Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, September 13, 1922, Image 1

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    N. STATE UBAS
SEP i 8 It.::
r . t. i
There is no substitute (or
CIRCULATION
Daily average (or August, (033.
Member Audit Bureau of Circulation.
Member Associated Press Pull leased
wire service.
V . Hill
TIIE WEATHER
OREGON: - Tonight (air; Thursday
(air and cooler. Light westerly winds.
Local: Rainfall, none; max. 9 1 ; mi a.
61; clear; north winds; river -2.0 ft.
FORTY-FOURTH YEAR NO. 218.
SALEM, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1922.
PRICE TWO CENTS
ON TRAINS AN1 NKWS
STANDS FIVE CBNTS
J u
sese
nr1 r
8668
86
Railroad Shopmen 's Strike
i 8686 8686
- 8KB
uMis
u
u
n
0
1
ERER
COMMITS SUICIDE BY
HANGING SELF I N CELL
eporwt
;ntist Ties Arms, Legs and Ankles as for Res'
Execution Last Seen Alive at 10:30 Wb
Given Peaches bv Guard Found Dead at
; When Dinner Was Brought to Him.
,S
45
s Dr. Richard M. Brumfield, once a member of ? ourg's
ost fashionable society, who waa on July 13, 1921, convicted
;; the murder of Dennis Russell, Roseburg hermit, today
ade good hia boast to cheat the hangman's noose of the
ate of Oregon. Brumfield, maintaining his innocence to
je last, was found at 12 :45 o'clock this noon, suspended from
heating pipe in his death cell at the Oregon penitentiary,
pm which he had hanged himself with strips from a bed
leet. -
I Brumfield committed his crime on January 13, was sen
Siced to die on July 13, and took his own life on Septem
er 13. Originally he was to have died on the scaffold
anuary 13 but his case was appealed to the supreme court.
ecently the higher court handed down an opinion sustaining
e lower court and Urumtield waa soon to have been returned
j Roseburg to be re-sentenced, after which it would have
sen possible to have hanged him within a month.
fl am innocent of the crime of murder. Because I could not
ill what happened that night they thought I was a liar,'
rumfield said in a letter which he addressed to Warden
'3Wis. The communication was touna on his small table in
e cell. The only other note was addressed to Mrs. Brum
ild who is. now in Portland. .
I In taking his own life Brumfield first tied his hands to
$ legs in the manner of prison officials so that, when the
bse tightened about his throat he would be unable to
en it.
Brumfield wa3 last seen alive by Chappel Warden Chester
erson who brought all the prisoners m the death row
ches at 10:30 o'clock. Brumfield took three. He was
ai lying on his cot.
At 12:45, when his body waa discovered, his bed was found
)e stuffed with his blankets in such a manner that a guard,
ising his cell, would yet imagine him on the cot.
Prison officials said that, although Brumfield had com-
unea oi nervousness recently, he had given no indication
at he might try to take his own life. A very close watch
$ been kept on him, they declared.
At no time during his incarceration did his iron nerve ap
iir to fail him, Warden Lewi3 said. During his jail term at
Jeburg Brumfield once tried to end his life by slashing his
Ists, but since his arrival at the Oregon prison he made no
ve toward suicide.
(Mtimony at the Brumfield trial indicated that Brumfield murdered
sf hermit Russell in order to collect his own life insurance. The
fcecutton claimed that, on the night of uJIy 13 Brumfield drove to
i home of the hermit and, with promises of employing Russell, pre
fed on the hermit to accompany him in his machine. 'Later, at a
ly spot, he was supposed to have given Russell drugged liquor and
to have shot him. Then, taking the body to a point nearer the
Smfield home, he sent the automobile over a grade.
Government Playing
Into Hands ot Profiteers
Declares Henry Fori
Detroit, Mich., Sept. IS,
Charges that . the Interstate
commerce commission, through
its control of empty coal cars
"Is playing into the' hands of
coal profiteers under guise of
regulations (or the public
good" were made here in a
statement issued by Henry Ford
(rom his offices in- Dearborn, a
suburb.
E N FAVOR
fl am Innocent" Declares
3rumfield In Last Letter
Of SCHOOL BILL
Portland, Or., Sept. 13.--"I am
In favor of and shall vote for the
compulsory school bill sponsored
by the Scottish Rite Masonic bod
ies of Oregon," states Walter M.
Pierce, democratic nominee (or
governor In a statement given to
the press last night by Fred Glf-
ford, "exalted cyclops" of the Ku
Iglux Klan, upon the authoriza
tion of Mr. Pierce. The statement
in reply to a Questionnaire giv
en to Mr. Pierce to will out by the
"Federation of Patriotic Societies"
which is dominated by the Klan.
Mr. Pierce's statement is dated
at La Grande, September 3, where
he was interviewed by two repre
sentatives of the secret societies,
sent to sound him out with a view
to endorsing his candidacy. When
Mr. Pierce's reply was read to the
steering committee of the socle'
ties, it was voted not radical
enough and Mr. Hall's candidacy
was determined upon to save the
school bill (rom defeat with the
understanding that if the latter is
barred from tbe ballot, support of
the affiliated organizations will be
concentrated upon Pierce.
Mr. Pierce's statement In full Is
as .follows:
Wealth does not increase 6 per
cent annually. The average in
crease through a number of years
is, perhaps 3 per cent. Rapidly
the tax line is approaching in
crease in wealth. On the average,
taxes take more than one-half of
the economic rent. This means
that the owners of real property
are soon going to hold only tbe
empty husk, the kernel having
been taken through the forms of
taxation.
In the (ace of such (acts there
is but one question today in Ore-
20,000 1H.
OF VIOLENCE
BY STRIKERS
Government Presents Af
fidavits to Show Plot by
Chain of Nation-Wide
Outbreaks.
(Continued on Page Five.)
Chicago, Sept. 13. (By Associ
ated Press.) Efforts of the attor
neys for the striking shop crafts
leaders to forestall the reading o(
additional hundreds of the 20,000
affidavits of violence produced by
the governmeqt in support of its
injunction bill (ailed again today.
The government rejected all
overtures for speeding up the case
by eliminating or classifying the
affidavits- and Judge James H.
Wilkerson sustained the prosecu
tion's right to the broadest lati
tude in its effort to show by a
chain of nation-wide outbreaks
what it claims is a concerted con
spiracy to destroy Interstate traf-
flc by intimidation of railway em
ployes.
Expires September 22.
The court tookoccasion, how
ever to warn the attorneys (or the
government that the temporary
restraining order now in force
will expire September 22 and can
not be extended, even If the pres
ent hearing on an Injunction to
replace is not completed.
- Blackburn Esterline, assistant
solicitor-general, assured the court
the government could complete Its
case before the time limit expired
and said he hoped to finish the
reading of the affidavits by Fri
day night or Saturday noon.
Donald R. RIchberg, attorney
for.B. M. Jewell and John Scott,
president and secretary-treasurer,
respectively of the shop crafts or
ganizations, made several at
tempts this morning to check the
continued story ot assault and in
timidation Of men who replaced
the strikers.
'If It is the purpose of tbe affi
davits being presented by the at
torney general merely to convince
the court that there have been acts
of lawlessness and violence accom
panying the present strike, the pre
sentatlon ot further affidavits is
entirely unnecessary," he told the
court.
DYE TRUST
WINS BATTLE
UN EMBARGO
Opponents Lose First
Phase to Have Provis
ion Stricken Out of
Tariff Bill.
Washington, Sept. 13. Oppo
nents of a dye embargo lost today
in the house in the first phase ot
their fight to have that provision
stricken out of the tariff bill.
Speaker Gillette overruled a
point; of order by Representative
Fish, republican, New York, that
the Conferees exceeded their au
thority in writing the embargo
back into tbeoblll after both house
and senate had voted it out. An
appeal was taken (rom that, but
by a vote o( 150 to 147 the ap
peal was laid on the table.
Washington, Sept. 13. Action
of the republican conferees of
writing back Into the tariff bill a
dye embargo provision was de
nounced today in the house by
Representative Fish, republican.
New York, as the "worst example
o( th workings of invisible gov
ernment" he has ever seen.
Mr. Fish's statement was greet
ed with . vigorous applause (rom
both tbe republican and democra
tic sides and it was with difficulty
that Representative Longworth,
republican, Ohio, one of the tariff
conferees, was able to break with
a point of order, which was sustained.
Representative Fish made the
point of order that the conferees
had exceeded their authority in
writing into the bill a provision
whlch both the house and' senate
had rejected by direct votes.
Severe Beating and
Tar and Feathers for
v Talking Against Klan
Cushing, Okla., Sept. 13.
Walter Matthews, attorney, who
was defeated ' Jn the recent
primary in his race for nom
ination as state representative,
was seized last night by thirty
masked men and given a coat of
tar and feathers after a severe
lashing. His assailants, Mat
thews told the police, advised
him "not to talk any more
against the Ku Klux Klan.'
MIRY LOSES
I
PRINTERS HEAR
COORTS GRILLED
Brumfield's Farewell .
Letter to His Wife
i
"Dear Mr. Lewis:
'Hinder - the circumstances
Is not worth living and Dr.
th's statement that my neuri-
might last several weeks
ached the matter (or me.
'I am Innocent of the crime of
der. Because I could tell noth
f of what happened that night
V thought I waa a liar.
"Several Important points were
flooked by the jury. Several
fe witnesses testified to see
the driver of the car wearing
jtraw Panama hat. I possessed
one such hat and it was found
my office in the Perkins build
t It would have been impossl-
'ur me to return it there.
i r'o doctors testified' that the
"hots In Russell's back were
after death that there was
hemorrhage Inside the body
a mem. The only persons who
J shoot into a dead body
wii be an insane man or one
' naa killed the victim and saw
nnce to lay it one to someone
if ,(Last BItnce underlined.)
11 I were substituting another
' body for my owb would I
; J his clothes on him and all
' of marts of identflcaUon?
"ng on Russell's finger was
' r "mes but which I
in my pocket most of the
OC.US H al.y, ni,de a
blood blister on my finger when
I worked on the ranch. Also
mixed my amalgam filling in the
palm of my hand and the mercury
would get on my ring. The suit
of clothes I usually wore and car
ried the ring in was found at the
scene of the wreck, partly burned
according to prosecution's testi
mony. Who knows when Ru&eell
got into the car? Perhaps he stole
the ring (rom that gray suit of
mine. A letter was found in his
pocket (this was brought out at
the trial) from a woman asking
blm to leave her alone that she
was married and did not want him
to break up her home. A man
who-will break up homes is capa
ble ot anything almost.
"The letter from Canada why
might they not have been dictated
by someone else? I'd have been as
likely to write them as to give a
man enough money to go home to
Oregon wouldn't I. Some fellow
from La Grande said I loaned hm
money in Canada to get home on.
"What became of the man whom
I can faintly remember as accom
panying me at Portland, beauie.
Blaine, etc.? What was nis in
terest In me? This has all been
very bewildering to me.
"You men have treated me ime-
ly here. You are real men. l nope
have cot been too mucn irouoie.
"R. M. BRUM FIELD."
Wednesday, 9-14-1922
My Tiddie Girl:
I hope you are not terribly
shocked by my determination to
go on over. When Dr. Smith told
me that my neuritis might last
several weeks I found It easy to
make up my mind. I have suffer
ed a great deal these last days.
There is no chance of me ever
having you again anyway, and
life is worthless without you. You
have been a wonderful wife and
I have tried to be a good husband.
There has never been any other
woman in my life you have fill
ed It completely. I have learned
what it Is to worship a good wo- I
man. Yott have been an angel to
s.
You know what I want you to
do soon. Be a happy girl. 1 am
glad you are too intelligent to
rrieve over me. I do not need to
ask you to take good care of the
boys you are a fine mother.
Keep young play, sing, swim
ming is the best exercise on earthj
to nreserve your youth and beau
ty. Spend your winters where the
boys can get the rxxn tcaam
vantages gypsy during i vaca
tions. Do not tie yourself down to
a home or a business until you are
sure you are quite done roving.
You have a happier life ahead of
you than I've given you.
My life waa given me to live in
my own way why eannot I de
stroy it if I wish? II there's a God
and a Heaven I have been prepar
ing for them all my life by the
way I have lived and treated my
fellow mam A just God Would not
keep me out of Heaven because I
had suicided when life became In
tolerable.
Give Rosina and the other sis
ters and the brothers my love,
also June.
You and I were so happy thru
all our trials and joys. No shad
ows came over my life with you
until my mental trouble began.
That I tried to hide from you, to
our destruction.
Of course you know I'm inno
cent of Russell's death. Every im
pulse of my life, every intent wu
just opposite to that to hurt any
body. I'm so thankful you and the
boys believed in me and continued
to love me.
I wish I might hold you in
my arms for a while this morning.
I love you deeply, tenderly, truly.
God bless you. I'll wait (or you.
Your Melvln.
Atlantic City, N. J., Sept. 13.
The United States courts have
filched many of the rights of the
American Federation of Labor,
given them by legislative enact
ment, '' declared Frank Morrison,
secretary ot the federation, at to
day 's session of the International
Typographical Union.
"We approve of government by
law, but oppose government by in
junction. Big money interests
alarmed the public. They say the
public has the rights. Yes, they
have, but when that public will
not stand (or men and women not
having coal and food, and em
ployment generally, then those
rights are Infringed upon."
Washington, Sept. 13 The con
ference report on tbe soldiers
bonus bill was presented in the
house today by Chairman Fordney
of the house managers. It is the
plan of the leaders to call it up
tomorrow with the hope of final
action then.
Carrying substantially the pro
visions of the McCumber bill rela
tlve to the cash and certificate
bonus, the conference agreement
eliminated the Simmons amend
ment providing (or use of Interest
ot the allied war debt to meet
these payments. The conferees
eliminated also the McNary pro
posal for a $350,000,000 land re
clamation scheme. Two of the
conferees, Senator Smoot, republi
can of Utah, and Representative
Garner, democrat of Texas, refused
to sign the conference report, due
to their opposition to any form of
bonus bill. Only a few minor
changes were made In other sec
tions of the bill as approved by the
senate.
Decision to eliminate the Mc
Nary amendment, which com
manded strong support from West
ern senators, was said to have been
reached after the majority leaders
were advised Its Inclusion rendered
the legislation more objectionable
than ever to President Harding.
Vigorous protests from treasury
department officials were held
responsible for the decision to
scrap the Simmons proposal to
meet the cash payments through
interest collections on torelgn obli
gations.
trtialiy Settled
SECRETARY LABOR DAVIS
ANKOUNCESSETTLEMEHTOF
RAIL SHOPMEN'S STRIKE
400;000 Craftsmen to Return to Work on 52 Roads
is Announcement Made at Washington Jewell
Also Settlement of Questions by Policy Commit
tee of Unions Full Statement to be Issued
Washington, Sept. 13. (By Associated Press)Secretary
of Labor Davis shortly before three o'clock this afternoon
gave out a formal statement in which he said "that with the
settlement of the strike of 400,000 shop craftsmen the whola
industrial machinery of the country is ready for a forward
movement unprecedented in our economic history."
"American industry," said the labor secretary, "has over
come the last obstacle in the way of the greatest economic
revival the nation has ever known."
Mr, Davis added that he was informed that the settlement
would affect between 65,000 and 85,000 miles of track and
gave out a formal statement in which he Baid that "with the
settlement of the strike of 400,000 railway shop craftsmen
assured, the whole industrial machinery of the country 'is
ready for a forward movement unprecedented in our economic
history'."
Other labor department officials said they understood
that a total of 52 roads would be affected by the settlement.
Officials at the labor department i
said it -was probable that ten or
twelve additional roads would ad
just their differences and resume
normal conditions. Roads which
have signed the agreement to re
sume normal relationships witn
the union, it was predicted would
be able to utilize tbe services ot
practically all the workers who
went out when a general strike
was called.
MILWAUKEE AFFECTED
BY STRIKE SETTLEMENT
Chicago, Sept. 13. R. M. Cal
kins, vice president of the Chica
go, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway,
today authorized the statement
that tbe road was effected by the
plan of settlement of tbe shop
mens strike which Secretary
Davis announced at Washington
he had learned was assured.
Story of Brumfield's
Crime and Conviction
COURT TERM IS ON
The next session ot the Marion
county circuit court will begin
September 18, it was announced
today.
On September IS and 1 next
Friday and Saturday Judge
Percy Kelly will bear motions and
demurrers and will subsequently
set the dates for the various cases.
Dr. Richard M. Brumfield was
convicted October 19, 1921, of
murder In the first degree by a
Jury of farmers of Douglas coun
ty. The complaint charged that
the doctor killed Dennis Russell, a
sheepherder and laborer, near
Roseburg, Oregon, and at the trial
tbe state Introduced sixty witness
es and the defense about two
score. The trial lasted two weeks.
The state's case was an accumu
lation of evidence of a circumstan
tial nature, indicating that a body
found July 13, 1921, nder the
wrecked automobile of Dr. Brum
field, at tbe foot of a cliff on the
MeiroHe road, near Roseburg, was
that 'of Russell, who lived alone in
a cabin at Dillard. The state also
Introduced evidence Intended to
prove that Dr. Brumfield bad
been seen, before the discovery of
the wreck, driving rapidly along
he highway with something like
a body protruding from the ma-
j
chine. Two shots were heard and
on the next day a pool ot blood
was found at a spot near where
Russell's bat was discovered.
Story of Crime.
Tbe state Introduced evidence
to the effect that the accused den
tist had been borrowing money
and that he carried $16,000 life
Insurance. The motive ebarged
for tbe crime was Dr. Brumfield's
alleged desire to extricate himself
from a financial tangle and to
make the Insurance money avail
able tor his family. He was
shown to have made inquiries re
garding steamer accommodations
to Australia and was said to bave
told a chambermaid at Lake
Louise, Alberta, at a hotel where
he stopped on his flight, that he
planned to leave for Australia
about September 10.
Dr. Brumfield . was arrested
(Continued on page five)
Chicago, Sept. 13. (By Asso
ciated Press.) A decision on part
of the questions discussed in
secret sessions of the general pol
Icy committee of tbe striking rail
road shop crafts was reached to
day, B. M. Jewell, head of the rail
way employes department ot tbe
American Federation of Labor, an
nounced when the committee ad
journed a long session at 12:45
this afternoon for lunch. He
promised a full statement by six
o'clock this evening.
Mr. Jewell declined to say
whether the questions already do
elded bad to do with the strike.
He said that it bad in part and
the remainder ot the proposals be
fore the committee would be dis
cussed at the afternoon session.
"The only thing ws can say at
this time," said Mr. Jewsll, "is
that we bave prepared an outline
of a statement covering the action
taken and will release a statement
covering this at six o'clock this
evening."
Chicago, Sept. 13. (By Assoc!
ated Press.) Proposal for settle
ment or partial settlement of the
railway shopmen's strike were
technically accepted by the policy
committee providing the railroads
meet certain conditions. It waa
learned today from the head of one
of tbe striking unions.
TOWNSEND WINS
iJ
Detroit, Mich., Sept. 13. Sena
tor Charles K. Townsend has been
renominated by the electors of
Michigan.
Early returns, including almost
one-balf of tbe county of Wayne
showed him increasing bis plural
ity over Herbert F. linker, near
est opponent.
With 1909 precincts out of 2866
precincts In tbe state heard from
bs bad assumed a lead ot 22,205
over Baker. The vote for these
precincts was: Townsond 103,84 4;
Baker 81,637; Congressman Kel-
ey 46.899; Major John O. Emery
38.005.
FEDERATION TO
ENTER POLITICS
Atlantic City N. J., Sept. 13.
With the arrival of James O'Con
nell, chairman of the American
political committee, the executive
Federation of Labor's non-partisan
council of tbe federation prepared
to devise a program of political
activity, with which It purposes to
enter local, state and national
senators and representatives, who.
they declare, are opposed to the
alms and ideals of the American
Federation of Labor.
That the federation will at
tempt an affiliation with the
former vote, to become an im
portant factor in the presidential
campaign of 1924 is a foregone
conclusion among the labor chiefs
here.
OREGON
Portland, Or., Sept. 13. Ap
pointment ot Bishop Frederick W.
Keator ot Olympla, Wash., to Suc
ceed Bishop R. L. Paddock, wboea
resignation was accepted yester
day afternoon after a long secret
session, waa announced this morn-
ng by the Rev. Daniel S. Tuttle.
presiding bishop ot the Episcopal
church.
Bishop Keator was a member ot'
the special committee which voted
to accept the resignation of Bish
op Paddock.
A visit to the eastern Oregon
country convinces one of its vast
possibilities-and the need to hold
M a separate diocesa rather
than linking It up with contigu
ous territory," said the presiding
bishop in making the appointment.
Chile (Uid Peru Sign-Up
Lima, Peru, Sept, 13. (By As
sociated Press) The protocol and
complimentary act signed at the
Washington conference between
the representatives of Chile and
Peru was ratified last night by
the Peruvian congress.
A civet cat a member of the
akunk family- was killed by a
pedestrian on State street between
Iberty and Commercial last
iaht about S o'clock. The est
appeared from u alley and ap
peared to t quite tame.