— Hemard JB nily
Gnteut ng
MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS.
SEWARD, ALASKA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1925.
PRICE TEN CENTS
VOLUME XX. NUMBER 238.
GIANT DIRIGIBLE STRUCK BY
TORNADO IS OPINION OF
GOVERNMENT AIR EXPERTS
No Human Hand Could Have Designed Dirigible to With
stand Storm Which Hit Shenandoah—Absence
of Weather Reports Fatal to Flyers
THIEVES LOOTING BROKEN REMAINS OF SHIP
Widow of Commander Landsdowne States Husband Was
Not Enthusiastic About Crossing Ohio Valley
at This Season of the Year
TOMS RIVER N. J., Sept. 4.—Captain Anton Hei
nen, former German dirigible pilot and construction ad
viser in building the Shenandoah, said the removal of 8
cf the 18 safety valves on the Shenandoah gas bags caus
I the disaster. The victims “gave their lives to save the
recious helium gas,” he declared.
The craft rose too fast for the remaining valves to let
T sufficient gas, the upward movement causing a rapid
< xpansion which broke the shell in the middle.
“I wouldn’t call it murder but cannot put it too strong
ly that if it hadn’t been for the foolishness in cutting out
the safety valves, the disaster would not have occurred.”
Disaster May Result in Retrenchment
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4.—The Shenandoah disaster
has thrown the navy’s future policy in respect to the air
craft development into uncertainty. A decision may be
forhcoming to close the navy’s Lakehurst air station. Sec
retary Wilbur is considering which course is best to pur
sue, and has this plan in mind.
The wrecking of the Shenandoah and the missing PN
9, No. 1, have not broken the navy’s determination as
to aircraft development, but Wilbur has decreed the re
ward must equal the risk.
Thieves Loot Wrecked Shenandoah
CALDV ELL Sept. 4—An official inquest of the Shen
andoah disaster disclosed thieves took the ship’s baro
* graph and controls, also making away with several of the
motors. The remains of the dirigible are being broken up
by the wind and tossed like a grounded ship in the waves.
The fourteen dead lie in an improvised morgue at Belle
\ alley, nearby, their faces uncovered to the visiting hun
dreds. The twenty-two survivors of the accident are en
route to Lakehurst.
Storm Was Type of Tornado
CHICAGO, Sept. 4.—A study of weather maps of the
Great Lakes and Ohio Valley districts of the past two
days, revealed that the wrecking storm was of the torna
do type known as the “frying pan, low.” Aviation ex
pei ts and meterologists agreed that the Shenandoah was
torn to pieces by an upper air whirlwind of unusual in
tensity and duration.
~ Ford Refused Invitation to Ride in Ship
DETROIT, Sept. 4. —The radio departent of the Ford
Motor Co. was talking with the Shenandoah while the lat
ter was over Cambridge, Ohio. “Wait a minute, my feet
are slipping” was the last the Ford operator heard from
the ship. Henry Ford had refused an invitation to ride
to Minneapolis in the Shenandoah.
? -
Wife Lieut. Hancock Lost Former Husband
CALDWELL Sept. 4.—The death of Lieutenant Com
mander Hancock, made the second aviation tragedy for
his widow, whose first husband Lieutenant) Charles Little,
4 was killed when the ZR-3 was destroyed in England, Aug
ust, 1921.
(Continued on Page Four)
MISSING PLANE
IS STILL ADRIFT
IN MID PACIFIC
TENDER WHIPPORWIL:. LOOKING
FOR PLANE SEES FLARES
GO UP
HONOLULU, Sept. 4. The ten
der Whipporwill, searching for the
PN-1, reported at midnight to the San
Francisco station. “At seven-ten last
evening we saw a white flare ahead,
and headed for the spot. One hour
later we saw two more flares off the
starboard bow, and have now been
steaming for half-an-hour but have
seen nothing more,” read the cable
gram.
Hope Diminishing
HONOLULU, Sept. 4. (£>)—Hope is
diminishing of finding the flyers al
though the search is continuing un
abated.
READY TO APPOINT COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C.. Sept. 4. (£>)—
Nine governments, signatory to the
Chinese treaty negotiated at the Wash
ington conference in 1922, have noti
fied the Peking government they are
ready to appoint commissioners to
consider the relinquishment of extra
territorial privileges in China.
OFFERS REWARD
FOR WORD FROM
HIS DEAD WIFE
Spirit Messages so far Have
Been Fakes, Savs the
Husband
- j
WORD FROM VENUS
Code Arranged Before Her
Death Not Repeated—
Wrong Names
N"EW YORK, Sept. 4.—A reward of
$500 to any one who can communi
cate to him from his dead wife, has
brought J. Albert Gilbert, of Port
land, Ore., 139 “spirit messages,” but
they all are fakes, he announces in
the Scientific American.
Before Mrs. Gilbert died in 1917 a
passward was agreed upon, so that
her husband could identify messages
coming from her after death. A
copy of the passward was sealed
in a safe-deposit vault.
Since the $500 offer was made
three years ago Gilbert has been
flooded with alleged messages from
his wife, variously signed “Susan,”
“Anna,” “Louisa,” “Sunbeam.” Mrs.
Gilbert's name was Florence. The
offer has been renewed.
In announcing his rejection of all
the messages, Gilbert said: “Those
who knew my wife would certainly
not imagine her saying, ‘Jim, I am
here, old boy,’ or ‘Gill, I love you’.”
His name is Joshua.
Some of the alleged messages, Gil
bert said, were obtained by profes
sional mediums, some on ouija boards
and others thru automatic writing,
one specimen of which came osten
sibly from the planet Venus.
“Most of the messages submitted,”
he added, “were claimed to have
been obtained directly from Mrs. Gil
bert. Many of them described hal
lucinatory images of Mrs. Gilbert,
as she appeared to deliver the pass
word. Details of her dress and gen
eral appearance were given.”
But not one has given ithe code
word which is locked in a safe un
der triple seals and Gilbert, still
a firm believer in communication
with the dead, renews his offers.
The gas boat Chase, Captain Ems
wiler, is in port from Nuka Bay.
BASEBALL
COAST—
Seattle 8-11, Los Angeles 5-8.
Vernon 8, Sacramento 2.
Portland 8. San Francisco 12.
Oakland 1, Salt Lake 0.
NATIONAL LEAGUE—
Boston, Brooklyn, rain.
Pittsburg 5, St. Louis 2.
Chicago 3-0, Cincinnati 2-4.
Philadelphia, New York, rain.
AMERICAN LEAGUE—
St. Louis 1, Chicago 3.
Cleveland 9, Detroit 11.
Reverend 0. A. Stillman
Travels Hundreds Miles
Visiting Various Parishes
—
Dr. O. A. Stillman, of Douglas claims ;
the unique distinction of being the i
only congressional minister in Alas-1
ka, and as such, at times travels many
hundreds of miles to visit other par
ishes. Dr. Stillman, accompanied by
Mrs. Stillman, was a recent visitor in
Seward and while here delivered an
able sermon at the local church. Twice
each year he makes a trip to Valdez
and to Latouche from his southeastern
Alaskan headquarters, which occupies
about two months’ time. General
headquarters for the home missionary
are located at Boston and New York.
Dr. Stillman is a new-comer in Alas
ka, having arrived from the States
last spring.
Steamer Northwestern Due i
In Port Tomorrow Noon; j
May Proceed to Westward
The local o'ffice of the Alaska S.S.
Co. announces the steamer North
western is scheduled to arrive in
port tomorrow at noon from the
south. About 400 tons will bo dis
charge! at Seward, of which ton
nage most or it, is for rail ship
ment. A like number of tons is
billed for Westward ports, and ac
cording to present schedule, the
Northwestern will pioceed to Halibut
Cove where tne Westward cargo will
be transferred to the steamer Re
dondo. The latter vessel has ano
ther large cargo of barreled herring
which will be transferred to the
Northwestern. It is stated, however,,
the present plan may be changed
hnd the Redondo come to this port
on Sunday to make the transfer of
cargo.
George H. Koppitz Dies
At Anchorage Hospital,
According Local Report
Though no details were received,
according 'to a report reaching the
Seward Gateway office today, Geo.
H. Koppitz, known to many local
citizens, died at the Anchorage hos
pital last evening. George H. Kop
pitz had 'been in the employe of the
Alaska Railroad for many years in
the capacity of a checker. During
the past summer he has been act
ing as purser on one of the Alas
ka Railroad river steamers.
The halibut schooner Lituya, left
port last epening for the fishing banks.
IF YOU WANT TO HEAR A
MEMORY XPRT TAKE MENTAL
OR MEMORY ENDURANCE TEST
Come and hear Chas. W Hamley,
the American Indian Memory expert,
lecture on, and demonstrate the use
of a trained memory. All you know
is what you rememoer. All you are
expected to remember is the time,
date and place of lecture.
Date—Monday, Sept. 7.
Address—Liberty Theater.
Free entertainment—No collection.
ABOLITION LAND
OFFICE WILL BE
RECOMMENDED
TRANSFER RESPECTIVE STATES
AND ALASKA OF PUBLIC
LANDS URGED
SEATTLE, Sept. 4. (/P)—The trans
fer to the respective states and to Al
aska of all federal public lands and
the abolition of the Federal Land Of
fice, will be recommended by a spec
ial subcommittee of the United States
Public Lands committee this afternoon
following the action taken by the trus
tee of the Seattle Mining Club, who
recommended that all unsold public
lands in Alaska be put in the hands
of the territory; and that territorial
action changing or repealing federal
land laws be subject to the veto of the
president or congress.
The memorial would impower the
forestry service only to assist the pub
lic by investigating the forest prob
lems, reforestation and forest protec
tion.
Maurice D. Leehey will present the
resolution for the club, opposing for
the present any change in the federal
mining laws and will resolution urging
a provision by congress for the careful
extermination of public lands so no
mineral lands will he entered under
non-mineral grants oTlaws.
ARREST BARES
JEKYLL HYDE
DOCTOR’S LIFE
Well Known Physician and
Prominent in Church
Circles
LIQUOR TO BLAME
Had Large Practice in the
Poorer Section of the
City
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 4.—Dr. R. J.
Phelan was a well known family phy
sician, honored and respected, prom
inent in church and social circles,
and a leader in his profession. He
lived in a sumptuous home in the
best part of town. He was aljvays
immaculate in dress.
Dr. W. T. Stevens was the exact
counterpart of Dr. Phelan. Dr. Stev
ens had a questionable practice, wore
shabby clothes and lived in a dow
dy house in the poor section of the
city.
Recently it was discovered that Dr.
Phelan and Dr. Stevens are one and
the same man.
Exposure of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde existence was made by the
authorities when they summoned “Dr.
Stevens” for questioning concerning
the death of Mrs. Lucille Barry. Mrs.
Barry died in the Deaconess hospital
here following an illegal operation.
After Stevens was released he was
shadowed. He went to his home in
the poor section. Later Dr. Phelan
was seen to come out of the house.
For twelve years Phelan had main
tained his dual personality. As Dr.
Phelan he attended the best homes
in the city; as Dr. Stevens he ren
dered service that was without the
law.
“Liquor is to blame,” said Dr. Phe
lan. “I was a busy, happy man un
til my domestic troubles began. My
wife sued me for divorce. I took
to drinking and soon I became dull
ed to the moral responsibilities of
my profession.”
Both offices were closed as Dr.
Phelan sat in his cell awaiting filing
of formal charges against him. It
is understood he will be charged with
manslaughter.
Legal Blanks at the Gateway.