LIVES OF FIFTY-SIX CHILDREN SNUFFED
OUT WHEN CHRISTMAS TREE HOBART,
OKLAHOMA, IGNITES FROM CANDLES
Tiny Candle on Tree Ignites Ball of Cotton and Holocaust
Is Started—Wild Stampede to Reach Doorway
Whole Town Plunged in Mourning
HOBART, Oklahoma, Dec. 26.—Fire stalking in the
tracks of Santa Claus* turned a whole country-side into
mourning, and a country school house into an inferno at
Barb’s Switch, seven miles from here, Christmas Eve,
and Snuffed out the lives of fifty- six persons, mostly
small children who had gathered for the celebration.
The Christmas tree was decorated with candles and
balls of cotton, and during the swaying of the branches
the cotton ignited. In the mad rush for the doorway
which became blocked with the bodies of the dead and
dying, and numbers of children became separated from
their parents and were trampled under foot.
The hospital here is filled with injured, many of whom
are believed to be fatally burned.
XMAS PACKAGE
TURNS OUT TO BE
DEADLY BOMB
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 26—Secret
service men and postal inspectors as
well as the police ot' California cities
are engaged today in a nation-wide
search for the cowardly assassin who
sent a bomb disguised as a Christmas
present that exploded yesterday in
the home of J M. Torchia, a promi
nent attorney, inflicting injuries from
which he cannot recover. Emily, the
18-year-old daughter of Torchia, who
was standing beside her father wrhen
the explosion occurred, miraculously
escaped death, but was seriously in
jured.
Would Like To Talk;
Exit U. S.; Enter Japs
TOKIO, Dec. 24.—A delegation of
nine, including members of the Diet,
called at the United States embassy
today, seeking to discuss the sched
uled naval maneuvers of the United
States with Ambassador Bancroft, and
also to present a protest.
As it so happened, Bancroft was
absent, and the Japanese delegation
refused to talk with the charge de
affairs, Caffrey. The latter promised
to arrange a later interview with the
Ambassador.
Seward Enjoys Best
Christmas In Years
Strating with the Christmas Tree
Wednesday night and ending with a
dance last evening, Seward enjoyed
one of the best Christmas seasons in
years. A large crowd assembled at
A. B. Hall to attend the community
Christmas Tree exercises, and a gen
eral good time was enjoyed. The pro
gram started off with music, after
which the children of the school
staged an elaborate and interesting
program, interspersed with speeches,
songs, and concluding with a playlet,
which brought down the house. Fol
lowing this came the distribution of
the presents, Santa Claus appearing
in costume, and wonderful to relate,
knowing the names of every little
boy and girl in town. A dance was
given following the distribution of
presents.
The tree was one of the most beau
tifully decorated ever seen in Sew
ard, and excited universal admiration.
Christmas Day was a beautiful one
in Seward, the mercury standing at
32 degrees above zero and at times
the sun shining brightly. Our citi
zens were out bright and early and
many a scream “Merry Christmas”
passed back and forth.
Last night a ball was given at the
Odd Fellows hall by a local orchestra
and many citizens tripped the light
fantastic toe.
Join the Chamber of Commerce.
REV.HIGHT GIVEN
LIFE; PARAMOUR
GETS 35 YEARS
MT. VERNON, 111., Dec. 24—The
jury trying Rev. Lawrence M. Hight,
former minister of a local Methodist
Episcol church, who poisoned his wife
in order to marry his paramour, Mrs.
Elsie Sweetin, returned a verdict of
guilty yesterday, and today Hight was
sentenced to the penitentiary at Joli
et for the term of his natural life.
Mrs. Sweetin, who poisoned her
husband, at the same time Hight
killed his wife, was given 35 years in
the penitentiary.
In sentencing the guilty paid the
trial judge said his only regret was
that he could not administer a death
sentence, the crime being one of the
most atrocious ever tried before him.
The guilty pair received their sen
tences with marked composure.
BUYS WEDDING RING;
THEN TAKES HIS LIFE
SAN JOSE, Dec. 22.—Wm. E. Miles,
aged 23, a former Stanford university
student, after placing on his finger
a wedding ring he purchased for his
bride, took poison and died an hour
later.
GOVERNMENT
ASKED RETURN
WRANGELL MEN
WASHINGTON, Dec. 26.—Requests
that the government provide transpor
tation for the one white man and 12
Eskimos, all American citizens, taken
from Wrangell Island to Vladivostok
in October by a Soviet ship, have
been met with the explanation that
the government has no funds which
can be expended legally for this pur
pose. v
The request reached the State de
partment through Delegate Dan A.
Sutherland, and Carl Lomen, a mem
ber of the business concern which
sent the party to work on the island,
on the gasboat Donaldson, at the time
Ada Blackjack was rescued. The
party is composed of a man named
White, and two Eskimo families, who
were to trap and collect ivory on the
island.
The government feels that the par
ty should be cared. for by the com
mercial company which employed
them to promote a private enterprise.
COMMITS SUICIDE
SEATTLE, Wn., Dec. 26.—Broken
in health, Frederick Besselman, a
well known Seattle business man
shot himself to death last night.
Never laugh at a pug nose! You
can never tell what’s going to turn
up next.
CANADIAN BANK
ROBBERS TAKEN
SEATTLE POLICE
SEATTLE, Dec. 24—With a single
cast of their net last night the Cana
dian and American officers trapped
six out of eight men implicated in the
hold-up and $14,000 robbery Decem
ber 12th, of the Royal Bank of Cana
da branch at Nanaimo. Two of the
most noted of the prisoners are Ross
C. Watson, until recently a Seattle
police detective, dismissed from the
service on a charge of complicity in
the $22,000 Bon Marche robbery, here
last August, and Clarence H. Shively,
former Seattle patrolman, convicted
and sentenced to ttoo years’ impris
onment for dry law violations, and
awaiting trial in connection with last
year’s California-bond robbery.
When arrested, Harry Stone, one
of the six men held for the Nanaimo
robbery, declared to Prosecutor Pat
terson that he had no residence in
Seattle, and had never been in Can
ada, but detectives searching his
apartments found $5,000 in Canadian
currency and gold coin.
Will Pray for Recovery
of Rector, Seriously III
SEATTLE, Wn„ Dec. 24.—All Se
attle churches have been requested to
devote a few minutes of their Christ
mas service to prayer for the recov
ery of Canon William Bliss, rector
of the Trinity Parish Episcopal
church, who is seriously ill in New
York City.
Made Desperate By Cold
and Hunger, Finn Seaman
Would Wreck Two Homes
NEW YORK, Dec. 24.—Burn Sar
io, a ciii'en of the United States,
but of Punish biilh, and who nas
been worlong of lute as one cf the
c.ew of the steamship President
Tfarding, being jobless and desp ,u 3
ent, and made desperate by the fangs
cf hunger and cold, confesse i when
lie w i- rested that he had era nosi
ly un-1 '•> vaken upon himself -o bomb
the homes of the Vanderhi’c arw
fthinekm’cr families.
The 1 n er named family will b <
romembeifd as being in the lime
light v. lu n they sought •anadmen"
uf the r £ mage of their son to a
supposecic-be girl of negro b’:o 1.
The general supposition prevailing
here is that the Rhinelander deal
aroused the ire of Surro which led
him to the attempted act.
Senator King Advance
Guard Looks Into New
Western Aviation Base
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Dec. 24.—
Senator King of the naval affairs'
committee, arrived in Los Angeles
today and told reporters of his plans
to push to completion of the in
vestigation of the Navy department
for the creation of an aviation bu
reau here.
GERMANY WANTS
TO KNOW STATUS
GENEVA, Dec. 24.—Opening the
whole problem of German armaments
the German minister has sent a note
to the League of Nations touching on
the question of Germany’s joining the
League. In the note the Berlin gov
ernment declares its view that if in
ternational conflicts arise Germany
should remain absolutely free under
the League covenant to determine
how far she should take an active
part in such conflicts.
Huge Express Plane
Takes Eight Lives
CROYDEN, ENGLAND, Dec. 24.—
Eight were killed when an airplane
crashed today. The plane was a big
air express: which runs from Lon
don to Paris. It fell leaving the air
dome and burst immt1 lately into
flames.
PIONEERS KILLED
AUTO ACCIDENT
SEATTLE, Dec. 23.—J. C. Todd and
Frank Stadleman, both Sumner county
pioneers, were killed this afternoon
when their automobile collided with
a railway train.
Burbank Gives Views
On the Commoner;
SANTA ROSA, Calif., Dec. 23.-^
“Mr. Bryan is an honored friend.
This need not prevent my observa
tion of that skull with which Na
ture endowed on him and which vis
ibly approaches the Neanderthal type.
His feeling and use of gesticulations
and words are more according to
nature of this type than investigation
and reflection,” Luther Burbank, said
in an address of the Federated church
assembly here last night.
Women Help Swell
Appalling List from
Venomous Liquors
NEW YORK, Dec. 23.—John A.
Ryan, song writer, was listed as the
latest victim of alcoholic poisoning,
which has caused to date thirty-five
deaths in the Metropolitan district
this month.
Twenty-one persons are suffering
here from alcoholism and were ad
mitted to Bellevue hospital during
the last twenty-four hours ending this
morning.
Six of the unfortunate imbibers are
reported to be women.
Knockout Drops Given
Imbiber Seattle Hootch
SEATTLE, Wn., Dec. 23.—Accused
of putting knockout drops in the
drinks being served to four men who
were on a party in the Como Hotel,
this city, Allen H. Murphy, an elec
trician, is being held in jail today
for investigation.
It was alleged by the party that
he administered the sleep producers.
Charles Goff Named
As Prohibition Agent
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24—Charles
Goff was appointed general Federal
prohibition agent for California today.
BUCHAREST, Dec. 24—Police ar
rested and imprisoned four commu
nists here today.
NEW ENGRAVER HEAR
WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 24.—
Lavin Whall, who has been planning
a unit of engravers for the Govern
ment printing offices, has been ap
pointed head of that department.
SWISS FLYERS BEST
IN WORLD, BRITISH
EXPERTS DECLARE
LQNDON, Dec. 23.—Switzerland po
sesses the finest airmen in the world,
in the opinion of British flying offi
cers recently returned from that
country on a tour of inspection.
The Swiss bird man eclipses his
American, British and French eoufi*
terpart in every branch of flying, ac
cording to the officers.
They state that the Swiss Air Ser
vice is small but good, and it is in
cumbent on every pilot and officer
to put in a minimum number of fly
ing hours.
The British attribute the Swisft
country as the reason for the skill
displayed, and they believe the crisp,
clean air of the Alps inspires the
buoyant spirit necessary to the air
man.
French Refuse Evacuate
Sweet Smelling Town
PARIS, Dec. 24.—The evacuation of
Cologne area of the German occu
pied region, as was conditionally set
by the Versailles Treaty is deemed
impossible. Such was the view given
out by the French cabinet thru the
inter-Allied military control commit
tee.
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