. Page Hottest August day In 46 years causes Portland to swelter at 98. Page 1. Teachers pay rlss discussed by board. Pegs , Attorney-General Believes Debts Kxcced Assets by Millions of Dollars. BOSTON, Aug. 12. (By the Asso ciated Press.) Some 40,000 investors intrusted a total variously estimated at $15,000,000 to $20,000,00 to Charles Ponzi in a money-making scheme which postal officials today declared impossible of fulfilment. Ponzi surrendered to federal au thorities this afternoon, explaining he could not meet his obligation because of the closing yesterday of the Hanover Trust company, where most of his funds were deposited. He was arrested, charged with having used malls to defraud, arraigned and . held in bond of $25,000 tor hearing August 10. Morris Rudnick, real estate dealer, furnished the securities. Meanwhile a warrant charging the Italian with larceny had been ob tained by the state police in the municipal court and on leaving the federal building Ponzi was rearrested and held by the city court In $10,000 bail for appearance August 23. Rudnick again went on Ponzi's bonds. Developments Come Fast. Developments came fast today. As Ponzi was being arraigned before United States Commissioner Hays, Edwin L. Pride, auditing the books of the Securities Exchange company for the federal authorities, announced. that it already had been shown Ponzi owed $7,000,000. Attorney-General Allen, who is con- . ducting a separate investigation, said he believed Ponzi's liabilities would total millions. State Bank Examiner Joseph Allen, in a statement, declared that the capital of the Hanover Trust company, of which Ponzi until yester day was a director, was seriously im paired and probably wiped out. State Treasurer Burrell attacked the bank commissioner for not having given him opportunity to withdraw state funds before the Hanover was closed. In response to Governor Coolidge's demand that he make known how much state money had been tied up. Burrell announced the sum was $125,-000. Many Investors Foreigners. Ponzi's field appears to have In cluded New Kngland and New Jersey. The line that formed daily at Ponzi's office appears to have been far from representative of his clients. This was made up mostly of foreigners in terested largely In getting their money. Anxious Inquiries at the newspaper offices and feverish conversations indicated that the proprietors of small business, professional men and women, clerks and stenographers by the thousands had accepted the bait of "50 per cent profit in 45 days." Agents working In offices and fac tories interested many, particularly among Italians. The mystery of Ponzi's methods added to the attrac tiveness of his promises. It was said that in many cases the possibilities of profitably exchanging American dollars for French francs and francs for Italian lire and the latter for something else, seemed plausible enough without a clear comprehen sion of Just how the things worked out. No Reply Coupons Bought. Among the amazing disclosures was that the bulk of Ponzi's millions was gathered In after the postoffice de partment had begun its investigation , last February. In discussing the case tonight. Chief Postoffice Inspector H. B. Mose by said that so far as their investi gations had shown, Ponzi had never done any business in international reply coupons. He said he had warned hundreds against Ponzi when inquiries began to be made. In a statement Mr. Moseby said: "It has been my great desire that Ponzi should be brought to account and his scheme laid bare, and never for a moment did I believe that he was solvent, but that in the end he would be shown to be insolvent, prob ably by a million. Within the past few days, having felt sure we had. or would shortly have, sufficient evi dence on which to arrest Po: zl and to make sure he could be found when wanted, I have taken the precaution to keep him under surveillance, al though the latter gave no indication he would attempt to leave this Juris diction. However, having his previ ous record in view, I felt it my duty to make every possible effort"to pre vent his escap Appeal Made t Gambltne Spirit. "He appealed to the gambling spirit of the people. When ne started out ho promised 50 per cent in 90 days, but 1 he paid in 45 days, with the result that many reinvested. "Ponzi did not use the mails as openly as It often is the case. He started buMnefs in a small way. de- tConcluded on Page 3, Column 1.)