Variety (Dec 1929)

Wednesday, Deeember 11, 1929 TIME S S Q U A RE VARIBITY Paramouiit Taxi Co: Seizes Paid-f or Car of Indie Driver on Rate Claim HOT DOG TOSSER Ex-Pugilist Loses Out AH Ways •t Garden Harry O. Sanbere, 40, vice-presi- dent of the Paramount I'axl Corpo- ration, was freed in West Side Court on the charge 4>t grand larceny by Magistrate Richard I. McKlnlry. Sanberg resides at 316 West 76th street. He had been pyt oh ball. : Detective Tom Hannlgan of the •West 47th iBtreet station arrested the tasl executive on the complaint of Sol Schirt, taxi chaulteur, of 1958 Ellis avenue, Bronx. Sanberg was arrested In the corridor of West Bide CpUut w:hen Schiff demanded it. Schiffi asserted that an employee of Sanberg had seized his taxlcab m Columbus circle. SchifC located the cab, but was powerless to re- cover It.. It had been taken to a garage, where the wheels were re- moved. SchiCe spent hours with po- lice officials begging torf the return of his cab. Thus far hq has not. received it. . Sanberg a^dtaitted the cab was taken. But not by him. Through his attorney, he asserted that SchlflE wa,8 charging a greater raite than allowed by the Paramount by one who uses their cabs.- In the con- . tract issued by the ParamouU.t they have a.penalty clause of $^500 for ai. violation.' Schlff bought the cab from Joseph Greenwald. Nothing was owed on the cab, asserted Schiff. He stated he had been warned by let- ters from Sanberg to cease chargr Ing Si higher rate than, the com- pany, If he contnued, to uise th6 Parainouht name and ln$lgnla. SchifC Ignored the letters because, ho stated, he did not buy the cab from the Pariahlount, and hence eaw no such agreement. It was then the cab'was seized. Fixing Rates Magistrate McKlnlry stated that Sanberg did not steal the cab. He informed SchifC that he should have proceeded against dreenwald'. Philip O'Brien, head of the Taxi- cab Chauifeurs' Association, was Indignant at the discharge of San- berg. He stated that this was just the beginning of a taxi rate war. He asserted Paramount Is trying to drive the independent taxi chaufCeur off the street. . . "What right has Sanberg or any- , , one else to fix a rate. The Board of Aldermen has ruled that a S0t40 rate be charged. I am happy tha,t Magistrate McKlniry did not pass upon the validity of the contract," stated O'Brien. 3 DAYS OF BEATINGS, SAYS GIRL OF DOC HALL Herring, Warner Thea. Treas., Stole $4,700 :'"Sreeples9; nights and concern about his young wife, bride of only a short time, caused Horace Her- ring, 35, treasurer of Warners' the- atre, 1164 Broadway, to push a note into the hands of Thomas J. Mar- tin, auditor of Warner Brothers, 321 West 44th street, explaining how he robbed the box office of sums totaling $4,696, according to Detective Roger Meehan and Pat Harty. of the West 47 th Street stA-' tion. Mr. Martin had an examination made of the books and the shortage was verifled. Herring was arrested; In. West Side court he pleaded guilty to the charg^ of stealing $300 Sept. .4, He wa:iv€d examination arid was held In $1,000 ball for the action of the grand Jury. Herring's young wife did not ap- pear in court. She was probably unaware of her husband's arrest. Hertlng bowed his head In court and was visibly afCected. He has been employed at the, theatre for several years and la said to have received, a salary of $80 a week. . . Meehan and Harty asked him ■Where the money went. "The nags got my dough. I made a few win ners in the beginning. Then I be •gan to lose. I tried to recover my losses and got 'in deeper,'' he said. .Herrin g liv es with-his.wlfig at 102 West 90th street. He was held "in high esteem by his employers. He had a system of checking up his accounts, stated the sleuths. Herring's bride was an usher at the Warner, afsserted the cops. The defendant courted her for a short time. When Herring was ask ad to disclose the name of his wife, he retorted, "Why heap any. further misery on her." Marius. Hall McGuffey, 45, tall, slender arid slightly stooped, fenc- ing teacher to the *'400" and physi- cal Instructor to enervated bankers listened Intently in West Side Court to the recital of an alleged savage assault aiileged committed by him on Alda Auerbach, 22, stenographer and teacher of dancing. Miss Auerbach, barely able to re cite the facts, spoke hialtingly . and In whispers to the court. Magistrate Albert Vltale was forced to place his chair near the complainia.nt. The latter told of how she was vicious- ly assaulted by McGuffey, whom she referred to as "Dr. Hall" In the apaTtment of Florence White, fenc Ing Instriictoi; and dancer, in apart ment 2 B at 118 West 47th street. Miss Auerbach testified that "Dr Hall" shared Miss White's apart ment. The complainant came to court ajssist€d by her sister and brother. She stated that her right jaw was fracture.d as a result of "Dr. Hall" booting her as she lay prostrate on the floor after he. had knocked her senseless with his. fists. She as- serted the "doctor" was infuriated as a result of a drinking orgy in Miss White's flat. She declared she had not been drinking. 6he testified she was held a captive In the apartment for al most 12: hours, the ."Dr." refusing to permit her to leave.- "He continually punched me. I begged him to stop. He said. If you open your mouth I'll sock you. And every time you open your ihouth I'll sock you again. You are a Ua,r'," she stated the fencing master called her. Friend Called ^ cried and made an effort to escape. He locked the door. ■\Yal lace Miller, a friend of mine, ar rived about 9 p. m. Thursday. There had been several couples. Ih the apartment but they had left. Mr, Miller came to take me for a walk. I feared to tell him the 'Dr.' had beaten me. "When . Mt, Miller, heard the shouts of the 'Dr.' he left.' Theii 'Dr. Hair pulled niy hair and re newed his beating of me until he fell asleep. While I was on the floor he kicked me, breaking my Jaw. ■ "I pleaded with Miss White to let me escape. She istalted she would break my other Jaw. When the 'Dr.' fell asleep ! raced out of the apart ment and collapsed on the street where a, patrolman sent me to Roosevelt Hospital." Miss Auerbach's face looked as if it had gone through a grinding machine. She testified being em ployed by the "Dr.' for one week as a stenographer and dancing teacher to Miss. White. She had been a hostess In the apartment for three days. Miss Auerbach said. She stated the "Dr.' had put an 'awn- ing* on her eye several days be- fore the big assault, although She did not complain to the police. "I feared the TDoctpr.' I told my brother and the 'Doctor' said he would make good." The "Doctor" . asserts the affair is a "shake." Carl Melola, 25, 336 Box street, Jersey City,- former pugilist, was fined $10 ih West Side Court on a disorderly conduct charge. Besides being fined, Melola was given a box- ing lesson he probably will not for- get. Carl, accompanied by several friends, went to the bilie races at the Garden, and When the race lulled a bit Carl imbibed a bit. Hungry he went to' the hot dog stand. Not 'Waited on fast ^nough to- Suit him he began tossing the hot dogs at the attendants. liieut; Johnny Broderlck appeared and tried to dissuade Melola. The latter, boasting that l.a was a spar- ring partner of Toung Zazzarlno, made a swing at Biroderick. In a few minutes Melola was a very much subdued young , man. In West Side Court, before Magis trate McKiniry, Carl said he did. hot remember what had happened and apologized. He paid the $10 fine. CALKIN FREED ON GUN PinilNG CHARGE BY GIRL BANKERANDGIRLFRIEND MADE SCENE ON STREET No Lonely Native Women in Congo, Where Souls Go Co-operative Fast 'I don't want the old thing," said Irving J. calkin, actor, of the Ho- tel America to Patrolman John O'Hare when he was proffered the return of a pistol after his dis- chalrge In West Side Court. Calkin, said to have had a magician act under the riame 1. J. Irving, is reported opera,ting a collegiate show at present. O'Hare from the West 47th street station arrested Calkin on the com- plaint of Helen Clark, 20, of 146 West 47th street. She asserted Cal- kin slapped her face and then went to a trunk to "get: a gun." Calkin was charged with viola- tion of the Sullivan law and dis- orderly conduct. O'Hare found the gun In Calkin's trunk in his room. He denied using It.", Miss Clark stated' she didn't see Calkin draw the gun. The girl stated she had been In Calkin's act. She was. dismissed. Going to the hotel to pleiad with Calkin to reinstate her. Miss Clark said. Calkin struck her. "And then he raiced for ills gun" she told the youthful bluecoat. Calkin dienied the Allegations. He had no permit for the "rod" be- causie he never used it, he said. It wais unloaded and given to him by some fellow actors. Miss Clark hails from Dayton, O. The Court was satisfied Calkin was innocent and discharged him Elizabeth Armstrong. 29, dancer, of the Rockefeller Hotel, 33 West 51st street and William HoUoway, banker, address, refused, ,33, were arraigned in West Side Court be- fore Magistrate Morris Gotlieb on the charge of intokication and dis- orderly conduct. Both received suspended sentences. Miss Armstrong becanie hysteri- cal in toiirt and the Magistrate was forced to halt the proceedings until she composed herself. They were arrested by Patrolman TJohn Glnty of the West 47th street station who found the pair in hot ai'gument outside of the Hotel Rockefeller. A taxicab chauffeur was complaih- Ing about his tare. He sought it and the best he got was looks, push- es and abase.. The woman is charged with tearing his suit. Ginty came upon the scene and he was thi;€atened with annihilation if he didn't beat it. The officer hurried the pair to the "hoosgow" in West 47th street. They got bail. In court the chauf- feur appeared w^ith his torn suit. The Court directed Miss Armstrong make good for it. A lawyer had to rush out and get the money. The chauffeur stated he had pick- ed up the banker in Wall Street arid later Miss Armstrong at the Rockefeller Hotel. He said he made many stops iat speaks. Holloway as serted be came frorri Alabama. VHiLAGE EATERIES OFF FREE ART AND UT GAB '. Reading recitals and art Exhibi- tions have been ruled out by the handful of futuristic,. tear.ooms . of Greenwich "VUlagie,' which hkcl pre- viously beeri promoted to remalni open after the usual closing hours as spots for both. Struggling poets and canvas daubers, supposedly with follow- ings, would promote the use of the eateriefj for semi-weekly exhibitiiTnS, selling the operators on the,Idea of extra revenue to. be derived from refreshment sales to listeners and onlookers. Most places figured themselves out on lights and heat expenses, claiming the onlookers were gastronomlcally fixed before in or else were on a diet. You may talk of legit and films on Broadway-^jut in -Africa ifa gin and whiskey and no woman lacks . for company on the Black Conti- nent. ; Woma:n's paradise. Whilvi com- mercially speaking, the films rate biggeist in entertainment, pictures don't compare with the soirees .con- ducted by villagers on an ordinary niglit. . ■ , Africa's gveat White-Way is the jungle. : Where a Broadw'ayite would be cautious, the resident white in the Congo steps lightly and unafraid. ' Marriage is a con-. . venlerice. Official or not—one year in that country and souls go on the co-opei'ative plan. Men are mostly occupied with hunting around the Congo. The women with whoopee. Everybody knows tiie other woman's secret. Its like Harlem along the Uganda—ex- cept that night life in Africa is free and whites don't mix >vith the blacks. Everybody's friendly, and all a husband expects is that his wife be forewarned of his return. Every- body di'inks. Everybody plays. Wives «t Home Some wives prefer to join matfes oh hunting tours, but they're excep- tions. Most remain In the ^ illage where at the nightly parties couples • grow very' friendly, sometimes as late as after the first drink. ' What makes it somewhat differ- ent from Hailem and Broadway Is that the booze is okay. Once Itt awhile a guy shoots his wife—but that's a rarity and; happens, bu"; onCe in a decade. The bii'd who hasn't a sense of humor had better stioKft to Broadway. , ^ Most villages in this Beilgiin pro- tectorate have no more than flv« or six women. When their husbands leave to call on tigers and lions the district evens up.' All' of which may be'th"e , reason, according to report, that big game hunting in the Congo isn't a^ b'M racket. ALLEGED RING THIEF RAN INTO SLEttTHS Inaccurate Biographies TEXAS GUINAN By Claude Binyon FAST GYP IN JI W TAKES CHUMPS FOR $10 Capt. Louis Dittman of the West 47th station Is making a personal investigation of dance halls in the Times Square district, studying the methods of operation of each place l.e visits. Capt. Dittman's drive Is against those dance halls that sell "time out" to a stag who picks a hostess, and paying $3. or more an hour for the remaining time she is supposed to. work, takes her out. The chief existing dance hall evil, however, according to those who JmpwL _the .business ^thoroughly, is the' "closed" dance iiall, of wTifch~ a dozen riow operate from 14t.h to 66th, east and -west of Broadway. In these sucker traps, adverti.sing 125 hostesses, only stags are ad mltted. These Joints put the gyp on plenty, the $1 admission entitling the sapfl to eight two minute "taxi" dances with a liostess. Bands play two choruses of a dance number, arid the floor is cleared. ■ Texas (Spray) Gulnan, last in the divorce records as Maymie Mona- han, went on the stage because her dad tried to corner the potato mar- ket in Texas without making allow- ance fOr'the Greek, restaurant pol.- Icy. Too late he found that the rusta biff boys had enough hsilf-; fried French-cut spuds on hand to last through three-Siberian famines. Toung Spray was in finishing school at the time, winning riiedals and cups for making orgy. "Witli tt pistol. She . finally caught a night train for Okmulgee because one of the profs took her hand gag literal- ly. Besides, the school was serv- ing potatoes fried three ways. Then came the war. On the stage Texas did pretty well with a sharp-shooting aict, using stagehands whenever she ran out of clay pigeons. The prop bust- ers' union called a halt to this even- tliaily by giving the act a great big foot whenever it hit town, Texas 'then went to Hollywood, where .she made 210 short western films under the name of Two-Gun Guinan..^ The^ 210- Pictures: wftre about an open .space gal ■who pro- tected her honor with ammunition. The thing could have gone on in- definitely had there bfen enough bullets. From the West ilu.slcal shows followed, and Texas was well on the way of be- coming a celeb. "Amereeca, I ]ov« *;et!" she drawled one day to a re- porter, and the guy knew she was from the west by the buttons on her boots. Thc! bubbling westerner started opening night clubs. "Hello, suck ers!" she'd yell, and the prohibition agents waved merrily. "Give the little girl a hand!" she'd cry, and the customers would helpi her move the stuff to another spot that wasn't padlocked. Texas is one of the few gals a.d mitting she likes rnen because they don't carry .money in their stock- ings. "They're here to be made, and I'm here to make them," she exr plains, a remark only taken for dou- ble entendre in a Shubert musical Butter and egg men, who had visited one of hey night spot.s while in New Tork, hopped a freight and carried news of her remarkable prowess into the hinterlands. She becarifie a legend, representihg all that is done deliberately on Broad- way. Warners used .Tex for a talking feature, and now they don't apeak, Then the Shuberts put her in a musical headed for the American interior-:---It^was.--the--=hottest-^ol Iftction of .sex stuff ever seen out ■side an agent's private office, Cen .'jors were kept busy dressing bare dames and eliminating every. other word. "The show is .«=o dirty, I'm embar rasRod," one of the p<»rform''rs said. It cguMn't hav'i; b^-f-n Mi.'^-s <Jui nan; She \MX.«n't talking lit. the time While DetectlVes Gilroy' and Dii- gan, W^at 47th street station, w.ere : n a loan office at 43d street and 6th avenue making an investigation,. A. Albert Buck, 24, radio installer, 61 El wood street, offered a diamond . ring fof pledge. He ask6d the clerk for $200 and the sleuths became auspicious. They asked Buck where lie got the ring. It contained .24 diamonds and a large sapphire val- ued at $1,000. Buck told conflicting stories. ' ■ ■ • '• The detectives took Buck, to th« station house for ftirther Interro- gation:. They learned that the jewel had been stolen from the apart- ment of Leo Guggenheim, Insurance broker, 336 Central JPark westi Buck had gone to the apartment to install a radio during the ab- sence of members of- the family and servants he rifled a drawer apd took the ring, 1*^18 alleged. A $20,000 bx'acelet was overlooked. In West Side Court before Magis-.. trat^ Gotlieb Bu'ic pleaded not- guiltyi . Mr. Guggenhelni was Ini* court and asked permission to with-- draw his charge. He said he thought- the young man had made a mistake- Magistrate . Gottlieb said he was ppwerlesB to entertain such a re-* quest and advised the -broker to . miake his plea before the Grand Jury. Bettors Guessed Right On McManus Verdict George A. McManus, race track" booking commissioner, was ac^- quitted of the charge of murderr ing Arnold Rothstein, all around gambler, by direction of. Judge Nott In General Sessions before whom the .prosecution had wasted more than two weeks In trying to prove a case against McManus. The JiejttinRj}dilfliciLacau.lttal,_hadJbe 4 to 1 and even money the judge would direct the verdict he did. Altliough rumored it co.st Mc-. Mamis and his relatives and friends upward.s of J300.000 for his (Icfoni-e. it i» doubtful if his ex- prn.sp of the trial exceeded $-50,000. It is fistimated the D. A. office •-pfrit noftily <ne-half million dol- lars in tr^liJi' to build up its case.