Me
The Weather
Prediction ......Rain
Maximum yesterday.... 37
Minimum today...... 34
precipitation 19
dforb Mail Tribune
Weather Year Ago
Maximum 43
Minimum 36
Precipltatjon 04
Clin Seventeenth Year.
Seekly Flftj-Seound Year.
, MEDFORD, OKKGOX, SAl'UHDAY, DKCKMBEU .10, 19122
NO. 239
EX-WILSON
OFFICIAL III
FRAUD NET
Benedict Crowell, Assistant
Secy, of War in Wilson Re-
, gime and Six 'Dollar a Year'
Men Indictedf for Defraud
ing U. S. Government On
War Contracts.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30. (Dy the
Associated Press) : Benedict Cm
well, assistant secretary of war under
the Wilson administration, and six
"dollar u yenr" men associated with
the council of nntionnl defense, were
Indicted Hero , today by the special
grand jury investigating war frauds
on charges of conspiracy to defraud
the government in construction of
war ('me army camps and canton
ments. The others indicted are: William
A. Ktarrett, Morton C Tuttle, Clem
ens W. Lundoff, Clair Foster. John
II. McOihbons, Jumes A. Mears.
The indictment charges a conspir
acy to maludmlnlster existing laws
and regulations; to control the giving
of contract! to friends, associates nod
clients under the cost plus which it
is charged resulted in a loss to the
government of millions of dollars and
reduced the morale of !abor,
lMrwt Mlg Salvo.
The Indictments are the first big
salvo in Attorney . General Dough
erty's attack on many war-time eon
tracts which the department of ius-
tlce holds after exhaustive lnvostiga?
tlon, to be fraudulent. Others are
expected to follow, and it is estimated
that the amounts involved when the
under way, will run into hundreds ot s- Coke' Wointei United States dis
mlllions of dollars. attorney for Oregon, has been
Today's indictments came as the re- circuit judge in Coos county. His
suit of consideration -by the gratia j homo is at Marshfleld. He is a re
Jury of a mass of evidence which the . publican. He succeeds Lester W.
attorney general has been gathering j Humphreys, a democrat. Judge Coke
for eighteen months. It was n resent
fd by former Representative McCul
loch of Ohio, now a spcial assistant
attorney general.
The indictments charging 47 overt
acts and applying to all named alike,
charge that contractors, their agents,
architects and officers of the govcrn-
mcnt entered a conspiracy to set up
a system profitable to tho contractors
and .iTeinli" ,"1 B,oven!m,!nt!toney for Oregon to succeed Lester
past and prospective.
CVwt I'lns I'lnn.
The emergency construction com-mittce-of
the council of national de
fense, the indictments charge, was
used as the vehtclo for carrying out
the alleged plun. The government
charged that the alleged conspirators
used their membership on the com
mittee to influence unlawfully other
officers of the United States in the
Plans and policies for carrying out
tho war-time protection plan; to at
tain the cost plus system; to elimi
nate usual safeguards for the gov
ernment and to defeat chocking up;
and supervising tho contractors.
The indictments further chnrgc
that the alleged conspirators used
their positions for tholr own gain nnd
usslstcd contractors in ovadlng the
true Intent of contracts and in col
lecting large nnd unjustifiable fees.
As a result of tho conspiracies, the
indictments allege, the United States
government lost millions of dollars,
the morale of labor was reduced nnd
tho government was deprived of pro
tection during tho emergency con
struction period.
It is further charged that during
i.'w and 1818 the alleged conspira
tors held dally moetlngs to plan nnd
carry out the details of tho alleged
conspiracy nnd even secured tho re
moval of other officers of the govern
ment who hindered the carrying out
or tno plans.
Specifically, those ' Indicted are
charged with violation of section 37
"f "tho United States ' nennl code.
which provides a fine of 1 10,000 or
two years imprisonment or both: of
'arioUB other sections of tho revised
(Continued on Page tlx 1
IOWA SHERIFF AND
FOR THEFT $30,000 WORTH OF BOOZE
DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 30.
Warrants were issued today (or the
arrest o( Wlnfred E. Robb, Polk
couuty sheriff until January 1, and
his brother. Deputy SherlM George
Robb, In connection with the theft
of $30,000 worth ot liquor from the
I'olk county Jail liquor room last
Wednesday night. Both are In cus
tody. The chargo8 agnlns 8heriff Robb
were (lied by William . .Mc.Murray,
Polk county Jailer, a(tor Mc.Murray
had been locked out ot his own Jail
tinder Ibo sheriff's orders and after
McMurray'a son had been arrested
by orders of Assistant County Attor
Loafing to Divine
Sarah Means Death,
To Act Wednesday
PARIS, Dec. 30. (By Assoclnt-
ed Press). Whether Sarah Hern-
hardt who announced yesterday
that she woulu return to the
stage next Wednesday can per-
suado her physicians that she Is
ready for the opening perfor-
mance of "Un Snjet tie Roman,"
seems problematical.
"If I rested too long I would
not live," she asserted. She ex-
plained that she had. promised
Kucha Guitrey, author of her new
play that sho would be ready to
act Wednesday.
"I shall be thern," sho added,
"you can bet on It."
JUDGE COKE OF
IS
. S. ATT'Y
President Harding Nominates
Coos Bay Man to Take the
Place of Lester Humphries,
Resigned Olcott to Name
Successor.
"WASHINGTON, Dec. 30. Presi
dent Harding today nominated John
S., Coke to be United States attorney
for the district of Oregon.
PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 30. John
was appointed to the circuit bench by
Governor G. B. Chamberlain, having
previously been a Btate senator from
Cooos county.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30. Sena
tors McNary and Stanfiold joined in
recommending Judge John S. Coke
Mrai.fii,i district al
letter to Attorney General Daugherty
naming Coke was sent to the depart
ment of justice yesterday. Governor.
Olcott will fill the state circuit court
vacancy caused by the retirement ot
Coke.
A telegram of Inquiry has also
gone out to Alex Swcck to ask if lie
intends to quit his land office job
in January. The senators desire to
select Ills successor Immediately If be
is preparing to resign, but they are
not nuite certain that reports of his
impending resignation are correct.
If these reports are incorrect, they
say, he will not hedisturbed until
his term expires next August.
Murderer Entrenched,
Defies Pursuing Posse
SANTA PK, N. M Dec. 30. John
Looner of Rock Island, 111., charged
with murder and other crimes. Is en.
trenched in sand dunes near Farming
ton, N. XI., according to reports qtiot-
ing Sheriff Wynn. A Btrong posso witn
federal officers co-operating will at
tempt to capture Looney, it is re
ported. The United States marshal's office
here declined to confirm the reports.
Influenza in Virginia
CHARLESTON, W. Va., Dec. 30.
West Virginia health department oitic
ials here today were advised of an
influenza enidemlc at Princeton, W.
Va.,- whore 300 cases have been re
ported. :
DEPUTY ARRESTED
ney Seehurger tor alleged complicity
I 'n Hi llminr theft.
I .McMurray charged that on August
8; Sheriff Robb sold more than 70
' niiarts nf whiskey to L. S. Hill, pro
nrlptnr n r the American Printing and
j Lithographing company, and prom
inent democratic politician.
I "ii'i mi atrocious lie." said Hill.
Ho admitted, however, that he had
tried tn ohtnin liquor from the sner
1 lif's office, but declared he had been
' iiratiTosnflll.
I tt. tun jnjlnM li n Lnmr nf no
.11 T. Illll UCTIOIIH ,.: --
.Jailer McMurray should
him in connection with such n
! liquor transaction. '
FED
NEW
Will New Year Bring Forgiveness j p.f
ft l. i 2 PP l h j
lit 'vST V -SF ' i.v 4 v. I
.Wity"etf AMP Hir .LITTLE SOAl. WALLACE, R.
LOS "ANGELES When a movie king or queen loses his or her crown 'with a'crash, must it lie in '
the gutter? Or can it be picked up again and donned quite os if nothing had happened?
A storm of protest met the proposed return of "Fatty" Arbuckle to the screen, indicating part of
the public, at least, has not yet lorgiven or forgotten his part in the riotous party at which Virginia
Kappe, beauty, met death.
. The movie contract of Mary Miles Minter.'whose passionate love letters to the'slain niovie'di rector,
Wm. Desmond Taylor, were bared during investigation of his murder, has "not been renewed," herx
former employers say. Mabel Normand, also drawn into ugly notoriety of the Taylor.case, is "not work-'
ing," either. . . . .
When Wallie Rcid," latest idol to fall, recovers from influenza will the public' forgivca'nd forget?
A more lenient attitude toward Reid, who voluntarily put up a brave fight to conquer booze and drugs
almost at the cost of his life, is expected. But only Time will telL
ASTORIA THANKS
CITY OF MEDFORD
FOR ASSISTANCE
Expressing warm gratitude of the
people of Astoria for the recent dona
tion of $500 cash to the relief fund
for the that city, voted by city local
city council, Mayor Gates Is In re
ceipt of letters from W. S. Gilbert,
chairman ot the general relief com
mittee, and Committee of Ten, and
C. It. Hlgglns, chairman of the Asto
ria bankers' relief committee. Chair
man Higglns writes:
"On behalf of the Committee of
Ten I wish to express tho heartfelt
thanks for this generous gift. In
common with all other amounts re
ceived the committee will use Its very
best efforts to properly disburse this
money, and a;e glad to state .that
we have inaugurated a complete aud
iting system bo that there may be no
confusion in the handling of tho
funds."
Chairman Gilbert writes:
"In behalf of our city, now In
ashes, I wish to express our very high
appreciation of the wonderful Bplrtt
ot Medford, and to thank your peo
ple. In hehalf of our people, for the
very substantial aid rendered.
The draft (that for Medford's
500,) will today be placed In the
hands of Mr, C. R. Ilfgglns, chair
man of . the finance committee ot
bankers, through which committee
all ot our funds are handled. '
"Our situation Is extremely criti
cal. While there Is no one suffer
ing, yet wo are facing "the tremen
dous responsibilities nf both relief
and reconstruction. The response of
our neighboring cities to Astoria's
need bas been most encouraging and
haB gone far to put spirit Into our
people and. to Bet ub on our way
again. Astoria will rise, but we are
facing a difficult situation, which
will become more and more trying
as the winter goes on.
"Thanking you again In behalf of
our peoplo, and assuring you of our
eternal bond of friendship to yon,"
etc., etc.
To Fallen Movie Idols? Perhaps
The Daily
Bank Robbery
NEW YORK, Dec. 30. Floyd Nolan
o( Memphis, Tenn., and Lewis Austin,
of Tulsa, Okla., were hold by Federal
Commissioner Hitchcock today for u
hearing January C on complaint of
Frederick WatBon, British consul, who
asked they be extradited to Canada to
face the charge of robbery on Decem
ber J5 ot $40,000 from the Royal Dank
of Canada at Mount ForreBt, Out.
Both men, federal authorities said,
have served terms in Texas jails.
Daily Report on
the Crime Wave
CLEVELAND, Ohio, Dec. 30. Arm
ed bandits today held up the paymas
ter of the Ferry Cap and Screw com
pany and escaped with tho $30,000
weekly payroll. Tho pnymaster, Just
returned from a bank with the money
heavily guarded by an armed escort,
was caught oft his guard by the
sudden raid.
A second pay roll robbery was
staged half an hour after the Perry
company holdup, when two robbers
hnltcd an automobile carrying the
Uulck Automobile company paymaster
nnd a clerk, threw the two mon out
and escaped with a $7000 payroll.
Old Man Burned to Death
ARDMORE, Okla.. Dec. 30 An aged
man belloved to bo E. A. Cole of Poolo
vlllo, Okla., was burned to death and
property .estimated nt $l00,0u0 was lost
in a fire In the business section here
today which destroyed a rooming
house and two stores. .
NO PAPER NEW YEAR'S
There will be no Issue of the
Mall Tribune on New Yenr's
Monday, January 1st, but a apec-
Inl Now Year's IsBiie of the Med-
ford Hun will bo published. The
Mali Tribune tnkoB this opportu-
nlty to wiBh all Its readorn In
4 Medford nnd southern Oregon a
happy and prosperous New Yenr.
ARREST 3 BOYS
FOR 'HIJACKING'
MOONSHINE CAR
Atwood Vnnn, Georgo Englnnd
and Hoyd Brandt, youths of from J
to 20 years of age, nrc out on $25
bonds, charKed with "hijacking" the
booze nulo of Thomas Bryan, arrest
ed n week or ten days ngo for hrtvln
liquor In his possession. Bryan wns
arrested by the pollen, when he left
his bonze laden car In llittsnn'n gn
rage. The youths were employed
the place.
It Is alleged by the sheriff's office,
that the accused trio of young men
"beat the nnllcc" to tho liquor nnd
took six sacks of whiskey nnd gin
totalling in the neighborhood ot GO
bottles. This left ill tho enr, , 1
cases of whiskey, gin and champagne,
valued nt nt tho present price
of hootch. The police swooped dow
on Bryan, whllo ho was asleep In th
cnr.
According to Sheriff Torrlll, th
youths were arrested when "boone
showed up nround town." Tho official
admits ho was "tipped off" to tho
leged "hljncklng" "by a fellow whose
namo I won't tell you." There was
also n shrinkage In the known qunn
tlly In tho car, and what tho chock
showed.
Around this side Issue ot the booze
seizure, ugly rumors Involving th
pollco have been seething, nnd Sher
iff Tcrrill hrnnded them n "lies, an
not a speck of truth in them."
Dann, England nnd Brandt have
been arraigned, and their hearing
will be held ns soon as District At
torney Itnwlcs Moore Is able to attend
to his offlclnl duties.
STANFORD STADIUM, Dec. 30.
End second quarter: Pittsburg 10;
Stanford 0,
PHOENIX, Ariz. Tho Arizona state
water commissioner granted a permit
for construction of a $10,000,000 power
dam on tho Colorado river at the
mouth of Diamond creek.
FOOTBALL SCORES
President Harding
and Pope Scored
By Irish Radicals
.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 30.
Turkey was extended a voto of
commendation whllo the presl-
dent of the United States and the
l'opo were- tacitly criticized at a
meeting Inst night held here
under tho auspices of the State
Association for Recognition of
the Irish Republic. Tho meeting
was attended by more than 3000
sympathizers of tho Irish repuhli-
ran army and was addressed by
accredited representatives of Do
Valera's army. A resolution was
adopted expressing sympathy
4 with tho "republican" forces and
their "struggle for freedom."
Turkey was commended for ex-
pressing regret after the recent
executions In Irelnnd which ac-
tlon it was declared "stood In
strungo contrast to tho action ot
the president of the United
States and tho head of tho Cntho-
lie church."
SECT OF NAVY
Secy. Denby Asks $6,500,000
' to Modernize U- S. Fleet
Action By Other Powers On
Navy Pact Renders Action
. Imperative-
-. WASHINGTON, Deo. ,30. A sup
plementary appropriation ot $6,500,
000 for modernization of battleships
was requested of congress today by
President lint-ding who transmitted a
letter from Secretary Denby, declar
ing that ns a result of the aims con
ference decisions the nation must
adopt a new policy regarding its cap
ital ships if they are to he maintain
ed at a standard of efficiency com
parable to that ot similar vessels of
foroign powers. '
Ultimately, the BecretarV said, the
work of modernization - would cost
$30,000,000, but he did not go Into
details as to the specific changes of
building policy proposed nor as to
the Information which has reached
Washington regarding tho steps tak
en by other powers to make more ef
fective the battleships left them un
der tho Washington treaty.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30. The
$125,000,000 naval appropriation
bill was passed late today by tho sen
ate. Senator Borah, republican, Idaho,
did not offer his amendment for a
world economic conference, and tho
senate did not discuss nor change the
house provision requesting the pres
ident to negotiate for a further naval
limitation agreement.
BOY ASLEEP FOR WEEK.
WENATCHEE, Wash., Dec. 30.
According to word received here by
Chief ot Police Peterson today, Johnny
McCann, Coulee City, is In the grip of
a sleep that has continued since last
Sunday night, despite offorts to
awaken him. He Is the son ot Mr. and
Mrs. E. W. McCann, pioneer residents
of Coulee City. The boy is a student
at Whitman college, Walla Wnlla. Ho
arrived homo Sunday to spend the hol
idays. TAKES LEAD IN
PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 30. Dy pam
phlets mailed today to publio service
commissions of all tho states of the
union, the Oregon public service com
mission took the Initiative In seeking
to have the United States department
of Justice ohtnin an Interpretation by
the United States supremo court of
the Clayton nntl-trust net as it relates
to telophono and telegraph companies.
It Is contended by tho Oregon com
mission that the Pacific Telephone
and Telograph company, a subsidiary
ot the American Telephone and Tele
graph company, Is a common carrier
arid subject to section ten ot the Clay
AROUSED OVER
SHIP SITUATION
0
HUGHES FOR
CONFERENCE
FINANCIERS
Secy, of State Declares Inter
national Commission, In
cluding Americans, Might
Well Be Appointed to Settle
Reparations France Re
plies, Intimating Opposition.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30. Disclos
ure by Secretary Hughes In his New
Haven speech Inst night of tho belief
of tho Washington government that
nn international commission of finan
ciers, Including Americans, might
well be called in to recommend a
method of settlement for the repara
tions crisis, apparently leaves the
next move in the hands of the allied
premiers.
The American suggestion, Mr.
Hughes specified, was offered as an
alternative In the event that the pre-mlei-M
nt their Paris meeting next
Tuesday, fail to find a basis for ad
justment nf their views "among
themselves."
Secretary Hughes' address and
Senator Hornh's withdrawal of his
navy bill amendment requesting the
president to call an economio confer
ence, combined to clear the air con
siderably with regard to the effort ot
tho American government to be help
ful in the reparations tangle.
Franco Sceptical.
PAUIS, Dec 30. (By the Asso
ciated Press) France has made an
intensive Btudy of the reparations
question for the last four years and
is convinced that Germany does not
want to restore her financial stability
ut ,l ivunuuiLiiiv nui luui-uuuij'.. nucii ,
Is the authorltativo tone of the off cl
inl comment on the, speech ot the
American secremry UI HiaiQ nt iew
Haven Inst night. .' 1 '
Fnglnnd Pessimistic.
LONDON, Doc. 30. Publio opin
ion here is not very sangulno of the
success of the Paris gathering of pre-
miers more especially since it is seen'
the French government is disposed to
take ndvantago of Germany's timber
default to press for military sanctions
which it is a foregone conclusion tho
Drltish government will not counte
nance. The belief Is that Germany's
timber defnult only amounts to a mat
ter of nbipit 100,000 pounds, which tt
Is considered Germany could settle .by
n cash payment and that therefore,
France Is seizing on n small technical
default for action.
The nttentlon of the Drltlsh publio
renlly is much more centered on the
outcome of tho mission of Chancellor
of tho Exchequer Baldwin to .the
United States and tho gnpwlng pros-'
pect of tho United States taking nn
active shoro In Europe's economio
difficulties.
Tho Weekly Nation, discussing
American developments says: "Even
now the" deciding factor at Paris may
not ho London but Washington."
To Havo Definite Plan.'
LONDON, Dec. 30. (By the Asso
ciated Press) Prime Minister Bonnr
Ijiw will take to the ParlB conference
of premiers a romplcto plan upon
which tho British cabinet passed
judgment yesterdny In tho hope of
obtaining nn agreament for a flnnl
settlement of tho reparations ques
tion. It was said In official quarters
today.
Details of Mr. Ttonar Law's repara
tions plan were not available, but It In
believed It will sot down Germany's
total ohllgntlnns nt approximately
one-third tho Versailles treaty figures.
Tho British desire that the French
give Germany a fnlr trial under the
new scheme, which, If it Is not pro
ductive of tho desired results, would
he supplemented by French schemos
Involving coercive methods.
It was stated In official circles this
forenoon that It was believed tho
sneech delivered by Secretary ot
Stnte Hughes in New lllnven last
night would be helpful to the Tarls
conference.
U. S. PHONE ACTION
ton act, and that application nt this
section of the act would solve the
commission's difficulty in reducing
rates.
Tho telephone company holds It is
not a common carrier. - .
The publio service commtisiona of
the various states have been requested .
to notify Newton McCoy, chairman ot
the Oregon commission concerning
their attitude toward the notion pro
posed by the Oregon body. , When
these answers are recelvod, the Ore
gon commission will memorialize the.
United States department of Justice'
for action on tho dispute, It Is said.
SERViCEf COMMISSION