Med
The Weather
Prediction Fair
Maximum yesterday 47
Minimum today ....24
FORD MAIL TRIBUNE
Weather Year Ajt
Maximum 44
Minimum 30
Dally Eighteenth Tear.
Weekly Fifty-Third Tear.
SIXTEEN PACES TODAY
MEDFORD, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1923
NO. 233
ARE
IN
HE
KILLED
Three Towns in Sonoro, Mex
ico Are Destroyed and Hun-
dreds Killed and Injured
. Messenger Brings J!ews of
Disaster and Appeals for Aid
Cities in Volcanic Area.
NOOALES, Ariz., Doc. '21. Reports
of the destruction of three towns near
the Sierra Madras In Sonora by an
earthquake have been confirmed, said
a message received by the Mexican
consul here today from the Mexican
consul, at Douglas, Ariz. Tho message
said there were Bevernl hundred cas
ualties. It Is also stated that the towns of
Grandos, Oputo and Huasabas were
devastated. Reports from the zone of
the disaster are meager, according to
the message, due to the isolation of
the cltleB. Damage caused by the
quake Is heavy, the message adds.
The latest Sonora quake recalls the
severe shock which rocked the country
along the Baviste river in 1888,. when
large fUsures were opened In the
earth and many lives lost.
DOUGLAS. Ariz., Deo. 21. Grana
dos. Huasabas and Oputo; three towns
In the Sierra Mudera mountains of
Sonora, Mexico, were ' destroyed by'nn
earthquake Wednesday night, accord
ing to the story told by a courier who
arrived late yesterday at Nacozari, a
roil head approximately -76 miles
south of the International border line.
The courier had ridden all Wednes
day and all day yesterday over .the
mountains which He botween. .the
three towns and tne. railroad: lis lit
arrived, exhausted, he told an Inco
herent story of how adobe houses had
been tumbled above the heads of the
Inhabitants.
"Many, many dead," were the
words he used In describing the ex
tent of the casualties! Hisappeal for
wood, tents and blankets for the
homeless was forwarded to President
Durazo of Agua Prieta, across tho
border from Douglas. The president
announced that supplies would bd
shipped by rail to Nacozari and would
be taken by stage the remainder of
the way.
Granados, Huasnbns and Oputo are
approximately forty miles south of
Nacozari. The combined population
of the three towns is placed nt 6000.
HTTOPBESCIE
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 The right
of physicians to preacrlhe beer for
their patients was denied in a brief
filed today by the government with
the supreme court In a test case ex
pected to result in final determina
tion of that question.
Defending the constitutionality of
the Willis-Campbell anti-beer law,
the government's brief, signed by So
licitor General Beck and Mrs. Mabel
Walker Wlllebrandt, assistant' attor
ney general In charge of prohibition
prosecutions, declared that beer has
no medicinal value and its prohibi
tion under physlcaiis" prescriptions Is
necessary to enforce national prohi
bition. Gun Kxplodes, Bojr Near Death
EVERETT. Wash., Dec. 21. Floyd
Palmer. 16 of Birmingham was seri
ously wounded yesterday afternoon
while duck hunting with Fred Ro
mlnes on Port Susan, off Birming
ham. The gun, lying In the boat, was
accidentally discharged, the shot en
teHnir the hov'B back. Palmer is now
in a. critical condition nt the home of Governor Pierce has issued a reprieve
his parents. ltoCovell.
SOVlETPLOT TO OVERTHROW U. S. GOVT.
BY
MOSCOW, Dec. 21. (By the As
sociated Press) Foreign Minister
Tchltcherln issued a statement today
denying tht the Russian soviet gov
ernment had ever sent any documents
to the American workers' party, or
had ever had any connection with It
whatsoever. If such documents exist,
the statement declared, they are for
geries, the authenticity of which Rus
sia would like to submit for arbitra
tion. CHICAGO, Dec. 21 Denial Is made
bv the workers' party of . America
through C. E. Ruthenberg, executive
secretary, that It ever received a let
Former Baker School
Teacher Killed By
Bandits in Mexico
:
t ONAWA, Iowa, Dec. 21.
Word was received here by A. T.
Chrlstensen that his sister, Mrs.
C. R. Earlhart, formerly Miss
Emily Chrlstensen, had been
slain by Mexican bandits at her
home in Tula, Mexico.
4 The bandits upon entering the
residence are said to have de-
manded money and Jewels and
being unable to procure them,
shot and killed Mrs. Earlhart.
Mrs. Earlhart had taught school
In Baker, Ore., and Oakdale,
4- Cnl. She married C. R. Earlhart
of Long Beach, Cal.
4.4,4,4.
INSIDE STORY
1
OF
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21. Jesse L.
Llvcrmore, New York stock broker,
today gave the senate public, lands
committee some intimate details of
operations in "Wall street and inci
dentally upset popular belief as to a
broker's commission
Appearing as a witness in the in
quiry into tho leading naval oil re
serves, Livermore described "the form
atlon in October, 1922, of a group to
"make a market" for th stock of
the Mnmmoth Oil comouny, the sub-
sidiary of Harry F. Sinclair which was
organized to operate Teapot Dome ,
reserve No 3 i
As a result' of an advertising cam-
palgn, the witness said, public sub-,
1 . ' . . . . n a 1
scrlptlons were receiveu tor jdi.uuu
shares at $40 a share and 109.000
shares were allotted. TheHO shares
subsequently were re-purchased, by
the syndicate Interested In the issue
at prices ranging from $40 to $60.60.
On the untire deal, Livermore said, lri-
vuiving uio aim i,.u.j....
man i., wu"" V' ""
personal return was .io.
BROKER
OIL PLUNG
"Why did you have to repurchase? em, urchaBlng bolml whlch Handled
asked Senator Walsh, democrat. Mon- tno aul)pllci) ror th0 American forces,
tana. ! ire was the first director of tho
-To furnish a stable market, was budBOt umlor presidont Harding, be
the reply. . lng appointed In June, 1921, serving
"That was why I was retained." one f lscal yenr for which a saving to
Many of the subscriptions recoived. tno government of between $250,000,
the witness explained, were from pro- 000 and $300,000,000 was credited to
fessionals who were certain to let the tne op0ration of the budget bureau
stock go at the first opportunity to unaer his guidance.
obtain a price higher than that of is- . . .
sue. L'nless there was a buying Anarchist's Appeal Denied
agency to take these Issues the public! NEW .YORK, Dec. 21. The appel-
Ivould have no confidence In the is-
Much of Mr. fjvermore's tectimony
covered the same ground as the sen
ute investigation hist spring into oil
prices.
JURY STILL-OUT
ATLANTA, Ga., Dec. 21. (By As
sociated Press). The jury consider
ing the case of Philip E. Fox,' charged
with the murder of William S. Coburn
again was Instructed today by Judge
Howard at tho request of the body.
E
SALEM, Ore., Dec. 21. Arthur
Covell, Coos county astrologer sen
tenced to death on the gallows for
complicity in the murder of his sister-in-low,
Mrs. Ebba Covell, will . not
t hang today as sentenced.
i-enaing decision on nis appeal
U.S.
ter purported by Secretary of State
'Hughes to have been sent by tho com
munist Internationale, outlining a plot
to overthrow the United States gov
ernment. In a statement sent to United States
congressmen the workers' party calls
upon the progressive congressmen fo
demand an Investigation of this
fraudulent letter and to ' continue
their fight for recognition of the
Russian soviet republic.
"The whole Idea of the plot." thel
statement said, "was conceived by
madmen who are professional Bples
living off fake exposures of an al-
leged 'red menace.' "
DAWES OFFERED
RESIDENCY OF
THE RUHR COM.
1 l. I ; 1 1 , , ,
France Selects U. S. Member
of Committee to Examine
German Finance As Official
Head Dawes Grateful, But
Says Nothing-
PARIS, Dec. 21. (By Associated
Press). The reparations commission
this morning decided to offer to
Charles G. Dawes of the United States
the presidency of tho committoo
which is to examine German finances.
An American thus will head the
principal expert committee to be
named for the investigation of Ger
many's resources and financial situa
tion. The reparation commission found It
necessary to postpone issuing its Invi
tations to the other delegates on the
ccommlttees aside from the Ameri
cans but In view of the need of gain
ing time to permit the representatives
from the United States to arrive with
. out delay, the names of Qeneral
Dawes and of Owen D. Young of New
York were approved and instructions
given that formal invitations be sent
them.
It was the decision of the commis
Ision that the presidency of tho lead
ing expert committed ought to be of
fered to General Dawes.
CHICAGO, Dec. 21. (By Associat-
ed "ress). tfrigaaier General tjnanes
G. Dawes -refused to comment early
today when informed by the Assoclat-
ed Press at his home in Evanston,
n onure buoui u, umi imu u.
decided on by the reparation commts-
to head the committee to exam-
"ur"m" 41ttH'
"Thnnlr vmi vei-v n
Thank you very much, but I have
nothing to say," said General Dawes.
General Dawes Is regarded by his
friends as singularly well equipped
for the proposed duties, both from
his financial experience and zeal as a
public servant, lie is the founder of,
and long has been head 'of. one -of
Chicago's largest banking institutions.
i iii7-19 he served In France, most
nt lhe ,lme chairman of tho gen-
lute division of the supreme court to
day upheld
lower court conviction
of Harry M.
Winltsky, on charges of
criminal anarchy and also decreed
that he must serve the ten year sen
tence imposed at that time.
TAXES DECREASES
Tax figures for this year, or tho
1922 levy roveal some Interesting sta
tistics, gleaned from the records of
the sheriff's office.
In 11121 the total delinquent taxes
was $228,707.78, and this year, they
were $205,181.71, 'br a decrease of
two per cent
or ,n6?he small towrts Was there
an Increase In the delinquent amounts
the 1921 figures being $10, 381. S5,
! this year 17, 247.30.
I On the floor of the valley, which
embraces the orchards and farms, the
delinquent taxes In 1921 totalled $93,
298.54, and this year $90,696.98.
After October 5, this year, this same
taxation source paid in $22,500.41 on
delinquent assessments.
The total delinquency In Ashlnnd In
1921 was $25,163.27, and this year
$18,071.30, $6844.80 was paid In by
Ashland taxpayers since the rolls
were closed October 5th.
Medford, Inside and outside. In 1921
were delinquent $36,024.69, and In
1922 the figures are $29,024.88. Since
the books closed October 5, the city
hus , paid $9930.30, on delinquent
taxes.
Personal tax delinquency for 1921
was $31,402.48, and this year $26,
326.58, with $4,102.61 paid on de
linquent taxes since October 6.
The total lax collections for 1921
were $1,026,732.04, and this year they
were $1,050,910.90, an - Increase
$25,178.86.
The Noted Dead
NEW YORK, Dec. 21. Frank I.
Ccbb, chief editorial writer of the New
v . ' ... . , . ,
York World, died .today at his home
alter, a long illness.
'
TACOMA. Dec. 21. George Lam-
80n, Omaha heavyweight, won the do
cision over Marty Foley of Tacoma In
the six round main event of the box -
I lng program here last night.
DELINQUENCY !N
MAKES DEBUT AS A I
COXC'EKT SINGER AT 80,
The ambition of a lifetime was
realized by Mrs. Henry Clay Wright
of Austin, Texas, recently when she
made her debut In New York "as an
opera singer.
OF
TAXES ARGUED IN
Four Counties Declare the
Present Lawjs Violation of
Constitution Yamhill Banks
Support Action Klamath
Fails to Attends "
SALEM, Ore., Deo. 21. That the
law creating the county tax supervis
ing and connorvation commission Is
unconstitutional and that the acta of
the commissions In eliminating from
the 1924 budgets certain Items of pro
posed expeqsos were without legal au
thority, were the two outstanding ar
guments udvanced by attorneys who
appeared before the supreme court
here today In an effort to have tho
act declared Invalid.
Four counties wore represented at
the hearting. Of these, Yamhill and
Umatilla were represented by attor
neys, while Tillamook and Polk coun
ties participated in the case as anilcl
curlae. Klamath county had Intendod
to be represented but send word at
the last minute that the attorneys
there had not been able to complete
the required briers and othor legal pa
pers. '
The suit affecting Yamhill county
wa8 filed by a number of the promin
ent baukH, as bond holders and tax
payers, to compel the county court
there to levy a tax for the year 1924
sufficient to take care of obligations
previously contracted. Special refer
ence was made In the Yamhill county
case to the action of the tax supervis
ing commission In elimination from
the 1924 budget of two Items of $32,
500 and $40,305.
Those Hems, the nttorncys argued,
represented principal and Interest on
bond Issues voted hy tne tax payers
' V-hm county d
nty
budget committee there.
In attacking the constitutionality of
the tax supervising commission act.
the attorneys argued that tho law, as
now constructed, takes tho taxing
power away from tho regular arm
of the government created for that
purpose and places It In the hands of
the governor through' his power of
appointment to the supcjivlslng com
missions. It further was alleged that
the net, as amendment of the 1931
legislature, was not passed by that
body in the manner provided by the
constitution.
FORD TO BE PUT ON
TICKET. SOUTH DAKOTA
WATERTOWN. S. D.. Dec. 21.
0( Plans to put Henry Ford's name on
tne primary oauoc are oeing curneu
forward by the South Dakota Ford-for-presldcnt
club, regardless . of
Ford's declaration that he would not
be a candidate for president, James
F. Houlihan, chairman has announc
ed. PIERRE, S. D.. Dec. 21 The South
Dakota Ford-for-prcsident movement
gtcadily on in the absence of a
direct refusal from Mr. Ford himself
to "qualify If nominated and elected,"
James F. Houlihan of : Watertown,
S. D.. chairman of the South Dakota
i branch of the national Ford-for-presl
! dent club, declared to the Associated
Press here today.
SUPERVISING
SUPREME COURT
BIBLE DEBATE
INN. YORK WON
BY MODERNISTS
Modernists Win First Victory
in New York Debate With
Fundamentalists Unita
rian Pastor Declared to Have
Better of Baptist Divine.
NEW YORK. Dec. 21. (By Associ
ated Press). Religions modernists,
have won their first victory in he
series of debates between Rev,
Charles Francis Potter, pastor of
West Side Unitarian church and Dr.
John Roach Htratton, pastor of Cal
very 'Baptist church, nnd ono of the
most prominent leaders of the so
called fundamentalist or conservative
element among Protestant denomina
tions. Rev, Mr. Potter was awarded the
judges' decision in the first debate
last night when he upheld the nega
tive side of the question, "resolved,
that the bible Is the infullible word of
God." His victory, however, was won
on presentation of his arguments, for
the Judges did not base their decision
on -the merits of the question ltsolf.
Tho vote of the judges two Pro
testant Episcopalians and a Christian
Scientist was two to one.
Rev. Mr. Pottor's arguments were
based largely upon three premises:
That the bible was Inaccurate, histori
cally and scientifically; thut It con
tained obvious contradictions and thut
it represented Clod us huving "morally
degrading Ideas."
To'prove that tho bible was not in
fallible, ha said, he had only to show
that any one part of it was not Infal
lible, and he quoted passage after pas
sage of the scriptures to support his
contention.
Dr. Strutton argued that God as a
sovereign, most certninly would hav
formed a code of laws to govern His
subjects and he held that the bible i
was given to mankind as that code. A
?rltJ4fnCynrti,t?hy cnmds who assembled to' watch
.n11r n lift ha HlonlnM It nil lining
that nulhnritv exlstjt for the reltirlous
man, then that man Is a religious
anarchist.
OF
A number of Interesting . liquor
cases have been disposed of in Justice
Taylor's court, one of which has been
hanging fire for some timo and the
others transpiring within the past few
days.
Ralph Bragg,, well known young
man of this city, pleaded guilty to
driving an automobile while intoxi-
cated. and In addition to being given
a sentence of ten days in the county
Jail, had his drivers license suspended
by the court for a period of three
years. He wns arrested by Patrol
man Cave whllo driving about the
city streets the other night in an in
toxicated condition.
Ocorgo Fry was fined $60 and
Ralph Barbco wub fined $10 on the
charge of possessing liquor. There
was no bootlegging charged In either
case. Fry had several bottles of
moonshine cached near .Phoenix.
I Rarbee got off with the lighter fine
because he was regarded as less guilty
having accompanlod Fry to the cache
to get two half pint bottles. Inasmuch
as neither young man seems to have
the money to nay tho fines they will
probably serve out their fines at the
county Jail. Patrolman Cave also
made these arrests.
F. R. Kennedy, also of thla city,
who created such a commotion In
court, some ume ago uy
in it n. tilen. find nersistlne In talking.
following his arrest by the police, and
was sentenced by Judge Taylor to 10
days In Jail fof contempt of court, was
bound over to the grand Jury on $1000
ball yesterday afternoon at his pre
liminary hearing. This wns on tho
charges of possession of liquor and
breaking glass on tho street, as it Is
claimed that when arrested he broke
a bottle and Jug, full of moonshine.
The charges of importing liquor and
of selling tho same were dismissed.
GREENWICH. Conn., Dec. 21.-
LIQUOR
Mary Smith Woodcock Wllmot, who , j gan,,,,,,, and nl8 companion,
Inherited $160,000 from her father a'Dorothy Anderson will nlcad guilty
general contractor, has eloped wlli,"01" Andeison, will plead guilty
Jamea' Hngerty, taxi driver,
The. bride is 35 years old and her
husband ten years younger.
BUENOS AIRES Luis FIrpo will
sign articles within a day or two for
a fight with the Italian heavyweight,
Ermlnio Hpalla, the end of February,
It la understood. A local promoter Is
arranging It.
Pick Strawberries
In Ontario, Canada;
Pansies in N York
NEW YORK, Dec. 21. New
York enjoyed summer weather
today, the last day of autumn.
STRATFORD, Ont., Dec. 21.
The latest out of season freak
developed by the unusual spring- 4
like weather in Ontario was re-
ported today by Fred Crocker, 4
4 who picked ripe strawberries
from the vines in his garden.
WHITE PLAINS, N. Y., Dec. 4
21. A single pansy burst Into
4 bloom In the yard of Mrs. M. M. 4
Dale today, officially the last day t
of fall.
REEF, TUGS FAIL
TO PULL IT OFF
NEW YORK, Dec. 21.-
soclated Press) The Leviathan queen
ship of the American marine, in-;
bound from Chorbourg today, ground-1
od on Robins reef In New York har
bor. A call was sent for all available
tugs. ' I
Tho reef ib located just north of
IKnn...lrlnB.illlA Tul'n.l IThn
ship grounded" after she had passed
quaiantino on tho wav to her dock
Half a dozen tugs reached the Le-i
vlathan and made fast. They tugged
away vigorously, but apparently were
unable to budge her, with the low
water mark about nn hour ahead. i
The dense fog that hid the sea
gian,t from shoro observers whon she
struck, lifted an hour later ami 1,16
, ,,,, ,1 .r ;.,.,i
eight tugs that
" 1
chugged mightily in apparent futile
efforts to float her,
i
PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 21. Salo
of several tracts of ' limber-in Polk
and Clackamas counties, at an aggre
gate price of more than $82,000 was
announced today by the United States
land office.
' The two largest tracts are located
In Polk county, near the
western
boundary line. One went to the Wll
lamette Valley Lumber company, the
other to the William M. Mitchell Co.
Tho purchase .involved fir, hem
lock, cedar and larch to a total of ap
proximately 20,000,000 . board feet.
'The price was $11,678.11. The second
tract, awarded to the Mitchell com
pany, includes fir and hemlock to a
total of approximately 22,000,000
board feet, and brought a total of
$57,169.09.
Director Told Wife
Lurid Tale to Bring
Her Back tO Life
' LONO BEACH, Cal.. Deo. 21.
(By Associated Press). Elsler
LaMale, theatrical man and mov-
lng picture director, accused by
hiB wife, Helen, two days .ago
In a divorce complaint of having
tried to sell her to Lou Hurrls,
t supposed negro leader of
I . . . ...
the
Juarez underworld, today made
a signed statement to the Long
Beach .Telegram In which he
characterized the entire charge '
as a myth. He said there was no
f such person in existence as Lou
, Harris and declared he had in-
vented the story to "bring my
wife back to life."
LEVIATHAN
HITS
SAILSTAD AND 'SUNSHINE GIRL' PLEAD
GUILTY, WOULD GO TO PEN TOGETHER
SUPERIOR, Wis., Dec.
21. Ed-
to charges of arson either today or
tomorrow when they are arraigned In
superior court. Hailstnd made this
announcement after being arraigned
In municipal court yesterday,
-
SUPERIOR, Wis., Dec. 21 Edward
J. Sallstad and Dorothy Anderson will
be sentenced on an arson charge on
December 28, when they will appear
PEACE NEAR
IN
IS BELIEF
Obregon Stops Recruiting and
Conference With Rebel Chief
With View of Halting Hos
tilities Is Reported Puebla
Reported Captured By Gov
ernment Forces-
(By the Associated Press.) !
Indications that the rebellion In
Mexico has entered a leas .belligerent ,.
phase are given In news dispatches
from Vera Cruz, where the rebels
halntaln their headquarters.
General Gaudalupe Sanchez, chlet
military supporter of Odolfo De La
Huerta Is reported to have gone to Es-
MEXICO
peranza, in the fighting zone, to con
. I for with other rebel lenders In Puebla
(By tho As- and Oaxaca on a plan for terminating
the conflict. He was accompanied by
a civilian representative of Huerta.
The military situation apparently re
mains stationary with no troop move- -ments
of Importance. President Obre
gon is reported to have ordered sus
pension of recruiting on behalf of the
federals, deeming the government
forcea sufficient to cope with. the tip.
: rising.
, VERA CRUZ, Dee. 21. The Impres
sion, prevalent for several days, that
the Huerta and Sanchez rebels would
compose their difficulties with the Ob
rogonlsts, gained ground today by
newspaper advices that General Qauda-
ltme Snnchez and Senator R. Z. Cap-
many had gone to Esperanza to confer
with rebel leaders in the statos of Pue-
bla and Oaxaca relative to a termina
tion of the warfare. ,
Senator Campany, according to the
advices, accompanied General San
chez ns the reoresentatlve . of Adolfo
J De La Huerta who with the? getferal In-
Btigatea tne campaign agaiit.,iiie
present regime In Mexico City; ...
MEXICO CITY, Dec. 20 (By. the
Associated Press.) Special d!spatoheB.
from Puebla state that forces under
General Almazan, loyalist, succeeded
In an attempt to capture that city.
Rebel! Claim Victories. -
JUAREZ, Dec. 21. (My the Asso
ciated Press.) Developments in the
revolutionary situation, heyopd the
claims of opposing factions as to vlcv
torles In recent operations were lack
ing In Juarez early today. .
The towns of, Apizaco, Querto Mex
ico, Acapulio, Puebla and Cuatla have
been captured by the rebels under
General G. Sanchez, representatives of
the Huerta faction announced at No- .
gales. Ariz. The Sanchestta are with- .;
In 60 kilometers of Mexico City Which .
the Obregon forces are preparing to '
evacuate, the announcement said. -, .
Many dead and wounded were left
on the field near Apazaco, according
to the revolutionary statement which
reported that 3000 prisoners were ta- ;
a ,t,A raliato thara after n. olAflh
yesterday, following which the govern
ment troops were retreating. ,
On the other hand, Counsel General , .
Hulz here said the rebels are being
driven toward Vera Cruz and tearing
up the rails behind them to binder ,
pursuit. v
Daily Report on
the Crime Wave
EVERETT. Wash., Dec. 21. The ;
Marino cafe, near the waterfront was
held up enrly this morning by two
armed masked men, one of whom
seized the cash register containing
about $75. The police later found the
empty register undor a nearby railway
viaduct. 1
hpfnre .TuritrA AfhlKoM MnVav In
! Perlor court here. District Attorney
Roh"'t E.. Kennedy announced today,
when arraigned before MunlclDal
Judge F. S. Parker on a charge of
arson, resulting from the burning of
Satlstad's summer cottage at . Lake
Nebagamon In August, 1920, In which
the body of a man had been placed
I to make it appear Sallstad had per-
Ished to further an insurance hoax.
1 the couple pleaded guilty and were
' bound over to superior court for aen
tence.