WORLD HAPPENINGS
OF CURRENT WEEK
Brief Resume Most Important
Daily News Items.
COMPILED FOR YOU
Eventi of Noted People, Government!
and Pacific Northwest, and Other
Thing! Worth Knowing..
Fifty persons were killed and 20
wounded by an explosion at Anklng,
Anhwel province, China, Incidental to
the removal ot ammunition from a
powder magazine.
President Harding has purchased
his birthplace a farm In North
Bloomfleld township, Morrow county,
Ohio where, as a barefooted boy, he
passed his childhood days.
A serious peasant rebellion against
the soviet government has broken out
in south Russia, according to advices
received by the Ukraine representa
tives In Berne, Switzerland.
William Frizzell, 82, and Emma Bar
rett, 65, widower and widow, both of
Cascade Locks, were married In Hood
River, Or., Rev. Gabriel Sykes, pastor
of Asbury Methodist church, officiat
ing. -
Judge William E. Dover, running on
the democratic ticket, was elected
mayor of Chicago over Arthur C.
Leuder, republican, by a plurality of
103,748, according to complete unof
ficial returns.
According to reports In Hutchison,
Kan., a tornado struck Partridge, this
county, at 6:30 o'clock Monday even
ing. Half of the village Is reported
to have been blown away and several
persons hurt.
Robert G. Goldle, British vice-consul
at Naples, died Saturday of Injuries
Inflicted by a man who attacked the
official while he was visiting a grotto
near tho city In company with his
wife, according to a dispatch from
Naples.
Two aged sisters lost their lives In
a fire which destroyed the Interior of
their home In St. Louis Wednesday
and two other Bisters wore burned
severely. The dead are: Miss Eliza
beth Nicholson, 91 years of age, and
Mrs. Lucy Lindsay, 95.
Secretary Hughes has Informed the
British, French, Italian and Greek gov
ernments, in Identical notes handed
their representatives In Washington,
that the American Red Cross will ter
minate its emergency relief work In
Greece on June 30 next.
The Earl ot Carnarvon died peace
fully at 2 o'clock Thursday morning.
He was conscious almost to the end.
His death was due to blood poisoning
through the bite of an Insect with the
later development of pneumonia. Death
occurred at the Continental hotel In
Cairo.
James V, Martin of the Martin aero
plane factory, Long Island, alleging
conspiracy to destroy his business,
filed suit under the Clayton act In
Washington, D. C, Wednesday to re
cover $51,510,000 from the Manufactur
ers' Aircraft association, Inc., 27 other
corporations and 38 Individuals.
Max Bachman, 60, former wealthy
director ot the Boston symphony or
chestra and leader ot his own orches
tra at the Panama-Pacific exposition
at San Francisco, died in the county
hospital In Fresno, Cal., Tuesday, prac
tically friendless and in poverty, hug
ging his favorite violin to his heart.
Fourteen persons are known to have
been killed In a tornado which early
Wednesday struck Pinevllle, La., and
vicinity, across the Red river from
Alexandria. At 10 o'clock a train ar
rived bringing the bodies ot eight per
sons killed at Pinevllle and a sawmill
settlement a mile east of that town.
Dr. W. Edgar, president of the Cen
tral sanitarium, and Bruno Suderman,
who says he Is the discoverer of a
treatment for tuberculosis and dia
betes, reported to the New York police
Tuesday that they, with Mrs. Edgar,
were held up in their automobile by
outlaws. The robbers took the only
copy of Sudorman'g formula and Jew
elry, they said.
The federal farm loan board called
for redemption May 1 of all outstand
ing bonds of the 12 farm banks issued
May 1, 1918. The total ot the Issue
by the 12 banks is $55,032,000. The
action of the farm loan board in call
ing all of the 1918 Issue ot land bank
bonds for retirement was accepted as
foreshadowing an early issue of new
bonds at lower rate of interest than
the S per cent rate carried by the
obligations which are to be retired.
MIN1MUN WAGE LAW ILLEGAL
District of Columbia Law Is Upset by
U. S. Supreme Court.
Washington, D, C Wages cannot be
fixed by law, under the constitution as
It now stands, the supreme court,
dividing 5 to 3, held Monday In a case
brought to test the constitutionality
of an act of congress fixing minimum
wages for women and minor girls in
the District ot Columbia.
The decision was delivered by Jus
tice Sutherland, Justices McKenna,
Van Devanter, McReynolds and Butler
Joining with him. Chief Justice Taft
delivered a dissenting opinion for him
self and Justice Sanford, while Justice
Holmes read a dissenting opinion
which followed in its main features
that ot Chief Justice Taft. Justice
Brandols did not participate in the
decision.
The . majority based its position
broadly upon the right ot contract,
Insisting that while laws could -be
enforced to regulate working condi
tions, the employer and the employe
must be free ot legal restraint in de
termining between themselves what
wages are acceptable.
The minority contended that there
was no greater police power In con
gress and the state legislature to regu
late working conditions than to regu
lute wages, and that as there had
been wide uniformity In holding that
working conditions could be prescrib
ed by law-making bodies, it followed,
In their judgment, that wages were
also a proper subject for legislation.
Justice Sutherland pointed out in
the majority opinion that the mini
mum wage law was "attacked upon
the ground that It authorizes an un
constitutional interference with the
freedom of contract Included within
the guaranties of the due process
clause of the fifth amendment." The
right to contract "about one's affairs,"
he stated, "is part of the liberty of the
individual protected by this clause."
The fact, he asserted, was "settled by
the decisions of this court and is no
longer open to question."
"Within this liberty are contracts
of employment of labor," the opinion
continued. "In making such contracts,
generally speaking, the parties have
an equal right to obtain from each
other the best terms they can as the
result of private bargaining."
Legislative authority to abridge the
right of contract can be justified, Jus
tice Sutherland stated, only by the ex
istence of exceptional circumstances.
Among the exceptions to the broad
rule which had been sustained by the
courts, he said, were statutes fixing
rates to be exacted by business im
pressed with a public Interest, those
relating to contracts for the perform
ance of public work, those prescribing
the character, methods and time of
payment of wages and those fixing the
hours of labor.
Justice Sutherland declared the law
under attack was not one "dealing
with any business charged with a pub
lic interest or with public work or to
meet and tide over a temporary em
ergency." Three Months' Building
Costs $1,250,000,000
New York. One billion and a
quarter dollars' worth of building per
mits, the greatest amount tor a similar
period in the nation's history, were
taken out throughout the country dur
ing January, February and March, S.
W. Strauss & Co. announced Tuesday.
All records for March alone were
broken, $,420,851,343 worth of work be
ing authorized In 205 cities, a gain of
$161,357,012, or 62 per cent over March
of last year.
These figures, the company esti
mated, indicated a total of $600,000,
000 throughout the nation for March.
The gain In the eastern states was 41
per cent, central 75 per cent, southern
64 per cent and Pacific western 171
per cent.
Two Slain in Momel Fray.
Berlin. Two Germans have been
killed during disturbances in which
the German and Lithuanian factions
in Momel were involved, according to
special dispatches to the Berlin news
papers Tuesday.
Machine guns are alleged to have
been brought Into play by the Lith
uanians In dispersing a German meet
ing held in protest against the in
corporation of the Memel region into
Lithuania.
Cars for West Sought.
Washington, D. C Steps to build
up transportation facilities for the
next harvest in the west will be taken
at a meeting here Tuesday of rail
road officials with the car service divi
sion ot the American Railway asso
ciation. Efforts will be made, the asso
ciation announced today, to formulate
definite plans for assuring whatever
rolling stock is needed to meet agri
cultural and industrial requirements.
SAWMILLS SPEED
ON 24-HOUR BASIS
Three 8-Hour Shifts Run to Fill
Increasing Demands.
OUTPUT AT HIGH PEAK
Building Activity In California and
Reopening of Northwest Mines
Big Boon to Market.
Portland. For the first time in the
history of the lumber Industry in Ore
gon mills located in the Columbia
river district have found it necessary
to operate 24 hours a day in order to
keep up with the demands for timber
products. For the past week the In
man Foulson Lumber company here
has been operating three dally eight
hour shifts. The WeBtport Lumber
company on the Columbia has been
doing likewise.
Both of these mills sell the majority
of their products to the export trade.
Orders from the orient, Australia,
South America and other points have
been so large and have continued to
increase to such an extent that it has
been impossible to fill them with
out employing an extra shift of men.
Other mills in the northwest are run
ning extra shifts.
Yard stocks are exceedingly low
everywhere and lumber moves out to
purchasers almost as fast as It goes
through the plants. Other mills may
find it necessary to employ additional
shifts. Many are now operating 16
hours a day and at that have to re
ject orders due to Inability to .fill
them.
Last week the production ot lum
ber by the mills of the northwest was
greatly In excess of normal and at the
same time there was a demand that
was greater, by far, than production.
Shipments were in excess of orders,
thus indicating that the problem of
transportation, either by rail or by
water, is no longer a worry of the
manufacturer. However, there is very
little excuse for freight cars of any
type to be on sidings and Idle these
days they can find domestic ship
ments at the several hundred mills
that are operating to capacity in the
northwest.
A new demand for lumber has been
felt recently from the copper mining
districts. Due to an Improvement in
the copper market many of the mines
that have been experiencing little pros
perity for a long period of time are
now opening. They are calling for
heavy timbers for construction and are
using much rough lumber. The re
cent report of the federal reserve
agent at San Francisco shows that 15
big copper mines of the lntermoun
taln country are now operating, where
as in 1920 at about the same time
only eight were open.
Woman Burns Herself.
Miami, Fla. Crazed with pain of
long illness, which three operations
had failed to alleviate, Mrs. -Helen
Slmms, 46, of Miami, drenched her
self with kerosene Sunday night, lit
a match to her clothing, screamed once
and was dead.
Police at first worked on the theory
that the woman had been murdered
and because of her smallness of sta
ture believed her to be but 16 years
old.
Coal Strike Is Over.
Cardiff, Wales. The striking miners
in the Rhondda coal fields held a
meeting late Sunday night and settled
their differences. Work, therefore,
will be resumed tomorrow. The mines
employ about 46,000 men.
It was stated at the meeting that
practically all the non-union miners
now had joined the union.
Revenues Beat Costs.
Washington, D. C. Wyoming had an
excess of $7.82 per capita of revenue
receipts over governmental costs for
1922, the census bureau announced
Saturday. The state's net indebtedness
was $18.37 per capita, compared with
56 cents in 1917, the lncreasehaving
been due largely to issuance ot high
way construction bonds.
Soviet Frontier Fixed.
Riga. After two years spent by a
mixed commission of Latvians and
Russians in demarcating the Russo
Latvlan frontier, the final agreement
was signed here Saturday.
This is said to be the first definitely
fixed frontier agreement signed by
soviet Russia,
The
Mardi Gras
Mystery
By
H. BEDFORD-JONES
CteriWs kr IMkUtj, Pm mi Cmnv
CHAPTER XIV
20
Chacherre'e Bundle,
It was seven in the morning when
Henry Gratnont drove bis car into
llouma.
In the wire which he had sent over
Chacherre's signature he had com
manded Dick Hearne to meet Gramont
at about this time at a restaurant
near the court house. Putting his car
at the curb, Gramont went into the
restaurant and ordered a hasty break
fast. He had brought with him copies
of the morning papers, and was perus
ing the accounts of Bob Malllard's
pitifully weak story regarding hlsj
father's murder, when a stranger
topped beside him.
"Gramont?" said the other. "Thought
It was you. Hearne's my name I had
orders to meet you. What's up?"
The other man dropped into the
chair opposite Gramont, who put
away his papers. Hearne was a sleek
Individual of pasty complexion who
evidently served the gang In no better
light than as a go-between and run
ner of errands. That he suspected
nothing was plain from his casual
manner, although he had never seen
Gramont previously.
"Business," said Gramont, leaning
back to let the waitress serve his
breakfast. When she had departed,
he attacked it hungrily. "You got
Cnacherre's wire about the stuff in
his car?" Was it burned?"
"No. He countermanded It Just as I
was hlrln' a car to go over to Para
dls," said Hearne. "What's stirrin',
anyhow?"
"Plenty. Memphis Izzy's coming
down today. When'll he get in?"
"He'll go direct to the other place,
won't come here. Oh, I reckon he'll
get there along about nine this morn
ing. Whyr
"We'll have to go over there to meet
him," said Gramont. "I stopped in
here to pick you up. Hammond Is still
safe In Jail?"
"Sure." Hearne laughed evilly. "I
don't guess he'll get out in a hurry,
neither 1"
"Chacherre was pinched last night
for the murder," said Gramont, watch
ing the other.
"The h 111" Hearne looked aston
ished, then relaxed and laughed again.
"Some fly cop will sure lose his but
tons, then! They ain't got nothln' on
him."
"I heard they had plenty."
"Don't worry." Hearne waved a
hand grandiloquently. "The boss Is
solid with the buncn up to Baton
Rouge, and they'll take care of every
body. So old Ben got pinched, huh?
That's one Joke, man I"
Gramont's worst suspicions were
confirmed by the attitude of Hearne,
who plainly considered that the entire
gang had nothing to fear from the law.
Chaeherre's boasts were backed up sol
idly. It was obvious to Gramont that
the ramifications of the gang extended
very high up, indeed.
"Better cut out the talk," he said,
curtly, "until we get out of here."
Hearne nodded and rolled a ciga
rette. When his hasty meal was finished,
Gramont paid at the counter and led
the way outside. He motioned toward
the car, and Hearne obediently climbed
in, being evidently of so little account
In the gang that he was accustomed to
taking orders from everyone.
Gramont headed out of town and
took the Paradls road. Before he had
driven a mile, however, he halted the
car, climbed out, and lifted one side of
the hood.
"Give me those rags from the bot
tom of the car, Hearne," be said,
briefly.
The other obeyed. As Gramont made
no move to come and get them,
Hearne got out of the car; then Gra
mont rose from the engine unexpect
edly, and Hearne looked into a pistol.
"Hold out your hands behind you
and turn around 1" snapped Gramont
"No talk 1"
Hearne uttered an oath, but as the
pistol Jerked at him he obeyed the
command. Gramont took the strip of
cloth, which he had previously pre
pared, and bound the man's wrists.
"These are better than handcuffs,"
he commented. Too many slick indi
viduals can get rid of bracelets but
you'll have one man's Job to get rid of
these! Oh I a gun In your pocket, eh?
Thanks."
"What fell yon doInT exclaimed
the bewildered Hearne.
"Placing yon under arrest," said
Gramont, cheerfully.
"Here, where's your warrant? Yon
aint no dick"
Gramont cut short his protests with
a long cloth, which effectually bound
his lower jaw in place and precluded
any further tdea of talk.
He then tied Dick Hearne securely,
hand and foot, and then lashed him to
one of the top supports of the car.
When he had finished, Hearne was
reasonably safe. Ha then climbed
under the wheel again and proceeded
on his way. Hearne's lashings were
Inconspicuous to any one whom the
car passed.
It was a little after eight In the
morning when Gramont drove Into
Paradls. He noticed that two large
automobiles were standing In front of
the post office, and that about them
were a group of men who eyed him
and bis car with some Interest. Pay
ing no attention to these, he drove on
through the town without a halt.
Sweeping out along the north road,
he encountered no one. When . at
length he reached the I.edanols farm
he drove in toward the deserted house
and parked the car among some trees
where it could not be seen from the
road.
Leaving the car, Gramont took his
way toward the bank of the bayou and
followed this in the direction of the
adjoining property.
He went on to an opening In the
bushes which, over the low rail fence,
gave blm a clear view of the Gumberts
property. There he paused, quickly
drew back, and gained a point whence
he could see without danger of his
presence being discovered. He settled
Into immobility and watched.
That Memphis Izzy hlmeelf had not
yet arrived, he was fairly certain.
Near the barn were drawn up two fliv
vers, and sitting In chairs on the cot-'
tage veranda were three men who
must have come in these cars. Gra
mont had come provided with binocu
lars, and got these out. He was not
long In discovering that all three men
on the veranda were strangers to him.
They, no doubt, were men In the lot
tery game, waiting for Gumberts to
arrive. Gramont turned his attention
to the other buildings.
Both the barn and shop were open,
and the buzzing thrum of machinery
bore witness that the mechanics were
hard at work upon the stolen cars.
Gramont thought of Ben Chacherre,
still tied and lashed to the chair In his
room, and wondered what was to be
found under the rear seat of Ben's
car. He could see the car from where
he lay.
Almost on his thought, a high-powered
and noiseless car came sweeping
down the road and he knew at once
that Memphis Izzy had arrived. He
knew it intuitively, even before he ob
tained a good glimpse of the broad,
heavy figure and the dominating fea
tures. Memphis Izzy was far from
handsome, but he possessed character.
"Where's the Goog?" As he left the
car, which he had driven himself, Gum
berts lifted his voice In a bull-like
roar that carried clearly to Gramont.
"Where's Charlie the Goog?"
The mechanics appeared hurriedly.
One ot them, no other than Gramont's
friend of the adenoidal aspect, who
seemed to own the mellifluous title of
Charlie the Goog, hastened to the side
of Gumberts, and the latter gave htm
evident directions regarding some re
pair to the car. Then, turning, Mem
phis Izzy strode to the cottage. He
nodded greetings to the four men who
awaited him, took a bunch of keys
from his pocket and opened the cot
tage door. All five vanished within.
Gramont rose. A moment previous
ly, fever had thrilled him; the excite
ment of the manhunt had held him
trembling. Now he was cool again,
his fingers touching the pistol In his
pocket, his eyes steady. He glanced
at his watch and nodded.
"It's tlmel" he murmured. "Let's
hope there'll be no slipup I All ready,
Memphis Izzy. So am I. Let's go I"
Unhurried and openly, he advanced,
making his leisurely way toward the
barn and shop. Charlie the Goog, who
was bent over the car of Gumberts,
was first to discern his approach, and
straightened up. Gramont waved his
hand in greeting. Charlie the Goog
turned his head and called his breth
ren, who came into sight, staring at
Gramont.
The latter realized that If he passed
them the game was won. If they
stopped him, he bade fair to lose
everything.
"Hello, boys I" he called, cheerily, as
he drew near. , "I came out on an er
rand for the boss got a message for
Gumberts. Where Is he? In the
house?"
The others nodded, plainly mistrust
ing him, yet puzzled, by his careless
manner and his reference to Fell.
"Sure," answered Charlie the Goog.
"Go right In he's in the big front
room."
"Thanks."
Gramont continued his way, con
scious that they were staring after
him. If there was anything phony
about him, they evidently considered
that Memphis Izzy would take care of
the matter very ably.
The steps of the cottage porch
creaked protestlngly as Gramont as
cended them. Perhaps Memphis Izzy
recognized an unaccustomed footstep;
perhaps that conversation outside had
penetrated to him. Gramont entered
the front door Into the ball, and as he
did so, Gumberts opened the door on
bis right and stood gazing at him
rather, glaring.
"Who're you?" - he demanded,
roughly.
"Came out with a message from Mr.
Fell," responded Gramont at once.
"Brought some orders, I should say"
The sixth sense of Memphis Izzy,
which had carried him uncaught tnto a
grizzled age, must have flashed a
warning to his crook's brain. In the
man's eyes Gramont read a surge of
suspicion and knew that his bluff could
be worked no longer.
"Here's his note," he said, and
reached into his pocket
Gumberts' hand flashed down, but
halted as Gramont's pistol covered
him.
"Back Into that room, and do It
quickly," said Gramont stepping for
ward. "Quick 1"
Memphis Izzy obeyed. Gramont
stood In the doorway, his eyes "sweep-
lug the room and the men Inside,
Startled, all four of them bad risen
and were staring at him. In his other
hand he produced an automatic which
ha had taken from Dick Hearne.
"The first word from any of you
gentlemen," be declared, "will draw
shot. I'm doing all the talking her.
Savvy?"
They stood staring, paralyzed by this
apparition. They had been fitting
about the table, which was heaped
with papers and with packages of
money. A large snfe In the wall stood
open. Beside the table' was a small
mall sack, partially emptied of Its con
tents ; torn envelopes littered the floor.
That this was the headquarters of at
least a section of the lottery gang Qra
mont saw without need of explanation.
"You're under arrest," said Gra
mont, quietly. "The game's up, Gum
berts. Hands up, all of you I Dick
Hearne has peached on the whole
gang, and from the boss down you're
all In for a term In stir. You with the
derby I Take Gumberts' gun, and those
of your companions, then your own;
throw 'em on the floor In the corner,
and if you make the wrong kind of a
move, heaven help you I Step lively,
there I" .
Each man there had a revolver or
pistol, and one by one the wenpons
clattered Into the corner. Gumberts
stood motionless, licking his thick lips,
unuttered curses In his glaring eyes.
And In that Instant Gramont heard
the porch steps creuk and caught a
low, startled cry.
"Hey, boss I They's a gang comln
on the run"
It was Charlie the Goog, bursting In
upon them In wild haste. Gramont
stepped into the room and turned
slightly, covering with one of his
weapons the intruder, who stood
aghast in the doorway as he compre
hended the scene.
No words passed. Stnrlng at the five
men, then at Gramont, the adenoidal
mechanic gulped once and like a flash
acted. He ducked low and fired from
his pocket. Gramont fired at the same
Instant, and the heavy bullet, catching
Charlie the Goog squarely In the chest,
hurled his body half across the room.
With the shots Memphis Izzy flung
himself forward In a headlong rush.
That desperate shot of the little me
chanic had broken Gramont's . right
arm above the wrist ; before he could
Are a second time, with the weapon in
his left hand, Gumberts had wrested
the pistol aside and was struggling
with him. The other four came Into
the melee full weight.
Gramont went down under a crash
ing blow. Over him leaped Memphis
Izzy and rushed Into the doorway
then stopped with astounding abrupt
ness and lifted his arms. After him
the other four followed suit. Two men,
panting a little, stood outside the door
and covered them with shotguns.
"Tie 'em, boys," said Gramont, ris
ing dizzily to his feet. "No, I'm not
hurt my arm's broken, I think, but
let that wait. Got the ones outside?"
A stamping of feet filled the hall,
and other men appeared there.
"Got two of 'em, Gramont!" re
sponded the leader. "The third slipped
In here ah, there he Is I"
Poor Charlie the Goog lay dead on
the floor a touch of heroic tragedy In
his last desperate action ; the one great
action of his life, possibly. He had
realized that It meant doom, yet he
bad done what he could.
"I think that's all," said Gramont.
"We've sure made a killing, boys
and It's a good thing you Jumped in to
'the minute 1 A second later and they'd
have done for me. Take care of that
evidence, will you? Get that mall sack
and the letters particularly ; if they've
been working their lottery outside the
state, It'll be a federal matter."
Gumberts, .who was being tied up
with his friends, uttered a hoarse cry.
"Who are you guys? You can't do
this without authority"
"Don't be silly, Memphis Izzy," said
Gramont, smiling a little, then twitch
ing to the pain of his arm. "These
friends of mine are members with me
of the American Legion, and they've
come along at my request to put you
crooks where you belong. As for au
thority, you can ask and go hang.
"Here, boys, I've got to get out to
that barn. Come along, some of you 1"
He led the way out to the barn and,
the others trooping In behind him, en
tered. He pointed out the car which
had brought Chacherre here previous
ly, and ordered the extra seat in the
back opened up.
"I think there's a bundle Inside," he
said. "What's In It, I don't know"
"Here we are, cap."
A bundle was produced, and opened.
In It was found the aviator's costume
which Gramont had worn as the Mid
night Masquer, and which Chofherre
had Btolen with the loot. Wrapped
among the leather garments was an
automatic pistol.
Gramont stood aghast before this
discovery, as realization of what It
meant broke full upon him.
"Good lord!" he exclaimed, amazed
ly. "Boys why, It must have been
Ben Chacherre who killed Malllard 1
See if that pistol has been used "
The Midnight Masquer had fired tws
bullets Into Malllard. Two cartridges
were gone from this automatic.
TO BE CONTINUED.)
In the Hands of Friends.
"When you leave yourself In the
hands of your friends are you aura
you can trust them?"
"No," replied Senator Sorghum.
"Some of them are liable at any mo
ment to go out behind my back and
dig up all kinds of needful campaign
funds In a manner that I should high
ly disapprove of If I knew about lt
His Scattered Acquaintance.
She What were you doing after tha
accident?
He Scraping up an acquaintances