Evening star. [volume], August 02, 1930, Page A-12, Image 12

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
A-12
TAXI DM BOUND
AND ROBBED OF S3O
BY THREE BANDITS
Benjamin Murphy Was Slow
ly Strangling When Found
In Car Early Today.
PHYSICIANS SURPRISED
VICTIM SURVIVED NIGHT
•hauffeur, in Serious Condition in
Hospital, Is Expected
to Recover.
Lying face upward across the front
•eat of his taxicab, with his hands and
feet tied and his head lashed to the
steering wheel by a knot which was
•lowly strangling him, Benjamin Mur
phy, 26 years old, a colored taxicab
driver living at 1618 New Jersey ave
r.ue. was found by a workman after
daylight this morning where bandits
had robbed and left him on a lonely
byway off Bellevue road, not far from
the District Home for Aged and Infirm.
W. C. Clampitt, a carpenter employed
In the construction of a culvert on
Bellevue road, happened to swing his
automobile into the byway this morn
ing to turn it around.
As Clampitt’s car came to a halt, he
heard faint groans and went to investi
gate.
Murphy was sprawled face upward
in his cab. his back arched across the
narrow top of the front seat. The
driver’s feet and hands were lashed
together with tarred rope and his own
necktie had been looped about his neck
and knotted tightly to the steering
wheel.
Clampitt cut the man’s bonds and
hastened for assistance. Police from
No. 11 precinct, summoned by a tele
phone call from Clampitt. found the
colored man had lost consciousness and
took him to Casualty Hospital.
When the victim revived at the hos
pital this morning he was able to give
only broken bits of information.
In a barely audible whisper, Murphy
told police that three men, whom he
could not describe, had stopped him
downtown last night and ordered him
to drive through Anacostia.
Once in the country they seized him
from behind, drove the car into the
byway and robbed him of S3O, Murphy
said. Then they trussed him up and
fled.
Doctors expressed surprise that Mur
phy could have survived the ordeal.
He apparently had been in the cramped
position for five or six hours. Had he
struggled to free himself the noose
which bound him to the steering wheel
probably would have choked him to
death.
Murphy, a large, robust man, was in
• serious condition at the hospital to
day, but doctors predicted he would re
cover.
SODALITY ON OUTING
Members of Union Enjoy Excursion
to Chapel Point.
An excursion to Chapel Point, Md.,
•board the Wilson Line steamer City
of Washington, was made today by the
sodality union. The party left the
Seventh Street Wharves at 9 o’clock.
Benediction W'ill be held at 3 o’clock
this afternoon in the historic old St.
Ignatius’ Church, overlooking Chapel
point, and dinner will be served in Will’s
Hotel.
The committee in charge of arrange
ments includes Miss Mary Mattingly,
Miss Elizabeth Milovich, Miss Catherine
McMahon and Mrs. Anna Donnelly.
CITY NEWS IN BRIEF.
• TODAY.
Carnival, Brightwood Rebekah Lodge,
Georgia avenue and Taylor street, to
night.
FUTURE.
Lawn party, Pettit Auxiliary No. 6,
TJ. S. W. V., Sixth street and North
Carolina avenue southeast, Monday and
Tuesday.
Champion Commuter Still at It.
CHATHAM, N. J., August 2 (JP).—Ad
dison H. Day, champion commuter of
these parts, has started his sixty-second
year as a daily train passenger, Sundays
and holidays excepted, to New York. He
is a bank official, and remembers the
days of good-burning stoves and kero
sene lamps in the cars.
Marriage Licenses.
Langston B. Mcßride. 33. and Garnetta V.
t>. Cross. 21: Rev. Miller Shelton.
Raymond A. Klmmerlint, 21, and Jessie M.
Dickinson. 24; Rev. W. E. Laßue.
Raymond L Furbey. 32, and Effle J. Onley,
37: Rev. George Rankin.
George Lee. 35, and Ola G. Davii, 25: Re».
J? W Weaver.
Percy A. Shaw. 27. and Ruby M. Ware.
20: Rev. R. Henry Nelkirk.
Beniamin Dorset. 22. and Virginia F.
Davidson. 19. both of Richmond, Va.; Rev.
William E. Laßue.
Fred W. Baer. 45. this city, and Grace M.
Kimmel. 36. Chevy Chase, Md.; Rev. Homer
J. Councilor.
Luther Pftts. 27. and Birdie Jamea, 21;
Re" Kyle Booth. , _ _
John George Schlosser. Jr., 26. and Erma
G Richards. 24: Rev. Richard Schmidt.
John M. Littlepage. 27. and Ruth E Fos
ter. 27: Rev. John C Palmer.
Fred Lewis. 45. and Elisabeth Crenshaw,
35 Rev. Charles Vessells. _
Willie J. Nelson. 24. and Eleanor C.
Tucker. 18 Rev. John Richards.
Wesley A. Reddick. 21, »28 Gresham place,
and Cynthia B Cunningham. 1527 12th street.
Geoige B Sharpe. jr„ 22, and Glenna B.
Thompson. 21: Rev. Homer J. Councilor.
Arthur S Pierce. 31. and Mary E. Olbson.
25: Rev. Earle Wilfley.
Edward E. Brown. 42. and Norma L.
Cheatham. 42: Rev. Allan P. Poore.
Myer F. Miller. 30, and Shirley Nlmety.
C 2 Ref. Jacob H. Dubrof. . _ ~,
Gerald M. Vest. 25. this city, and Lottie
P. Richardson. 19, Monmouth. HI.; Rev.
Homer J. Councilor _ .
Charles N Green. 25. Fort Myer. Va., and
Alice Fountain. 20, thia city; Rev. J. G.
B^>c?1 P F. Cole, Jr . 25, and Alice G. Bonnet.
22; Rev. W F Atkinson. , „ _
James M. Gittings. 21, and Olive M. Bar
tolett, 20. both of Takoma Park, Md.; Rev.
** Emerson B Donnell. SO. Milwaukee. Wis.,
and Lois Nichols. 22. this city; Rev. N. Ad
dison Baker . _
Earl R Beal. 30. and Benza B. Bell. 39;
Rev. William M. Smoot.
Frarcis J Shea. 29. Montrose. Pa . and
Edna Van Gorden, 21. this city; Rev. James
H Ilmmd F. Smith. 22. and Mildred I, Re
petli. 22; Rev. Eugene J. Connelly.
Howard Dickerson, 21. and Jessie Pem
lome, 21; Rev. John C. Mosley.
Morris Trctick, 22. and Bessie Lyles. 17.
Rev. Thomas A. Cunningham _ _
Ira E D May. 24, and Elisabeth J. Qar
man. 25. both of Williamsport. Pa.; Rev.
Earn H. Kornmann. _ . ...
Thomas P Gunther. 24, Fort Howard, Md„
•nd Emma E Antlltz. 22. Baltimore, Md.;
Rev. L. I. McDougle.
Deaths Reported.
The following deaths have been reported
to the Health Department In the past 24
hours:
Miriam Radeliffe. *7, 1026 15th st.
Richard Kohne, 78, U. 8. Soldiers’ Home
James'W. Barnes. 74, St. Elizabeth’s Hos
pital
Marltta Ruddlesden. 73, Home for Aged
•nd Infirm.
Sister Mary Ann Manning, 67, Georgetown
Visitation Convent. _ _ .
Elizabeth F. Skeen. 64. 1761 Park wL
William Dunpher. 67, Naval Hoepital.
John F. King. 51, 325 W st. n.e.
Ida M Binkins. 48. Casualty HospiUL
William J. Fanning. 46. 3140 N st.
Hazel L. Johnson. 36. Georgetown Univer
sity Hospital.
Fannie V. Apperson, 8. Georgetown Uni
versity Hospital.
Sarah Coleman. 85, 3323 Champlain st.
Claudia Davis. 45. 2033 18th st.
Charles F. Miller. 32, Galllnger Hospital.
Freddie Fleming. 28. 636 Orleans pi. n.e.
Inez Harris, 24. Galllnger Hospital.
Lillie M. Taylor, 8, Galllnger Hospital.
Beta Williams, 2, Children’s Hospital
Esther Fisher. 8 months, Freedman’s Hos
pital
Rescues Choking Man
W. C. CLAMPITT.
—Star staff Photo.
BURGLARY HALTED
| BY PISTOL SHOTS
1 Woman Chases Intruder
L j
From Her Home —2 Hold-ups
; Under Police Investigation.
Two hold-ups and an attempted
burglary, the latter frustrated when
the Intruder was fired upon by his In
tended victim, this morning were be
ing investigated by police of the thir
teenth and second precincts.
Mark D. Rorick, registered at the
Ebbitt Hotel, told police he was the
victim of an armed colored bandit
early this morning. He said the man
held him up at pistol point in the 5100
block of Georgia avenue and relieved
him of $l6 in cash, a watch and a silk
handkerchief.
Police believe It was this colored man
who, a short time later, attempted to
gain entry to the home of Mrs. Alice
Mayer, 1359 Jefferson street, but was
frightened away when Mrs. Mayer,
awakened by a noise at the basement
window, fired two shots from her re
volver at the man. She reported noth
ing missing.
Walter Wardee, colored, of 1318 W
street, reported to police of the second
precinct that he was held up in front
of 1427 N street last night about 11:15
o’clock and robbed of $2B by three col
ored men. He told the police he was
walking with Leila Smith, a friend,
when he was attacked. He said the
robbers disappeared in an alley.
YOUTH FALLS IN RIVER,
SAVED BY COMPANION
Unable to Swim—Loses Balance
While Walking Along Ana
costia Sea Wall.
Tumbling from the sea wall on the
west side of the Anacostia River last
night, Stanley J. Probst, 19 years old,
of 1510 D street southeast, was saved
from drowning by a companion, John
H. Gakill, 22 years old, of the same
address.
The two men were strolling along
the river bank when Probst, who can
not swim, lost his balance and fell
over. Gakill, fully clad, dived into the
water and hauled the youth ashore
and instructed a passerby to summon
the Fire Rescue Squad and the Casu
alty Hospital ambulance.
Probst was given first-aid treatment
by the fire and hospital units and then
carried to his home by Gakill. Probst’s
condition was pronounced not serious.
BAD CHECK IN PAYMENT
Drug Store Reporta Swindle Per
petrated on Delivery of Goods.
A message was received at Morgan’s
drug store, Thirteenth and P streets,
yesterday afternoon requesting the de
livery of an order for a Jar of cold cream,
toothbrush, aspirin tablets and tooth
paste to a man at a house in the 1500
block of Twenty-eighth street, the
sender of the message asking that the
porter be given change for $2O.
The man received the package and
change and gave the porter & check
for $2O. Police were told the check
was worthless.
LISTED ONE-WAYTTREET
Commissioners Order Classifies
Thoroughfare in Northeast.
The District Commissioners today
named B street northeast between
Maryland avenue and Third street a
one-way street for eastbound traffic
only. This was made necessary be
cause of the Installation of two-way
traffic lights at the intersection of
Maryland avenue and B street and
Third street, where six traffic arteries
converge.
The change was made on recommen
dation of Director of Traffic William H.
Harland. Inspector Ernest W. Brown, in
clltrge of the Police Traffic Bureau,
concurred in the change, but added:
“However, I am of the opinion that con
sideration should be given looking to
the installation of a three-way traffic
signal at intersections of this character
instead of establishing one-way streets.”
HURT
Jamea Hammond, 11, Hurled to
Street in Collision With Auto.
James Hammond, 11 years old, of
617 Roxboro place, escaped with minor
head injuries yesterday afternoon when
an automobile driven by Gerald Bar
tholomew, 35 years old, of 1218 Con
necticut avenue, struck his bicycle and
hurled him to the street. The accident
occurred near the boy’s home.
Hammond was taken to Walter Reed
Hospital and later was sent to Emer
gency, after which he was allowed to
return to his home. The car driver
was not held.
CIVIL SERVICE TESTS
Bureau of Agricultural Economics
Board Needs Helpers.
The United States Civil Service Com
mission has announced that the Bu
i reau of Agricultural Economics of the
1 Department of Agriculture is in need of
assistant and associate warehouse ex
■ amlners and that applications for the
places will be accepted by the commis
sion until August 30. Entrance salaries
! range from $2,600 to $3,700 a year. Full
, information may be obtained from the
commission.
Dolores Del Bio to Wed.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., August
2 OP).—An application for a marriage
- license was filed here yesterday by
Dolores Del Rio, film star, and Cedric
Gibbons, motion picture art director,
whose forthcoming marriage next
Wednesday was announced in Los
Angeles Thursday by the actress.
Miss Del Rio gave her age as 24
and Gibbons said he was 40.
THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. €., SATURDAY, AUGUST 2. 1930.
D.C. YOUTHS HELD
IN WOMAN’S DEATH
RELEASED TODAY
Murder Theory Supplants
Assumption of Hit-and-
Run Accident Case.
NEW WITNESS TELLS
OF SEEING STRUGGLE
Driver Did Not Stop on Eoad Near
Baltimore, Where Body
Wa« Found.
Special Dispatch to The atar.
BALTIMORE, Md., August 2.—Their
story substantiated by authorities in
vestigating the death of Mrs. Virginia
Matrazzo, 22-year-old Baltimore woman
whose battered and bruised body was
found beside the Old Philadelphia road
outside this city early yesterday, the
two Washington boys taken to Essex,
Md., for questioning yesterday were re
leased this afternoon.
The boys. Charles Fillah, 17 years
old, and John E. Bostick, 18 years old,
both of the 1100 block of Tenth street,
have satisfied police of Baltimore
County as to the reason for their pres
ence near the scene of the discovery of
the body of the woman. They had
told authorities the automobile in which
they had been traveling from Phila
delphia to Washington broke down out
side of Baltimore and they continued
to Washington by motor bus. Their
machine was found late yesterday in
the custody of a street car conductor,
to whom they had Intrusted It, police
said.
Meanwhile authorities working on the
case were following a new theory that
the woman had been a victim of foul
play and not accidentally killed when
struck by a hit-and-run machine.
Coal Miner's Talk.
The arrest of the Washington boys
followed their arrival from Baltimore
after Vincent Casey, a coal miner, 26
years old, of Mayard, W. Va., had In
formed an assistant manager of the
Union Bus Terminal, where the youths
had purchased their tickets, that the
two youths had “killed a woman on the
Philadelphia road.” Casey was under
the influence of liquor at the time he
made the remark, and later declared
he had no recollection of having made
such an accusation.
Casey was placed under arrest and Is
also being held for Investigation.
Today, his head clear from the effects
of what he said was gin, Casey told the
police that shortly before he went to
the Union Bus Terminal, Baltimore, he
had been talking to a policeman at
North avenue and McMechen street.
The policeman, Casey said, had men
tioned that he was on the lookout for a
hit-and-run driver who was believed to
have killed a woman on the Philadel
phia road.
The two youths declared that they
had never seen Casey until they met
him at the bus terminal. They had
been on their way from Philadelphia
to Washington when their automobile
broke down just outside of Baltimore,
they said, and they had decided to
complete their journey by bus.
Go to Aid of Youths.
Fillah’s mother, Mrs. Sadie Fillah,
and Bostic’s sister, Mrs. James L. Des*
mond, came to Baltimore last night
and today went to Towson in hopes
that they might be able to obtain
the release of the two youths. Mrs.
Desmond said that Bostic’s mother was
critically ill. Yesterdav, by special po
lice permission, he talked with his
mother for a short time by telephone.
Baltimore County police reached the
conclusion last night that Mrs. Ma
trazzo had been the victim of foul play
after James Pinkus, a bus driver, of
3010 East Monument street, Baltimore,
had gone to police headquarters there
and told a story of having seen a man
and woman struggling in the middle of
the old Philadelphia road near the
place where Mrs. Matrazzo’s body was
later found.
An autopsy, performed last night by
Dr. James F. White of Essex, revealed
that Mrs. Matrazzo’s death had been
caused directly by internal injuries
after her chest had been crushed. But
as a result of Pinkus’ statement, Lieut.
William B. Dorsey of the Baltimore
County police said today that he be
lieved the woman had been beaten and
then deliberately shoved into the path
of an automobile.
Saw Fair Wrestling.
Pinkus told the police that he had
spent Thursday evening with friends
who live in Baltimore County and was
returning to the city alone in his auto
mobile shortly before midnight byway
of the old Philadelphia road when, near
the place where Mrs. Matrazzo’s body
later was found, he saw a man and
a woman wrestling with each other in
the middle of the highway.
The man seemed to be in his shirt
sleeves, but Pinkus paid little attention
to his general appearance, Pinkus did
not think he could identify the woman
either. But he told police that he had
heard her scream and had seen the
man strike her. As he drove up. Pinkus
said, she called to him to stop. But
another automobile, containing two men
and a woman, was parked beside the
road, and Pinkus decided that he had
better mind his own business.
The parked automobile was a closed
car, Pinkus said, and its lights were
burning. He could not give a very defi
nite description of the two men in the
machine, but he thought he could
identify the woman. He had noticed
her particularly, he said, because of her
light hair.
Passed About Midnight.
When the news of the discovery of
Mrs. Matrazzo’s body was published yes
terday, Pinkus concluded that she was
the woman he had seen on the road. He
was not certain in regard to what time
It was when he drove through the old
Philadelphia road, but he thought it
was about 11:45 daylight saving time.
This, according to county police, was
approximately the same time at which
Mrs. Margaret T. Davis, near whose
home the body was found, was awak
ened by voices on the old Philadelphia
road in front of her house and, looking
out of her bed room window, she saw
a parked automobile and what appeared
to be a hit-and-run accident.
Mrs. Davis told the police that she
had seen a woman signal to one passing
automobile, which had failed to stop,
and that a few minutes later, when a
second machine drove by, she heard two
muffled blows. The second machine,
like the first, continued on its way,
Mrs. Davis said, but a man In his un
dershirt stopped a third car and asked
the driver to “Go catch that new Ford!
It struck a girl!”
Later, Mrs. Davis said, two figures
which she took to be those of men,
placed a burden in the weeds of a ditch
beside th road. A moment later the
parked automobile drove off towards the
city, and Mrs. Davis’ husband John, and
brother Henry Bolen, going out on the
road, found Mrs. Matraezo’s body In the
ditch.
UNDER NEW CONTROL
Smallpox Hospital to Ba Directed
by Galllnger Institution.
The District Commissioners today
transferred control of the Smallpox
Hospital from the health officer to the
superintendent of Galllnger Municipal
Hospital. The hospital is built on the
same reservation as Galllnger and the
l change was made in th* interests of
simpler and better administration.
Her Death a Mystery
Jp' m %
MRS. MARY MAZZERO.
—Star Staff Photo.
j
BREWER IS FREED
IN SPEEDING CASE
Dry Agent Gets Nolle Prosse
on Charge of Assaulting
Arresting Officer.
Charges of speeding and of assaulting
the policeman who arrested him were
nolle prossed by the Corporation
Counsel’s office today against Prohibi
tion Agent Randolph Brewer, following
his arrest last night by Policeman C. O.
Rouse of No. 11 police precinct at
Minnesota avenue and Hunt street
southeast.
Rouse said he arrested the dry agent
after pacing his machine for several
blocks. -He charged Brewer tried to
resist him. The Federal man was
escorted to the precinct station, where
he was required to leave SSO collateral
on assault and speeding counts.
The Police Court office of the district
attorney declined to make out papers
In the case because, it was explained,
the policeman expressed a wish not to
prosecute. When the agent appeared
in Traffic Court for trial, Judge Gus
A. Schuldt was Informed the corpora
tion counsel’s office had entered a nolle
prosse in the case.
Brewer proved to the satisfaction of
officials that he was hurrying Into the
city to answer an emergency summons
from a superior officer pertaining to his
work as a dry agent.
In September of 1927 Brewer shot and
killed Charles P. Gundlach, 73-year-old
Maryland farmer, at Leonardtown dur
ing a liquor raid. A Federal court in
Baltimore subsequently cleared him of
all charges in connection with the affair.
HOBART BROOKS DIES
AT AGE OF 69 YEARS
Former Newspaper Man, Widely
Known, Was Native of Illinoii.
Long D. C. Resident.
Hobart Brooks, 69 years old, formerly
connected with various newspapers and
for many years a resident of this city,
where he was widely known, died at- his
home, 816 Fifteenth street, early today.
He had been falling for several years,
but had not been considered seriously
ill.
Mr. Brooks was a native of Petersburg,
111., and came to this city when a child
with his parents, the late Mr. and Mrs.
Albert I. Brooks.
He is survived by his wodow, Mrs.
Kate Neal Scott Brooks; a daughter.
Miss Katherine May Brooks, of the so
ciety department of The Star; a sister,
Mrs. May Ramsdell, former music edi
tor of The Star, and two nephews,
Hobart and Paul Ramsdell.
Funeral arangements are to be an
nounced later.
HUSBAND ANDWIFE ASK
COURT TO CHANGE NAME
Isaac and Tessie Lisansky Allege
Pronunciation Difficulties in
Petition for “Lisann.”
Tessie S. Lisansky, 3010 Wisconsin
avenue, a school teacher, and her hus
band, Isaac, have filed a joint petition
in the District Supreme Court to change
their names to Lisann. The peculiar
juxtaposition of liquid and sibilants
renders the name Lisansky difficult to
retain and pronounce, the court Is in
formed, and causes the teacher and her
husband great inconvenience and em
barassment. Mrs. Lisansky also points
out that as a teacher she is “in con
stant association with subnormal chil
dren of a tender age and that the con
stant struggle to impregnate their minds
with the correct spelling and pronun
ciation of her present name results in
great annoyance, loss of time and pro
fessional efficiency.”
Attorney Louis B. Arnold represents
the petitioners.
GIRL GETS 90 DAYS
Convicted of Shoplifting by Judge
Mattingly.
Carrie Parker, alias Carrie Eubank,
colored, was sentenced to serve 90 days
in jail by Judge Robert E. Mattingly
when convicted of shoplifting at Police
Court yesterday.
A floorwalker of a large downtown
department store testified that he saw
the girl take a dress from a store
hanger and place it in a shopping bag
which she carried on her arm. A
search revealed not only the dress, but
a pocketbook as well.
MAJ. PRATT BEGINS 35th YEAR
AS WASHINGTON POLICE OFFICER
Recalls Day He Trailed Pair of Mules All Day Afoot
Because of Poor Transportation.
Maj. Henry G. Pratt, superintendent
of poiice, began his 35th year of service
as a policeman yesterday. He started
as a private attached to the seventh
precinct. In those days there was
little in the way of public transporta
tion, and policeman were pavement
pounders in fact as well as in name.
Maj. Pratt recalls a time when there
was a report of a pair of mules stolen
from near what Is now Walter Reed
Hoepital. He was able to take a horse
car to Fourteenth and Park road, and
walked the rat of the way to the scene
of the theft. When he got there, he re
ceived a “tip” that the mules could be
found at Silver Spring, Md. So he set
out afoot for Silver Spring. When he
arrived there, hla next tip was to the
effect that the mules were on a farm
near Marlboro. So he set out (still
•foot) for Marlboro. There he found
D. C. GUARD UNIT
LEAVES TOMORROW
FOR 2-WEEK TOUR
Fort Humphreys, Va., Will Be
Scene of Training and
Maneuvers.
TROOPS TO MAKE TRIP
TO CAMP IN BUSSES
Advance Detail Will Have Lunch
Ready on Arrival at
Training Site.
Members of the 121st Regiment of
Engineers, the largest contingent of
the National Guard of the District of
Columbia, are preparing to don their
military uniforms tomorrow and go
into the field for two weeks of train
ing. For the past two days a special
detail of officers and men, composing
the advance guard, have been moving
the heavy paraphernalia, Including
tents and cooking equipment, from the
Pennsylvania avenue storehouse to the
campsite at Fort Humphreys, Va.
The Engineer regiment is commanded
by Lieut. Col. John W. Oehmann, who,
in civil life, is the building inspector of
the District of Columbia. He has is
sued orders for the assembly of the
troops at their armory, at Sixth street
and Pennsylvania avenue, early tomor
row morning, where they will don their
packs and take up their rifles, in time
for an early start to the camp.
Transported in Busses.
(There will be no long march facing
the local contingent. They will be
transported to the camp In busses, which
will leave the armory at 10 o’clock to
morrow morning. The troops will be
at the armory, and will be carried di
rectly to their company streets, and the
advance guard will have food ready, so
that they will lunch tomorrow in the
new mess shacks, which have been
constructed for their use during the
two weeks that they will be in the field.
This will be the first time that the
Engineers have had to establish their
own camp at the Virginia post. Here
tofore they have occupied the war
time-built barracks, but these have
since been razed to make room for the
permanent construction for the Regu
lar Engineer troops stationed at the
Army’s Engineer base. The lotal En
gineers have been assigned a site in
the reservation, between the highway
leading from the Richmond-Washing
ton road and the entrance to the post
proper. Several weeks ago Col. Oeh
mann and a staff of officers went to
the post and laid out the company
streets and marked the locations for
the mess shacks, headquarters and va
rious camp utilities, which were fol
lowed by the advance guard in setting
up the camp.
Maneuvers Second Week.
The Engineer contingent will remain
at the post for two weeks, spending the
first week in routine military drills and
receiving instruction in the building
and demolition of roads, bridges and
trenches. At the beginning of the sec
ond week there will be company ma
neuvers, to be followed by battalion ex
ercises and concluding with a two-day
regimental problem, during which the
troops will be required to remain away
from the base camp and bivouac in pup
tents. Athletic and drill competitions
have been arranged for several after
noons during the encampment.
■ - ♦ - -
COL. LOUIS M. EVANS
DEAD AT AGE OF 53
Civilian Chief Engineer of Signal
Corps Stricken While on Duty
at Fort Meade.
Lieut. Col. Louis Milton Evans, 53
years old, of the Signal Corps Reserves
and civilian chief engineer of the Sig
nal Corps, died yesterday in Walter
Reed Hospital.
Col. Evans, a resident of Alexandria,
was stricken suddenly while on active
Summer training duty at Fort Meade,
Md.
After employment as a young man
with the telephone company here, Col.
Evans joined the Signal Corps as a ci
vilian in 1903. His interest in electrical
and radio construction work was largely
developed through his association with
Gen. George O. Squier, former chief of
the Army Signal Corps. He was ap
pointed civilian chief engineer several
years ago.
Commissioned a captain in the Signal
Corps at the outbreak of the war in
1917, Evans was subsequently promoted
to a lieutenant colonelcy, the rank he
continued to hold in the reserves. He
was stationed here throughout the war.
Besides his widow, Mrs. Mary B.
Evans, he is survived by his mother,
Mrs. Olivia W. Evans, and a brother.
Guy B. Evans. He was a member of
the Alexandria-Washington Masonic
Lodge.
Funeral services will be held Mondav
morning at 11 o’clock at the Alexandria
residence. 912 Cameron street. Inter
ment will be In Bethel Cemetery.
MRS. SHEPHERD SUES
Cruelty and Non-Support of Two
Alleged of Printing Employ#.
Malvina R. Shepherd, said to be a
telephone operator at Casualty Hos
pital, has filed suit in the District Su
preme Court for a limited divorce from
Frederick H. Shepherd, an employe of
the Government Printing Office. They
were married March 1, 1925, at Wau
kegan, 111., and separated March 1,
1929. Mental cruelty and refusal to
support her and the child are alleged
by the wife. Efforts at a reconciliation
have proved futile, she tells the court.
Attorney Raymond Neudecker appears i
for the wife.
the mules, arrested the thief and rode
one of the mules home under the light
of the moon.
Things are different now, and as his
thirty-fifth year starts Maj. Pratt is
planning to set up a radio sending sta
tion to broadcast messages relating to
hold-ups and other emergencies to fleet
automobiles cruising the entire District
24 hours a day.
Pratt was made an acting sergeant
in 1898 and assigned to the Detective
Bureau in 1900. He was made a de
tective sergeant in 1903. He entered
the Army in 1917 and was honorably
discharged in 1920 with the rank of
lieutenant colonel. Returning to the
Police Department he was made an as
sistant superintendent in 1922 and
chief of the Detective Bureau in 1926.
He has heNf hla present post since April
1. 1929. '
RADIUS OF UNIVERSE MEASURED
FROM SPIRAL NEBULAE DATA
9,500,000,000,000.000,000,000 Miles Is Cal
culation Sent Academy of Sciences by
t Professor for All Creation.
BY THOMAS R. HENRY. |
The radius of the universe Is ap
proximately 9.500,000,000,000,000.000,000
miles.
This Is the calculation just sent to J
the National Academy of Sciences by
Prof. Wilhelm De Sitter of the Univer
sity of Leyden, Holland, based on the !
velocities ot spiral nebulae, or island ;
universes, as measured by the Mount |
Wilson Observatory of the Carnegie
Institution of Washington.
Beyond Is Nothing.
Prof. De Sitter, one of the world’s
foremost mathematician - astronomers. ;
whose name is commonly linked with
that of Einstein, is an honorary member
of the National Academy. The calcu
lation is for the distance from the
center of all creation to the further
most bounds of space and time in the
complicated relationship they bear to
each other in hyperdimensional astron
omy. Beyond this distance in any
direction from the center is the un
imaginable nothing, where space and
time have not yet come into existence.
His calculation. Prof. De Sitter says,
is for creation at present. It is ex
panding to infinity and now is twice
the size it once was, but the calculator
MAHAFFIE NAMED
MEMBER OF I. C. C,
Capital Resident Succeeds
Thomas F. Woodlock of
New York City.
Charles D. Mahaffie, a resident of:
Washington for 25 years, has been ap- ;
pointed by President Hoover to succeed j
Thomas P. Woodlock of New York as a
member of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. The President announced
yesterday he had accepted the resigna
tion of Mr. Woodlock.
Mr. Woodlock, former editor of The
Wall Street Journal, retires from the
commission to resume duties with Lnat
publication in New York. The Presi
dent announced his retirement from
distinguished public service with regret
and emphasized that he retired of his
own volition to enter private life.
Mr. Mahaffie, his successor, has for
many years been financial director of
the commission. He was a Rhodes
scholar in 1905 and was solicitor for
the Interior Department from 1916 to
1921. He was counsel for the Railway
Administration during 1921 and 1922
before entering the Interstate Com
merce Commission in 1922 where he has
been in charge of railway consolidations
and constructions. He is considered
to be an expert on railway matters.
The new commissioner is a native of
Oklahoma. He resides here at the La
Salle Apartments, 1028 Connecticut
avenue.
WOODLOCK TO WRITE.
Will Tell Impressions of I. C. C. and
Defects of Law.
NEW YORK, August 2 f/P). —'The
Wall Street Journal announced yes
terday that Thomas F. Woodlock. who
resigned as a member of the Inter- ;
state Commerce Commission, will join i
its staff as a contributing editor within ,
a few weeks. i
Mr. Woodlock will write a daily j
signed column in the paper the an
nouncement said, “and his viewpoint
will also find frequent editorial ex
pression.”
“Among the first of Mr. Woodlock’s con
tributions,” the statement continued,
“probably will be his impressions of the
work of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, its problems, its difficulties
and the defects in the law. These will
be written in frank and penetrating
style and with the background of a
knowledge unsurpassed in America.”
Mr. Woodlock joined the Wall Street
Journal, when he first came to the
United States from England. After
the death of Charles H. Dow in 1903
he acted as editor of the publi ation
and in February, 1905, was formally
appointed to that post.
Later he became a member of the
New York Stock Exchange, continuing
there until 1918, when he became as
sociated with the American Interna
tional Corporation. He resigned in
1923 to w'rite special articles and in
January, 1925, he was appointed to the
Interstate Commerce Commission by
President Coolidge.
MAN, “SOBER AS JUDGE,”
JAILED BY MAGISTRATE!
Comparative Plea Fails to Save I
“Coumbus’’ From $lO Fine
for Drunkenness.
Columbus Mack, colored, arraigned
in Police Court yesterday morning for j
being drunk, swayed from side to side
and told the court that he “was as sober ;
as the judge.” He was fined $lO.
The colored boy, who Said that he I
was “four days out of de South,” was
arrested early yesterday by Policeman
R. E. Williams of the second precinct, j
who found him staggering up Sixth I
street. He was brought immediately to j
court. It was obvious that he was still |
intoxicated when brought before Judge i
Ralph Given.
“How do you plead to being drunk?” j
asked the clerk.
“I’m sober as the judge.” said Mack. ;
“What do you mean by getting so
drunk?” reprimanded the magistrate. I
“Now, Judge, don't bawl me out,” j
pleaded Mack, “I can’t stand much!
more. My nerves are going back on !
me.”
“All right, pay $lO or go to jail.”
The judge told a bailiff to see that
the man remained in the Police Court j
jail until he was sober enough to be on '
i the street once more.
DR. FOWLER GETS TOKEN
FROM FELLOW WORKERS
District Health Officer, Recovering
From Operation, Receives
Flowers and Cards.
Dr. William C. Fowler, who is recov- j
ering from an operation in the Johns
Hopkins University Hospital received a
pleasant surprise yesterday on his thir
teenth anniversary as District health
officer. The surprise consisted of a huge
basket of flowers, sent as a token of af
fection from employes of the Health
Office and individual cards.
Dr. Fowler, who has been in the Dis
trict Health Office 35 years, was ap
pointed as head on August 1, 1918. Em
ployes regretted that he must spend his
anniversary in the hospital, so Dr. Ed
ward J. Schwartz, acting health officer,
conceived the idea of making the day as
pleasant as possible for him.
Each one of the 85-odd employes sent
him a message, most in a humorous
vein, and Dr. Fowler was able to devote
the morning to reading these.
Dr. Schwartz said that he was going
to Johns Hopkins tomorrow to see if he
could not persuade Dr. Fowler to return
home in a few days. He is getting along
in good shape, it was said.
is unable to determine whether the
initial state was experienced a finite or
an infinite time ago. He describes the
universe as “homogeneously filled with
matter and having a spherical sym
metry throughout its history, its radius
increasing from an initial value to
infinity.”
Prof. De Sitter speaks of a “still very
mysterious lamba. which is a measure
1 of the inherent expanding force of the
universe.”
Independent Universes Is Theory.
The spiral nebulae upon whose be
havior the calculations are based are,
at the closest, approximately a million
j light years away from the earth, or the
i distance that light moving at 186,000
j miles a second would cover in a million
' years. They have been observed to be
receding with enormous velocities. They
are believed to be independent universes,
comparable in magnitude to the universe
of which the Milky Way is the center
and the sun. with its planets, an insig
nificant unit.
Any actual numbers arrived at. Prof.
Dc Sitter points out, must be considered
only as rough approximations. He does
not make his calculations in miles but
in parsecs, one parsec being approxi
mately 200.000 times the distance be
tween the earth and the sun.
Succeeds Woodlock
I r ~~ . ■%.
t
imlM H* • :*WPp|S:.
M -r f 5?
jk. y **%>':< j
CHARLES D. MAHAFFIE.
POLK SCHOOL SCENE
OF CHILD CLINIC
Project Will Give Psychiatric
and Mental Hygiene
Service.
The Washington Child Guidance
Clinic will be opened September 1 in
| the Polk Elementary School, Seventh
! and P streets, it was announced today
by Miss Margaret Hagan of the Wash
ington Institute of Mental Hygiene, the
organization which is sponsoring the
clinic.
Arrangements for use of the school
building were completed yesterday be
tween Harry O. Hine, secretary of the
Board of Education, and Dr. Loren B.
T. Johnson of the Mental Hygiene In
stitute.
The psychiatric director will be Dr.
Paul J. Ewerhardt, who has just re
signed as director of similar clinics in
Providence. Miss Caroline J. Muskat
of Minneapolis will be the psychologist.
Several social workers are to be ap
pointed.
The clinic will give psychiatric and
mental hygiene service to all District
children under 16 years old and will
co-operate closely with the public
schools.
It is supported by funds from the
Community Chest. The chairman of
the board of managers is Dr. William
A. White of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.
MAJ. PRATT ORDERS
POLICEMEN SHIFTED
Five Privates of Third Precinct
Transferred and Others Or
dered to Fill Posts.
Five privates of the third police pre
cinct were shifted to other precincts
at 8 o'clock vesterday morning under
changes recently ordered by Maj. Henry
G. Pratt, superintendent of police. Pvt.
J B. Waddell also was transferred from
the fifth to fourteenth precinct and
changed places with Private F. S. Mar
shall.
Those transferred from the third and
the precincts to which they are now
attached are: Privates R. E. Cannon to
eighth, Emmett Sullivan to twelfth,
IT. E. Marguis to twelfth, Otho
jA. Johnson to ninth and L. H.
j Gentry to second. The men ordered
j from ether precincts to take their places
j at the third were Pvts. R. W. Hopkins,
i eighth: John Scheuripg, twelfth; R. H.
! Taylor, twelfth; C. W. Hinton, ninth,
j and L. E. Cline, second.
PRESIDENT HAS QUIET
HOLIDAY AT CAMP
I
Only Companions in Virginia
j Mountains Are Mrs. Hoover and
Few Intimate Friends.
By the Associated Press.
ORANGE, Va., August 2. —In an at
‘ mosphere of complete holiday from of
-1 fleial business. President Hoover rested
today at his lodge in the Virginia
mountains, with only Mrs. Hoover and
a few intimate friends as his com
panions.
Photographers were permitted to in
| terrupt the camp routine for the first
! time this year, the President having
relaxed his rule against pictures to al
low the cameramen to make shots of
the camp showing the many bsprove
i ments made since last year. j
The party encountered cool weather.
In sharp contrast, to the heat of last I
week end, and last night a fire was f
necessary in the large open fireplace of 1
the community hall for the first time i
since Spring.
Horses awaited those members of the
party who are fond of horseback riding
early today for exploration along the
secluded bridle paths leading along the
crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The Cr.ief Executive planned to take
his exercise hiking. He expects to re
turn to the White House early Monday.
■■ -- ... » -
The coldest recorded locality Is In
Nor the** Siberia, where the mercury
drops tft 90 degrees below zero.
WHITEHURST MADE
HIGHWAY ENGINEER
AT $7,500 A YEAR
Appointee of Commissioners
Succeeds C. B. Hunt and
Receives Extra Tribute.
DUTIES MAY BE SPLIT
WITH DEPUTY IN OFFICE
Retiring Officer Given Watch,
Chain and Knife as Surprise
by Department Force.
The District Commissioners yesterday
appointed Capt. Herbert C. Whitehurst,
former co-ordinator and chief engineer
of the District, to the post of engineer
of highways, made vacant by the re
tirement of C. B. Hunt. The place
carries a salary of $7,500. Capt.
Whitehurst’s old job paid $6,400.
The order promoting Whitehurat
made him engineer of highways at a
salary of $6,500 and simultaneously
awarded him a promotion to $7,500 “as
a recognition of meritorious and excep
tional services.”
Although not mentioned in the order,
it is expected that Capt. Whitehurst
will effect a substantial split of the
duties of head of the Highway Depart
ment with the present deputy engineer,
L. P. Robertson. Whitehurst taking the
field work and Robertson taking the of
fice work. Including Whitehurst’s old
duties in co-ordinating the work of the
various Government and private agen
cies whose work involves cutting up the
streets.
Resignation From Army.
Capt. Whitehurst, formerly An as
sistant Engineer Commissioner, re
signed from the Army to take a post
with a private engineering concern some
years ago. The District, unwilling to
lose his services, created the post of co
ordinator and chief engineer for him,
intending that it should be classified
as P, 8 (SB,OOO to $9,0001. The Federal
Classification Board, however, refused
to accept this classification, holding
that the duties were no more important
than those of the engineer of highways.
They allocated the position as P. 6
($5,000 to $6,500). Capt. Whitehur.,t
accepted this classification and was
quickly promoted,
to the maximum grade.
Duties to Be Divided.
The present plana are to leave the
post of co-ordinator and chief engineer
vacant, and split the duties of this post,
i as well as those of the engineer of
highways, among Robertson and White
hurst.
Mr. Hunt was given a surprise re
ception yesterday, and Capt. Whlte
| hurst, in behalf of the workers in the
I | Highway Department, presented him
wdth a gold watch, chain and knife.
II Mr. Hunt had been in the District
service more than 40 years, and had
helped develope the street system from
that of a village to that of an impor
, tant metropolitan area.
Child Hurt in Fall.
While playing on a porch at her
home, 725 Twelfth street southeast,
yesterday afternoon, Elizabeth A. Craw
ford, 5 years old, accidentally fell to
the ground and was severely injured.
She was treated at Casualty Hospital
for a possible fracture of the skull and
shock. Her condition was reported
serious.
THE WEATHER
District of Columbia—Partly cloudy
tonight and tomorrow; not much change
in temperature; gentle to moderate
southwest winds.
Maryland—Partly cloudy tonight and
tomororw; not much change in tem
perature; moderate to fresh southwest
winds.
Virginia—Mostly fair tonight and
tomorrow; not much change in tem
perature; gentle to moderate southwest
winds.
West Virginia—Fair, slightly warmer
tonight; tomorrow partly cloudy.
Record for 24 Hours.
Thermometer—4 p.m., 83; 8 p.m., 77;
12 midnight, 73; 4 a.m., 70; 8 a.m., 74;
noon, 85.
Barometer—4 p.m., 29.99; 8 p.m.,
30.02; 12 midnight, 30.06; 4 a.m., 30.07;
3 a.m., 30.08; noon, 30.07.
Highest temperature, 85, occurred at
11:15 a.m. today.
Lowest temperature, 69, occurred at
5 a.m. today.
Temperature same date last year—
Highest, 85; lowest, 68.
Tide Tables.
(Furnished by United States Coast
and Geodetic Survey.)
Today—Lew tide, 8:58 a.m. and 9:07
p.m.; high tide, 2:12 a.m. and 2:40 p.m.
Tomorrow—Low tide, 9:56 a.m. and
10:05 p.m.; high tide, 3:08 a.m. and
3:37 p.m.
The Sun and Moon.
Today—Sun rose 5:08 a.m.; sun sets
7:20 p.m.
Tomorrow—Sun rises 5:09 a.m.; sun
sets 7:18 p.m.
Moon rises 2:08 p.m.; sets 11:53 p.m.
Condition of the Water.
Potomac, clear; Shenandoah, very
cloudy.
Weather In Various Citiea.
B Temperature. — ;s ~
S S* Ft
I £• “a 32.
S r* IT _ • jg
j,. . . H O(m #»«—»
Stations. £ a» C** ° Weather.
•* 5 3- 0»
e «*
| Abilene, Tex 29.94 100 76 .... Clear
Albany, N. Y... 29.98 84 66 .... Clear
Atlanta, Ga 30.08 88 68 0.14 Clear
Atlantic City... 30.10 78 70 .... Clear
; Eaitimore. Md.. 30.08 84 70 Clear
Birmingham ...30.04 96 70 Clear
Bismarck. N D. 29.68 92 58 .... Clear
Boston, Mass... 30.04 80 66 .... Clear
Buffalo. N. Y. .29.96 78 70 .... Cloudy
Charleston. SC. 30.08 84 74 0.04 Pt.cloudy
Chicago, 111 29.96 88 72 .... Cloudy
Cincinnati, Ohio 30 06 88 60 ....Clear
Cleveland, Ohio. 20 02 80 66 .... Cloudy
Columbia. 8. C. 30.10 86 72 .... Clear
Denver, C 010... 29.84 90 68 .... Pt.cloudy
Detroit. Mich... 29.98 86 70 .... Pt.cloudy
;El Paso. Tex... 29.88 92 72 .... Clear
| Galveston. Tex. 30.02 92 80 Clear
Helena, Mont... 29.82 84 54 0.10 Cloudy
Huron. S Dak 29.64 104 72 0.42 Clear
Indianapolis.lnd 30.04 88 66 Cloudy
Jacksonville. Fla. 30.02 82 72 0.08 Cloudy
Kansas City. Mo. 29.88 96 78 Pt cloudy
Los Angeles... 29.88 92 70 .... Clear
Louisville. Ky.. 30.12 90 66 Pt.cloudy
Miami. Fla.. ..30.04 88 78 0.01 Cloudy
New Orleans... 30.00 90 78 Clear
New York. NY. 30.10 80 68 .... Clear
Oklahoma City. 29.92 96 72 Clear
Omaha, Nebr . 29.78 96 78 .... Pt.cloudy
Philadelphia ...30.10 84 68 .... Clear *
Phoenix. Ariz.,29 84 98 74 0.16 Rain
Pittsburgh. Pa. 30.04 86 60 Cloudy
Portland, Me .. 30.04 78 60 Clear*
Portland. Oree.. 30.04 76 56 Clear
Raleigh. N. C.. 30.10 84 68 .... Clear
Suit Lake City. 29.92 88 68 0.28 Pt.cloudy
San Antonio... 29.98 98 76 0.40 Clear 7
1 San Diego. Calif 29.86 86 66 Cloudy
San Francisco. 29.86 66 54 .... Cloudy
St. Louis, M 0... 29.98 92 72 Clear
r gt. Paul, Ml»n. 29.74 92 70 0.10 Cloudv
; Seattle. Wash..
! Spokane. Wash. 29.88 82 56 .. Clear 7
Tampa, F1a.... 30.00 90 74 O.ii Cloudy
WASH.. D. C... 30.08 85 69 0.05 Cigar
FOREIGN.
(7 a.m., Greenwich time, today).
Stations. Temperature. Weather.
London, England 64 Clear
Vienna. Austria 58 Clear
Berlin, Germany 62 Clear
Stockholm. Sweden 64 Clear
Gibraltar. Spain 68 Clear
„ , < Noon. Greenwich time, today.)
Horta iFayal), Azores 74 Part cloudy
(Current observations.)
Hamilton. Bermuda 82 Part clAud*
San Juan. Porto Rico.... 64 Clea^ S,,
Havana. Cuba 78 clear - i
Colon, Canal Zone 62 Part oloudy