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About The Maupin times. (Maupin, Or.) 1914-1930 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 1922)
WORLD HAPPENINGS OF CURRENT WEEK Brief Resume Most Important Daily News Items. COMPILED FOR YOU Events of Noted People, Governments and Pacific Northwest, and Other Things Worth Knowing. John Wanamaker, internationally fa mous merchant and ex-postmaster-general, died at his home in Phila delphia Tuesday. He was 85 years old. Children ol aliens would be granted citizenship upon the naturalization of either parent under a bill introduced by Representative Cable, republican, of Ohio. Mrs. Irene Osgood, novelist and playwright, died at her home in North ampton, England, Tuesday after a month's illness. She was born In the United States and retained her Amer ican citizenship. Mason Mitchell of New York, Amer ican consul on the island of Malta, was shot and wounded Tuesday near Laracca. His assailant escaped but pursuit was taken up. Mr. Mitchell was taken to a physician for treat ment. Narcotics valued at $50,000 and the names and addresses of about 1000 persons said by the police to be sell ing agents and addicts, were seized early Tuesday by Deputy Police Com missioner Simon and a force of agents in New York. A verdict for the defendant was re turned at 6:08 Tuesday night in the suit for damages instituted by Miss Frances Blrkhead, stenographer, against Governor Lee M. Russell of Mississippi, for damages based on chargeB of seduction and other allega tions. Wage boards at the various navy yards and stations throughout the country were instructed Tuesday by the navy department to reconsider their recommendations made recently on wage scales for employes the com ing year. The recommendations are for increases. A loan of $10,000,000 from the gov ernment to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad was authorized by the interstate commerce commission. The authorization is for a loan to run until March 1, 1930, and will enable the company to meet maturing indebt edness of a like amount which the government now holds against the road. Surrounded by friends of France and his own land, Georges Clemenceau Tuesday night came to the end of his "peace mission" and took leave of the United States. He appeared in the graud ball room of the Hotel Penn sylvania, New York, before 1300 mem bers of the American committee for devastated France. Immediately after he had spoken he motored to the steamer Paris on which he departed for home. Batnbrldge Colby, secretary of state In President Wilson's cabinet, an nounced Tuesday that his law part nership with the ex-prestdent would terminate December 31 at the expira tion of their co-partnership. The an nouncement was made fnftn the local offices of Wilson & Colby. Beyond saying that the ex-president "is turn ing his energies once more to subjects which have long Invited him," Mr. Colby made no statement as to Mr. Wilson's plans for the future. In a spectacular hold-up In the main lobby of the livestock exchange build ing In Kansas City late Tuesday, three unmasked bandits obtained $96,000 and shot Thomas F. A. Henry, credit manager of the Drovers National bank. Henry is expected to recover. He was in charge of a detail of five men sent by the tank to get the money at a postofflce sub-station in the exchange building. They received the money In five packages. Joined by Jack Kelley, house detective, they started back to the bank. Federal relief for Astoria, Ore., in the shape of a $3,000,000 appropria tion for the immediate rebuilding of streets, sewers and viaducts was ask ed Tuesday in a telegram sent Presi dent Harding and the Oregon con gressional delegation by the general relief committee. Unless the city re ceives immediate government aid, it was pointed out, the city government will cease to function and bankruptcy of the people will result. That the situation is critical was the plea made in the telegram. VETERANS MAY REINSTATE Rights of Ex-Soldiers to Insurance Is Guaranteed by Congress. It will be new,s to many World war veterans to learn that the United States Veterans' Bureau has inaugur ated a reinstatement campaign for the benefit of those who, either through misunderstanding or inability to meet premium payments, have per mitted their term (war time) insur ance to lapse. Director Forbes announces that no matter how long a time has passed since the last premium was paid, an ex-service man may easily renew his term (war time) insurance contract If he is in good health, or if he is disabled provided the disability from which he is suffering is due to service and is not of a total and permanent nature. Veterans will be particularly Interested In learning that they may reinstate $1000 or any higher amount, in multiples of $500, of the amount of insurance they carried while in the service. It will also be of interest to the public to know that over 500, 000 of the men who applied for in surance during the war have contin ued their policy in force and that these ex-service mon and women are carrying insurance protection amount ing to the enormous sum of over three billion dollars ($3,000,000,000). The reinstatement requirements have been made most liberal; in fact, If an ex-soldier Is in good health it is only necessary for him to furnish medical proof of that fact, and pay two monthly premiums on the amount of term insurance to be reinstated. Physicians have been appointed tyi all of the branch offices of the bureau where ex-service men can secure the necessary medical examination with out cost. Detailed information may be obtained by writing to the U. S. Veterans' Bureau, Washington, D. C, but in the interest of accurate iden tification and promptness, the person writing should be sure to give his full name, rank and organization when in the service and if possible, his serial number. $200,000 TAKEN IN RAID ON MINT Denver, Colo. Masked bandits shortly after 10:40 o'clock Monday morning shot and killed Charles Lin ton, guard of the Denver branch of the Kansas City federal reserve bank, stole $200,000 In currency and escaped after waging a gun fight with armed guards on duty at the United States mint. Every peace officer In Colorado Is combing the highways leading from Denver In a search for the outlaws. The money was being transferred from the mint to a delivery truck of the reserve bank standing at the curb and was In 60 packages of $4000 each. All of the money was in $5 denomin ation, Police expected to be aided In their search for the escaped bandits by the fact that one, apparently the leader, was shot seriously if not mortally by a government guard on duty at the mint as the bandit turned to fire a volley at the guards as the car sped away from the scene of the holdup. An automobile carrying seven men, two wearing masks and one drooping over the edge of the machine, bleed ing profusely, was reported to police as having been seen speeding north ward out of the city Bhortly after the robbery. Denver police unhesitating ly declared the robbery the most sen sational daylight holdup ever execu ted in Colorado. All patrolmen and detectives of the local police, department were armed with riot guns and were being assisted lu the search by the county and fed eral authorities. The disregard of the bandits for human life marked the robbery, ac cording to police, as one of the must determined in police annals. With sawed off shotguns, two of the bandits bombarded the front door of the mint as t hoy leaped from the automobile. Fifty government employes summoned by an alarm bell seized shotguns and rushed to the doors or windows of the mint, shooting at the holdup men, who returned the fire and at the same time calmly proceeded to load the 50 packages of currency into their own car. Fusillades of shots ripped through buildings across the street and spat against granite walls as the guards and bandits exchanged shots. Alcohol Deaths Grow. Chicago. Deaths directly traceable to alcoholism and poisonous "hootch" have Increased more than 100 per cent in Chicago since the ratification of the Volstead act, according to figures compiled at the psychopathic hospital. Prior to the enactment of the Volstead act the number of alcoholic deaths averaged seven or eight yearly at the psychopathic hospital, but 22 have died from the effects of bad booze in the first 9 months of the present year. E 1ST II 5. Aid Opposed Unless Allies Cut Military Expenses. COURSE UNDECIDED Administration Foresees Difficulty in Helping With Prospect Op position by Congress. Washington, D. C A statement is sued Sunday night by Senator William E. Borah makes clear that the contin- gent of, Irreconcilable senators whose views Mr. Borah represents will oppose American governmental participation in the efforts to adjust the German reparations question unless the Euro pean allied nations materially change their present attitude toward Ger many. More than that Mr. Borah would have the allies put their own house in order before anything toward sav ing Europe from chaos is attempted. In fact, he holds that these things which involve reduction of land forces and other measures must be done before any basis can be established for the return of Europe to normal econo mic and political conditions. The Borah statement is further evi dence of the extreme difficulties which confront the United States govern ment in its desire to be of assistance In the current European situation. Without the support of congress, at least its moral support, the govern ment's good intentions are immeas urably embarrassed at a time when there appears to be a hope that the influence of the United States may be exerted in the interest of a Euro pean settlement. That this influence is very great is conceded by officials acquainted with the present state of allied opinion, but beyond that hint they are unwilling to suggest how that influence may be exerted. According to the official view the existing endeavor to adjust the rep arations problem on permanent basis will be seriously hampered by too much discussion and speculation in the American press. The fear is ex pressed that the hopes of statesmen and people of the countries affected will be raised to such a height by the reports of expected action from Wash ington that there is bound to be a dangerous reaction among them, no matter what the outcome of the exist ing activities. The most that appears to be pos sible to say is that at this time the government is feeling Its way with the idea that some opportunity may be presented which will give it a chance to be of real assistance to Europe. Nothing has yet appeared to justify a statement that the steps Washing ton is taking have progressed beyond the stage of informal conversations and inquiries. Food Prices Advance. Washington, D. C Both retail and wholesale food prices increased 2 per cent or more during November, ac cording to figures made public by the department of labor. Notwithstanding the increase, the department said there was a decrease of 5 per cent for the year ending November 15 in retail food prices, while wholesale food prices increased about 1 per cent during the year. . As compared with 1913 retail food prices In November were given as 46 per cent higher in Chicago and Pitts burg, 44 per cent in Dallas and San Francisco, 42 per cent ih Cincinnati,, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Mlnneap oils, 39 per cent in Omaha and Seattle, and 35 per cent in Louisville and Port land, Or. Infant Mortality Low. New York. One square mile on the lower east side, where 500,000 persons live, shows one of the lowest Infant mortality rates in the world, Dr. Royal S. Copeland, United States senator- elect, declared in an address here. In this crowded area, Dr. Copeland said among every 1000 children born 60 die in the first year of life. In con trast, he said, in the upper Fifth ave nue district 100 of every 1000 children die the first year. Ship's Passengers Safe. St. Johns, N. F. One hundred and twenty passengers of the steamer Prospero, which ran aground on Small island, near Green's pond, on the east coast of Newfoundland Saturday night, were safely landed Sunday morning. The vessel, which is owned by the Newfoundland government, was re floated later with Nos. 1 and 2 holds damaged. We Mardi Gras Mystery H. Cepyrlfht bf DOUBLEDAY, PACE AND COMPANY GRAMONT AND FELL SYNOPSIS-Durlng the height of the New Orleans carnival season Jachln Fell, wealthy though some what mysterious citizen, and Dr. Ansley, are discussing a series of robberies by an Individual known as the Midnight Masquer, who, In variably attired as an aviator, has long defied the police. Joseph Mail lard, wealthy banker, Is giving a ball that night, at which the Mas quer has threatened to appear and rob the guests. Fell and Analey, on their way to the affair, meet a girl dressed as Columbine, seeming ly known to Fell, but masked, who accompanies them to the ball. Lucie Ledanols, recently the ward of her uncle, Joseph Maillard, is the Columbine. At the ball, Bob Maillard, son of the banker, a-galn proposes to her and is refused. He offers to buy some of her property. A Franciscan monk Interests her. He turns out to be Prince Gramont. In his library Joseph Maillard and a group of his friends are surprised by the Midnight Masquer. CHAPTER III Continued. "You money trickster ! Do you think I would spare such a man as you? You draw your rents from the poor and destitute,' your mortgages cover half the parishes In the state, nnd in your heart is neither compassion nor pity for man or woman. Bah ! I could shoot you down without a qualm!" In his voice was so deadly a menace that Maillard trembled. "There Is nothing of mine in that safe," he said, his voice a low growl. "I have given it to my son to use. He is not here." i "That," said the Masquer calmly, "is exactly why I desire you to open it. Your son must make his contri bution, for I keenly regret his absence. If you are a criminal, he Is worse! You rob and steal under shelter of the law, but you have certain limita tions, certain bounds of an almost out grown honor. He has none, that son of yours. Why, he would not hesitate to turn your own tricks back upon you, to rob you, if he could! Open that safe or take the consequences; no more talk, now!" The command cracked out like a whiplash. With a shrug of helpless ness the banker turned and fumbled with the protruding knob of the sate'. With one exception all eyes were fas tened upon this amazing Masquer. The exception was Jachln Fell, who, suddenly alert and watchful, had turned his attention to Maillard and the safe, a keen speculation In his gaze as though he were wondering what that steel vault would produce. All were silent. There was some thing about this Midnight Masquer that held them Intently. Perhaps some were inclined to think him a jester, one of the party masquerading under the famous bandit's guise; if so, his last words to Maillard had re moved all such thought. Thnt Indict ment had been deadly and terrible nnd true, as they knew. Bob Maillard was not greatly admired by those among his father's friends who best knew him. Now the door of the safe swung open. The compartments appeared empty. "Take out the drawers and turn them up over the table," commanded the Masquer. Maillard obeyed. From the last drawer there fell out on the table a large envelope, sealed. The Masquer leaned forward, seized upon this en velope, and crushed It Into his pocket, "Thank you," he observed. "That is all." "D n you 1" cried Maillard, shaking a fist. "You'd try blackmail, would you?" The bandit regarded him a moment, then laughed. "If you knew what was In that en velope, my dear financier, you might not speak so hastily. If I knew what was In it, I might answer you. But I don't know. I only suspect and hope. And now, my friends au revolr!" The Masquer sprang backward Into the hall. The door slammed, the key clicked. He was gone 1 Maillard was the first to wake Into voice and action. "The other door!" he cried. "Into the dining room " He Hung open a second door and dashed into the dining room, followed by the other men. Here the windows, giving upon the garden, were open. Then Maillard came to a sudden halt, and after him the others; through the night was pulsating, with great distinctness, the throbbing roar of an airplane motor! From Maillard broke a bitter cry: "The detectives I'll get the fools here! You gentlemen search the house. That fellow enn't possibly have escaped " They hastily separated. Maillard dashed away to summon the detec tives, also to get other men to aid in the search. The result was vain. No one had been seen to enter or leave the house, and certainly there had been no air plane about. The Masquer had not appeared except In the library, and now he was most Indubitably not in the house. By all testimony, he had neither entered it nor left it I "Well, I'm d dl" said MalllarS, helplessly, to Judge Forester, ' when By BEDFORD-JONES the search was concluded. "Not a trace of the scoundrel! Here, Fell can't you help us out? Haven't you discovered a thing?" "Nothing," responded Jachln Fell, calmly. At this instant Bob Maillard rushed up. He had just learned of the Masquer's visit. In response to his excited questioning his father de scribed the scene in the library, and added: "I trust there was nothing Impor tant among those papers of yours, Robert?" "No," said the younger man, "No. Nothing valuable at all." Henry Gramont was passing, ne caught the words and paused, his gaze resting for an instnnt upon the group. A fulnt smile rested upon his rather harshly drawn features. "I just found this," lie announced, holding out a paper. "It was pinned to the outside of the library door. I presume that your late visitor left it as a memento?" Jachln Fell took the pnper, the other men crowding around him. "Ah, Maillard I The same hand writing as that of your letter!" Upon the paper was penciled a single hasty line: "My compliments to Robert Hall iard and my thanks." Bob Maillard sprang forward, an grily Inspecting the paper. When he relinquished It, Fell culmly claimed It. "Confound the rogue I" muttered the banker's son, turning away. His fea tures were pale, perhaps with anger. "There was nothing but stock certifi cates in that envelope and they can be reissued." The festivities were not broken np. News of the robbery gradually leaked out among the guests; the generally accepted verdict was that the Masquer had appeared, only to be frightened away before he could secure any loot. It was nearly two in the morning when Jachln Fell, who was leaving, encountered Henry Gramont at the head of the wide stairway. He halted and turned to the younger man. "Ah have you a pencil, If you please?" "I think so, Mr. Fell." Gramont felt beneath his Franciscan's robe, and ex tended a pencil. Jachln Fell examined it, brought a paper from beneath his domino, and "Did You Actually See the Midnight Masquer Last Night?" wrote down a word. The paper was that in which the farewell message of the Midnight Masquer had been written. "A hard lead, a very hard point in deed!" said Fell. He pocketed the paper again and regarded Gramont steadily as he returned the pencil. "Few men carry so hard a pencil, sir." "You're quite right," and Gramont smiled. "I borrowed this from Bob Maillard only a moment ago. Its hard ness surprised me." "Do you know, a most curious thing" "Yes?" prompted Gramont, his eyes Intent upon the little gray man. "That paper you brought us the paper which you found pinned to the library door," said Fell, apologetically. "Do you know, Mr. Gramont, that oddly enough there were no pin holes In that paper?" Gramont smiled faintly, as though he were inwardly amused over the re mark. t "Not at all curious," he said, his voice level. "It was pinned rather stoutly I tore off the portion bearing the message. I'll wager that you'll find the end of the paper still on the door downstairs. You might make certain that Its torn edge fits that of the paper In your pocket ; If it did not, then the fact would be curious I I am most happy to have- met you, Mr. Fell. I trust we shall meet again, often." With a smile, he extended his hand, which Mr. Fell shook cordially. Upon gaining the lower hall Fell glanced at the door of the library. There, still pinned to the wood where it had been unregarded by the pass ers-by, was a small scrap of paper. Mr. Fell glanced at it again, then shook his head and slowly turned away, as though resisting a temptation. "No," he muttered. "No. It would be sure to fit the paper in my pocket. It would be sure to fit, confound him !" A little later he left the house, striding briskly down the avenue. When he approached the first street light he came to a pause, and began softly to pat his person as though searching for something. "I told you that you'd pay for knowing too much about me, young man!" he said, softly. "Whut's this, now what's this?" A slight rustle of paper, as he walked along, had attracted his atten tion. He passed his hands over the loose, open domino that cloaked him ; he detected a scrap of paper pinned to it in the rear. He loosened the paper, and under the street light man aged to decipher the writing which It bore. A faint smile crept to his lips as ha read the penciled words: "I do not love you, Jachln Fell, The reason why, I cannot tell; But this I know, and know full well, I do not love you, Jachln Fell!" "Certainly the fellow has wit, if not originality," muttered Mr. Fell, as he carefully stowed away the paper. The writing upon It was in the hand of the Midnight Masquer. CHAPTER IV. . Callers. The house In which Lucie Lcdanols lived had been her mother's; the fur niture and other things In It had been her mother's; the two negro servants, who spoke only the Creole French pa tois, had been her mother's. It was a small house, but very beautiful inside. The exterior betrayed a lack of paint or the money with which to have painting done. The Ledanols family, although dis tantly connected with others such as the Mnillards, had sent forth its flna bud of fruition in the girl Lucie. Her mother had died while she was yet an infant, and through the years she had companioned her father, an Invalid, during the latter days. He had never been a man to count dollars or costs, and to a large extent he had outworn himself and the family fortunes In a vain search for health. With Lucie he had been In Europe at the outbreak of war, and had come home to America only to die shortly afterward. Once deprived of his fine recklessness, the girl had found her affairs in a bad tangle. Under the guardianship of Maillard the tangle had been somewhat resolved and sim plified, but even Maillard would ap pear to have made mistakes, and of late Lucie had against her will sus pected something amiss In the matter of these mistakes. It was natural, then, that she should take Jachln Fell into her confidence.' Maillard had been her guardian, but It was to Fell that she had always come with her girlish cares and troubles, during even the lifetime of her father. At precisely three o'clock of the Sunday afternoon Jachln Fell rang the doorbell and Lucie herself admit ted him. "Tell me quickly, Uncle Jnchln!" eagerly exclaimed the girl. "Did you actually see the Midnight Masquer last night? I didn't know until after ward that he had really been down stairs and had robbed " "I saw him, my dear," and the little gray man smiled. There was more warmth to his smile than usuul just now. Perhaps It was a reflection from the eager vitality which so shone In the eyes of Lucie. "I saw him, yes." A restful face was hers not beau tiful at first glance ; a little too strong for beauty, one would say. The deep gray eyes were level and quiet and wide apart, and on most occasions were quite inscrutable. They were now filled with a quick eagerness as they rested upon Jachln Fell. Lucie called him uncle, but not as she called Joseph Maillard uncle; here was no relationship, no formal affectation of relationship, but a purely abiding trust and friendship. Jachln Fell had done more for Lucie than she herself knew or would know ; without her knowledge he had quietly taken care of her finances to an ap preciable extent. Between them lay an affection that was very real. Lucie, better than most, knew the extraordi nary capabilities of this little gray man; yet not even Lucie guessed a tenth of the character that lay be neath his surface. To her he was never reserved or secretive. Nonethe less, she touched sometimes an im penetrable wall that seemed ever present within hlnn "When t have finished with the Masquer I shall take up hie trail." tTO BE CONTINUED.) Silver Tongues. Rev. Ernest F. Tittle of Evanston, HI., says it's great to be a distinguished orator, but that it is greater to tell the truth! -