WHIGS
OF
Brief Resume Most Important
- Daily News Items.
COMPILED FOR YOU
Events of Noted People, Governments
and Pacific Northwest, and Other
Things Worth Knowing.
The lower house ot the Michigan
legislature Tuesday voted down a capi
tal punishment bill. The vote was
close, the measure losing 51 to 46.
A slight earthquake was felt In El
Paso, Texas, at 10:05 o'clock Tuesday
night. Buildings were slightly shaken
and windows rattled, but no damage
was reported. '
Egyptian vases and sculptured fig
ures dating from a period 3000 years
before Tutankhamen have been pur
chased by the Joint board of the Mon
treal theological colleges, It was an
nounced Tuesday. , ,;'
Andrew J. Volstead, retiring chair
man of the house judiciary committee,
Monday met with his colleagues for
the , last time around the table on
which the prohibition enforcement act
was drafted. He received a gold watch
as a token of esteem. ' f
Burglars who used the hoisting
crane of the establishment carried off
the safe of the Grandma Cookie com
pany In Ban Francisco Monday night,
took It to a vacant lot, broke it open
and appropriated the $350 it contained.
The safe was found In the lot.
A Reuter dispatch from Constantly
ople quotes the Turkish News Agency
with reporting a revolt in the neigh'
borhood of Aleppo, northern Syria,
against "French oppression." The dis
patch says five French soldiers were
killed in an encounter with rebels,
The alien population of the United
States Increased 24,541 during Janu
ary, t Labor department figures show
that 28,773 Immigrant aliens were Ad
mitted during the month and that 4232
loft the country. Aliens denied ad
mission numbered 1569 and 284 were
doported.' ' : '
Ten thousand gallons of fine wines
whiskies, champagnes and other liq
uors, seized at Keefe's hotel in Boston
in the south end a year ago, were re
turned Tuesday to the owners by the
federal court. ' It was the largest lot
taken by prohibition enforcement of
ficials in New England.
The Turkish national assembly at
Angora has rejected the Lausanne
treaty, according to a Constantinople
dispatch. An official telegram from
Angora, it was announced, stated that
the assembly gave its decision Tues
day afornoon that the draft treaty of
Lausanne was unacceptable, as It was
contrary to the national pact.
Twenty-three ot 35 mall clerks ar
rested last fall In connection with
mall thefts at the Union Paciflo trans
fer mall terminal In Council Bluffs
la,, Tuesday were fined $1000 and
costs each by Federal Judge Wade,
who remitted halt ot the tine ot each
man and gave each of them Six months
for the payment ot the balance.
The competition ot the open seas
has driven so many privately owned
American ships into the coastal trade
that the shipping board's bureau ot
research Monday characterized the In
creased coastal movement ot cargoes
as "the most marked development In
the employment ot ships under the
United States flag during the past
year."
The biennial programme ot Wash
ington state highway construction and
maintenance, Including an appropria
tion ot $10,314,24$ out ot tho motor
vehicle fund for the two years' work
and apportioning that amount over
the state highway system, which was
passed by the senate Tuesday, was
adopted by the house with only a
minor amendment.
In order that every ex-service per
son of Washington, Oregon and Idaho,
believing that he or she has a just
claim for government compensation
because ot war disabilities, may take
advantage of the United States veter
ans' bureau service, American Lesion
posts, disabled veterans' organisations,
Veterans of Foreign Wars and all wel
fare organlxatlons are urged to notify
the Seattle district office ot the bureau
when such cases come to their attention.
111
ARM LOANS TO BEGIN SOON
Machinery Being Erected to Finance
. Early Spring Planting.
Washington, D. C The federal farm
loan board, at the conclusion Saturday
of a three-day conference with the fed
eral land bank presidents, gave assur
ance that farmers of the country would
have the benefit ot the government's
financial aid, authorized in the recent
ly enacted rural credits legislation, by
the time the spring planting begins.
While it appeared that not all of the
new credit machinery would be In op
eration at the time indicated, it was
declared that the government-financed
intermediate credit banks would be
ready to receive applications for and
to make loans in about two weeks.
The land bank heads, together with
the loan board, Bpent part of the day
discussing with members of congress
ways and means of getting all federal
agencies having to do with farm cred
its into closer co-operation. The bank
officials also called on Secretary Wal
lace and plan to see Secretary Mellon
and the war finance corporation direct
ors early next week.
It was indicated that an early an
nouncement might be made by the
farm loan board regarding the meth
ods it will employ In extending to the
farmers the aid contemplated in the
new laws. It Was said some "rough
places" might have to be smoothed out
by new legislation.
Commlsslner Lobdell of the farm
loan board said the board and the
land banks, which are charged directly
with the administration of the new
Intermediate credit banks, were bend
ing every effort to put the necessary
machinery Into operation.
47 LIVES IS TOLL
IN FIERCE STORM
Chicago. A harvest of 36 deaths
was reaped Dy tne unpreceaentea
March storm which swept the country
Sunday night and early Monday, par
alyzing wire communication, stalling
transportation systems, ' wrecking
buildings and causing a property dam
age running far Into the millions. Two
of the futalitles were In Chicago.
Although the south was the worst
sufferer, the blizzard spread Itself over
the whole territory lying between the
Rocky mountains on the west and the
Appalachian range on the east. Some
sections were pelted with a driving
sleet, while others were subjected to a
torrential deluge of rain, whipped by a
gale reaching a velocity as high as 80
miles an hour.
Rail Earnings Increase.
Washington, D. C Railroad earn
ings during January were more than
twice those in January, 1922, accord
ing to tabulations ot Interstate com
merce commission reports made pub
lic last week by the association pf rail
way executives. They amounted to
$60,654,700 against $29,486,000 last
year and represented, the association's
statement said, an Income of 5.54 per
cunt annually on the value of property
Investment in transportation service.
These returns Include practically all
the class 1 carriers owning 90 per
cent of all the country's rail mileage
The earnings resulted from a record-
breaking Increase of business given
the roads during the month.
In addition to operating expenses,
taxes, rentals and other charges not
shown in the executives' expenses are
subtracted from the total revenues be
fore the net income Is estimated.
Thieves Wear Uniforms.
Seattle. Two men dressed as sail
ors early Sunday night robbed a cigar
Btore In the heart ot the main business
district of more than $1000. One of
the men covered the clerk with a pistol
while the other jumped over the coun
ter, opened the door of the safe, which
was unlocked, and scooped out the
currency which he stuffed into the
pocket ot his Jacket. The two men
walked quietly out ot the store and
were lost In the crowd.
Torch Starts Big Firs.
rittsburg. A spark from a torch
Hed hy n structural worker Monday
canned a fire which, fanned by a 52
miles an hour gale, swept through the
plant ot the Federal Encmcling &
Stamping company at McKeca Rocks,
a suburb. Many small homes adjacent
to the scene were destroyed. Loss was
estimated at $250,000.
"Flu" Rages In Japan.
Tokla Influents, Is again claiming
a large number ot victims In Japan,
Since January 1 tho number ot deaths
from this disease has exceeded 7500
In Toklo alone, according to official
reports, and the number of new cases
Is increasing daily.
Toklo. More than 120 persons were
murdered In Toklo during the six
weeks ending February 14. This Is
record. In most ot the cases there
were several Tlctlms, who were mur
dered by robbers or lunatics.
2 FRENCH SUM
IN GERMAN CITY
Feeling Is Running' High in
Recklinghausen.
BURGOMASTER, HELD
100,000,000 Marks Penalty to Be Im
posed on Town by Invading
Army Police Arrested.
Recklinghausen. Two Frenchmen,
one an officer and the other a civilian
railroad man, were slain Saturday
night in the streets of the mining town
of Buer, near Recklinghausen.
Each body when found had five
bullet wounds In it. One of the vic
tims was Lieutenant-Colonel Tim of
the chasseurs and the other M. Joly,
chief of the Buerre station.
Unrest and discontent among the
population of the Recklinghausen dis
trict have been smouldering for sev
eral days. Feeling was running
high on both sides. The slaying ot the
Frenchmen is considered the most
serious affair since the occupation of
the region began.
General Laingelot, commanding the
district, ordered the arrest of the bur
gomaster of Buer, the assistant burgo
master, the chief of police and two
other town officials. All of them are
being held by the French as hostages.
The French authorities asserted
that a penalty of at least 100,000,-
000 marks would be Imposed upon the
town of Buer and public places. No
trace has been found of the slayers of
the two Frenchmen.
Indications of renewed active resist
ance among German individuals were
reported by the French intelligence
officers during the last week. Several
German secret organizations with
headquarters here are said to have
been formed to oppose the French in
every way possible.
The mines In the Recklinghausen
district, three of which are state
mines, continue in operation, but with
the production greatly reduced. The
French say that a limtled number of
miners go down the shaft daily, but
work only three hours, spending the
remainder of their time playing cards
or in other amusements, notwithstand
ing they are receiving full pay. The
sending of the men to the mines is
said to have been adopted in order to
keep them off the streets.
Several persons have been arrested
in Bochum In connection with (he
discovery of a box ot hand grenades
In the German prison.
Rics Poisons 250 In Chinese School.
Shanghai. A report received here
from Ilangchow, capital of the prov
ince of Choking, said 200 students and
50 teachers were poisoned, 11 students
and two servants having died, as a
result of eating supper at the first
normal school Saturday, on the first
day ot tho new term. Scores are re
ported to be desperately ill, many
thought to be dying. It Is believed
poisoned rice was served at the sup
per. All available physicians are at
work trying to save as many victims
as possible. No motive for the re
ported poisoning has been discovered.
Six Die In Storms at Sea.
Halifax, N. S. The Gloucester fish
ing schooner Elizabeth Howard limped
into this port Sunday with 19 ot the
crew of the lost Nova Scotia fishing
schooner Helen M. Coolen sate on
board, but with news ot the loss ot
bIx lives during the terrific storms ot
Inst week. The Ellznbcth Howard re
ported that the Helen M. Coolen foun
dered on the banks. In the same
storms a huge sea struck the Howard,
carrying oft four men.
Pirates Loot 8chooner.
Halifax, N. S. rirates held up and
robbed the British schooner Eddie
James ot 600 cases of whisky and
$6000 In cash and also carried oft the
supercargo ot the schooner when the
was at anchor off New York on March
2. Captain Mosher ot the James re
ported the robbery when the schooner
arrived here Sunday.
Spanish Ltader Slain.1
Barcelona. Salvador Segur, leader
of the syndicalist party and known as
"Noy del Sucre" was shot and killed
In the street Saturday night by a band
ot unidentified assassins. The shoot
ing caused a panic and shopkeepers
fled In the belief that the syndicalists
had once more started a revolution.
-KT
Copyright by
CHAPTER XI
16
The Gangsters.
Gramont left the covert and walked
forward.
He was thinking about that odd
mention of Jachln Fell had Cha
cherre lied in saying he had come here
on his master's business? Perhaps.
The man bad come In Fell's car, and
would not hesitate to lie about using
the car. For the moment Gramont
put away the circumstance, but did not
forget It.
He walked openly toward the Gum
berts buildings, thinking that he would
have time for a good look around the
place before dusk fell ; be would then
get oft for Houma and attend to Ham
mond's defense.
As for the place before him, he was
convinced that It was abandoned. Had
any one, other than Chacherre and
his two friends, been about the build
ings, the late excitement would have
brought out the fact. No one had ap
peared and the buildings seemed va
cant. Gramont's Intent was simple and
straightforward. In case he found, as
he expected to find, any evidence of il
legal occupation afiout the place as
the sheriff seemed to have discovered
to his cost he would lay Chacherre
and the other two men by the heels
that night In Houma. He would then
go on to New Orleans and have Gum
berts arrested, although he had no ex
pectation that the master crook could
be held on the murder-accessory
charge. If this place were used for
the lotteries, even, he was fairly cer
tain that Memphis Izzy would have his
own tracks covered. The men higher
up always did. '
He walked straight In upon the
barn. It loomed before hira, closed,
lurid In the level rays of the wester
ing sun. The doors in front had b'een
only loosely swung together and Gra
mont found them unlocked. He stood
In the opening, and surprise gripped
him. He was- held motionless, gazing
with astonished wonder at the sight
confronting him.
Directly before him was a small
roadster, one which he remembered to
have seen Jachln Fell using; in this
car, doubtless, Ben Chacherre had
driven from the city. He recalled the
fact later, with poignant regret for a
lost opportunity. But, at the present
moment, he was lost In amazement at
the great number of other cars pre
senting themselves to his view.
They were lined up as deep ns the
barn would hold them, crammed into
every available foot of space; well
over a dozen cars, he reckoned swiftly.
What was more, all were cars of the
highest class, with the exception of
Fell's roadster. Directly before him
were two which he was well aware
must have cost close upon ten thou
sand each. What did this mean? Cer
tainly no one man or one group of men,
In this back-country spot, could expect
to use such an accumulation of ex
pensive cars I
Gramont glanced around, but found
no trace of machinery In the barn.
Remembering the motor that he had
heard, he turned from the doorway
In frdwnlng perplexity. He strode on
toward the long shed which stood
closer to, the house. At the end of
this shed was a door, and when he
tried It, Gramont found It unlocked. It
wnng open to bis hand, and be
stepped Inside.
At first he paused, confused by the
vague objects around, for It was quite
dark In here. A moment, and his eyes
grew accustomed to the gloomier light
ing. Details came to him : all around
were cars and fragments of cars,
chassis and bodies In all stngea of
dismemberment. Still more curat
He slowly advanced to a long bench
thnt ran the length ot the simp be
neath the windows. A simp. Indeed
a shop, he quickly perceived, fitted
with every tool and machine necessary
to the most complete automobile re
pair establishment I Even an air
brush outfit, at one end, together wltb
a drying compartment, spoke of re
paint jobs.
Comprehension was slowly dawning
upon the mind ot Gramont ; a moment
later It became certnlnty. when he
came to a stop before an automobile
engine lying on the bench. He found
It to bs the engine from a Stutx the
latest multi-valve type adopted by thnt
make of car, and this particular bit of
machinery looked like new.
Gramont inspected It, and he saw
that the men bad done their work
well. The original engine number had
been carefully dug out, and the place
as carefully Blled and leveled with
metal. Beside It a new number bad
been stamped. A glance at the elec
trical equipment around showed that
these workers bad every appliance
with which to turn out the most fin
ished Jobs.
A ht straightened up from the to-
IXsJ. i
'mm
at p viM'a ,a
Ike
A TfcTfcT TIT. A C
MYSTERY
KBedford'Jones
Illustrations by
Irwin Mijers
Doubledau,.Pag rA Company
glne Gramont's eyes felj upon a typed
sheet of paper affixed to the wall
above the bench. - His gaze widened
as he inspected It by the falling light.
Upon that paper was a list of cars.
After each car was a series of num
bers plainly comprising the original
numbers of the engine, body, radiator
and other component parts, followed
by another series of new numbers to
be Inserted. That sheet of paper
showed brains, organizing ability, care
and attention to the last detail l
Here was the most carefully
planned and thorough system of auto
mobile thievery that Gramont had ever
heard of. He stood motionless, know
ing that this typed sheet of paper in
Itself was damning evidence against
the whole gang of workers. What was
more to the point, that paper could be
traced; the typewriting could be
traced to the man higher up doubt
less Memphis Izzy himself I These
men ran In cars by the wholesale,
probably from states adjacent to
Louisiana. Here, at this secluded
point on the bayou, they changed the
cars completely about, in number,
paint, style of body, and then prob
ably got rid of the new product in
New Orleans.
Gramont stood motionless. Surprise
had taken hold of hltn, and even a
feeling of slight dismay. This was
not at all what he had hoped to find
there. He had thought to come upon
some traces of the lottery gnme
"Seen nil you want, bo?" said a
voice behind him.
Gramont turned. He found himself
gazing directly Into an automatic pis
tol over which glittered a pair of bluz
ing eyes. The man was a stranger to
him, The place had not been desert
ed, after all. He was caught.
"Who are you?" demanded Gramont,
quietly.
"Me?" The stranger was unsmiling,
deadly. In those glittering eyes Gra
mont read the ferocity of nn animal
"Hurry Upl Turn Over the Name and
Address."
st bay. "I a'pose you would like to
know that, huh? I guess you know
enough right flow to get all that's
comln to you, bo I Got any particu
lar business here? Speak up quick 1"
Gramont was silent. The other
sneered at him, viciously.
"Hurry upl Turn over the name
and address, and I'll notify the sur
vlvln' relatives. Name, please?"
"Henry Gramont," was the calm re
sponse. "Don't get hasty, my friend.
Didn't you see me here a little while
ago wltb Chacherre and the other
boys?"
"What's thatr The glittering eyes
flamed up with suspicion and distrust
"Here with them? No, I didn't. I
b'een away fishing all afternoon. What
the h 1 you doing around this Joint T
"Your best scheme," said Gramont,
coldly, "Is to change your style- of
tone, aid to do It In a hurry I If you
don't kuow what's happened here this
afternoon, don't ask me; you'll And
out soon enough when the other boys
get back. You'd better tell then I'm
going to get In touch with Memphis
Izzy the minute I get back to the city,
and that the less talking they do "
"What the b-l'a all this?" demand
ed the other agnin. but with a soften
ing of accent. The moniker of Gum
berts had Its effect, and seemed to
shake the man Instnntly. Gramont
smiled as he perceived that the gnme
was won.
"I never heard of no Gramont," went
on the other, quickly. "What you doln'
here?"
"You're due to learn a good many
things, I Imagine," sitld Gramont, care
lessly. "As for me, I happened on the
place largely by accident. I happen
if
to be In partnership with a man
named Jachln Fell, and I came out
here on business "
To Gramont's astonishment the pis
tol was lowered Instantly. It was well
that he ceased speaking, for what he
had just said proved to be open to
misconstruction, and if he hud sold
any more he would have spoiled It.
For the man facing htm was staring
at him In mingled disgust and sur
prise.
"You're In partnership with the
boss!" came the astounding words.
"Well, why in h 1 didn't you say all
that In the first place, instead o'
beefln' around? That's no way to butt ,
in, and me thinking you was some
dick on the Job! Got anything to
prove that you ain't pullin' something
cute on me?"
"Do you know Fell's writing?" asked
Gramont, with difficulty forcing him
self to meet the situation coherently.
Jachln Fell the bossl
"I know bis mitt, all right."
From his pocket Gramont produced
a paper the memorandum or agree
ment which he had drawn up with
Fell the previous afternoon, relating
to the oil company. The other man
took It and switched on an electric
light bulb overhead. In this glare he
was revealed as a ratty little Indi
vidual with open mouth and teeth
hanging out an adenoidal type, and
certainly a criminal type.
It crossed the mind of Gramont that
one blow would do the work but he
stood motionless. No sudden gnme
would help him here. The discovery
that Fell was "the boss" paralyzed
him completely. He had never dreamed
of such a contingency. Fell, of all
men I
Jachln Fell the "boss" of this estab
lishment! Jachln Fell the man high
er up the brains behind this criminal
organization I It was a perfect thun
derbolt to Gramont. Now he under
stood why Chacherre was In the em
ploy of Fell why no arrest of the
man had been possible I Now he per
ceived that Chacherre must have told
the truth about coining here on busi
ness for Fell. Reaching farther back,
he saw that Fell must have received
the loot of the Midnight Masquer,
must have turned It over to Lucie
Lednnols
Did she know?
"All right, Mr. Gramont." The rntty
little man turned to him with evident
change of front. "We nln't tokln no
chances here, y'understand. Got quite
a shipment of cars comln' In from
Texas, and we're tryln' to get some o'
these boats cleaned out to make room.
Bring out any orders?"
Gramont's brain worked fast.
By overcoming this guttersnipe he
might have the whole place at his
mercy but that was not " what he
wanted. He suddenly realized thnt he
had other and more Important risli to
fry in New Orleans. Gutnherts was
there. Fell was there. What he must
do demanded time, and his best play
was to gain all the time possible, and
to prevent this gang from suspecting
him In any way.
"Did you see Ben Chacherre?" he
countered.
"Uh-huh seen him just after he
come. Gumberts will be out day after
tomorrow, he said. The boss Is frnmln'
some sort of deal on a guy that he
wants laid away some guy name o'
Hammond. Chacherre is running It.
He Aggers on gettln' Hammond on nc
couut of some car that's beln' bunted
up "
Gramont laughed suddenly, for there
wns a grim humor about the thing. So
Jachln Fell wanted to "get something"
on poor Hammond! And Chncherre
had seized the golden opportunity thnt
presented Itself this afternoon In
stead of "getting" Hammond for the
theft of a car, Chacherre had coolly
fastened murder upon him I
"Ren Is one smart man ; I expect he
thinks the gods are working for him."
said Gramont, thinly. "So yon don't
know whnt happened today, eh? Well,
It's great news, but I've got no time
to talk about It. They'll tell you when
they get back"
"Where'd they go?" demanded the
other.
"Houma. Now listen close 1 Cha
cherre did not know thnt I was In
partnership with the boss, get me? I
didn't want to tell all the crowd In
front of him. Between you nnd me,
the boss Isn't any too sure about
Ben"
"Soy. I get you there !" broke In the
other, sogely. "I tells lilm six months
ago to watch out for that Creole guy 1"
"Exactly. You can tell the boya
about me when they come back I
don't suppose. Ren will be with them.
Now, I've been looking over that pluce
next door"
"Oh I" exclaimed the other, sudden
ly. "Sure I The boss snld thnt one of
his friends would be down to"
"I'm the one or one ot them." and
Gramont chuckled as he reflected oa
the ludicrous asiects of the whole af
fair. "I'm going to Houma now, and
then back to the city. My car's over
next door. Mr. Fell wanted me to
warn you to lay low on the lottery
business. He's got a notion thnt some
one's been talking."
"Ton go tell the boss," retorted the
other In an aggrieved tone, "to keep
his eye on the guys thnt can talk.
Who'd we talk to here? Besides, we re
workin' our heads off on these here
boats. Memphis Izzy Is attending to
the lottery he's got the whole layout
up to the house, and we ain't touching
It, ace? Tell the boss all that."
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Twoutd 8m So.
New York man wooed and won hit
bride by mill, which la the most ex
pensive correspondence school course
known.
Richard Wagner, the great compos
er, was the youngest of nine children.