Evening star. [volume], July 26, 1931, Page PAGE B-1, Image 9

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
WASHINGTON
REORGANIZING MAY!
PROVE BIG SAVING
IN WARDMAN CASE
Plan Includes Judicial Sale of
Properties to Avoid
Costly Foreclosure.
NEW CORPORATION
WOULD HANDLE AFFAIRS
First Mortgage Bondholders’ Ap
proval Eequired If Receiv
ers Act.
Receivers recently appointed to take
over nine Wardman-built properties
here announced yesterday a tentative
plan of reorganization which they be
lieve will safeguard investments aggre
gating $11,000,000.
One of the outstanding features of
the plan is a proposal to negotiate a
judicial sale of the properties to a rep
resentative of the first-mortgage bond
holders, thereby avoiding an expensive
foreclosure. If, however, a sale under
the trust should become necessary, it was
said, it would be in the nature of a
reorganization foreclosure.
The buildings affected are the Ward
man Park Hotel, the addition thereto,
the Carlton Hotel. Chastleton Apart
ments, Cathedral Mansions, Davenport
Apartments, Boulevard Apartments,
Stone leight Courts, 2700 Connecticut
avenue and the Department of Justice
Building.
Payments Are Missed.
The present owning corporation,
Wardman Real Estate Properties. Inc.,
was unable to pay interest on the mort
gage bonds due March 1. last, and also
failed to meet certain sinking fund re
quirements. These failures led to a
, request for appointment of receivers,
Which was granted.
The proposed plan, which must be
approved by the committee of first
mortgage bondholders, would first set
up a new corporation to own and oper
ate the properties. After transfer of
title, the old first mortgage bonds would
be called in and new bonds in similar
amounts issued to the various holders.
Maj. Julius I. Peyser, one of the »e
--ceivers, pointed out that a considerable
saving probably could be effected by
elimination of a distinct operating cor
poration, Not only might the buildings
be more efficiently managed, he said,
but a number of salaried officials could
be dispensed with.
Maj. Peyser also emphasized 'hat one
of the unsuccessful properties the
Highlands—which was included in the
10 buildings originally grouped under
the present management, has been dis
posed of through foreclosure. This, he
said, would eliminate a considerable
drain on the revenues of the more
profitable properties.
Plan of Reorganization.
The spokesman for the receivers
made it clear that the plan of reorgan
ization now put forth looks only to the
conservation of the investments of bond
purchasers under the $11,000,000 first
and refunding mortgage, and the hold
ers of approximately $5,000,000 in un
derlying mortgages.
This gave rise to speculation as to
' what provision will be made for the
holders of $4,750,000 in senior and
junior debentures issued along with the
bonds. It was learned that nearly one
half of these debentures were issued to
Emory L. Coblentz, Frederick. Md.,
banker, who was indicted here recently
on perjury charges in connection with
the recent F. H. Smith Co. conspiracy
trial
Maj. Peyser said the receivers had
pot as yet interested themselves in this
phase of the problem. It was learned
in other quarters, however, that the
debenture holders might be given stock
in the owning corporation, which would
offer them a remote chance of realizing
something on their holdings.
The Bondholders’ Committee, it was
said, has been pledged about 80 per
cent of the outstanding bonds at this
time It is believed more bonds will
be pledged in the near future.
Possible Legal Proceedings.
It was pointed out that the minority
bondholders might initiate legal pro
ceedings to stop the proposed reorgani
zation plan, but the receivers are mak
ing every effort to forestall such a de
velopment. , .
The law firm of Douglas. Obear and
Douglas, representing the receivers, is
expected to have the detailed plan
ready for publication within the next
few days.
LEGION AT LEONARDTOWN
NAMES STATE DELEGATES
Alternates Also Chosen to Attend
Maryland Convention to Be
Held at Frostburg. '
Special Dispatch to The Star.
LEONARDTOWN. Md., July 25.
Delegates have just been appointed by
the American Legion post of Leonard
town to the annual State convention
of the American Legion to be held in
Frostburg, Md., August 20, 21 and 22.
Those who have been appointed as
delegates follow: Comdr. Joseph C.
Mattingly of Leonardtov". Emmett
Sheets of Hollywood and V rren Dun
bar of St. Marys City. Alternates are
J. Allen Cecil of Valley Lee, Md.;
Kenneth B. Duke, C. B. Greenwell, jr„
and B. B. Love, jr„ of Leonardtown;
Bennie McKay of Park Hall and A.
Dana Hodgdon of the State Depart
ment in Washington.
A membership drive is being put on
by the post.
HEART ATTACK FATAL
Special Dispatch to The Star.
PURCELLVILLE, Va., July 25—After
finishing milking the cows this morning,
Charles Reed. 53, resident of Purcell
ville, staggered to his house and died a
few minutes later from a heart attack.
Reed was a native of Loudoun County,
the son of the late Joseph W. Reed
and Margaret Reed. He was born near
Bluemont. but had resided in Purcell
ville for 37 years where he was em
ployed by the Purcellville Motor Co.
He was a member of the Baptist Church
and of the Junior Order of American
Mechanics, the latter organization to
have charge of the funeral services
which will be held Monday morning
from the residence in Purcellville.
Surviving are his widow, who was
Miss Alice Hopkins of this county, three
daughters. Misses Margaret and Kath
m trine of Washington, and Harriett, at
■ home, and four sons, at home. Burial
will be in Ebenezer Cemetery.
Beauty Has Cash Value
Business of Keeping Women Looking Their Best Is
of Staggering Proportions , District
Comissioners Learn .
*
“A thing of beauty," a famous poet
once wrote, “is a joy forever.’’ It is
more than that. The poet wrote be
fore the days of mass production, busi
ness methods, and high pressure eco
nomics generally. A thing of beauty is
now a good cash Investment. It pays
dividends, and a new trade has sprung
up to collect the dividends, and to keep
those who do not quite measure up to
the best of the collector’s standards
away from the gravy.
These thoughts are inspired by the
literature recently forwarded to the
Commissioners by the Washington Hair
dressers and Cosmetologists Association,
which finally resulted In the issuance
of an amended set of regulations apply
ing to barber shops and beauty parlors.
The association has a picturesque
way putting things. “Today,” says one
of the documents, “even as all women
wear silk underwear, so do most women
frequent beauty shops." Here is an
other phrase: “Beauty culture is here
to stay—and in large proportions.”
The layman will be readily convinced
of the staggering burden carried by this
new trade when he reads in their pro
posed set of regulations what a hair
dresser is. One would normally think
of a hairdresser as a person who dresses
hair. Not so! For turning to the pro
posed code again it will be found that
“any person who engages for compen
sation in any one or combination of
the following practices: Arranging,
dressing, curling, singeing, waving, per
manent waving, cleansing, cutting,
bleaching, tinting, coloring, or similar
work upon the hair of women, shall be
known as a hairdresser." Rank sex
discrimination appears when it is found
that a person who performs all of these
dexterous operations on the hair of a
mere man can only call himself a
barber.
DISTRICT TO OPEN
JOBS TO COUNTRY
Engineer Positions in Six De
partments to Be Made
Available.
The District’s policy of employing
municipal workers from the District
only, in preference to those from the
various States of the Union, will under
go a partial change soon, and at least
one type of job will be thrown open
indiscriminately to all who apply and
have the necessary qualifications.
The ruling will affect inspectors em
ployed by the various engineer branches
of the government, including the offices
of the municipal architect, inspector of
buildin'gs, electrical engineer, plumbing
inspector, superintendent of trees and
parkings and the highway, sewer and
water departments. There are about
170 inspectors employed In these de
partments and their pay ranges from
$1,260 to $3,200 per annum.
Board Is Named.
Machinery is now being perfected for
rating of applicants for these positions,
although it has not yet begun function
ing. The Board of Civil Service Exam
iners for the engineer departments,
District government, to rate the appli
cants on their experience and other
qualifications, has been set up. On the
board are W. J. Hamacher. an employe
of the Civil Service Commission; As
sistant Engineer Commissioner Donald
A. Davidson, Capt. Herbert C. White
hurst, District highway engineer; S. B.
Walsh, assistant municipal architect,
and Roland M. Brennan, chief clerk
of the District engineer department.
Mr. Brennan acts as secretary of the
board.
Job analysis sheets have been for
warded to the Civil Service Commission,
which will decide the weights to be at
tached to the various qualifications.
When this has been done, the board
will begin its work. No inspectors will
be appointed in these divisions unless
rated and recommended by the board.
- The recommendation to throw' these
jobs open to applicants regardless of
residence was made by Acting Engineer
Commissioner Donald A. Davison, on
the ground that it was impossible to
secure good highway inspectors locally.
Most of them are now secured from the
various State highway commissions on
recommendations of the Federal Bureau
of Public Roads.
Only Two Exceptions.
When the order was first put through
last year, making appointment to the
clerical and other lesser positions in
the District service possible only
through . Civil Service Commission eli
gibility lists, the commissioners stated
that only District applicants would be
accepted, and that policy, except in two
instances, has been followed since.
The two cases involve guards for
the penal Institutions and nurses for
the various municipal hospitals, where
the question was not one of policy, but
one of expediency. It proved impossible
to secure competent nurses and guards
from among the District residents. But
those positions are still intended pri-1
marily for District residents, who would
be given preference over residents of
the States, assuming that their qualifi
cations were equal.
The order relating to the inspectors
is the first definite departure from the
original policy.
Tobacco Picnic Set.
FAIR HAVEN, Md.. July 25 (Spe
cial) .—Thursday. August 13, has been
set for the annual picnic of the Mary
land Tobocco Growers’ Association to
be held at this Chesapeake Bay resort.
In recent years the picnic has grown
In importance. A record attendance is
expected this year.
THREE LOOT COLORED CONVENT
AS SISTER WATCHES IN TERROR
Robbers Escape With Silver and Other Valuables After
Ransacking Institution.
Detected while ransacking the col
ored St. Vincent de Paul Convent at
233 I street early last night, three
colored robbers threatened and pushed
aside Sister Abriaa and escaped with
a quantity of loot, including some of
the convent silver and candlesticks.
With two other sisters from Balti
more, Sister Abriaa had just arrived
at the convent, which has been closed
on week days during the Summer, when
they heard a noise in one of the rooms.
Opening the door to investigate, the
sister was confronted by one of three
men who nearly pushed her over and
warned her not to cry out. They es
caped through the back door and down
an alley.
The three sisters, who inMuded Sis
ter Mary Sebastian and Sister Modesta,
®he JOimflau JBfetf
And here is a clue to the mystery
that has long tantalized the curious.
The "cosmetologist,” now. what is he,
or rather what is she? Well, “any per
son who with hands or mechanical ap
paratus, or by the use of cosmetic prep
arations, antiseptics, tonics, lotions, or
creams, engages for compensation in
any of the following practices for wom
en (sex discrimination again) massag
ing, cleansing, stimulating, exercising,
or similar work upon the scalp, face,
neck, arms or bust shall be known as
a cosmetologist.”
The crux of the proposition of the
cosmetologists was that nobody would
be allowed to practice these mysterious
arts (or sciences) without being li
censed for SIOO, and that anybody
found bootlegging treatment without a
license should be thrown in jail or have
his profits taken away from him in the
way of a fine.
But, alas, for the cosmetologists, they
didn’t get quite all of their stuff across.
Their proposed regulations were sub
mitted to Health Officer William C.
Fowler for report, and Dr. Fowler is a
hard man. When he got through with
the regulations that the Commissioners
finally adopted, the thrilling word “cos
metologist” appeared nowhere in them.
Neither did the SIOO license fee, or any
other fee. The co6metological emporia
dwindled into beauty shops, and the
regulations were chiefly on such mat
ters as washing the hands before and
after treating a customer, and not al
lowing the beauty shoppers to keep an
open powder box in their public rooms
into which all of their customers could
dabble indiscriminately.
But the end probably is not yet.
There is an ominous note in one of the
letters from the cosmetologists. “Some
24 States," it remarks, "have passed
legislation to regulate beauty culture.”
Fireman Dies *
' jff
CAPT. GEORGE H. REYNOLDS.
Capt. George H. Reynolds. 63, re
tired Fire Department officer, was
found dead about 8 o'clock last night
at his home, 329 Seventh street north
east. Death was attributed to a heart
attack.
The veteran firefighter was found by
Howard C. Frost. 653 Maryland ave
nue northeast, who summoned a phy
sician from Casualty Hospital. Later
Deputy Coroner Joseph D. Rogers was
summoned and issued a certificate of
death from natural causes.
Served 33 Years.
Before his retirement in August. 1928,
Capt. Reynolds served for 33 years in
the District Fire Department. He was
one of the best known officers on the
local force and for 19 years had been
in charge of the job of giving the Cap
itol its annual bath with fire apparatus.
Bom in Natural Bridge, Va., Capt.
Reynolds moved to Washington at an
early age and in 1895 joined the Fire
Department, being assigned to No. 2
Truck Company. When transferred to
No. 3 Engine Company, where he was
attached for many years, he received
a promotion to the rank of captain in
1907. Later he served
Truck and No. 18 Engine Coiflfcanies,
and was retired from the latter unit.
During the Taft administration Capt.
Reynolds was presented with a large
flag by the late Superintendent Woods,
then manager of the Capitol grounds,
in recognition of his services in giving
the Capitol its annual cleansing. Each
year thereafter, on official holidays
Capt. Reynolds displayed the flag from
a pole in front of nis home.
Cherished Fire Plate.
Another relic cherished by the vet
eran officer was a volunteer fire de
partment plate acquired by his family
in the days when fire extinguishing was
done by volunteer companies. In order
to insure the enthusiastic co-operation
of the volunteers in stopping a fire
Washington property owners who were
members of the volunteer association
hung the volunteer plates in a con
spicuous spot about their buildings
Capt. Reynolds always kept his family
volunteer tag on display in front of his
home.
! The fire captain was unmarried. Nc
members of his immediate family sur
vive. Funeral arrangements will be
completed today.
BRIDGE TO CLOSE 2 DAYS
Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge over the
Eastern Branch will be closed to all
traffic Wednesday and Thursday while
a new asphalt surface is being laid.
During construction of the wooden
flooring the bridge has been kept open
for traffic at all times, but this will be
impossible during the asphalt work, ac
cording to Capt. Herbert C. Whitehurst,
District highway engineer.
furnished the police with a descrip
tion of the men. These descriptions
tallied with those of a band of sneak
thieves which have been breaking into
a number of houses in that neighbor
hood.
Most of the rooms in the convent
had been ransacked and in their hurry
to get away the thieves left a suit case
filled with clothes and linen. The sis
ters, two of whom are from the Philip
pines, come to the convent each Sat
urday night and remain over Sunday,
returning to Baltimore.
Declaring they would not remain at
the convent without a guard, the sis
ters were preparing to leave last night.
In their excitement they could not
furnish police with a list of missing
article*
WASHINGTON, D. C., SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 26, 1931. ♦
SPACE ASSIGNED
TENTATIVELY IN
MUNICIPAL CENTER
Police, Juvenile Court, Re
corder of Deeds, Traffic
Get First, Second Floors.
MUNICIPAL AND POLICE
COURTS UP TO SIXTH
Superintendent of Weights, Meas
ures and Markets to Share
Seventh.
Assignment of space for the first
| unit of the new Municipal Center, ten
tatively decided upon, was announced
yesterday by Assistant Engineer Com
missioner Holland L. Robb, chairman
of the Space Assignment Committee.
The Police Department, the Juvenile
Court and the office of the recorder of
deeds will occupy the first and second
floors of the building. The new De
partment of Vehicles and Traffic also
will be installed on the second floor.
Floors for Police Court.
The Municipal and Police Courts
will have the third, fourth, fifth and
sixth floors. The municipal archi
tect's office and the office of the super
intendent of weights, measures and
markets will share the seventh floor.
There has been some talk of assigning
space in this building for the library
of the District Bar Association, now
housed in the District Supreme Court
building, but there has been no de
cision on this subject, according to
Maj. Robb. The building will face
John Marshall place and extend from
Pennsylvania avenue to Judiciary
Square, extending back to the alley
between John Marshal place and Third
street.
Designing of Foundation.
The foundation for the building now
Is being designed in the drafting rooms
of the municipal architect. The por
tion of the building nearest Judiciary
Square will rest on concrete footings
similar to those used in building the
ordinary residence, except that they
will be designed to carry a much larg
er load.
Toward Pennsylvania avenue the
building will rest on concrete piles,
put in place by driving steel shells into
the ground, scooping out the dirt with
a "sand hog" and then Ailing up the
space with concrete. Assistant Engin
eer Commissioner Hugh P. Oram is
chairman of the Committee on Design
of the Foundations.
••■ -
CHILDREN’S HOME
FOUNDER SUCCUMBS
Mrs. Mary Davenport, 82, Was
Widow of Pastor 30 Years
in Anacostia.
Mrs. Mary Converse Davenport. 82,
founder of the Episcopal Home for Chil
dren here, died yesterday at her home,
1303 Maple view place southeast. She
was the widow of Rev. Dr. Willard Goss
Davenport, for more than 30 years pas
tor of Emanuel Episcopal Church in
Anacostia. He died 12 years ago.
A native of Vermont, Mrs. Daven
port was educated at Mrs. Buell's
School here and came to Washington 41
years ago to live. She married Dr.
Davenport 61 years ago and one son.
Right Rev. George W. Davenport, is
Bishop of the Maryland Eastern Shore
Diocese.
A former president of the Daughters
of the King, an Episcopal woman's or
der, Mrs. Davenport also was the found
er of the Junior Daughters of the
King, a similar organization for young
er women. She also was a charter
member of Electa Lodge, No. 2, Order
of the Eastern Star.
After funeral services Monday at
Emanuel Church, her body will be
taken to Brandon, Vt., for burial beside
her husband in the family lot of his
grandfather. Thomas Davenport, inven
tor of the electric railway motor.
Besides Bishop Davenport, she is sur
vived by four daughters, Frances Vir
ginia arid Mary Emily Davenport. Mrs.
Anna H. Mullikin and Mrs. Arthur W.
North.
DRIVER IS CAPTURED
AFTER CHASE OF MILE
Raymond Werner Charged With
Leaving Scene When Auto
Strikes Another.
After an exciting chase of about a
i mile through Northeast Washington,
Policeman John Sirola of No. 9 police
station last night overtook and arrest
ed Raymond Werner, 25. of 809 North
Capitol street, on a charge of leaving
the scene of an accident.
Werner’s machine is said to have
struck an automobile operated by Ed
ward M. Leak, 1407 W street, on the
Benning Bridge. Leak’s machine nar
rowly missing going through the bridge
railing. Officer Sirola, who was nearby,
chased Werner along Sixteenth street,
northeast, Benning road, Kraemer
street and Rosedale street, finally
overhauling the man at Fifteenth ana
H streets northeast when Werner s
car was caught in a traffic jam. Sirola
said Werner was driving without an
operator’s permit.
BOY SCOUTS WILL HAVE
GLEN ECHO FIELD DAY
Facilities of Park to Be Available
Without Cost to Youths in
Uniform.
Washington Boy Scouts will have a
“field day” at Glen Echo Park tomor
row when all toe amusement device*
including the swimming pool, will be
available without cost to any boy who
presents himself in Scout uniform. V
a hnv cannot wear his uniform his
membership card will entitle him to
Pa The iP Scouts will present an informal
Drogram of aquatic sports at the big
from 10 until 1 o'clock, during
which period tt*e pool will be at their
S °Arrangements for the outing were
made bv Leonard B. Schloss, manager
the Dark. Those of the Districts
2 800 Scouts who appear will be under
•Lsrsaarv: s-vl
ecutive.
Great Memorial Parkway Trustees Named
jr*— t
Hp/Vfin fIjHLW jb
\ '' V v 01 STIR ICT OF COLUMBIA
POTOMAC RJVER. PARXS
WASHINGTON REGION - I fcS 1 3
FROM MOUNT VERNON. PAST THE CITY OF WASHINOTON ® *
national Capital Pank and Planning Commission j, A/k. fk *
u«vt. cot. u. *.nMTiw, e*eeuTiv« * •met* / ) \ \%l /
HUM Cfcurr N. Mown, IMmtM V \ \ k \*i wf J
CHAHICS W. *U*r l HI. CITY rUMNU /Kj Ij /
Bl mm tmsuc mews
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E-X.'-j PgIVATC INSTITUTIONS ||||> j Vl/
E53 PUBLIC mSTITUTIOWS Jllvlillilpll I I
E3p*OPO»4*>SUC6«M*S 0 '
E, ~" / I
Members of the board of trustees appointed to carry out the task of collecting $7,500,000 to match the Govern
ment’s contribution for the purchase of lands for the George Washington Memorial Parkway. George B. McClellan
Is chairman of the board. His photograph could not be obtained. Top, left to right: Cloyd H. Marvin, R. Walton
Moore, O. O. Kuhn and Harry F. Byrd. Cehter, left to right: E. Brooke Lee, W. Bladen Lowndes, Charles W. Eliot, 2d,
and Gardner Booth.
Below: Map of the proposed parkway as shown by surveys now under way.
I ... -
PRESERVATION of the scenic and
historic sites along the Potomac
River above and below the Na
tional Capital will advance a
step nearer fruition Thursday
when the newly created board of trus
tees for the George Washington Me
morial Parkway meets to discuss meth
ods of carrying out the project.
The board has undertaken the gigan
tic task of collecting $7,500 with which
to match a like Federal contribution so
that development of the parkway may
proceed. George Washington Parkway,
when completed, will be the most mag
nificent memorial of its kind in the
world, stretching from Great Falls
along both banks of the Potomac to
Mount Vernon on the Virginia side and
Fort Washington on the Maryland side.
Passes Historic Site.
North of Washington the parkway
will take in the rugged bluffs overlook
ing the river, the rushing rapids and
falls and the quaint Chesapeake and
Ohio and Patowmac Canals, the latter
built by George Washington. Opposite
the city It will pass stately old Arling
ton Mansion, home of Robert E. Lee,
and the wooded hillsides of the Arling
ton National Cemetery, while to the
south it will skirt the majestic, bay
like river, passing Alexandria with its
famous houses and Fort Hunt, the
home of Tdblas Lear, George Wash
ington's secretary.
For the acquisition of land for the
parkway Congress in 1930 passed the
Capper-Cramton act authorizing the
$7,500,000 appropriation, which must
be matched by contributions “from the
State of Maryland or Virginia, or po
litical subdivisions thereof, or from
other responsible sources. Already
Congress has made available $1,000,000
of its donation for land purchases, but
this cannot be spent until a like
amount has been raised, either from
the States, counties or munlcipaltios
bordering on the parkway or by private
contribution.
That the day be hastened somewhat
for completion of the project, Congress
did offer, however, to advance the
cost of acquiring any unit in
the parkway upon agreement with
any State or subdivision thereof for
reimbursement of one-half the cost
without interest within eight ye&is.
Several units in different parts of
the project, involving sums ranging
from $50,000 to over $1,000,000, have
been approved by the National Capi
tal Park and Planning Commission,
which laid out the parkway, but can
not be acquired until one-half of the
cost is raised.
Just how the board of trustees will
go about raising thq money is ex
pected to be decided at the forthcom
ing meet Thursday. Nothing definite
has been worked out yet, last. Tues
day’s session having been confined
solely to organization of the board.
The members of the board are George
B. McClellan of Washington, former
mayor of New York and at one time
a professor at Princeton University,
chairman; Dr. Cloyd Heck Marvin,
George Washington University presi
dent, general vice chairman; Oliver
Owen Kuhn, managing editor of The
Star, vice chairman for Maryland; for
mer Representative R. Walton Moore of
Virginia, vice chairman for Virginia,
and former Gov. Harry Flood Byrd of
Winchester and Attorney Gardner
Boothe of Alexandria; E. Brooke Lee,
chairman of the Maryland State Roads
Commission, and W. Bladen Lowndes,
Baltimore banker. Charles W. Eliot, 2d,
director of planning in the office of
Public Buildings and Public Parks, and
a prime mover for the new parkway,
was chosen secretary.
Board Relieves Tasks.
Col. U. S. Grant, 3d, director of Pub
lic Buildings and Public Parks, pointed
out that by forming the board of
trustees the task of collecting money
and acquiring property will be speeded
up considerably, while at the same time
safe-guarding the interests of donors in
case the project is never carried
through.
According tflaw, he said, if contri
butions were made directly Into the
GENERAL NEWS
' Treasury and later It was found that
1 the total public donations failed to
match the Federal appropriation. Con
gress would have to authorize the re
turn of the money. With this board
functioning as a collecting agency, he
' added, if the parkway is never devel
oped, the money can be returned with
: out congressional action.
Hours Spent in Hunt
For Gem; Detective
Finds It in Moment
: Elusive $2,000 Brooch
Turns Up on Window
Sill for Officer.
This is the story of a $2,000 diamond
’ brooch which should have been a col
; lar-button.
Yesterday morning Francis Russell
\ V. Dichowsky, 3210 Macomb street, lost
, the brooch. Yesterday afternoon It re
, mained lost.
[ Dichowsky knew It was In the house—
-1 he had had It In his hand at 9 o’clock
, In the morning. Hours later he peered
from above a conglomeration of shirts,
boxes, chiffoniers and maybe a few
collar-buttons—and he had the look of
. a beaten man. He lost his temper. He
■ went to the telephone. He said:
‘‘Give me police headquarters.” Then
[ a moment later, “Listen, you fellows,”
r he told a detective, “I’ve lost a brooch—
-1 I’ve searched all day for it and can’t
; find it. Send up a couple of your ex
i pert brooch hunters.”
1 Detective James Tolson responded.
He looked around for a moment, finding
■ the brooch on a windowsill—-about two
s feet from Dichowsky.
PAGE B-1
EDUCATION FILES
THIEF SNARE GETS
DISBARRED LAWYER
S. L. McLaurin, Colored,
Charged With Attempting to
Substitute Exam. Papers.
NIECE APPLICANT
FOR CLERICAL JOB
Janitor Telia Police of Money Of
fered, and Watch la Placed
in Building.
What police charge was an effort to
substitute fraudulent examination paper*
for papers with a failing average in the
files of the Board of Education yester
day resulted in the arrest of Sylvester
L. McLaurin, 49-year-old disbarred col
ored lawyer of 217 I street.
McLaurin was charged with “false
pretenses’* after his arrest by head
quarters detectives in the examination
•file division at the Franklin Administra
tion Building.
According to police, McLaurin first
visited the building last week, when he
approached Frank Carter, colored
janitor, and represented himself as an
associate of Howard H. Long, in charge
of the Board of Education’s examina
tion division.
Declares Money Offered.
Carter told Detectives Robert Barrett
and John Wise that McLaurin offered
him a large sum of money to help him
gain access to the files in the examina
tion division. Carter said that after
McLaurin gave him a "dollar for cigars”
and told him to keep “mum,” he left,
stating he would return later for the
keys to the files.
Carter reported the matter to Long,
who in turn informed police. Yesterday
Detectives Barrett and Wise concealed
themselves in a room adjoining the file
division and watched McLaurin’s
activities through a transom.
The detectives reported that Mc-
Laurin entered the file room, care
fully wrapped his hands with handker
chiefs and used a key supplied him by
the janitor to open the files. Tha
officers said they believed that Mc-
Laurin was about to take the exam
ination papers of his niece, Willi May
McLaurin, from the files and substi
tute a paper with the passing grade.
Detectives said they found the fraud
ulent examination paper in Mc-
Laurin 's possession. McLaurin was
brought to headquarters and ques
tioned. McLaurin told police he had
nothing at all to say about the matter.
Niece Job Applicant.
Detectives reported that McLaurin’*
niece had made application to take an
examination for a clerical job with the
Board of Education. They said record*
in the files show’ that she failed to
pass the examination.
In 1930 McLaurin was adjudged in
contempt of court on charges that he
appropriated $5,600 from an estate
which he had managed. The court
gave him an opportunity to make good
the loss, which he did. Later the Bar
Association Grievance Committee filed
charges against him, and he was or
dered disbarred last May. He noted
an appeal, which still is pending.
VIRGINIA SHOWS GAIN
IN PELLAGRA DEATHS
Health Officials Say Drought May
Have Caused Impairment of
Diet Due to Poverty.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
RICHMOND. Va„ July 25—State
Health Department officials do not
I view as “particularly alarming’’ the
slight increase in deaths from pellagra
throughout the State during the first
half of 1931, as compared with the
same period of last year, as reported
by Dr. W. A. Plecker, State registrar
of vital statistics.
There. were 82 pellagra deaths in
Virginia during the first five months
of this year, as against 71 for that pe
riod last year. The 1930 drought was
believed by the Health Department to
be partly responsible for the increase
in the disease, since it may have
caused an impairment of diet, due to
poverty. It was pointed out that pel
lagra results from a lack of fresh meats,
milk and vegetables.
$l,OOO HAUL IS MADE
Robbers Take Clothing From Horn*
in Family’s Absence.
Robbers who entered the home of
Mrs. James W. Bean at 1506 Allison
street yesterday morning in the absence
of the family made off with clothing
valued at $.lOOO. The intruders, who
entered through a basement window,
did not molest anything else in the
house.
The theft was discovered shortly after
noon with the return home of Mrs.
Bean’s brother-in-law, Thomas Bean,
a brother <of the late James W. Bean,
who was prominently identified during
his lifetime with race track activities
here.
UNDERPASSIS PLANNED
Will Open Bids for Piney Branch
Road Project August 25.
Bids will be opened August 25 on a
contract for the construction of an
underpass under the tracks of the Balti
more & Ohio Railroad at Piney Branch
road. The underpass will make pos
sible the closing of the present grad*
crossing at Chestnut street.
There is an-appropriation of $250,000
for the job, one-half of which is to b*
paid by the railroad company. Piney
Branch road will be widened to 40 feet
and opened from Blair road, where it
now ends, to the railroad tracks. On
the Maryland side of the tracks the
State is planning to build a road to
connect with the Colesvllle pike.
ADAMS PRAISES MARINE
Secretary Honor* Lieut. Williams
for Duty in Nicaragua.
Lieut. Oregon A. Williams, U. S. M.
C., now on duty in Nicaragua, was
commended yesterday by Secretary of
Navy Adams for his “excellent per
formance of duty” with the Nicaraguan
Guardia Nationale.
Lieut. Williams, whose home is In
Carrollton, 111., was in command of
the district of Somoto of the Guardia
Nationale for one year, and during that
period personally participated in num
erous successful engagement* Mim
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