THIS WEEK THE TIMES PRESENTS . . .
William O. Perry was born in
Tampa, Florida and attended
school in St. Petersburg. He came
to Miami in 1925 and has lived
here ever since.
Re opened and began operating
Miami’s first complete Negro
Florist business in 1933. This
business was opened under the
name of the Magic City Florist.
In later years it was changed to
Perry’s Florist. The business had
its difficulties in its climb to
success. Toay it is well thought
of and highly appreciated by all
of Miami and vicinity. When Mr.
Perry opened his business it be
came one of nine similar busi
nesses operating in Miami. There
are now more than 75 florists in
the Greater Miami area.
Mr. Perry : s success in this en
deavor has been due largely to
his earnest determination to give
to Miami a well appointed and
complete business of this kind.
He employs regularly a secretary
and a designer in his business,
and often calls in additional help
on part time basis when the oc
casion warrants it.
In addition to his florist bus
iness, he also operates an out
door decorating enterprise which
is largely responsible for the
beautification of the city during
the annual Orange Blossom Clas
sic activities, various conventions
and other major meetings.
In 1939 Mr. Perry completed
a course in designing and deco
rating in New York City.
On April 14, of this year a
group of florists from various
states met in Miami and organ
ized the International Florists
Association. Mr. Perry was elect
ed first president.
SOCIAL AND CIVIC
ACHIEVEMENTS
Perry was a the founder of the
Vn un" Business Men’s Club of
Miami in 1933. This club has been
known over the years for its
outstanding social, civic, chari
table and political work in this
community. He has headed this
group for 19 years and is still at
the helm.
As an Elk, while serving as
exalted ruler of Atlas Lodge No.
,n R of Miami in J 939, he won the
highest honor of the order and
was crowned King of Exalted
Rulers of the World, for initiat
ing more members in his lodgt
that year, than any other exalted
ruler in the entire order of Elks
He received that award in the
city of New York at the Elks
National Convention. In 1940 he
and his lodge entert lined the
Tempora Mutanur Et Nos Mutamur In Ellis : " ' * ~ -— r -
VOL. XXX, NO. 7
2 OF DOOMED TRIO TO APPEAL
FLOYD LOSES HIS
GAMBLE WITH
LIFE
Appeals were being planned
this week for two of the three
youths sentenced to the electric
chair Tuesday for the slaying of
County Road Patrolman Edward
F.itz last February while fleeing
from a robbery.
Standing in leg irons in a
heavily guarded courtroom Tues-
George (Limpyj Anderson, Percy
(Wassie Blue) Ambrister and
Richard (Fat Back) Floyd, heard
Judge Holt pronounce the dread
words:
“Death shall be inflicted upon
you by causing to pass through
your body a current of electricity
Florida State Association of
Elks in Miami. That was judged
one of the greatest meetings ever
held by the State Association.
Because of his excellent fra
ternal work, the Grand Exalted
Ruler saw fit to promote him to
the higher position of District
Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler,
serving a district that covered
from West Palm Beach to Key
West. He is now leading Atlas
Lodge as its exalted ruler and
has made very significant pro
gress during the past four months.
Mr. Perry is a member of Car
ver Branch YMCA, the NAACP,
the Boy Scouts of America, Ka
zah Temple of Shriners, New
Providence Lodge of Masons, a
board member of the Dade County
Young Democratic Association,
and a member of Ebene/.er Meth
odist Church, where he has held
the position of chairman of the
board of trustees for a number of
years.
When ever you see him, he is
either going to or coming from
a .meeting of some kind. He is
never too tired to help when call
ed upon for any problem con
cerning the community. He and
his wife, Mrs. lona Perry and
four of his five children, Iva, 16;
W. O. Jr., 15; Deborah, 8; and
Bernadette, 6, live at 4800 NW
24th court. His oldest daughter,
Mrs. Juanita Cunningham, re
sides in Ocala. His florist busi
ness is located at 1210 NW Third
Ave.
sufficient in intensity to cause
immediate death, and application
of such current shall be continu
ed until you shall be dead.”
The sentence w'as a bitter pill
for Floyd who had gambled with
his life and lost.
Near the end of the trial of the
three Floyd had suddenly switch
ed his plea to guilty, testified for
tne prosecution and thrown him
self on the mercy of the court.
Floyd was gambling on a
lighter sentence than the death
sentence.
RUSHED TO RAIFORD
Within hours after Judge Holt
had sentenced the three men for
Singletary Asks New Trial
Attorney Abe Aronovitz
By ARLINGTON SANDS
(Second in a series of articles
by Sands on the City election to
be held Nov. 17).
Can a candidate win an election
with less than $1,000?
( Abe Aronovitz, an outstanding
candidate for city commission
-— 9
thinks it can be done and has
pledged himself to campaign
within the expenditures of SI,OOO.
Mr. Aronovitz is a veteran of
many election campaigns. He is
highly respected, Jewish and an
attorney of many years in this
city. He is a strong favorite to
miam^ f L° RIDa , S A TURD A Y, OCTOBER 24, 1953
i'ie Feb. 3 killing they were
loaded in two cars attended by
five deputies and hurried off to
the state penitentiary at Raiford.
By a twist of fate, the three
men marked for death had a close
call with death before they had
gotten three blocks from the
courthouse.
The car in which they were
riding, with three deputies in the
front seat, was struck at N.W.
Ist st. and Third ave. by a speed
ing ambulance. No one was hurt,
and the condemned men were
hauled into another car for the
trip to Raiford.
Acting Gov. Charley E. Johns
make tre run-off.
How many votes he can hope
to get for his thousand dollars
remains a big quetion but his un
orthodox campaigning is impres
sive. He says:
“1 will neither solicit nor ac
cept any campaign contributions.”
He will not mail any campaign
literature.
He will have no campaign
signs or placards.
He, will not clutter the radio
»r television.
Such a campaign is entirely
new in elections here, where
some candidates in the past have
admitted expenses up to s2s,uo<).
If successful he will be free to
act in the best interest of people
for he would not be indebted to
any group or special interest.
Mr. Aronovitz is no stranger in
this section. His valuable services
as a member of the Slum Clear
ance Committee has made many
friends in this section for him.
lie has been a resident of this
city for more than 25 years. He
has seen this city grow from a
humdrum town to this great me
tropolis. Considering past per
formances Aronovitz is perhaps
the most capable of the candi-
will sot the week of their execu
tion. Warden L. F. Chapman of
Raiford will pick the day.
It is expected that the execu
wili be held up by appeals which
lawyers for Limpy and Wassie
Blue will file with the State Su
pieme court.
Because of his guilty plea, there
is no appeal open for Fat Back.
Judge Holt pointed out:
“F'or you, there is no appeal
to a higher court, save to your
own God.’’
The three condemned prisoners
are now at the state penintenti
ary in Raiford awaiting the final
disposition of their case.
An attorney Wednesday asked
Judge Ben C. Willard of Crimi
nal court to set aside a 30-year
prison term given Tuesday to Wil
lie Singletary and to grant him a
new trial.
Singletary was convicted of
burglary and assault in a trial
without a jury. He was identified
by two women as the man who
broke into their home and struck
them.
But Howard W. Dixon, attor
ney, maintained Wednesday that
Singletary had been deprived of
his legal rights.
He said that the he was not
represented by an attorney, that
he was not capable of handling
his own defense, and that he had
been denied a jury trial.
dates. He knows the city’s char
ter and the city’s operation as
few of the candidates do.
He is proud of the role he has
played in bringing about equality
of humanity in this city. He
stated that he will insist on equal
treatment for Atty. G. E. Graves,
the only Negro candidate in the
race. Whereever Atty. Graves is
refused entrance as a candidate
lie will also refuse to go.
He is a staunch defender of the
people’s interest. He has fought
successfully several battles against
powerful interest groups. He is
the one man they fear most and
PRICE: TEN CENTS
ACQUITTED ON
MURDER
CHARGES
A Criminal court jury Wednes
day acquitted James Wood,
on i hai i?6s of second decree inur
der.
lie was accused of the fata'
snooting of Larry Clark 27
Homestead.
Wood testified he and Clark
got into an argument, that Clark
stai o'd to hit nim while wearing
knuckles, and that he shot
in self defense.
ROBBY & CAMPY
BRING ALL-STAR
TEAMS HERE
Local baseball fans are in for
some big league games early
next month, when two all-star
aggregations will plav at Miam
Stadium. The first of the two
will be the famous Jackie Rob
nson All-Stars which will play
an all-star team from the Ne
»ro major leagues at the Stadium
an Thursday, Nov. 5.
On the following Sunday, Nov
8. the Campanella All-Stars will
meet the strong Birmingham
Black Barons at the same Stadium
Both all-star teams are now on
a barnstorming tour and will play
in most of the major southern
and western cities. Both teams
are also composed of a number
of well know stars of both major
leagues as well as the Negro ma
jor leagues.
I ickets for these games will
be on sale beginning next week.
they have fought successfully to
keep him out of office in the past.
In the battle against the Fla.
Power and Light Co. tie saved
the people of Miami some $4,000,-
000. Almost single handed he
fought the Miami Transit Co. and
the city commission body to
$17,000 annual savings for the
people of this city. He has been
a factor over the years in the ma
jor battles for the city's growth.
By his past performance he
merits an opportunity to serve
the people in an official position.
BETHUNE BURIES
BENEDICT 26 0 IN
ORANGE BOWL
HEAVY RAINS KEEP FANS
At HOME
By HERMAN WALTON
Displaying an air-ug.u dt.e., .e
that held the visitors to a meio
14 net yards gained rushing una
amassing 13 points in earn <. i
the second and fourth periods,
the Wildcats from Betnune-
Cookman College. Daytona
Jeach. defeated the outclassed
figers of Benedict College of Co
umbia. S. C. Saturday night in
Jiarm’s Orange Bowl
A heavy down pour of rain
ess than an hour before kickoff
ime. kept an anticipated large
.•rowd down to 2,08 ti specators
Jut the small crowd did not in
any way dampen the spirit of
ne occasion, which saw some
ine football and other features
which go to make a well rounded
program
Playing on a fie.d .utered with
juddie: ot water, i.e Daytona
joys completely outclassed their
pponeim. from the beginning to
.he end
The inept Benedict offense did
not cross the 50 yard line
The first period was played to
a scoreless tie, with toe Wildcats
moving into Benedict territory,
but failing to cross into pay dirt.
Midway in the second period.
Benedict punted, and a five yard
penalty placed the oval on the
Tigers 40 yard line. Sylvester Mc-
Arthur’s pass to Matt Bethel was
good for 28 yards. Four cracks
at the Benedict line left the ball
on the Tigers' 1 with a first down.
Fullback Clyde Sanders smash
ed over center for the initial
touchdown ot the game. McAr
thur kicked the extra poi.it and
tie score stood at Bethune 7.
Benedict 0.
Late in the second period after
another Benedict punt, Sanders
slashed off tackle for 19 yards to
piace the ball on the Carolinians’
20 and set up the Wildcats* sec
ond score. Another pass from
McArthur to halfback Doc
Graham was good for the nec
essary 20 yards and the second
I'D. The conversion was no good.
The Tigers’ defense stiffened
somewhat in the third period
ami the Wildcats were unable to
cash in on several short sustain
ed drives.
Early in the final period,
Graham set up the Wildcats’ 3rd
score on a somewhat freakish
play. The halfbai.. actually stole
the ball from a IK edict back on
the Tigers’ 24. From this point
Bethel smashed over tackle for
21 yards. McArthur, on a beau
tilul quarterback sYieak, went
over from the 3 for the third
score. The attempted conversion
was again missed.
Late in the final period the
Wildcats crossed into pay dirt
for the fourth time of the game.
Following a sustained drive
which piuced the oval on the
Tigers 15, •’General" McArthur
shot a bullet pass to Bethel good
for 12 yards. Another pass—Mc-
Arthur to Sanders was good for
the fourth and final TD