iv
VOL. LXI tO. 19,373
Entered at Portland (Oregon)
Poat office aa Second-class Hatter.
PORTLAND, OREGON. FRIDAY, DECE3IBER
1922
PRICE FIVE CENTS
POSSES PURSUE
GRANDPA WHO KILLED
GIRL IN FUN SUICIDE
BODY OF AGED MAX FOUND
OX YOUNGSTER'S GRAVE.
SUN HAS LAZY DAY,
SHORTEST OF YEAR
' , V -
SOLAR ORB RISES "AT 7:2 6
A-ND RETIRES AT 4:30.
GUARDSMEN TO DRAG
LAKES' FOR BODIES
IS
RAILWAY STATION
IN CHICAGO BURNS
TALE OF
TS
CLASH lKHLEY
TO FIX INDEMNITY
MACHINE GUNS MOUXTED TO
PROTECT SEARCHERS.
CLERKS IX FLIGHT TRAMPLE
OX OXE WOMAX.
o
22,
AMERICA
AS
MURDER
BANDIT SUSPEG
STANDS
.HEN
I
V
Heavily-Armed Men Are
. Found by Farmer.
CALL SENT FOR SHERIFF
When Peace Forces Arrive,
Party Is Gone.
FLIGHT IS REPORTED
Woman Says Auto Stopped at Her
Home and Man Got Water
and Cotton; Hunt Begun.
DENVER, Dec. 21. Police and
peace officers of Northern Colorado
tonight were engaged in an inten
sive manhunt for tour men in an
automobile, suspected of being the
' bandits who Monday shot and killed
Charles T. Linton, federal reserve
bank guard, during a gun fight in
front of the mint here, in which
they stole $200,000 in currency and
escaped.
The manhunt started in the after
noon when a report from Henry
Fuqua, a farmer resident about 20
miles east of Greeley, Colo., B0 miles
north of here, was received that he
had encountered four heavily armed
men in an abandoned house on his
ranch property.
Sheriff Hall of Greeley was no
tified by Fuqua of the incident, who
in turn notified the Denver police
department, asking for assistance.
Sheriff Hall then, in company with
six deputies and a state ranger, left
for the farm house, while the Den
ver police department's armored
riot car equipped with machine guns
and two automobile loads of officers
and detectives armed with sawed
off shotguns left for Greeley to
join in the pursuit.
Ammunition Sent Out.
A third automobile carrying sev- j
erai hundred rounds of ammunition
and lunch for the peace officers!
later was despatched from the Den-'
ver headquarters. Later in the af
ternoon Sheriff Hall reported to
Denver by telephone that he had
arrived at the ranch house, but that
the men had left. "A few minutes
later Mrs. Gus Downer, residing
just outside the northwest city
limits of Greeley, reported from the
home of her brother-in-law, John
Downer, that about 3:30 o'clock this
afternoon, while she was sleeping
she was aroused by a knock at her
door.
Answering the knock she said a
man, who appeared to be greatly
excited, asked for a pan of water
and some cotton, explaining that he
had a man in his car who had been
hurt
Auto Hidden By Shed.
Mrs. Downer told police officials
in Greeley that she heard a motor
car, but that the view of it was
obstructed by a shed behind which
the car had stopped. She gave the
man the pan of water and a roll
of gauze, . which he took back to
the car, the engine of which had
been left running. A few minutes
later she said that she was startled
by the sound of the meshing gears,
on the car as it came into sight and
sped away on the road that lead
from Greeley to Fort Collins. She
declared the car had the curtains
drawn and that the occupants of the
car did not return the pan, but threw
it out of the car as it went by the
house.
Reports from Kuner, Colo., about
six miles east of the farm house,
were to the effect that a car closely
resembling the description of the
one seen by Mrs. Downer, had
passed through there about 30 min
utes earlier.'
Story In Told Over Phone.
Fuqua's story as told over the
telephone to Sheriff Hall was that
he noticed signs of life about the
supposedly unoccupied house and
upon investigating had found that
someone was living in it. This aft
ernoon he approached and knocked
on thedoor which waS opened by a
man carrying a rifle in his hands
and wearing a cartrdige belt. He
asked what they were doing in the
house. Informing the man that it
was his. The man declared that the
occupants were coyote hunters.
Fuqua continued his story by de
claring that while he was at the
dcor another man, similarly dressed,
appeared from around the corner of
the house. He said he also saw two
other men. inside it.
Women Seen In Auto.
He also said that while he was
talking a large touring car carry
ing two men and two women drove
up. He said that he was then told
by the man at the door to leave the
place under a threat of death. The
f cars of Denver police are mobilized
in Greeley, awaiting further word
from officers in the vicinity as to
the direction to which the search
has turned.
. Posses from all northern Colo
rado towns guard the roads leading
northward and westward. A posse
headed by Sheriff Frank Smith of
Fort Collins left on the road to
ward Greeley 'as soon as they had
been informed of the appearance of
the suspects' car at the Downer
home.
Sheriff Hall returned to Greeley,
leaving 20 officers in the field.
Days of Brooding Follow Tragedy
In Which Tot, Playing "Little
Gypsy," Lost Life.
NEW YORK, Dec. 21. Two men
hurried along the quiet paths in
Greenlawn cemetery today, bent for
the grave of a little girl. One was
a detective, the other a relative of
the little girl. They turned in the
path and saw the grave. On it was
sprawled the body of an old man; a
bullet through the temple. A pistol,
one cartridge gone, lay beside him.
Neither of the men spoke, but as
the detective, unconsciously pro
fessional, picked up the pistol, his
companion stared at the body quiet
ly, not seeing. Instead, a picture of
his home, one night - months ago,
came to him.
Six-year-old Emma Fuchs had
dressed as a gypsy to give "grandpa
some fun when he came home."
Grandpa knocked at the door and
Emma, Romany regalia and all,
scurrie'd beneath the table. Grandpa
came in, and, smiling, counterfeited
fear at the little stranger who
j popped from beneath the .table. To
add to the acting, ne playfully
pointed a pistol he had picked up
from a dresser at the little'gypsy.
There was a shot. The- little girl
' fell. When the police came grandpa
was holding Emma, "the little
gypsy," in his arms. She was dead.
The man standing by the grave
saw the drama again, and he saw
grandpa as he had been since that
day, moody, brooding, thoughtful.
Even a day or two ago grandpa
no longer a grandpa but Just Ernest
Fuchs, had glanced In the windows
of toy shops more than ordinarily
rich with Christmas gifts.
The man by the grave saw
grandpa leaving the house yester
day for a "visit tp Greenlawn ceme
tery," and Charles Fuchs, with the
detective beside him, stopped star
ing at the grave, leaned over and
softly touched his father's cold
hand. The detective prepared to re
port "a suicide in Greenlawn ceme
tery." BIG MILL DEAL IS MADE
A. K. Jacobs Buys All Stock In
Oregon City Plant-
OREGON CITY, Or., Dec. 21.
(Special. )--The entire, stock in the
local. woolen mills, operated by. the
Oregon City Manufacturing com
pany, is now owned by A R. Jaoobs,
for many years president and man
ager of the concern. The purchase
of the interests of I. Jacobs was
announced by the local mill man
today.
Mr. Jacobs declined to state the
amount involved in the transfer, but
it is believed that appioximately
$750,000 is involved.
A R. Jacobs is to continue as
president and manager of the firm.
No changes in the organization ar.s
planned, he states!
The Oregon City 'Manufacturing
company owns and operates a large
textile factory here and a garment
factory in Portland. It employs be
tween 700 and 800 men and women
and the value of the plant' is esti
mated at approximately . $3,000,000.
LAW REPEAL IS SOUGHT
Bill Would Abolish Double Boards
for State Elections. -.';'
SALEM, Or., Dec. 21. (Special.)
The attorney-general's office today
was requested to prepare a bill for
submission at the next session of
the legislature looking to the re
peal of that part of the election
laws providing for double election
boards.
The present double election board
law was sponsored by Colonel Mer
cer, sergeant at arms of the senate
at the 1921 session, and was ap
proved by practically all the mem
bers of both houses. Under this
law. there are two election boards,
one of which receives the ballots,
while the other . starts counting
after the first 20 ballots are re
ceived. , , ' i
FALL TO GO, SAYS RUMOR
Washington Gossip Says Secretary
Is About to Resign. " .
THE OREGONIANNEWS BUREAU,
Washington, D, -C.. Dec. 21. The
dull days immediately preceding the
holiday's in Washington are always
fruitful of rumors of expected res
ignations of cabinet members. This
time, according to a report broad
cast today,. Albert Bacon Fall, sec
retary of the interior, is to resign
soon and is to be succeeded by
Carml Thompson of Cleveland, Ohio.
Mr. Thompson was assistant sec
retary of the interior during a' part
of the Taft administration and later
secretary to President Taft He
also was the unsuccessful candidate
for governor of Ohio in the Novem
ber election.
GEORGIA HIT BY WINTER
Snow and Sleet . and Freezing
Temperatures Noted.
ATLANTA, Ga Dec. 21. With one
section covered with sleet and ice
and forecasts for snow, and another
section slushing through rain with
temperatures slightjy above freez
ing, the south today was in the grip
of its first blast of winter.
MiamJ and points on the Florida
peninsula. . however, still were
bathed in sunshine, with average
temperatures of li degrees.
Dispute Bitter That
, Session Adjourns.
VENIZELOS IS ATTACKED
Ex-Premier's Sally at Kemal
, Army jAnswered.
STRAITS STILL PROBLEM
English, French and Italians
Confer in Endeavor to Solve
Remaining Difficulties.
LAUSANNE, Dec. 21. (By the
Associated Press.) A stirring alter
cation occurred at a meeting . of the
sub-commission on minorities today
between the ex-Greek premier,
Venizelos, and the Turkish delegate
Riza Nur Bey. The dispute arose
over the question of responsibility
for Greek deportations . In Asia
Minor and was so violent that it
became necessary to adjourn tho
session. . '
According to spokesmen of the
Turkish delegation, Riza Nur Bey
declared that the Greek army was
not so much responsible for the
recent military disaster as was
Venizelos himself, because it was
Venizelos who had inaugurated the
idea of a "military invasion of An
atolia." Riza affirmed that in his
opinion the Greek ministers who
were recently executed at Athens
were in all. probability entirely
innocent of deceiving .the Greek
people, because the real father of
the Asia Minor campaign was Veni
zelos. -
Venizelos Called to Order.
The Italian chairman of the sub
commission, Slgnor Montagna, nad
previously warned both the Turkish
and Greek delegates that references
to massacres and cruelties must
henceforth be avoided,, but the
Turks alleged Venizelos today re
fused to obey this injunction. He
declared a bitter indictment against
the Turkish army and went so far,
the Turkish delegates assert, that
the chairman was obliged repeatedly
to call him to order.
After Insistent attempts, Riza
Nur Bey eventually got the. floor
and defended Turkey and then
made a personal attack on the ex
Greek premier.
Another indication that feeling is
running high between the Turks and
the Greeks was found in a com
munique which the Turkish delega
tion issued later, declaring that
recent advices from , Angora prove
that the Greeks are confiscating all
the farms belonging to Moslems in
Crete and that the Moslems in the
hills, fearing . massacre, have fled
to the cities and .are dying of
hunger.
"Every day more than 20 Mos
lems are dying either through
massacre or hunger." said the com-
Concluded on Page 2, Column 5.)
THINGS
"
.ETSUt- WE.YE.
GOT "SOtAELTVUHS
CELT
Scandalous Conduct of Old Sol
Prevents Portlanders From
- v
Accomplishing Much.
Portlanders who did not accom
plish much yesterday could excuse
themselves partially because it was
the shortest day in the year.. It
was not until the scandalously late
hour of 7:26 A M. that Aurora ap
peared if she did appear sup
posedly rising in a mist from her
couch in the sea, ner rosy fingers
dripping dew.- .
Despite this late start the sun re
tired to rest at 4:30 o'clock in the
afternoon, putting in a lazy day.
One only knew the solor orb was on
the job at all by reason of the fact
that nigh,t was routed and day
came. But as for shining forth in
the resplendent glory that Is the
accompaniment of the sun at its
prettiest, the day was a- total loss,
so far as the king of the firmament
is concerned.
The laggard sun will not be able
to getby with, its snub of yesterday!
for long. Indeed, it will work one
minute longer today, although per
haps none will note the improve
ment. Then tomorrow Father Time
will. order the glorious orb of day
to work one minute earlier and the
following day it must still get up as
early and then it will have to stay
on the job one minute later.
By February 1 the sun will be
compelled, if it keep3 the engage
ments made for it by the calendar
builders, to rise as early as "f:a
o'clock, and it will not crawl Into
the hay until 5:13 P. M.
But there will be a great differ
ence six months from now, when the
sun Will rise almost too early -to
suit most persons, jumping up
brightly at 4:23 o'clock in the morn
ing and keeping, busy on "the job
until 7:40 at night.
BERNHARDT MUST REST
Physicians Insist Actress Stay in
Bed 10 Days.
PARIS, Dec. 21. Physicians at
tending Mme. Sarah Bernhardt in
sist that she remain in te'd at least
ten days more in order to recover
fully from the fainting spell with
which she was seized Monday. '
.-, The fnanager of th theater, Ed
ward VII, consequently has' post
poned Premiere Sache Gulterrjj's
play, "Un Saget de Romari," in
which Mme. Bernhardt is to ap
pear, until January.
The manager, who saw Mme.
Bernhardt today, describes her con
dition as serious, owing to her ad
vanced age.
COLUMBIA HIGHWAY OPEN
Road Clear of Ice and Snow From
City to County Line.
The Columbia River highway is
cleared of snow and ice from the
city limits to the Multnomah county
line, three-quarters of a mile east
of Eagle creek, according to County
Roadmaster Eatchel, who returned
from the upper highway last night.
The highway to Multnomah falls
Is absolutely clear for the entire
width of the paving, while the re
mainder of the way to the line a
passage sufficient for automobiles
to pass has been thrown open.
AREN'T WHAT THEY USED
1
ou know Mvrtr-
RAND ?f HAS
YVAb GOrVt-QLfvNb
Pair Believed Killed in Battle
With Masked and White
Robed Men of 3 States.'
MER ROUGE, La.. Dec 21.
Bivouacked on the shores of More
house parish lake, a company of
Louisiana national guard, bent upon
a mission probably unparalleled in
the history of this nation, faced the
prospect of passing the Christmas
holidays dragging the waters and
affording protection-to professional
divers, in an effort to recover the
bodies of two prominent citizens of
Mer Rouge, who were believed to
have been murdered by masked and
white-robed men of three states.
Two days of search by the mili
tary and some 75 men and boys of
the parish have been fruitless. Un
successful' in the effort to recover
the bodies in lakes Cooper and La
Fourche, the search will be extended
to other lakes in -the vicinity.
"We will drag every lake in the
parish until we find them," Captain
W. W. Cooper, commanding officer
of the company, declared today.
Machine guns were placed at
strategic points on the lake shore
today as a precaution against the
possibility of sniping by those
aligned with the mob that swooped
down upon five Mer Rouge citizens
last August while' they were return
ing from a celebration and carried
them off to a punishment ground
where they were severely handled.
Watt Daniels and Thomas Richards
have been missing since that night.
That the slaying of the two men
was not premeditated is conceded
by all interested. Young Daniels
resented the merciless flogging ad
ministered his 70-year-old father
and tore the mask off one of the
men and recognized htm, calling out I
his name which was heard by Rich
ards and both men were slain In the
fight "that ensued, according to a
story credited to members of their
families. The bodies were then be
lieved to have been weighted down
with iron wheels and thrown into
one of the lakes close by.
TWO EDUCATORS TO WED
Professor Brown and Lida M.
Fake of Salem Get License.
SALEM, Or., Dec. 21. (Special.)
A marriage license was- Issued -today
to Professor E. T. Brown and Lida
M. Fake of Salem. . Both are mem
bers of the faculty of Willamette
university.
Professor Brown is a graduate of
the University of Washington and
has been connected with Willamette
university for more than a year in
charge of the physics department.
Miss Fake is professor of home
economics at Willamette and also
has charge of the domestic science
department.
STEAMER LOCKED IN ICE
Passengers and Crew of Lake
Vessel Walk Ashore.
SANDUSKY, O., Deo. 21. The lit
tle steamer Tourist, for which some
apprehension was felt when she
failed to reach Put-in bay, 20 miles
from here, at midnight last night,
was located early today a mile off
Put-inbay.
The passengers and crew, totaling
IS, walked ashore over the ice.
TO BE.
1
Plan Emerges From Ef
fort to Find Solution.
COMMISSION IS WANTED
French Approval of Proposal
Is Awaited.
TALK INFORMAL SO FAR
Negotiations Kept Out of Govern
ment Channels; Action Goes
on Behind Scenes.
WASHINGTON, D. C, Dec. 21
(By the Associated Press.), A plan,
under which an American commis
sion would determine how much Ger
many should be required to. pay the
allies In reparations has emerged
frdm the effort to find a way for
extending American aid toward so
lution of the economic troubles of
Europe.
Although discussions of the pro
posal have been kept thus far out
side the formal, channels of diplo
macy, the exchange of views has
developed a thorough understanding
in authoritative circles that the
United States, Great Britain and
Germany are willing to consejit to
the creation of such a commission.
The plan now is before Premier
Polncare of Ftance and he is ex
pected to make a decision after con
ferences with industrial leaders of
his own country and of Germany.
It Is assumed that it will be com
municated later to all the nations
interested in reparation payments.
Washington Officials Silent.
Officials of the Washington gov
ernment today refused to discuss
the plan for an American commission-
Secretary Hughes, however,
issued a statement saying that the
"government" - had presented no
"proposal" on the subject. '
The procedure by which all of
those directly interested are sound
ed out before any definite "pro
posal" is submitted with govern
ment authority behind It Is the
usual method employed In negotia
tions of great delicacy. The secre
tary's statement recalled an asser
tion made a few days ago by a
White House spokesman, who said,
in discussing the American attitude
toward Europe, that it would not be
proper to display on the stage all
that was taking place behind the
scenes.
Plan Disclosed Early Today.
The plan for an American .commis
sion first was disclosed early today
in an Associated Press dispatch from
London, where , the proposal has
been actively under discussion. The
dispatch credited the Chamber of
Commerce of the United States with
having first laid the suggestion lie
fore Secretary Hughes and it was
learned here today that much of the
actual discussion which has taken
place since that time has been con
ducted on behalf of the American
industry by officials of the chamber.
At the state department there was
a disposition to draw a sharp line
of distinction between the activities
of American, and other business men
in regard to the problem and the
moves made by government officials
themselves. It became clear today,
however, that the two groups had
kept in close touch and that not
only Secretary Hughes, but Secre
tary Hoover and others high in the
administration were fully advised of
efforts made by President Julius H. i
Barnes of the chamber of commerce
and men in England, France and
Germany who hold similar posts in
the industrial world, to find a for
mula for solution of the reparations
problem.
Reports Are Not Denied.
Neither at the state department
nor at offices of the chamber was
there any inclination to deny the
published report from "London tell
ing of the unofficial plan and its
communication to the Washington
government! It is known that Mr.
Barnes conferred last week with
Secretary Hughes. Asked if any of
ficial statement could be made in
regard to this conference, state de
partment spokesmen said it would
not be possible to do so. At the
same time efforts to obtain a more
detailed statement .regarding Secre
tary Hughes' general denial of a
government ''proposal" also proved
fruitless.
Department officials made it plain
that they would not be drawn Into
any departure from the formal terms
of the secretary's brief statement,
which is itself avoided any mention
of details.
It follows:
"The department of state cannot
discuss "tentative proposals which
are made to it with respect to the
European situation. The report that
this government had presented to
other governments a proposal for an
American commission is unfounded.
Of course, it follows that no assent
of any other government to such a
proposal has been received."
In authoritative quarters it was
learned today that before the com
mission's proposal received" the at
tention of government officials, first
Unconscious Victim Is Found by
. Police and Carried to Safety;
Firemen Are Hampered.
CHICAGO, Dec. 21. Fire late to
day destroyed the Dearborn-street
railroad station, formerly known as
the Poik-street depot, and left eight
railroads homeless in Chicago,
The building was valued at $300,
000, but would cost more than
$1,000,000 to replace.
Within a little more than an hour
after a traffic policeman saw smoke
issuing from the roof, the flames
swept through the 38-year-old brick
and wood structure, once the pride
of railroad men, and left only a
smoke-blackened brick shell behind.
Hundreds of passengers and 200
men and women clerks fled to
safety. Mrs. Hazel Locker, aged 26,
a woman clerk, fainted and was
trampled in the wild rush of girl
clerks from the upper floors. A
policeman found her unconscious on
the stairs and carried her out.
Postal clerks with motor trucks
rescued 150 tons of holiday mail and
railroad employes saved all passen
ger cars in the train sheds. The
Los Angeles limited of the Santa
Fe and the Dixie Flier, crack Chicago-Jacksonville
train of the Chi
cago & Eastern Illinois, were being
made up in the sheds when the fire
broke out. They were dispatched,
from the yards while firemen were
still vainly trying to cope with the
blaze.
The station was owned by the
Chicago & Western Indiana railroad
and was used by trains of that
line, and the Santa Fe, Monon, Erie,
Chesapeake & Ohio, Chicago & East
ern Illinois, Wabash and Canadian
Grand Trunk.
The interior of the old building,
erected in 1884, was a perfect ex
ample of mid-Victorian scroll saw
work.
The firemen Were hampered by
poor water pressure and the crowds
of Christmas shoppers.
The eight railroads began re
organizing their service .while the
fire was still at its height, estab
lishing offices in-the station annex,
a one-story building across the
alley.
WALLACE REID IS WORSE
Physicians Say Condition of Actor
Is "Not So Favorable."
LOS ANGELES. Cal., Dec. 21. The
condition of Wallace Reid, motion
picture a"ctor, who, his relatives said,
has been suffering from a break
down following abandonment of the
use of drugs and liquor, was "not
so favorable" tonight.
Announcement of his condition
was made In a bulletin issued by
his physicians. .
FLIER AT NATAL, BRAZIL
Lieutenant Walter Hinton Near-
ing His Destination. ,
NATAL, Brazil, Dec. 21. (By the
Associated Press.) The seaplane
Sampaio Correia II, in which Lieu
tenant Walter Hinton and his com
panions are attempting a flight from
New York to Rio Janeiro, arrived
here at 12:50 P. M. from Aracaty.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum 40 degrees;
minimum 31 degrees; cloudy.
TODAY'S Probably .rain; southerly
winds. .
Foreign.
Turk and Greek clash at Lausanna par
ley. Page 1.
Bodies of aviators reported found. Page 3.
Ex-army officers of Germany menace to
internal peace. Page 15.
National.
Borab proposes International economic
conference. Page 2.
American commission to fix -indemnity is
proposed. Page 1.
President expected to release lot of war
prisoners by Christmas. Page 4.
to drag lakes for bodies.
Page .1.
Railway station in Chicago destroyed by
fire. Page 1.
Posse pursues Denver bandit suspects.
Page 1.
State completes Herrln riot case.
Page 3.
En-nun who put off veil to wed enters
convent again. Page 17.
Grandpa who killed girl in fun suicide
at grave. Page 1.
Northwest.
Seattle expects clean morals bill from
grand jury. Page 3.
State tax levy cut $340,903. Page IT.
Shooting victim says he was attacked.
Page 7.
Pierce and Hall hold conference. Page 8.
Sports.
High school quints start January SO.
Page 16.
Football on trial for life in east. Page 18.
Corvallls all "het up" over Toledo game.
Page 17.
Commercial and Marine.
TJ. S. shipping board sued for 30 7, 000.
Page 14.
Wool prices hold up firmly despite end-of-year
dullness. Page 22.
Oregon Co-operative Wheat Growers
close pooL Page 22.
Government bond list mainly firm.
Page 28.
Mexican Petroleum stock reduced by ma
nipulators. Page 23.
Wheat quotations - hit higher leveL
Page 22. ,
Railroads announce sweeping rate cut.
Page 15.
Steamers for time held up by fog on
river resume navigation. Page 14.
Portland and Vicinity.
Woman's tale of houseboat murder is
unshaken. Page 1.
Shortest day of year is passed. Page 1
Changes in auto tees to bs proposed.
Page 13.
Use of Arbnckle films uncertain. Page 9.
Dr. McElveen preaches on Emil Cone's
theory. Page 8.
Weather report, data and forecast
Page 22,
Five Persons Now Held
in Mystery Case, j
STORY IS CORROBORATED
Knothole Mentioned by
Woman Is Found. i
REVENGE TRICK POSSIBLE
Whether Helen Leary Seeks Fan
ciful Kevenge or Is Telling j
Truth Is Big Problem.
Whether the grim narrative of
Mrs. Helen Leary. who has accused
"Captain" Cash Weir, elderly water
front character, of the murder of an
unidentified 15-year-old girl, is the)
fanciful revenge ot a woman or the
true recital of a brutal crime, was
the problem that engrossed the at
tention of Portland authorities yes
terday, and that sent them up and
down the river in quest of evidence.
This much they learned tho
police, and deputies of the district
attorney's office that near the close
of September, when Mrs. Leary de
clares the murder was committed,
habitues of tho waterfront gossiped
of a suppositious crime and joked
with Weir respecting tho "drown
ing of a girl."
Story Is Not Shaken. '
They learned, too, that Mrs. Leary,
though repeatedly examined, could
not be shaken from the direct thread
of her previous statements. She re
mained both positive and convinc
ing. Three arrests were made yester
day, when the police took into cus
tody Dorothy Robertson, an occu
pant of Mrs. Leary's houseboat; Al
Loomis) and R. E. Brown, a river
man, who were aware of the circum
stances leading to Mrs. Leary's sin
gular statement. These, the author
ities contended, knew in detail the
secret possessed by the informer
before she turned to the law and
asked for the apprehension of Weir,
Story Current Many Week.
The name of the presumed vic
tim, by river front gossip, was
either Hopkins or Hawkins, and.
though none claimed to have known
her, it was said that the story of her
cruel murder, told in jest or whis
pered as truth, was current for
many weeks before Mrs. Leary
talked overmuch of the crime and
drew to herself the inquiry of the
law.
Officers assigned to the case now
incline to the belief that, while Mrs.
Leary actually has divulged the se
cret of a crime, she has not told tho
entire truth. They believe that a
murder was committed, but that
probably the victim was slain dur
ing the progress of a drunken brawl
on board the Weir houseboat, and
that the murdered girl herself was
a member of the convivial gathering
which ended so tragically.
Tiny Knothole la Found. 1
Supporting the truth of Mr
Leary's story and advanced as aa
argument that she could not so)
carefully' contrive a narrative, was
the fact that an Investigation yes
terday of the Weir houseboat, where
the alleged crime was said to have
been committed, revealed just such
a tiny knothole as that through
which Mrs. Leary said she peered
when she saw Cash Weir mistreats
and kill the child.
Weir, in his jail cell, still main
tained that Mrs. Leary was moved
by a revengeful motive when she)
linked his name with the story ot
a crime and set It adrift along the
waterfront. Her previous infatua
tion for his son. Earl Wier, a tug
boat captain, led her, he contended,
to blacken his reputation and even
tually to cause his arrest
He denied that he had lured any
girl to his houseboat, there to mal
treat and kill her, and with the aid
of hi3 son to sink the body in tha
Willamette 'river,, weighed down by
"a ton of stones."
Voices Heard in House. '
According to the tale told by Mrs,
Leary, the murder occurred on tha
night of September 23. in Weir's
houseboat, where she had gone to
meet the son, Earl Weir. Hearing
voices within the houseboat sha
had peered through the knothole,
and had witnessed the death of tha .
resisting girl. Meantime, she de
clares, Eari Weir approached and
entered the houseboat, and with hia
father strove to revive tho victim.
Failing in this they carried the body
to a launch and thence to its burial
place in the river.
Mrs. Leary was positive yesterday
that she could, If she were to sea
the place again, point out the exact
spot where Earl Weir as they were
motoring declared that he "could
almost see where the body was
dropped in the river, with stones to
keep it down." She does not know
the name or location of this road,
overlooking the river, but police are
contemplating a waterfront tour
with the witness, hoping that they
may chance upon the locality and
that she will identify it. Should,
(.Concluded oa. tfage , Column l.j
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(Concluded on Page 4. Column 2.)
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