Wilkes-Barre Sunday Independent

              WEDDING  PARTY IS ROUTED BY FATAL FIRE
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
LEASED WIRE TELEGRAPH REPORT TO 8 A.M. SUNDAY
THE WEATHER
Eastern   Pennsylvania:    Fair,    not
quite so warm in aouthea.it portion
Sunday;     Monday    partly    cloudy
followed   by   local   sliowers.
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FIFTY-SIX PAGES
The Only Sunday  Newipaper Covering tha Wyoniing Vallay
WILKES-BARRE, PA., SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 1935
Entered at Wllkea-Bnrre, Pa. Aa Second Claia Mail Matter
PRICE TEN CENTS
SON
MURDERED DY HIS FATHER
RICHARD WILLIAMS DULLET VICTIM
iO KISl
ONE DEAD
Blaze Sweeps A Public Hall During Gayety's Reign And   Many  Are   Injured
LEAP FROM WINDOWS
Two Legion Men Die In Collision
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Lancaster, Pa., June 15.  (UP)
-Two World War veterans en¬ route to funeral services for James J. Deighan, State Legion Adjutant, were Itilled today when an automobile and a trucl< crashed in a hpad-on collision. They were: Edgar Beclt,' 41, New Holland, Pa., undertaker, and  Willis   Seldomridge,  35.
Wayne Ranclt, Commander of District 10, American Legion, and Martin Lichty, driver of the truclt,  were  seriously injured.
Services for Deighan, who died on Friday, were held in Phila¬ delphia.
Clamor Of Fire Apparatus Is Mingled With Cries Of  Endangered  Persons
WILEY POST ENDS EVENTFUL CAREER OF 'WINNIE MAE'
Martial Law Proclaimed By Nebraska's Governor After A Series Of Riots
TROOPS ARRIVE
800 Coal Miners To Be Given Jobs
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Pottsville, Pa., June 15. (UP) —The Buck Run Coal Company today leased a large tract of land near Glen Dover and hopes were advanced that 800 anthra¬ cite miners will be employed in the new operations. More than 1,000 acres were Included in the lease.
SEVEN ARRESTED
POLICE HOLD CROWDS
New Tork, June 18. (UP)—(Sun¬ day)—A fay wedding party ended in tragedy early today when fire swept "Ths Mansions," a popular public hall in downtown Manhat¬ tan. A guest, described as Paul Strieker, 155 Bouth Seventh street, Brooklyn, died of burns and suffo¬ cation, police reported, and about forty other persons suffered in¬ juries and were taken to hospitals
Many of the guests escaped by leaping from windows, several be¬ ing  injured  in  the  fail.
The horrifying shrieks of persons within the hall rose above the clamor of fire apparatus responding to two alarms.
Police emergency squads and ambulance surgeons, summoned with the sounding of the flrst alarm, hastily established first-aid stations on the sidewalk, treating scores of persons for burns, other injuries   and   ahock.
Families in adjoining buildings hurriedly  vacated.
Thousands of persons (rom sur¬ rounding streets poured into the block, and it was necessary to sum¬ mon police reserves to restore order.
SOO In Building
About 300 persons were in the building when the fire broke out. They were attending the wedding of Louis Sheim, 28, to Pearl Soko- low, 21. Sheim was burned on the hands, face and body and taken to Bellevue Hospital in a serious con¬ dition.
The dead man, Strieker, waa a student at City College. Accord¬ ing to eyewitnesses he lost his life because he delayed to try to stamp out the fire and assist those swept aside in the panic.
The fire started in the kitchen under the wedding celebration and spread through a flue and dumo- waiter to drapes that had been set up about an altar-like affair erected for   the   marriage   ceremony.
The district in which the fire occurred is one of the most densely populated in the nation.
Fifth In
Unsuccessful Trial Sub-Stratosphere   Is Last  For  Record  Plane
Are Ready For Any Trouble B u t General Declares Their   Object   Is   Peace
TIE UP TROLLEYS
IS FORCED DOWN
MEXICAN TROOPS ARE CALLED TO CAPITAL
Mexico City, June IB. (UP)—The government moved various regi¬ ments of troops to the Capital to¬ night, in view of the danger of in¬ ternal strife created by the widen¬ ing breach between President Lazaro Cardenas and former Pres¬ ident Plutarco Elias Caiies, the "strong man" of Mexico.
Wichita, Kan., June 15. (UP)- The Winnie Mae, the sturdy plane which Wiley Post guided around the world twice in reeerd time, made her last flight today.
At the end of a fifth unsuccess¬ ful attempt to span the continent in the sub-stratosphere, her pilot pancaked her on Municipal Airport here.
He landed at 3:35 p. m., nine hours and eight minutes aft»r leav¬ ing Burbank, Cal. He had hoped to reach New York in seven hours.
Lifted out of the cockpit. Post, the one-eyed Oklahoman, stepped out of his "Maa, from Mars Suit" and said:
"Winnie Mae deserves a rest. She is worn out and run down. She needs a rest."
He looked longingly at the trim monoplane and turned away with the remark;
"Take the damned thing back to Oklahoma and leave her!"
"I shall retire Winni« Mae. but I shall not retire," he said. "I shall continue my experiments in the stratosphere and although I may never set a new transcontinental record, I shall attempt to learn all about aviation in the higher alti¬ tudes."
Further than this. Post did not care to discuss his unsuccessful flight today. He would not say definitely whether motor trouble caused his failure.
The Winnie Mae was purchased by Post and F. C. Hall, Oklahoma City oil man, in 1932. It was named "Winnie Mae" in honor of Hall's daughter, Mrs, Winnie Mae Fain. With this ship. Post made the epochal round-the-world flight with Harold Gatty. Later he flew it alone around the world with the aid of a robot pilot. It is a Lock¬ heed.
CODES ARE MAINTAINED FOR CONSUMERS GOODS
New York, June 15. (UP)—De spite invalidation of the NRA, con sumers' goods industries are main taining wage and hour standards established under the act and con¬ fidently expect to continue, George A. Sloan, chairman of the Con¬ sumers' Goods Industries Commit¬ tee, said tonight.
A survey revealed there were isolated caaes where manufacturers had dropped code standards, but that a vast majority voluntarily were maintaing them.
FORTUNE IN JEWELRY STOLEN FROM AGENT
I
Chicago, June 15. (UP)—Three bandits robbed William Lewy of  25,000 in unset diamonds today after beating him over the head with gun butts.
Uwy, head of William Lewy & Co. of New York, had been exhibit¬ ing stones to Frederick Gottlieb, a Chicago dealer, in a downtown office building.
The two men had spent the morning together in Gottlieb's offlce looking over L«wy's stock »nd were leaving the building to Sf to lunch when thej; were con¬
fronted in a building corridor by the three men, each armed with a pistol.
The bandits evidently had their plans weil drawn, for they centered their attack upon Lewy, who car¬ ried the diamonds in a brown brief case, paying no attention to Gott¬ lieb, who ran to call police.
Before officers arrived, the bandits hni beaten Lewy to the fioor with their guns and fled in a waiting automobile, through a sub¬ terranean passage under Wacker Drive.
Omaha, Neb., June 15. (UP)— Martial law was proclaimed in Omaha late today as poiice ineffect¬ ually sought to put down violence in the tramway strike.
The proclamation was issued by Lieut. Gov. Walter H. Jurgensen frora the State Capital at Lincoln. He ordered 1,800 National Guards¬ men mobilized. The first contin¬ gent arrived shortly after the proclamation was issued.
The troops took over the strike area which included the industrial stockyards district near the bridge to Councii Bluffs, la.
Jurgensen acted after Gov. R. L. Cochran, who is attending the an¬ nual Governors' Conference in Biioxi, Miss., wired him to "use your own discretion" in declaring martial law "if at such time the situation threatens to get out of hand."
Jurgensen acted immediately. Apprised by Sheriff John Hopkins of Omaha that new disorders, such as claimed the life of one man last night, appeared imminent, the Lieutenant Governor lost no time in ordering State militiamen mobil¬ ized.
Soldiers  Rush In
The soldiers were to be confined to the strike area where strikers and sympathizers have waylaid and burned street cars, stoned car crews and turned back Omaha's 250-man police force which laat night fired into a mob of rioters, killing one and injuring more than fifty.
It was expected that they would not be moved out of the area un¬ less the strikers extended their depredations to other sections. In that event the entire city would be placed iinder martial law with the military replacing the civil authorities.
The situation admittedly waa grave. The strikers, adamant since they struck two months ago demanding wage increases, were in angry mood. Backed by hun¬ dreds of sympathizers, they were determined trolley cars would nftt operate.
Violence Thursday night and last night precipitated Jurgensen's proclamation. The police force was helpless. The Sheriffs reserve man-power was inadequate, and as tension increased today, the Sheriff wired the Governor, urging martial  law.
The first companies to arrive were under command of Adjutant General H. J. Paul, who ordered officers to station the men at strategic points.
iieady For Trouble
The soldiers converged on the city in motor lorries. They were fully equipped with sidearms and rifles.
Machine gun companies were to take up positions later.
The night fighting in the South Side, where the unionized stock¬ yard and packing house labor is highly sympathetic with the strik¬ ing carmen, was a repetition of the Thursday night battle.]
Sheriff Hopkins feared there would be another outbreak tonight
Hopkins told Jurgensen peace officials had exhausted every ef¬ fort to maintain order. He said the Omaha & Council Bluffs Rail¬ way Company had been ordered not to operate cars into South Omaha after dark, but they doubt¬ ed even this would insure peace.
General Paul said he was sure the soldiers' presence wouid pre¬ vent trouble.
"We're not looking for trouble, but (Continued on Page 11, Section 1) ,
IN VALLEY AREA
state And Federal Cases Launched In A Cleanup By  Enforcers  Of  Laws
HIGH BAIL SET
fr-
New Proposal Is Offered By Unionists Who Lead Edison   Power   Walkout
TROOPS IN ILLINOIS
Seven arrests for violation of State and Federal liquor regula¬ tions were announced here last night after authorities launched a new clean-up of places accused of ignoring alcohol regulations. Two of the raids occurred in central city establishments while the remainder were in suburban towns. As a re¬ sult of the day's activity two of the defendants went to jail in default of bail.
Tha arrests were made after StatA and government agents com¬ bined forces to halt alleged con¬ tinued violation of tax laws cover¬ ing the handling of liquor. In most of the cases the charge was the sale of alcohol wihout the necessary permit, although other charges in¬ cluded interference with agents and acceptance of unsealed beverages. Most of the hearings were held be¬ fore United States Commissioner Nicholas Curcio in Miners Bank building.
Gus Warnlek of 207 South Main street, city, was accused of failing to have the Federal alcohol tax permit. He was held under $1,000 bail for a further hearing on June 21. His mother qualified as bonds¬ man.
J. J. Boyer, proprietor of a piace at 86 Eaat Market street, city, and his bartender, John Zuba of 16 McDonald street, Larksville, were tried before Justice of the Peace William Roberts at Kingston. They were charged by State agents with handling liquor without the neces¬ sary permit. Each was held under $1,000 bail while Boyer paid an ad¬ ditional fine of $25 for accepting unsealed beverages. Zuba was un¬ able to secure bond and was com¬ mitted to jail.
Ball Is Increased
Joseph Goleski of Center street, Askam, was forced to post the largest bail of the day's hearings because he interfered with the raid¬ ing officers. He was held under $5,000 bail for interference and $1,000 on the license violation for another hearing- June 24 before Commissioner Curcio. Alex Bogus and Frank Karkut were the bonds¬ men.
John Linko of 205 Oliver street, Swoyerville, was arrested when the raiding agents discovered several gallons of alleged moonshine liquor on the premises. He was turned over to Federal authorities for prosecution.
Clarence Lengle of Dallas was ordered held until he could secure $1,000 bail.    He was docketed  for
Labor - Disputes Measure Of Wagner-Connery Is Confronted  By   Enemies
MEDIATORS ACT
Toledo, O., June 16. (UP)—An apparent nevv proposal by unionists looking forward to settlement of the Toledo Edison power strike was placed before negotiators as they continued conferences tonight.
Oliver Myers, business agent of the electrical union conducting the strike, announced the plan after talking by telephone with F. D. Bieritz, acting president of Inter¬ national Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, In Washington.
Labor BiU Opposed
Washington, June 15. (UP) — Strong opposition was reported to¬ night by House Democratic leaders to the Wagner-Connery labor dis¬ putes biil, one of the President's foremost "must" measures.
The threat to passage of the bili brought a call by supporters on organized Labor chiefs—to start working upon the membership. Democratic Party Whip Patrick Boland began a survey of Demo¬ cratic members to see if there were enough votes to get the bill through.
Even the Administration rules committee, which must sanction a rule to bring the bill up, was re¬ ported split. There was an admit¬ ted possibility of the committee failing to approve a rule. Several Democrats whose votes are needed were on the fence.
Opposition to the bill mainly centered around the question of its constitutionality and charges it gives unfair coercive powers to Labor.
The biil sets up a permanent Labor Relations Board, bans com¬ pany-dominated unions and at¬ tempts to remain within the inter¬ state commerce clause of the Con¬ stitution by holding that coercion of employees and lack of collec¬ tive bargaining "obstruct interstate commerce."
A hearing will be given by the rules committee on the measure, probably Tuesday.
If a rule is adopted the bill will be brought up in the House im¬ mediately after passage of the AAA amendments. President Roosevelt has indicated he considers it essen¬ tial for immediate action, due to the NRA breakdown. The bill was pa.ssed by the Senate last month but has been revised in view of the Schechter decision.
Get Woman's Body At Well's Bottom
Bangor, Pa., June 15. (UP) — Poiice sought to determine the identity of a woman whose nude body was found weighted down at the bottom of a cistern. Offlciais were confident that she had been murdered. The dis¬ covery was made by Mrs. Biagio Di Thomas and her daughter, Olga, who had been dipping water from the cistern to water a flower garden. Police said they had no clues to the wo¬ man's identity, except for a glove which was on her right hand. It was believed the body had been in the well for at least four weeks.
JURY HOLDS FATE
E IN STRANGE PLOT
Husband Marked For Death Stays Loyal To Woman Despite   State   Witness
HINTS BLACKMAIL
PARENT ADMITS TRAGEDY BLAME CAUSED BY DRINK
Crime Is Committed In Home And Only Other Inmate At The Time Is Wife And Mother Of Pair Who Is Bedfast From Illness And Help¬ less To Ai^rt Husband's Rash Deed
IS CAUGHT IN FLIGHT
CaU Workers Back
Freeport,   III.,   June   15.   (VP)—
^.,_._        __ Four companies of National Guards-
(Continued on Page 11, Section 1)   (Continued on Page 11, Section 1)
TO RUSH ASSIGNMENT OF EMERGENCY JOBS
Washington, June 15. (UP)— Harry L. Hopkins, generalissimo of the New Deal's Work Relief drive, tonight called his 49 State program directors for a conference Monday and Tuesday to get the wheels moving in the $4,000,000,000 re¬ employment drive.
The directors will serve as his lieutenants in spending the huge fund. He will tell them how much money they will be allotted, based on $1,100 for every family on Re¬ lief that has one member able to work.
He will order them to submit ap- phca.ions for projects the govern¬ ment can finance in their States to effect the transfer of some 3,- 800,000  needj;  familj:  head* from]
Relief rolls to Federal payrolls.
Ho{jJ{ins' first goal was to have 1,000,000 men at work by July 16. They will be employed, earning from $19 to $94 a month, on small, local projects similar to the year- old Civil Works Administration.
Then will come the drive's heavy artillery—Public Works, road build¬ ing, grade crossing elimination—to start absorbing the other 2,500,000 the government had promised to care for.
While developments of the latter type will not furnish as much em¬ ployment as the CWA projects, they will aid the government in realizing  another  objective  of the
Rockvilie, Md., June IS. (UP)— Twelve Montgomery county farm¬ ers tonight debated the question of whether Anne Lyddane plotted the death of her husband for love and money or was the victim of a ruth¬ less gang of blackmailers.
The bizarre case involving the comely bank secretary, her hus¬ band, a neighbor 'couple and half a dozen underworld characters, went to the jury at 3:40 p. m. EDT.
To the group of Maryland farmers went the task of deciding which version of the strange events described in the courtroom was correct.
The jury must determine whether as the State charges, Mrs. Lyddane negotiated with gangsters to have her husband "bumped off" in order to collect $30,000 in insurance and because of love for Arthur Beall, a married man, or, as the defense maintains, an underworld ring blackmailed the attractive, thir- tyish woman with threats to re¬ veal her affair with Beall.
For the flrst time since the case started unfolding in this rural com¬ munity, Mrs. Lyddane showed emo¬ tion today as State prosecutors summed up the evidence on which they sought her conviction. Husband Soothes Her
She clutched nervously at her husband's arm as State's Attorney James H. Pugh urged the jury to convict her of plotting the death of Francis (Slim) Lyddane, the husband, who has refused to be¬ lieve the story of tha plot, despite open admission by both that they no longer love each other. He quiet¬ ed his wife with a whispered word of courage.
Pugh ventured hit case on a single piece of evidence.
He told the jury he could not ask for conviction on the word of the alleged co-conspirators, who have frequently told conflicting stories.
Then he read a note which the State charges Mrs. Lyddane with writing.
"I am as much implicated, if not more, than either of you," he quoted her as writing, "and I don't give a damn what happens to me if this deal doesn't go through."
"The truth will out," Pugh shout¬ ed, pointing his flnger straight at the pretty defendant sitting ner¬ vously beside him. "This note pins it on her.
Loved Other Man
"Mrs. Lyddane admits her love for Arthur Beall, the father of three children, and she wouid have received $30,000 in insurance money in case her husband died acciden¬ tally. Furthermore, she paid the premiums on the insurance poli¬ cies."
Against this accusation, defense counsel, Stedman Prescott, charged Mrs. Lyddane was the victim of a "gang of double-crossers and skunks, whose word couidnt be relied upon.
"There must be a union of two or more minds to do an unlawful act before you can convict of con¬ spiracy. In this case, each of the co-conspirators admitted that they didn't intend to carry out the plans but only wanted to shake down Mrs. Lyddane."
In addition to the charge of con-
program—creating     3,500,000    new      t , —-—•,-.,;'J " u'"w-" J'«"
jobs in  industry through the pur-  "Piring  to  kill  her husband,  Mrs.
chase of materials. (Continued on Page 11, Section 1)
Richard Williams, 36, a public school janitor, was shot and killed last night by his intoxicated father, Robert Wil¬ liams, 65, on a stairway in tlieir home on Sussex street, Old Forge. After the shooting the father fled to a nearby field where he was captured and adniitted the crime. The only other person in the home at the time of the murder was the invalid wife of the slayer.
Early today the slayer was removed to the Lackawanna county prison after being questioned in Old Forge police station by District Attorney Egan of Lackawanna county. The prosecutor announced a first degree murder will be lodged against the elder Williams.
The shooting occurred at 11 oclock, a moment after the son who was slain had been administering to his sick mother. According to statements secured by the police, the elder Williams had been drinking for several days. His son returned home shortly before 11 oclock and went to the bedroom of his mother who has been confined to bed, due to a heart condition.
While the son was giving medicine to the mother, a rifle shot was heard in the house. Leaving his mother, the son went to the stairway to investigate. He was confronted by his father coming up the stairs with a .12 guage shotgun in his hands.
Shot In Cold Blood
The father discharged the gun point blank. The younger Williams fell with a wound in his abdomen. Screams of the invalid mother attracted neighbors. When Captain Salerno and Officer Yarena of Old Forge police arrived, they dis¬ covered the elder Williams had left the house. Police fol¬ lowed him to a field three hundred yards away where the .father submitted to aiTCst without resistance. He later ex¬ plained he was on his way to surrender.
The wounded son was hurried to Taylor hospital, where he died ten minutes after being admitted. When news of the son's death was carried to the sick mother, she became hysterical and constant medical attention was being given her early today.
The victim of the killing was well known in Old Forge and for some years had been employed as janitor of the Sussex street public school. He was unmarried and besides his parents is survived by two brothers, Robert and Ish- mael, and two sisters, Anna and Mrs. Mona Chelland, all of Old Forg©.
The father has been unemployed for several years. About three months ago he came into public attention when he fell into a mine cave and was so badly injured that he was confined to a hospital for more than a month.
After the father's removal to county prison early to¬ day, police declared that the prisoner had made a number of rambling, incoherent statements. When asked for a mo¬ tive for the killing, he declared he had been unable to have his son stay home nights.
30 ARE KNOWN DEAD IN CRASH OF TRAINS
London, (Sunday) June 16. (UP)—^Thirty bodiee h*T« been removed from the wreckage of an express passenger train and a fast freight, which were involved in a collision at midnight near Welwyn, Hertfordshire, it was announced officially early today. It was one of the >vorst disasters iu English railroad history.
At least 70 others injured were taken to hospitals. It was feared many of them would die. The accident occurred at Garden City station, where the passenger train had halted. The freight train crashed into the rear of the passen¬ ger carrier, telescoping the rear coaches. Ambulances and physicians were rushed to Kings Cross station to meet the train and take off victims.
The collision occurred when the fast freight from Welwyn to Garden City telescoped the rear of a standing expresi train. An official of Garden City hospital, who witnessed the collision, said he personally had helped to remove four dead, and that some 30 to 40 victims had been taken to his hospital and more to other hospitals.
An eye-witness of the accident said:
"In the light of a few emergency lamps there seemed to be scores of injured lying along the rails. The sound of the crash and the screams of the injured were heard for • considerable distance."
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