The San Antonio Light (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 147, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 15, 1922 Page: 1 of 16
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VOL. XLII—NO. 147.
EXPECT TWO ARRESTS IN AXE MURDERS
DAUGHERTY TO BE ASKED
FOR RULING ON QUESTION
~ OE LIQUOR SALE ON SHIPS
Treasury Officials Ready to Forward
Request for One if It Comes From
Prohibition Commissioner Haynes.
Bankhead Moves in House to Stop
Government Aid for Ships Selling In-
toxicants.
Washington D. C. June 15.—Definite steps through
legislation to ston the sale of liquor upon American ships
were started today through presentation by Representative
Bankhead Democrat Alabama of an amendment to the
Merchant Marine bill which would cut off the government
aid provided in the measure from any ship carrying intoxi-
cating liquors or beverages. The House committee consid-
*aing the administration’s ship subsidy bill adjourned to-
day until tomorrow without action on the Bankhead amend-
ment.
Washington D. C. June 15.—Attorney General Daugh-
erty will be asked for a new ruling on the question of the
sale of liquor on Shipping Board vessels it was indicated
today at the treasury.
High treasury officials in discussing the matter said
that although Prohibition Commissioner Haynes had not sub-
mitted to Secretary Mellon a request that Mr. Daugherty be
asked to review the ruling of Former Acting Attorney Gen-
eral Friersonholding the selling of liquor on American ships
to be illegal Secretary Mellon was ready to forward such a
request if it came from Mr. Haynes.
Mr. Huy nr« wis understood to In*
ymxidbdsf the need of a new ruling
uy the Jnotice Department in order to
harmonize the difference of opinion be*
fWeen Mr. FrierNon’N ruling and the
Hand taken by General Cohumcl Kehl?-
i liger of the Shipping Board that liquor
could be sold lawfully on government
venaels outaHr the three-mile limit.
Await New Decision.
Meanwhile. official* Maid the Tron*
ury and the prohibition unit would
maintain Its position that in view’ of
4he extreme difference of opinion st
await court action or a now’ Ju-
Department interpretation of tin
law before deciding upon its jadicy in
thr ait nation.
The position of the Treasury with re
►pc<t the sale of liquor on hoard
Shipping Board veaaek. high officials
explained was aomewhat delicate iu
view of the fart that the Shipping
Board wa» a government agency di-
rortly under the President. Naturally
officials aaaerted* one government
agency could not exercise the same de-
gree of Nurvrillnnce upon anofhet
branch of the government ns it could
U|M»n private individual*.
Is No Ineomdatency.
Nothing inconsistent was ween at the
Treoeurj in the appum t decbiton to
nwnit further interpretation of the pro-
hibition laws In their application to
American bhips nt wa. despite thclJus-
tice Department opinion to the con
trary. already on record.
The position of Mr. Haynes that the
prohibit ion unit could not interpret but
only administer the laws was reiterated
at the Treasury today and high official*
dariared that no action would be taken
pending final settlement of the legal
question involved.
Prohibition officials expressed the
view that the recent decision of the Su-
preme court holding illegal in transit
shipments of liquor from one foreign
••ountry to another by way of the
United States would be subject to con-
sideration in reaching a final conclusion
upon the sales of liquor on ship board
questions.
WILL PRODKE WITNESSES
Busch Interests Send Second Letter to
Harding.
St. Ixhilr June 15.—The Anheuser-
Busch Brewing Company is willing to
pnwince witnesses to supjiort charges
made in the letters of August A. Busch
nnd his son Adolphus Busch 111. to
President Harding and which weir
turned over to Chairman A. D. Lasker
of the Shipping Board that the United
States Shipping Board is violating the
prohibition law and the Volstead act
in the event of a congressional inquiry
it became known here today through
representatives of the firm.
The local company has made numer
ous requests for a congressional investi
gut ion into violations of the prohibition
arts O. A. Bommers general counsel
said and is willing to produ<*r witnesses
to support its charges.
Expert Another Answer.
Adolphus Busch 111 wart today wait-
ing to receive the letter of Cbairmaa
Lasker of the Shipping Board in answer
to his first letter which accompanied
that of his father which was written
thonrd the steamship George Washing-
ton. nnd Inter sent to the President. Mr
Busch last night gave the Associate*!
Press his answer to Mr. Tasker’s letter
(Continued on Next Page.)
THE SAN ANTONIO LIGHT
By the Associated Press.
By the Associated Press.
LEADERS TO COMPLY
IF RAILWAY WORKERS
VOTE TO WALK OUT
Jewell Says Officials Will
Make No Effort to
Stop Strike.
By th* AMMclated Press.
Cincinnati Ohio. June 15.—Officers
of the rail unions will not interfere
to stop a strike of the 1225000 shop
craft and maintenance of way workers
B. M. Jewdl declared today in address-
ing the American Federation of Lnbor
convention here today. Mr. Jewell U
president of the railway employes dc-
partmem of the federation.
“The railway workers are ready for
tlie test” sari Mr. Jewel) “and if they
decide to strike their decision will be
complied with by their leaders.”
WARD INDICTED ON
CHARGE OF KILLING
EX-SAILOR LAST MAY
Officers Sent to Million-
aire’s Home to Ar-
rest Him.
White Plains N. Y. June 13.—Wal-
ter S. Ward millipnaire baker’s son
today was indicted by the West Chester
grand jury on a charge of killing Clar-
ence Peters ex sailor last May.
Koon nfter the indictment was re-
turned deputy sheriffs were sent to
\\ ard s home in New Hoclielh' to arrest
him. He has been at liberty on $50090
bond.
WITHDRAWS FROM RACE
Charles IL Macintosh WUI Not Run
for Presidency of Advertisers.
Milwaukee Wis.. June 15.—Charles
H. Macintosh president of the Asso-
ciated Advertising Clubs of the World
ami candidate for re-election today at
the convention here* has withdrawn
from the race. Homer J. Buckley com-
promise candidate from the Pacific
const faction has also quit.
The two men signet] a joint state-
niciit carli t'xlay throning all of their
support to Bennet Chapple of the
American Mill Company as the candi-
date of the Macintosh forces to op-
pose Louis Holland of Kansas City.
Macintosh made an effort to get Hol-
land to withdraw with him yesterday
but the Kansas City man refused to ac-
cept the proposition. Holland forces
Inst night Hnimed that they will have
between SAO nnd 900 of the 1400 votes
cast at today’s election.
WILL DISCUSS
[LECTION COST
FRIDAY NIGHT
Sentiment Divided on Feas-
ibility of Double
Primary.
MASS MEETING CALLED
County Chairman Harris
Gives Figures on Ex-
pense Items.
The cost of a double primary election
for county officers will be tbc principal
topic of discussion nt a mass meeting
called for Friday night at San Pedro
park. The purpose of the meeting is to
create sentiment in favor of a run-off
primary in Bexar county. In the past
only one primary has been held for
county officers ami the move to hold n
second primary has resulted in a divid-
efl sentiment among candidates and
those voters who give attention to such
matters.
Those favoring a run-off primary
contend that the additional cost will be
small and that the result will be to
have a majority election. They contend
that where more than two candidates
are in the race /or one office the ma*
j«>rit ydo not select an officer if only
one primary is held.
Those opposing the double primary
say the movement is merely an attempt
to defeat some present officeholders and
that it is a political trick advanced in
the hope of accomplishing something
that otherwise seems impossible of ac-
complishment. It is admitted that the
move Is directed at Sheriff Tobin and
District Clerk Archer and that their op-
ponents hope to defeat them by a sec-
ond primary election admitting that
with the pre^ut number of candidates
in the lield their defeat is not prob-
able.
High Cost Questioned.
County Chairman Robert G. Harris
has estimated that *18.0(N) will be nec-
essary to hold the first primary and a
run-off primary for state and district
officers but this sum will not be suf-
ficient to also hold a run-off for coun-
ty officers. Mr. Harina* contention Is
challenged by Frank R. Newton former
count.v clerk who says the first primary
should not cost more than $4200 and
the second should he less. Mr. Newton’s
estimate of the first primary cost fol-
lows: City judges and clerks. $1824;
county judges and clerks. $736; bring-
ing in boxes $112; supplies. *309•
printing ballots *195: renting polling
places. $260; taking out boxes. *206:
putting up booths. *285; office ex-
penses. S2IXI. or a total of $4117.
In arriving nt the sum for judges
and clerks in the city Mr. Newton said
eight judges and clerks will bo required
in each of the 57 polling places anti
that they would receive $4 each at the
rate of 30 cents an hour. He estimates
*4 each for the estimated 181 officials
in the M rural .
Harris Gives Figures.
Mr. Harris’ figures differ from thes
nnd referring to Mr. Newton’s atat
ment he said:
”He is quoted as saying with regard
lie has the number 52. and there are 57.
cost of the original primary this: ‘Say
these officials all worked twelve hours
each day on primary day. the total cost
for their salaries would be *2232.’
“In any original primary election do
judge or clerk has ever been hear! of
getting through with his or her work by
8 o’clock p. m.. yet he says that they
do when he allows onlj’ twelve hours of
work for each judge and clerk. Ask
any judge or clerk who has ever server!
in such a 6 election nnd he will tell you
that he was lucky if he got off by mid-
night. and most of them will tell you
they served into the wee hours of tbc
next morning and sonic into the after-
noon of the next day.
“If he had allowed for 24 hours of
service his figures would have come
within reason.
“Again he docs not seem to know how
many precincts there arc in the city—-
to judges und clerks the main item of
“Again he does not know that it
takes ten judges nnd clerks to handle
the average city election poll so that
his figures of 620 is short by something
like 180 to 200 judges and clerks.
('oat of Judges and Clerks.
“Then taking the number of judges
and clerks at 800. and allowing for an
average service in the polls from 8 a.
m. to 2 n. m.. or 22 hours the cost of
judges and clerks would be as follows:
800 at 30 cents per hour or $6.60 each
for 22 hours $5280. ami not $2232 as
he figures.
“He has under estimated the post of
ballots and supplies: has failed to fig-
ure in certain im|w»rtant items of cost
such a* building and transporting vot-
ing booths nnd <-osts of chairs nnd
tables for each polling pin re. and co.-t
of campaign headquarters rent seere
tary. clerks furniture typewriters tele-
phones etc.
“I estimate the cost of the original
and run <»ff primaries to be $18(000
that is. for a run-off for state and dis-
trict bnt not county officers. Veteran
office-holders disagree. As long ns he
gets his facts wrong. bU conclusionH
must necessarily be wrong. When he
overlooks some imi»ortant items of ex-
pense entirely it becomes necessary for
him to inform himself of nil the facts.”
Storm in Montana.
Billings. Mont. June 15.—Two pas-
senger trains were stalled by washouts
and considerable damage was done with-
ina ra<!ius of 50 miles of Billings an
n result of a rain hail nnd electrical
storm which swept this district late yes-
terday.
SAN ANTONIO TEXAS THURSDAY JUNE 15 1922. -SIXTEEN PAGES.
The photographs show the lean-fo
shack near the 1400 lilock of the Fred-
ericksburg road where Wednesday night
the bodies of Alfredo Vidales his wife
and their two-year-old baby Daniel
MEXICO ORDERS PROBE
INTO KILLING OF TWO
GENERALS AT LAREDO
District Judge at Nuevo La-
redo Will Investigate
the Affair.
Air investigation will be made into
the Blanco killing by the district
judge at Nuevo Laredo on orders from
the prosecutor genera! at Mexico City
according to news dispatches from the
capital. This investigation follows
closely the an non neem ent from Laredo
that the grand jury on this side would
probably reconvene to look into evi-
dence gal lie rod by District Attorney
John A. Valls.
Gen. Luciou Blanco and Col. Aurel icy
Martinez was found dead in the Rio
Grande last Friday morning. An of-
ficial re|K»rt from the Mexican mili-
tary commander at Nuevo Laredo said
that they had been killed while at the
head of an aimed expedition entering
Mexico.
It is not known what trend the in
vestigation by the district judge on the
other side will take. However it is
believed that it will go into the man
ner in which Col. Ramon Garcia bead
of the Mexican secret arn’lee met Ms
death. Garcia was supitosed to have
arrested Blanco and Martinez when
they stepped from the boat to the Mex-
ican side of the river nnd the hand-
cuff keys which locked the two bodies
were found in his j»ovket.
Garcia was shot through the breast
in some way and bis body floated
down the river and was found opposite
Laredo on Friday.
Boy Asphyxiated in Well.
Ranger. Tex. June 15.—Karl Baker.
16-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. 8.
Baker was asphyxiated* yesterday when
he entered a shallow’ water well in
which several of his playmates had been
accustomed to play. Jack Cox an oil
field worker was overcome in an effort
to rescue young Baker. A. R. Bonsom.
fireman saxed Cox’s life nnd brought
Baker’s body to the surface in throe
trips into the well.
Have No Marder Indictments.
Memphis Tenn.. June 15.—Fo^ the
first time since Shelby county in which
Memphis is located was organized in
IS2O more than one hundred years ago.
no indictment for murder is standing on
tbc dockets of the criminal courts her?
according to court officials.
Scene of Axe Murder That Claimed Three
o Lwcre found the skulls crushed in with
[J two axes lying nearby. The little fam-
ily was slain w ith an axe. The luwv •
^'.picture shows the bed on whi<Ji the
•‘ibodies were found by J. Has<lorff. a
I > dairvinan. w hile lie was searching for a
1
BUSINESSFIRST TUTTLE SAYS
PUNCTUALITY AND WILLINGNESS
TO DO SHARE MEANS SUCCESS
Editor's Noto:—ln tl cse daily articles successful San Antonio business
1 uicn nnd women are telling readers of The Light what they consider the true
• element* of success. They are doing this Id a spirit of helpfulness to the
! young men and women who have finished school and are about to embark
>n business or professional careers.
Friday Walter F. Napier a leader in the legal profession will give
hk cnininn.
Vice PresiflieHt Public ben Ice Company.
It is my observation from my own
experience und from watching the
careers of many young men that the fol-
lowing basic things < ontribute largely
to success in business:
First—A man’s business should* be
his first thought. Al! forms of amuse-
ment nnd all social matters should be
made absolutely secondary to the busi-
ness in which he is engaged.
Second—Business should be started
each day at an early hour ami punc-
tuality should be unvarying. The things
which have to be done each day should
be done even though it may be necessary
IRWIN MAKES BOND
Lawton Pastor ami His Elder Succeed
in Getting Approval of Ajiplication.
lAWtoa. Okla.. June 15—Bond in the
sum of $750 was made here late Wed-
nesday by the Reverend Thomas J.
Irwin and H. C. Jx?wis to appear for
trial at tbn next term of thr district
court on charges of arson. Reverend
Irwin was formerly pastor of the First
Presbyterian Church here aud Lewis
was an elder. The arson charges grew
out of an alleged incendiary fire at
the- church last April.
The minister and Lewis were bound
ever for trial after a preliminary hear-
ing which was concluded Saturday.
Justice S. R. Harper before whom the
charges were aired was out of the city
until Wednesday and efforts to secure
hi.’ approval to bonds were unsuccess-
ful. Sixty-two citizens of Lawton
signed the bonds. x
Washington. I). C. June Is.—Civil
service commission announces examina-
tion for July 19 to select Spanish in-
trrpreters in immigration service for
I^u-rdo. Brownsville and Calexico posi-
Uane; pay $l2OO per uuuum.
By W. B. TI TTLE.
Date Set for Exams.
i ■ horse in the pasture Wednesday night.
- ■ Blood stains can be seen the plaiuest
showing on the pillow lying on the
•‘ ground. It is thought the three mur-
;i dered persons hud been dead at least
i bunco Tuesday night.
to work later than the customary quit-
ting time.
Third—A man should always be will-
ing nnd anxious to do more than the
actual task which may be allotted to
him. There is no surer way to ad-
vancement t han to show ability to do
more work than is necessary in the posi-
tion occupied by actually undertaking
work which is not required. A man
should always study any new work
which may confront him und he rea-
sonably sure of his ability to carry it
through before undertaking it. but he
should not hesitate to lake on work
or additional responsibility if he feels
that he can properly carry forward the
interests of his employers by so do-
ing.
LICENSE IS WITHHELD
Parents of Kansas Giri Refuse to Per-
mit Wedding.
New Castle Ind. June 15.—Miss
Eater Stewart 17-year-old high school
graduate of Denton Kansas is ou her
way back home today after the un-
auccesjtful termination of her romance
beguu wheu she fouud the name and
address of Cecil Thomas of this city
on a package of creamery butter shipped
from here to the Kansas town. A cor-
respondence was started and eulnimated
in Miss Stewart’s coming here last week
to wed Thomas. The young lady was
said to be the daughter of a wealthy
Kanaas farmer.
The parents of the girl however
learning cf her plans wired officials here
to atop the wedding and the couple was
refused a license. Judge Gauss of the
circuit court then took a band iu the
case and after a conference with the
couple Miw Stewart decided to return
to her parents.
AXE USED AS WEAPON TO
SLAY FAMILY OF THREE;
MAN AND WOMAN SOUGHT
Father Mother and Baby Beaten to
Death While They Slept in a Shack
Just East of Fredericksburg Road.
Crime Committed Tuesday Night Not
Discovered Until Wednesday—Re-
venge or Jealousy Was Motive.
A shoi’t handled axe found near the two-room shack in
Mesquite bushes just east of the Fredericksburg ro»d was
the weapon used by the slayers of Alfredo Vidales 27 Mrs.
Anastacia Garcia Vidales 21 and Daniel their 2-year-old
son rvhose skulls were crushed while they were asleep in a
lean-to adjoining the shack Tuesday night.
This fact together with information that two arrests in
connection with the triple murder are expected during
Tuesday afternoon and that revenge or jealousy is the motive
of the crime were disclosed Thursday afternoon by city
detectives. Detective Captain Sam Street said that blood
had been found on the short-handled axe and that there
could be no mistake in this. A magnifying glass he said
disclosed blood stains. Earlier in the day these stains had
not been detected and some doubt existed as whether an
axe was the weapon used.
Two axes were found near the scene.
The bodies of the three axe victims were discovered
early Wednesday night by J. Hasdorff a dairyman living
at 1017 Capitol Avenue who was looking for a strayed
horse. He looked into a yard of a small shack and saw a
baby’s head covered with blood hanging from the foot of a
bed. Investigation showed that three persons were dead
on the bed.
One of the suspects for whom police are looking and
whom they expect to arrest Thursday afternoon is a woman.
It is claimed she may have knowledge of the crime but did
not participate in it. The other is a young man.
That all wore asleep when slain of-
fneis agree. The body of Alfredo Vi-
dales was lying with bu face partially
downward his skull crushed by a blow
Above hi light ear. The body of Mn.
Vidales was lying on the opposite side
of tbc bed. The blow that ended her
lilt crushed the skull over the right
eye. The weapon struck across her
face as revealed by a bruise. The body
of the infant his skull badly shattered
was on the edge of the bed. The force
the blow seemingly had thrown the
’»dy to one side and nearly off the be^
First Saw Face of Dead Child.
The child’s head was dangling over
the edge of the bed and it was the
child’s face that Hasdorff saw as he
looked into the cottage. The bodies of
Vidales and his wl j had been con-
<«aled beneath a piece or old matting
that had been taken from the floor on
one side of the bed.
That robbery was not the motive
the officials say is practically certain.
While baffled as to just what under-
lies the cause for the kilLng police are
coxiducting the investigation and search
along the lines that an insane person or
one guided perhaps by revenge com-
Jiitted’the crime.
The hunt thus far has been in a
search for two Mexicans who are re-
poned to have been seen in the neigh-
borhood late on the afternoon th?
killing is thought to.have occurred and
foi the probable presence of a person
of iNinoand mind. Jone Vidales* father
of the slain man. who resides in the
eastern part of San Antonio was un-
able to advance a theory as to a prob-
a.Me motive. His son he said had no
enemies of which he was aware.
Woman Seen Tuesday Evening.
The time of the killing has been fixed
by officers as Tuesday night. Neigh-
bors say the Vidales wore alive Tues-
day afternoon. Mrs. Vidales was last
seen by neighbors when she went to a
grocery store nearby to buy groceries
for Wednesday’s breakfast.
The fact that the Tuesday night sup-
per dishes were washed and put away
und the house in order coupled with
the finding of the bodies in night
clothes makes it practi<-ally certain
the family were slain while asleep
Tuesday night. The condition of the
bodies too. officers say would indi-
cate this to be the time of the killing.
After minute examination of the
premises the bodies were removed to
the Riebe morgue. An inquest will b«-
«onduc|ed by Justice R. Neil Camp-
bell. who was. summoned to the home
prior to the removal of the bodies.
Working together city detectives and
deputy sheriffs began combing San Ab-
tonio and the surrounding county in
search of two saapects. Detective
Anglin and Deputy Sheriff Peters were
conducting an investigation and search
for two suspects to the southeast of San
Antonio while others were synilarly en-
gaged during the late forenoon to the
northwest of th? city.
Police Chief Van Riper. Captain*
Brown and Street were the first to
reach the scene. The bodies of the
slain clad in night garments the sknll
of each frightfully battered with some
bluut instrument were fouud lying on a
CITY EDITION
TWO PFMTQ p<r copv 1B ot * and vtc’oW
A. \J vUIX 1 o Five cants ou trains and elsewhere.
bed beneath an open lean-to at the rear
of the bouse.
Two Families Killed Years Ago.
The uiurder of an entire family U
the first here in many years.
The slaying of the Vidales family
recalls the axe man murders in San
Antonio in which two negro families
both in the eastern part of the.city
were killed within a period of a few
months. On these occasions there was
no question as to the manner of death
and the weapon used. Blood-stained
axes were found within the homes in
each instance. Though these crimes
were never cleared officers shifted the
crimes to what was known as “voo-
dooism.” a form of religious worship
it is said that bordered on fanaticism.
STATE POLICE GUARD
JAIL WHERE SLAYER
OF WOMAN IS HELD
Officers Frustrate Mob in
Lansing Michigan Wed-
nesday Night.
Irinsing. Mich. June 19.—A «qua<l
of state police officers today continued
to stand guard at tlie city jail where
George Straub alleged confessed slayer
of Miss Alice Mallett was held in safc-
y last night as several score of Jackson
men demanded the prisoner. Officers
also were on duty in all streets in the
vicinity to disperse crowds or prevent
demonstrations.
The band of Jackson men left that
city by automobile late last night tor
Mason where they believed Straub had
been taken but were informed en mute
that the prisoner was still held at fan-
sing. Tbcv came to this city knowing
the man was strongly guarded and no
attempt was made to rush the jail.
iuemtK*rs of the band contenting them-
selves with a look at Straub who wa< &
routed from a peaceful sleep and
brought into a corridor. ' t 1
Harold Mallett brother of Straubs i
alleged victim led the visitors. Straub
will be held here it was indicated until
his arraignment on a charge of murder
at Jackson Tuesday. Although the
prisoner talks but little and apparently -
endeavors to baffle his questioners. H" •
authorities announced they were mak-
ing headway in sustantiating the con-
tension Ke is reported tn have maib .
Monday night to Ihwsecuting Attorney
uorvehateli of Jackson.
The officials take little stock in a
seen nd confession he is said to have .
made in which he named Clare nva
Meadowlark a negro circus employ*
as an accomplice. Meadowlark also ia
said to have proved an alibi.
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Diehl, Charles S. & Beach, Harrison L. The San Antonio Light (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 147, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 15, 1922, newspaper, June 15, 1922; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1621492/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .