Wilkes-Barre Sunday Independent

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FIND GIRL MOTHER WITH BABE HIDDEN 3 DAYS
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A Paper For the Home
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
LEASED WIRE TELEGRAPH REPORT TO 3 A.M. SUNDAY
THE WEATHER
Knstprn I'rnnsj Ivnnia : Fair and colder In BouthMRt anrl inow fliirrfrs and roIdiT In wpRt nnd north portiona Sun¬ day; Mondar cloudy foIIowM hy anow In ronh and rain nr anow !n aonth porfion    ^fnnday   afternoon    or   nlirhr.
FORTY-EIGHT PAGES
Tbo Only Sunday Nen»p«per Covering the Wyonifng Valley
WILKES-BARRE, PA., SUNDAY, JANUARY 5, 1936
Entered at  Wllk*«-Bam, Pa. Aa Second Clata Mall  Matter
PRICE TEN CENTS
SQUANDERED PAY SEEN AS CAUSE OF PROTESTS AGAINST WPA HERE
I
IN cin
Infant Wrapped In Blanket Traced To 18-Year-Oid Rooming   House   Inmate
MOTHER FREED
Frightened By Predicament And Feared To Summon Physician    Or    Friends
IN
Girl Without Job Jumps To Death
New York, Jan. 4. (UP) Miss Phyllis Telford, 27, ol Rochester, N. Y., jumped to her death from th» fourth story of a local rooming house tonigli* Miss Telford, a graduate oi Rochester University, was de¬ spondent over her inability to find steady work since coniinp; here from Rochester last Sep¬ tember, a roommate told police.
18 PLACES
f/-
Plan Of Payment Adopted But Must Study Means To Raise Needed. Money
TO BAN MUNITIONS
NETS GUN TOTER ONLY 112 LOOT
BY NOBEL
City Commissioner Names Aides As Replacements To Choices Of Majority
CITES PRECEDENT
\
CASE IS CLOSED
For three days the body of a newborn infant lay wrapped in a blanket in a South Main itreet rooasitiK house while its 18-yeai-old uuwcd mother worried about what waa going to happen when the poUce would find the body. Born without medical attention, the in¬ fant waa also allowed to die with- , out necewary assistance. How long the child lived after birth physicians were unable to say last night. They agreed, however, that after being wrapped in the blanket and then concealed in a clothes closet, where discovery was later made, death was a matter of a comparatively short time.
City police and the office of Coroner 1. J. Morgan last night made public the weird case, but asked the Sunday Independent to withhold the name of the young unwed mother. No charge will be filed against her. Yesterday after¬ noon the body of the ir'ant was buried in City cemetery un North River street with only Deputy Coroner Emmet Brislin and an as¬ sistant present. Lrfist night the case waa marked "closed" on the police docket, with no further ac¬ tion   contemplated.
The infant's body was found Friday night and for the next twenty-four hours authorities ton- ducted an investigation before they were convmced that negligence rather than criminal intent caused the child's death. LAst Tuesday, the young mother, who had been living In a rooming house on South Main street, told her landlady that ah« had an attack of grippe and intended to remain in her room for the day. The girl had no vis¬ itors and said the did not need a   doctor.
On Wednesday the girl appeared recovered and went to work as usual in a local restaurant, police were told. All that day, also on Thursday and again on Friday, the girl kept her secret. On Friday night the landlady, while rum¬ maging through a clothes closet In the girl's room, discovered a blanket stuffed out of sight be¬ hind some clothes. When the blanket was opened, it revealed the body of the dead child.
Police and the coroner's cflice were notified. County detectives wep» also called in. They ques¬ tioned the girl and the landlady until last night when they decided, charitably, to call the case "closed."
ONE NATION 8AV8 NOTHING Mexico City, Jan. 4. (UP)—High Mexican authorities refused to comment today on President Roose¬ velt's message last night to the Senate and House of Representa¬ tives. Most of those interviewed ¦aid the address was "a very seri¬ ous matter" and needed deeper study to be discusfed.
HENRY LEES DEAD IN HIS 95TH YEAR WIDELYiURNED
Oldest Banker In The County Succumbs To Illness Aggravated By Accident
FUNERAL TUESDAY
Cost   Of   Last   War   And Small Boy Is Big Stealer Will   Withhold   Payroll   If
Escape From Another Are Most Engaging Congress
EFFECT BUDGET CUT
In A Pair Of Robberies On   Streets   Of   Valley
NO ARRESTS
Henry Lees, oldest banker In Luzerne County and prominently identified for years with the com¬ munity's commercial interests, died yesterday afternoon at his home, 28 Center avenue, Plymouth. He would have celebrated his ninety-fifth birthday on the fourteenth day of next month. His death was due to the effects of general debility ag¬ gravated by an injury he suffered months ago. He fell down a flight of stairs at his home la.st Summer, receiving a fracture of the leg. While he apparently recovered from that accident, his advanced age prevented a complete return to health. His death occurred at 4:10 oclock yesterday afternoon. The funeral will take place Tues¬ day.
At the time of his death Mr. Lees was serving as chairman of the "board of directors of First Na¬ tional Bank of Plymouth, a position he held since 1933. Prior to that he was president of the institution, which, under his administration, grew to be one of great promi¬ nence in the financial field. His opinions on banking and commu¬ nity affairs held wide influence for many years. His passing resulted in wide regret among the people of Plymouth where he had the added distinction of being the oldest resi¬ dent of the borough.
Mr. Lees was born February 14, 1841, at Somercoates, England. At the age of 21 he came to Plymouth, but remained there only two years before joining the gold rush to newly-discovered prospecting fields in Montana. After four years in the West, he returned to Plymouth to embark in the clothing business for the next thirty-one years.
For a similar period of thirty years he was a director of First National Bank of Plymouth and in 1919 was elected president of the institution, being the fourth chief executive in the bank's history. He retired from the president's post nearly three years ago to a.isume the position of chairman of the board. His only connection with politics was years ago when he served as councilman and also as president of the  borough board.
Mr. Lees was a member of First (Continued  on   Page  A-5)
FAMILY DRIVEN OUT WHEN STOVE UPSETS
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A family of six fled to the street last night when a heating stove Upset at the home of Jacob Conrad, 44 Columbus avenue, city. Firemen of three companies found the par¬ lor ablaze and the flames- threat¬ ening to spread through tiic dwell¬ ing. The fire was confined to the first floor, the damage amounting
y,',to several hundred dollars.
^
The stove upset when one of its
legs collapsed.   Red hot coals were
mattered around the parlor where
members of the Conrad family had gathered after eating supper. One of the family raced to Abbott and Hazle streets where an alarm was turned in. Firemen used chemicals and also formed a bucket brigade to extinguish burning carpet and furniture.
At 7:20 oclook la.st night fire damaged an automobile of Peter Boyle of 46 Maxwell street. "Hot brakes" caused the blaze, accord¬ ing to firemen, while the machine was in front of 128 Scott street.
Washington, Jan. 4. (UP)—Con¬ gress, recovered from excitement of its opening day ceremonies, to¬ night was ready to settle down to serious and speedy consideration of two of the most important pieces of legislation to come before it this session- Neutrality and the Sol¬ diers Bonus.
Both  measures have  been given j legislative   right   of   way.    Senate j and  House  leaders  pledicted  they would   be   disposed    of   by   early February   and   possibly   late   this month.
Impetus was given speedy con¬ sideration of the Bonus issue in the House late today when warring factions of the Vinson and Patman groups agreed to support the "United Front" Bill favored by veterans organizations, with method of payment to be discussed later.
The bill is a revision of that introduced last session by Rep. Fred M. Vinson, Democrat, Ky. Its advocates claim it would entail an Lnitial Federal outlay of only $1,000,000,000  in  cash.
T|je agreement virtually sounded the death knell of the inflation aspect of the Bonus question. Rep. Wright Patman, D., Texas, spon¬ sor of a bill to issue $2,000,000,000 in new currency to pay the Bonus, agreed to support the United Front measure. He asked, however, that his group be given opportunity to discuss method of payment later The United Front Bill docs not prescribe means of raising money to pay the adjustment service cer¬ tificates.
White   House   Approval
The    powerful    Senate    Steering and   Policy   Committee   authorized Chairman   Joseph   T.   Robinson   of i Arkansas to confer with President! Roosevelt   to   work   out   a   Bonus'^ compromise. Robinson said he was confident   a  bill  could   be   enacted that would meet with White House approval.
Robjfison instructed Chairman Pat Harrison of the Finance Com¬ mittee to submit a report as soon as possible on the various Bonus measures. He predicted the Byrnes- Steiwcr Bill, providing for imme¬ diate cash payment of 97 percent of the 1945 value of adjusted ser¬ vice certificates, might be used as a basis for compromise.
House and Senate foreign rela¬ tions committees agreed to expe¬ dite consideration of the broad Neutrality program advanced by the President to guarantee this na¬ tion's isolation in the event of an¬ other war abroad. Chairman Sam D. McReynolds, D., Tenn., of the House group, summoned a meeting Tuesday to map procedure.
The Senate committee is sched¬ uled to meet on Wednesday. Chair¬ man Key Pittman, D., Ncv., indi¬ cated the Neutrality proposal would be the first order of business. Neither committee is expected to hold public hearings on the legis¬ lation.
Reduction in Cotit»
Neutrality legislation, embodying in substantial measure what the isolationists have been seeking, will be "taken up promptly" by the Senate when the Foreign Re¬ lations group completes its delib¬ erations, Robinson said. A similar promise came  from McReynolds.
Meanwhile, the so-called Neutral¬ ity bloc headed by Senators (Jcrald P. Nye, R., N.D.. and Bennett Champ Clark. D., Mo., and Rep. Maury Maverick, D., Je\., planned to introduce a separate bill Mon¬ day. Members of the group hailed the Administration's program as a (Continued  on  Page  A-5)
Two  cases   of  robbery   were   re¬ ported    last    night    from    widely separated   sections   of   the   county, j A Wilkes-Barre Railway street-car | conductor was held up at the point j of a gun at the end of the Avoca ' branch shortly before midnight. A Nanticoke woman, wife of a mine official,   had   her   purse   snatched from  her   by  a  boy   of  twelve   at ten oclock while on her way to her home after a shopping tour.
William K. Martin of 90 East Eighth street, Wyoming, had driven his car to the Avoca termi¬ nal and, after changing the trolley for the return trip to this city, the last of the night, he was getting back into the car when a gun was pushed in his ribs.
He was asked to turn over his metal change carrier and any bills that he might have in his posses¬ sion. Martin complied, so far as the change was concerned, but stated that it was all the money he had. The stick-up man did not wait to investigate. He made off at once along Lehigh Valley tracks in the direction of the partially inhabited flats where West Avoca football  field  is  located.
Martin reported the case to Pittston police when he arrived in that city, who in turn notified State Police. He reported a loss of $12 In change, but his bills were intact.
Martin reported that with the exception of the Lehigh Valley crossing watchman at the McAl- pine street crossing, fifty feet from the end of the line, there were no persons In the immediate neighbor¬ hood. The watchman was in his shanty at the time, but did not know that a stick-up was in pro¬ gress until afterward when he saw the man fleeing into the darkness.
The conductor described his as¬ sailant as of medium height, wear¬ ing a blue zipper sweater, dark hat and dark shirt without a tie. Ho said he weighed about 140 pounds. Theft at Nanticoke
The Nanticoke case was similar in some details. The youthful purse snatcher, in his haste to get away, left part of the cash contents be¬ hind him. His gain, however, was $50.
The purse was taken from Mrs. Clifford Wilson, wife of a fire-boss at Loomis colliery. Her husband had been paid yesterday afternoon and Mrs. Wilson, after cashing his check at the hank near the closing hour, stopped in several stores to make purchases and was on her way home to 186 East Broad street, when the snatch occurred.
She   had   reached   an   alley   on (Continued on Page A-22)
Claiming the right to make all the appointments in his own de¬ partment under a precedent estab¬ lished years ago. Councilman John Nobel last night announced a list of 18 appointees in the Department of Public Safety which he will sub¬ mit at tomorrow'.') reorganization meeting of Wiikes-Barre City Coun¬ cil. Nobel's announcement was in¬ terpreted as a direct challenge to the newly formed majority faction of Council which is reported to have already decided to fill most of the jobs in Nobel's bureau with men of their own selection.
To prove that he means to have the privilege of naming the ap¬ pointees in his own departmrnt, a right that has been accorded to all councilmen in recent years, Nobel declared that he will approve no salaries for any appointees in the Bureau of Public Safety unless he makes the appointments.
"I won't sign the payroll vouch¬ ers," Nobel declared, "and if I don't sign the vouchers there will be no payroll."
Nobel's list of eighteen suggested appointees contained one surprise when he nominated Ellis Owen for the office of Chief Building In¬ spector. This is the office for which Edward Eycrman has been slated by the majority faction. Eyerman is to be transferred, ac¬ cording to present majority plans, from his present post of City As¬ sessor to the building inspector's department so that George M. Yencha, defeated for re-election aa City Controller, can become City Assessor. Eyere, as Building In¬ spector, would succeed Bernard F. O'Rourke whom the majority fac¬ tion has decided to retire on pen¬ sion.
"My first thought," declared Nobel last night in announcing his list of eighteen proposed appoint¬ ments, "was to permit the Build¬ ing Inspector's office to remain as it is, having been capably managed for many years by B. F. O'Rourke. Mr. O'Rourke has advised me that he docs not desire to remain in office, as he is eligible for pen¬ sion."
As a result, Nobel selected Ellis Owen for O'Rourke's job. Owen at present is a clerk In the office, but his job is to go to Nate Seeher- man if the majority faction's plans succeed.
Nobel issued the following state¬ ment revealing the appointments he proposes at tomorrow's reorgan¬ ization meeting:
Nobel's Statement
"Having been informed by Mayor (Continued on Page A-5)
RELATIVES OF LINDY QUIT UNITED STATES
New York, Jan. 4. (UP)—Con¬ stance Morrow, who has been the target of many kidnap threats, and her mother, Mrs. Dwight Morrow, have followed the Lindberghs abroad.
They sailed late Friday on the Bremen for Cherbourg and South¬ ampton.
It was not known whether Mrs. Morrow would join her daughter and her son-in-law. Anne and Col¬ onel Charles A. Lindbergh, who .secretly fled the United States for England with their second son, Jon.
It was understood, however, that Mrs. Morrow and her youngest daughter had planned the trip for some time and that they expected
to be abroad about five months.
Three years before young Charles Lindbergh jr. was kidnaped and killed, Constance Morrow had been guarded because of kidnap threats against her.
Llandridod Wells, Wales, Jan. 4 (UP)—Col. Charles A. Lindbergh and his family, fleeing from pub¬ licity, passed the night here and left by automobile today.
London, Jan. 5. (Uf")—The Sun¬ day newspaper, The People, today said that Col. Charles A. Lind¬ bergh, his wife and baby son, Jon, arrived at Llandaff home of Aubrey Morgan shortly before nightfall yesterday^
2 Electrocuted By Snapped Wire
Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 4. (UP)- Two men were electrocuted late today by a dangling live wire. The men were identified tenta¬ tively tonight as a Mr. Barrett and a Mr. Shoemaker. Authori¬ ties W'Cre attempting to com¬ plete   positive   idetnfiication.
The deaths brought to four the toll taken by live wires snapped by the ice and sleet storms that hit Alabama this week, causing more than $2,000,- 000 damages. Other victims of dangling live wires were an 11-year-old boy and a Negro youth.
Linemen worked In the At¬ lanta area to restore broken telegraph, telephone and power lines. Approximately 10.000 tele¬ phones were put out of service in Atlanta while about 7,'S per¬ cent of the residences had no lights.
LETTERS TRACED IN WORKS PROBE OF COUNTY AREA
Instances Shown Where Money Paid To Tht Emergency Employees Is Used Outside Homes And In Each Case Of Complaint A Record Of Compensation Is Shown
FILES PROVE FAKERY
Mayor   And   Supporters Ignore   His   Selections!
CLASH EXPECTED
E
OF STEADY GRIND
Deluxe Edition Is Awarded For The Closest Guess In Ponca City Ceremony
BREATHLESS CLOSE
Ponca City, Okla., Jan. 4. (UP) —M. E. Powell, middle-aged adver¬ tising man, tonight won Ponca city's celebrated Bible "readathon," which came to abreathless close at  6:17:20  P.  M.
Powell had guessed th* closest of scores of contestants to the time required to read the Scriptures. He was awarded a de luxe edition of the Bible for his guess of 70 hours and 43 minutes, which was wrong by one hour and 39 minutes.
The contest ended when the Rev. P. T. Stanford, its conductor, in¬ toned "the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen," from the 21st Verse of the 22nd Chapter of Revelations.
He closed the book. Four oifl- cial timers, seated about a wood stove, rose and informed the audi¬ ence of 75 church members and curious that at this exhibition the Scriptures from Genesis to Revela¬ tions had been read aloud in ex¬ actly 69 hours, four minutes and ten seconds.
The sawdust-floored Tabernacle Baptist church had echoed the words of the Bible from the lips of   359   people.
The Reverend Stanford had warn¬ ed the audience against any demon¬ stration at the finish. This did not appear to be necessary. They re¬ mained seated while Mrs. W. O. Merrill of Oklahoma City sang "Home  of  the  Soul."
Powell, whose wife Is a Sunday school teacher, accepted the prize with a grin.
Then the Reverend Stanford turned to the serious business of the evangelist, opening a revival meeting.
Tlie Bible Log
Here is the log of the fast-mov¬ ing   homestretch:
(Saturday,"^ January 4)
2:43 a. m.—Old Testament com¬ pleted; brief recess before reading the  Book of Matthew.
9 a. m.—Entered John 17, with Sharline Howie reading.
2:05—Entered Galatians, Mrs. Arthur Cooper at the pulpit.
3 p. m.—Entered First Thessalon- ians. Miss Ruth Lockwood turning the  pages.
4 p. m—Entered Hebrews, Miss Arline Miller reciting.
5:27 p. m.—Entered Revelations, R. C. Musgrave putting feeling, speed and a deep voice into the first chapters.
6:10 p. m.-The Rev. Stanford took over to finish the reading (it was Alpha and Omega with him— he started  it).
6:17:20 p. m.-He finished.
It was the third time the tall, energetic evangelist, formerly as¬ sociated with Dr. J. Frank Norris, famed revivalist, had been In on the finish. A few years ago he conducted a Bible reading contest at Brownwood, Tex. The elapsed time of that exhibition was 68 hours, 59 minutes.
This, the Reverend Stanford claims. Is the world's record for sustained relay reading of the Scriptures.
The present contest started at 9:02:30 p. m.  Wednesday,
In the files of Works Progress Admini.ilration in Luzerne County, of which John J. P. Dunn is direc¬ tor, is a revealing picture of the frailities of human nature. The files also display the amount of forced, irritating work piled on the ad¬ ministrator and his staff by com¬ plaints registered at Washington and Harrisburg that have no justi¬ fication when thoroughly investi¬ gated. Many of the complaints are in letters sent to the President of the United States as well as to the Governor of Pennsylvania. They have also appeared in the press, causing many people to woncder if the conditions of which the writers complain   are   really  true.
A Sunday Independent reporter was given permission yesterday afternoon to check the complaints and examine jiU records as to why men have not received pay and why so much critic"—" as been made.
The first letter examined was to the President of the United States. The name of the writer is omitted. It is written by a woman from Fitt.slon, who complains in a rather pathetic manner that her husband has received no pay. This letter is given in part:
Letter To President
"Mr. President of these United States:
"I am writing this letter to ask you if you can do something for me and my family. My husband has been working on a project at Hemlock's creek, Huntington Mills, over a month ago and he has never received any pay check. It is now December and we are cut off the relief. The milk is going to be shut off and two babies are on the bottles. Any day 1 am going to the Hospital to be confined. I hope, Mr. Roosevelt, you will help us out so that we won't starve." He Had The Money
When this letter was received at the White House. President Roose¬ velt instructed that it be forward¬ ed to BIdward N. Jones, State Ad¬ ministrator. He in turn sent It to John J. P. Dunn here.
Investigation at the local office revealed that the man had received his wages and in order to give the woman the facts, the following letter was sent to her by Mr. Dunn:
"Dear Mrs. •	
"Your letter addressed to the Honorable Franklin D. Roosevelt, in reference to wages that were not paid your husband, has been forwarded to me.
"Please be advised that we have checked our records and find that
Mr. has been paid in full all
which he has earned on the  fol¬ lowing dates:
"December    6. 1935 ,..„  $30.25
"December 14, 1935     26.48
"December 24, 1935       2.79
"December 26, 1935     11.34
"and a check for $34.25, which he will receive In the next few days.
"Yours very truly, "JOHN J. P. DUNN, "Director—District No. 2. "Works Progress Administration." Where Does Money Go?
It is a question where this man spent his money. His wife evi¬ dently needed it. In some instances it has gone for intoxicating liquors.
The  prize   letter  comes  from  a
citizen of Wapwallopen. His nam* is also omitted. His letter appears as follows:
"Mr. Dunn—I worked on a worki project 325. September SO, October 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 18 and have not received any pay and it's a shame to wait ten weeks. Please see at once that I get my check, or I will proceed to collect! Please see to It at once.
"ABB ,
"Wapwallopen, Pa."
This letter puzzled the finance department for a week or so be¬ fore one of the Investigators found that Abe was employed by the State Highway Department. It is presumed that he was recommend¬ ed for the position by some of his politicsl friends. Nevertheless the complaint received prompt consid¬ eration with the following reply from the director's office:
"Dear Sir:
"Your letter of December 28 complaining that you have not re¬ ceived your pay for September 30, October 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 18 has been investigated and checked, and we find that you are not on the payroll of the Works Progress Division, but on the State Highway Department payroll.
"We would advise that you get in touch with your timekeeper, or with    the    Highway    Department offlc* In Parsons, Pennsylvania. "Yours very truly,
"JOHN J. P. DUNN. "Director—District No. 3
Works Progress Administration." Write Governor
From Dallas is a complaint registered by a woman with Gov¬ ernor George Earle. She writes to tell   the   Governor   about  her  son.
Her  letter  reads:
"Mr.  Earle,  Dear  Sir:
"I am writing to you to explain that my son has been working on a State job every other week and has only received $56.93. He has worked two months and has not received as much as he got in one month. Each family that was on relief Is entitled to $60.50. There are four of us In the family, my husband has no work and how can we buy our food, clothing, coal. I would like my husband to get a job. He has a blue card, but no one calls for him to work.
"MRS. 	
"Dallas. Pa."
In this case, the complaint wa« out of the Jurisdiction of the local office. The woman In question is advi.sod by letter that her hus¬ band is employed by the Stats Highway Department. Concerning her needs, she is asked by Mr. Dunn to take the matter up with the Luzerne County Emergency Relief Board.
The Wires Tricked
In many instances, letters sent In by men complaining about their failure to receive pay checks are written in a woman s hand. The conjecture is that the men In ques¬ tion have spent their pays and la order to bluff their wives registered complaints.
From Pond Hill comes this letter written in a woman's hand, tellinK a story of no compensation lor labor performed on one of the pro* jects:
"WPA Headquarters;
"I  am  writing you  a f*w Imw (Continued on  Page A-B)
3 BIG JOBS FILLED BY GOVERNOR EARLE
Philadelphia, Jan. 4. (UP) — Governor George H. Earle of Penn¬ sylvania tonight announced three important appointments.
Secretary of Revenue Harry C. Kalodncr, former Philadelphia newspaperman, was named Judge of Common Pleas Court No. 2, succeeding Judge Horace Stern who was elected to the Pennsylva¬ nia  State  Supreme  Court.
.Tohn B. Kelly, Democratic lead¬ er in Philadelphia and defeated candidate for Mayor at the last election, was appointed Revenue Secretary to succeed Kalodner,
Dr. Robert C. White, a maati< facturing chemist and lieutenant of Kelly, was named City Control* ler of Philadelphia. He will tak* the place of the incumbent, tt Uavis Wilson, who will be swoni in  Monday  as  the city's Mayor.
The choices for the high post were made after a conference at¬ tended by the Governor, David Lawrence, Secretary of the Com¬ monwealth and Democratic Stat* Chairman, U. S Senator Josepk Guffey, D.. Pa.. Matthew H. Me. Clonkey. Kelly's rlght-hwd and Kelly hlmiell