Evening star. [volume], October 25, 1931, Page PAGE B-1, Image 13

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
WASHINGTON
I
1 I
TAXI DRIVER SHOT
BY BANDIT AFTER
ROBBERY MAY DIE
Cabman Is Lured to Alley
for Attack —Bullet En
ters Back.
PAIR LINKED TO OTHER
t RECENT HACK HOLD-UPS
loot Is $25 —Victim Is Taken to
Emergency Hospital by Passerby
and Nearby Resident.
A taxicab driver was shot and per-
Jhaps fatally wounded last night by one
•f two colored bandits who lured him to
. »n alley between Eighth and Ninth
' streets and M and N streets and robbed
him of about $25.
The eab driver, Vernon A. Renshaw,
4602 Montgomery avenue, Bcthesda,
Md., told second precinct police the
robbers hailed him near Fourteenth
and L streets. At their direction, he
said, he drove to the alley, where one
of them—a tall man between 25 and
30 years old—jammed a revolver into
his back and ordered him to give up
his money.
With the gun still pressed against
his back, Renshaw continued, he got
out of the cab and handed the bandit
the money.
Order* Him to Walk.
“I’ve got a good notion to shoot you
anyway,” the robber said. “Go on. walk
•long down the alley—and don’t look
back!"
As Renshaw obeyed, the robber, with
out another word, fired. The bullet en- j
tcred Renshaw's back and lodged in his i
abdomen. The bandit fled as the j
wounded man fell, screaming with pain.!
A colored resident of the neighbor-!
hood, attracted by the shooting and the
wounded man's cries, ran into the alley
and found Renshaw. He placed the
cab driver in another taxicab and ac
companied by a passerby, drove to
Emergency Hospital. There, physicians
said Renshaw's wounds were so serious
be had little chance to recover.
- Renshaw told police both men were
ybung and that the one with the re
volver was tall and the other short. One
wore light clothing and the othdr wore
dark.
Lieut. !*ank Varney, after notifying
•11 precincts to be on the lookout for
the bandits, said their descriptions and
their methods correspond with those
of two robbers who had staged a series
of taxicab hold-ups here within the
last two months.
Lived With Mother.
Renshaw. who Is 28, lives with his
mother, his wife and two children, and
a brother. He has been driving a taxi
about four years.
His mother said she had a premoni
tion “something was going to happen"
last night. He was employed by the
Dial Cab Co.
Another holdup in which an armed
colored man figured occurred last night
•t the Sanitary Grocery store at Third
and K streets.
O. R. Freeman. 819 Buchanan
street, a clerk -in the store, said the
colored man came Into the store bran
dishing a pistol and shouting. “Hands
up, I’m a robber." Unimpressed at
first. Freeman told the intruder “he
would have to see the manager.”
Asks for Manager.
“Where’s the manager?" asked the
robber.
"Mr. Southern is the manager. He’s
over there.” Freeman replied, pointing
to where Andrew W. Southern. 124? B
street, southeast, was busy stacking up
some canned goods on a counter.
“What do you want?” Southern said
he asked the maskman.
"I want all you got in the cash
register.”
Southern, Freeman and the robber
then made a grab for the register at
the same time. The robber backed
the two men off with his gun and
helped himself to six $5 bills.
The manager and Freeman told
police they saw the robber a few
minutes later running north on Third
street, accompanied by another colored
man dressed in a "reddish brown uni
form with a uniform cap to match.”
BOY HITbY AUTO
IS SERIOUSLY HURT
Byland Hall. 8. Darted in Car’s
Path. Police Say—Msn Badly In
jured in Another Mishap.
Eight-year-old Ttyland G Hall, 1320
1. street southeast, was seriously In
jured yesterday when struck by an
automobile in front of his home. He
was admitted to Providence Hospital
with cuts about the face and possible
Internal injuries.
The boy was playing on the side
walk with a group of companions and
suddenly darted into the path of a
car operated by John C. Reid. 23, of
1311 L street southeast, according to
police.
Severe injuries also were suffered by
Robert E Forbee. 31, of 1640 Thirtieth
street when his automobile collided at !
Twenty-sixth and K streets with a |
machine operated by Dwight G. Sart
well, 1?, of McLean. Va. Fcrbec was 1
treated at Emergency Hospital. S.irt- I
v ell was arrested cn a charge cf reck- |
less driving.
Robert Finlow. 72. of 707 North I
Carolina avenue southeast was knocked
down by a truck at Eighth and East
Capitol streets and was treated at
Emergency Hospital. He told police he
had become confused by the traffic.
Evelyn Tilley. 21. colored, was cut
on the leg when the car in which she
was riding was struck and overturned
by • second car. The driver of the lat
ter ran away and when police examined
his vehicle they found a gallon of
whisky In It.
DANCE TO AID VETERANS
Brig. Gen. Glassford W-ill Attend
V. F. W. Benefit Tuesday.
A dance for the benefit of Advance
Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars,
recently organized at the Washington
Post Office, will be given Tuesday night
at Meridian Mansions. 2400 Sixteenth
street Brig. Oen. Pelham Olassfcrd.
retired, newly appointed superintendent
of police, will be a guest.
Miss Sibyl Baker, head of the Dis
trict Playgrounds Department, will
judge ths costumes of the dancers. She
,* will be assisted by Comdr. Jennings
of the District of Columbia Department
| o 1 the Veterans of Foreign Wars,
Shot hv Bandits
j
v;,: v_
VERNON A. RENSHAW.
TRAFFIC TO SHIFT
ON KLINGLE BRIDGE
New Span to Carry South
bound Cars and Autos
Tomorrow*
Southbound traffic on Klingle Bridge
will be shifted from the center of the
old bridge to the temporary roadway on
the new bridge being built to replace It
tomorrow morning. Highway Engineer
Herbert C. Whitehurst announced yes
terday. Northbound traffic will be
shifted to the temporary roadway a
week from tomorrow. This applies to
both street cars and other vehicles.
Then the portion of the old bridge j
i freed will be removed and work on the
i new bridge continued without interrup
j tion to traffic.
This is one of the many important |
jobs confronting the Highway Depart
' ment at the present. On Tuesday the
department w-ill open a new road ffom
Highway Bridge to the grade crossing
of the Richmond. Fredericksburg &
Potomac Railway on the Alexandria-
Washlngton road. This will be a 20-foot
strip of asphalt. As soon as this is open
to traffic work will be started on the
20-foot strip Immediately adjoining, so
that eventually this part of the road
w-ill be 40 feet wide. The grade cross
ing named marks the end of the juris
diction of the District. From there on
the road Is in Arlington County, Va.
Widening Work Finished.
Work has just been completed on
widening and paving Alabama avenue
southeast, from Pennsylvania avenue to I
to the District Line. The roadway is
now 30 feet wide. It was 18 feet wide. !
In about 10 days a similar job will
be completed on Pennsylvania avenue
southeast, from Alabama avenue to
Thirtieth street.
On Monday, November 2, New York
avenue w-ill be opened to traffic be
tween Florida avenue and Bladensburg
road northeast. This is a job of which
the Highway Department is particularly
proud, claiming that it represents
absolutely tl\e last word in highway
engineering. The road has what Is
known as a “black base” — that is— it
does not rest on a concrete foundation,
but is all asphalt. This is to secure
greater flexibility of the material to
meet the expected settling of the earth
fills.
Bridge Never Opened.
This stretch of New York avenue w-as
put on the McMillan highway plan in
1901 and the rights of way were bought
14 years ago. The New York ave- :
nue bridge over the Eckington rail
road tracks was built in 1907 and has
never been open to traffic. The road
will cut seven-eighths of a mile from
the distance to Baltimore, starting from
the Treasury. More important is the
fact that throughout the length of the
new road there are no intersections
and only one entering street (Fourth
street, northeast), so that traffic will
not .be slowed down by cross-currents.
All of the banks of the filled portions
of the road are planted with honey
suckle to prevent erosion of the earth
by rain. The job cost a total of about I
$231,000. O street northeast has also
been cut through from New York ave
nue io Florida avenue to lessen the
traffic at the intersection of the two
avenues.
ROAD BIDS SET
Offers on Columbia Island Work
Due Wednesday.
On Wednesday bids will be opened
for construction of a temporary mac
adam road across Columbia Island, as
part of the Arlington Memorial Bridge
| project.
The filied-in land on Columbia
‘ Island, between the main bridge and
the short bridge across Boundsry
Channel to the Virginia shore, is set
tling at the rate of ab:ut an inch a
month. In view of this, a permanent
roadway cannot be constructed at this
time.
BRANDT RECOVERING
Condition of Post Foreman, Shot
by Ex-Employe, Is Good.
William R Brandt. 48. Washington
Post composing room foreman, who was
! shot five times early Thursday by a
j discharged employe, was said to be
. doing nicely" last night at Emergence
Hospital.
His assailant. John A Kennedy. 34
I of 3217 Connecticut avenue, a printer,
; Is being held by police pending the cut
! come of Brandt's wounds.
HIGHWAY SPAN PATROL SOUGHT
AS TRUCKS DAMAGE PAVEMENT
Whitehurst Will Ask 24-Hour Policing of Bridge Used by
201 Excavation Dirt-Hauling Vehicles.
Highway Engineer Herbert C. White- 1
hurst yesterday announced his inten
tion of asking for a police detail on
Highway Bridge 24 hours a day to pre
vent heavy trucks from speeding rnd to
compel them to drive on the steel t~af- ’
sic treads adjacent to the car tracks
If some such petion is not taken imme
diately, he said, there will be "not
enough pavement left to find with a
microscope" after excavations for the
. Interstate Commerce Commission and
other Federal buildings are completed
The excavated earth Is now loaded
1 on five and 10 ton trucks and carted
■ away over the bridge to Virginia. Capt.
Whitehurst said that there are 201
trucks, at the latest count, engaged in
the work, any they savel 24 hojjji §
©he Jhmflnu Jitaf
WASHINGTON*. 1). C., SUNDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 25. 1931. *
DALE FIGHTS CUT
I IN FEDERAL PAY AS i
| BLOW TO RECOVERY
Senator Says U. S. Should
Set No Retarding Example
in Depression.
COUZENS, BROOKHART
ALSO FOES OF PLAN
Bill for Retirement System in
Legislative Branch to Be
Taken Up Early.
Senator Dale, Republican, of Ver
mont, chairman of the Senate Civil
Service Committee, came out yesterday
In opposition to the proposal to reduce
salaries of Government employes at the
coming session of Congress. The sug
gestion for a graduated scale of reduc
tions w-as advanced several weeks ago
by Representative Wood of Indiana.
Senator Dale said he thought that if
the Government were to set an example
of salary cutting it would have a ten
dency to retard improvement of busi
ness conditions generally.
Others in Opposition.’
Opposition to a lowering of Govern
ment salary levels also has been voiced
within the last few days by Senator
Couzens, Republican, of Michigan, and
Brookhart, Republican, of lowa, both
of whom are members of the Civil Serv
ice Committee.
The bill to establish a retirement
system for employes in the legislative
branch of the Government will be one
of the questions to be taken up early in
the coming session by the Civil Service
Committee, Senator Dale said.
Report on Personnel.
/The report submitted to Congress by
the Personnel Classification Board last
February, outlining a proposed revision
of the classification law, also will be
awaiting attention of the Civil Service
Committee this Winter. Senator Dale
said he expected this would be among
the matters referred to the committee
for report, but did not indicate what
he thought might be done on it at the
forthcoming session. This report of the
Classification Board was requested by
Congress in the Welch act of 1928,
which called for a study of classification
of the positions in the field service.
The board’s report recommended a new
system for promotions in the Govern
ment service.
PIGEON ASSOCIATION
COMING HERE IN 1932
1,000 Delegates Expected at
Sessions in Capital During
Bicentennial.
Another convention was added to
Washington's Bicentennial year list
when members of the American Racing
Pigeon Association, in convention at
Toledo. Ohio, yesterday accepted the
invitation of Washington delegates.
The convention, which, it is estimated,
will bring about 1,000 delegates to the
city, will be held In October.
The Washington delegation, includ
ing W. F. Dismar. Harry Burke, Harry
Crack, John Kibby and Joseph Turow
ski, was organised following a meeting
of Washington racing pigeon fanciers
Monday night at the New Amsterdam
Hotel: The delegates vere instructed
to make every effort to get the conven
tion here. A telegram from the group
last night told of their success.
The last convention of the associa
tion in Washington was in 1922. This
year's convention ended in Toledo last
ni^it.
DISTRICT LABOR POOL
PLANNED BY BRENNAN
Wage Scale Committe Chairman
Suggests D. C. Transfer Men
Due to Be Laid Off.
Roland M. Brennan, chairman of the
District Wage Scaje Committee, is at
work on a scheme for labor pool in
the various branches of the Engineer
Department of the District Govern
ment. Although the scheme has not
progressed very far, the object of the
pool. Mr. Brennan explained yesterday,
would be to effect the transfer to vari
ous departments needing men of work
ers laid off in other departments.
It is expected that such a scheme
would work both to the advantage of
the employe and to the various de- !
partments; to the former because of the
greater rase in finding, new employ
ment, and to the latter in the greater
ease and speed of picking up experi
enced men when needed. The rtiatter
w ill be taken up with department heads
this week.
a • :
POISONED BY MISTAKE
Chester A. Bailey Given Firat Aid
After Talking Tablets.
Chester A. Bailey. 34. of 226 R street
northeast, walked into the first district
police headquarters last night, and an
nounced that he had taken two poison
tablets by mistake.
Pvt. H H. Prince of the third pre- j
cinct. who was cn reserve duty, ad- i
ministered first aid. and Bailey was
taken to Sibley Hospital for treatment |
day. as fast as the steam shovels can
load them. , ..
The speed limit for trucks on the
br'dpe is 15 miles per hour, nnd they
-re suDOos’d to drive on the heavy
’ ste-1 i reeds pro* ided. Ce.pt. Whitehurst
srid the bridee tenders report the tracks
traveling st 30 to 40 miles per hour
anvwhere except on tnc treads. This
constant punishment Is literally pound
ing the pavement to pieces, he said.
The present pavement was laid three
vears aao and is the first successful
pavement to be laid on the bridge. It
is an asphalt layer over a laminated
wood base. Beside the ear tracks heavy
steel treads are inserted, designed to
take up much of the shock of the
hearter traffic.
Legation
And Slaying Suspect
Denies Complicity
Beddcll Tells D. C. De
tective He Was Not in
Capital at Ttone.
William E. Beddcll, sought since last
May in connection with the Cunning
ham slaying and the El Salvador lega
tion liquor robbery, denied having any
knowledge of either crime when ques
tioned in New York yesterday by De
tective Sergt. Larry O'Dea.
Beddell, arrested on a forgery charge
bv New York police a few days ago, told
the Washington detective, who inter
rogated him in Tombs Prison, that he
vtas not in the Capital at the time of
the killing and robbery, which occurred
within a week of each other.
The legation, at 2600 Connecticut
avenue, was robbed May 13 and Dr.
Don Carlos Leiva, charge d'affaires, was
attacked by one of the thieves.
Six days later JaclC-H. Cunningham,
police informer, was shot to death in
an alley in the rear of his I street
home.
After comparing the bullets found in
Cunningham's body with one fired by
Dr. Leiva's assailant and embedded in
a wall of the legation, LiMit. John H.
Fowler, police ballistics expert, declared
the same gun was .used In both crimes.
The police believe Cunningham was
slain because he "knew too much” about
the liquor robbery.
MITCHELL AIDE
SAVED FROM MIL
Justice Wheat Rules Court Is
Without Jurisdiction in
Contempt Case, y
Philip H. Marcum, special assistant
to Attorney Grneral William D. Mitch
ell, who through Attorney Richard L.
Merrick recently filed an affidavit of
prejudice against Justice Jesse C. Ad
kins, was saved from a term in jail
yesterday for contempt of court when
Chief Justice Alfred A. Wheat decided
that the District Supreme Court is
without jurisdiction to commit for con
tempt a husband who falls to pay an
attorney’s fee awarded a wife in a final
divorce decree.
Refused to Pay Counsel.
Justice Adkins had granted Mrs.
Maria S. Marcum, wife of the special
assistant, a limited divorce with ali
mony and fixed an attorney’s fee of $630
for her lawyers. Marcum reiused to ;
pay the counsel fee and he was cited
for contempt of court. Ke had also
filed an injunction suit seeking to stay
action in the divorce case while his
appeal from the divorce decree is pend
ing in the Court of Appeals. Chief Jus
tice Wheat dismissed the suit for in
junction. It was in connection with
the postponement of a rule issued in
that case that Merrick filed the affidavit
of prejudice and sent the case before
Chief Justice Wheat.
The Court of Appeals hafi never
passed dn the question. Justice Wheat
points out, but the reason for awarding
suit money and counsel fees while the
case is being heard is to enable • the
wife to conduct her defense, but this
reason fails when the final decree is
passed. Her case has then been con
ducted to a conclusion and the neces
sity updn which the rule rests no
longer exists.
Coart Withoat Power.
"To imprison a man for refusing to
give his wife the necessary means
wherewith to prosecute her action,”
says Chief Justice Wheat, "or main
tain her defense and thus render her 4
helpless is one thing. It may fairly
be made a contempt. To imprison him
for not paying for services already per
formed and of jvhich she has already
had the benefit is quite another thing.
The latter is, in effect, imprisonment for
debt. There being no statute expressly
allowing it, I am constrained to hold
that the court is without power in a
case like this to pfcnish the defendant
for contempt.”
MAN AND PASSERBY
ARE SHOT IN MELEE
Free-for-All Row Ends in Arrest
of Three Hen—Gun Victim
Walks Out of Hospital.
What police described as a free-for
j all fight in a house at 2516 I street
lest night resulted In the shooting of j
a man and a woman, the latter a :
passerby, and the arrest of three men.
Theodore Harris, colored, occupant
of the dwelling, told police Floyd,
Charles, Fred and Calvin Harris, col- |
ored, brothers, but not related to him,
forced their way into his home and
started the fracas.
During the battle—in which two re
volvers. bricks and other weapons were
used—Andrew Alexander, colored, waa
wounded in the head, and a wild shot
struck Mary Woodland. 24, colored,
2604 I street, as she walked past the
house.
The wounded man and woman were
taken to the Emergency Hospital, where
the woman was treated, but Alexander
disappeared while physicians were pre
' paring to attend him.
Theodore, Charles and Fred Harris
'were arrested, but the others escaped.!
The Harris brothers live at 2608 K
! street. The men arrested declared they
i aid not know who had done the shoct
j ing.
FRATERNITY ALUMNI * *
HOLD ANNUAL BANQUET
Delta Phi Epsilon Members Ad
dressed by Dr. Donaldson, Dean
Notz and Clarence E. Brooks.
Delta Phi Epsilon alumni staged their
annual banquet last night at Scholl’s
Case. The principal speakers were Dr.
John Donaldson. George Washington
University; Dean William F. Note, '
Georgetown University School of For
eign Service, and Clarence E. Brooks,
chief of the La tin-American faction cf
the Department of Commerce.
Each spoke on travels recently un
dertaken. Dr. Donaldssn had just re
turned from a conference of professors
of international relations at Geneva:
.Dean Notz from a trip to Russia and
many European countries, and Mr.
Brooks from a 10-year stay In South
America.
The fraternity, founded in 1020. Is
made up of students of foreign sendee
subjects.
HALLOWEEN PARADE
ANDPAGEANTPEANS
NEAR COMPLETION
Civic, Fraternal and Patriotic
Groups as Well as Schools
Will Participate.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
PLEDGES CO-OPERATION
I
Merchants Donate Cups and
Trophies—Dancing on Consti
tution Avenue.
’ /
Scores of groups and organizations
throughout the District are enlisting
for active participation in the first an
nual Halloween parade and carnival
Saturday night.
Many entries have been received at
headquarters for the celebration, the
Greater National Capital Committee’s
office in The Star Building, from civic,
fraternal and patriotic organizations, as
well as from private clubs and school
and college groups.
Plans are nearing completion for
brilliant lighting effects along the line
of march of the parade, from Seventh
to Fourteenth streets on Pennsylvania
avenue and for the scene of the com
munity dance, between Fourteenth and
Seventeenth streets on Constitution
avenue. The parade starts at 7:30
o’clock and the dance Is expected to
get under way at 9. >
Police Pledge Co-operation.
The 00-operation of the Police De
partment has been pledged In clearing
Pennsylvania avenue of parked auto
mobiles prior to the parade and in
handling traffic. Boy Scouts will assist
the marshals along the line of march,
and the parade will be led by Gen.
Anton Stephan.
Cups and other trophies have been
donated by merchants for the winning
floats and individual costumes. In ad
dition to the Washington entries, many
out-of-town floats, bands and march
ing groups have registered for the event.
The sponsors for the celebration, in
addition to the Greater National Capi
tal Committee, include the Board of
Trade, Chamber of Commerce, Mer
chants and Manufacturers’ Association
and the Federation of Citizens Associa
tions.
Many Entries Received.
Among entries received to date are:
Community Center Department, with
two non-commercial floats, a costumed
group of several hundred marchers and
two bands; George Washington Uni
versity. with six floats, and the G. W. U.
Glee Clubs; Congress Heights Citizens’
! Association, with float, local costumed
group, and Troop 66, Boy Scouts, and
large group of marchers; Benning
Parent-Teacher Association, with float;
Columbia Heights Business Men’s Asso
ciation, with float featuring the First
President and his cabinet; Association
of Oldest Inhabitants, with a float;
District of Columbia Congress of Par
ents and Teachers, with float; Rhode
Island Avenue Citizens’ Association,
with float; Society of Natives, with
floats and coach, possibly a stage coach,
bearing costumed District of Columbia
"natives”; Francis Scott Key Parent-
Teacher Association, with a float;
Conduit Road Citizens' Association,
with float; No. 22 Fire Engine Com
pany, with float; Logan-Thomas Circle
Citizens’ Association, " with float;
Progressive Citizens’ Association of
Georgetown, with float and costumed
people; North Cleveland Park Citizens’
Association, a float; Clan MacLeman
Order of Scottish Clans, and Lady
MacLeman Lodge, Daughters of Scot
tish Clans, with a float and a costumed
group; Citizens’ Association of Takoma,
D. C., with decorated private vehicle;
Federation of Citizens' Association, with
a decorated private vehicle; Chillum
Heights Citizens' Association, decorated
private vehicle; Barber & Ross, Inc.
twith Midcity Association section),
commercial float; Hecht & Co. (with
Midcity Association), commercial float;
Park View Community Center, 200
marchers in local costumed group;
Costello Post, American Legion, local
costumed group of 56 persons, with
Drum and Bugle Corps; Southeast Com
munity Center, Buchanan branch, a
float, with 25 children and adults, and
100 costumed marchers; Southeast
Citizens’ Association, and other South
east civic groups, a float and marchers.
COLORED MAN ARRESTED
AND LIQUOR CAPTURED
Anderson Williamson Freed on SSOO
Bond—Raid on House Bares
21 Gallons of Whisky.
Anderson Williamson, colored, 25, of
823 Twenty-third street, was arrested
: lest night by Pvts. William McEwen
and W. D. Perry on charges of trans
porting liquor. Twelve half-gallons of
alleged whisky were seized and his auto
| mobile confiscated. Williamson was re
leased on SSOO bond.
Twenty-one gallons of whisky were
seized in a raid on a house in the first
block of N street. The raid, made by
Sergt. C. A. Mussleman and Pvt. A. L.
Saunders, came as a result of an anony
mous telephone call to the first pre
cinct. No arrests were made.
LAWYER FACES TRIAL
IN JAIL BRIBE ATTEMPT
Abner Siegal Is Charged With ;
Seeking to Effect Release of
a Prisoner.
Abner Siegal. local attorney, will go
on trial in District Supreme Court to
morrow charged with attempting to
bribe a guard at the District Jail to ef
fect the release of a prisoner.
Siegal will be prosecuted by United
States Attorney Leo A. Rover, assisted
by Aaron W. Jacobsen, agent of the
Bureau of Investigation of the Depart
ment of Justice.
The attorney was arrested on a war
rant several months ago and is now at
liberty on bond.
attorney'toTetire
Paul D. Wollard to Quit Justice
Job After Long- Service.
Peui D. Wollard. 50 years old. an
assistant attorney In the Department
of Justice, assigned to the Prohibition
Enforcement Bureau, has applied for
retirement after 28 years' service in
various legal branches of Government
departments.
Mr. Wollard has been critically ill
at his home, 1119 K street northeast,
for the past several weeks. He plans
to go to Southern California iB Bn
effort to regain health.
Police Head Confident
$ _ |
1 GLASSFORD PLANS TO RESTORE MORALE.
I
In the Washington police force, Brig.
Gen. Pelham D. Glassford. who takes
command on Novemer 16. hopes first to
restore a esprit d’ corps By gaining for
himself the loyalty and respect of the
i rank and file.
“Every one tells me that I am em
barking on a road with many deep
ruts,” Gen. Glassford declared yesterday
in an interview with a Star reporter.
“Perhaps so, but I do not believe the
big difficulties are going to be from
within the Police Department.
“I have been fortunate enough to
I gain the loyalty and respect of the
Army units I have commanded in the
past, and here, on the metropolitan po
lice force, I am. to deal with men of a
much higher standing. IT I cannot
gain their loyalty and support, I might
as well quit right now.”
Relies on Army Methods.
In one way Gen. Glassford is pre
paring to enter upon an entirely new
line of duties, yet in the matter of deal
ing with the men who are to come un
der his command, he is determined to
trv his methods of Army discipline.
With the realization that firm but just
discipline is essential m maintaining
Armv morale and efficiency. Gen. Glass
ford hopes eventually to restore the old
confidence of Washington’s police force
by the methods he employed success
fully in training camps during the
World War.
From his observations of the police
force it is quite evident that this vet
eran officer, described by one of his
former soldiers as “hard as nails”
when it became necessary to reprimand
and discipline his men. but exercising
“a firmness never lacking in kindli
ness," views his future job in opti
mistic vein. He knows men. and he
expressed confidence in the personnel
of the police force.
“I am told that there are more than
1,300 men and some 40 women on the
force, the latter all college graduates,”
he remarked. “A man cannot get on
the police force without being strongly
recommended by reputable citizens in
his community. He must pass a diffi
cult mental examination as well as
come up to high physical standard.” In
this respect, he believes the men are
of a higher standard than those in
military life.
Gaina Favorable Impression.
“I have met some of the officers and
talked to quite a number of the pa
trolmen,” Gen. Glassford said, al
though he expressed regret that he
has not had the opportunity at present
to meet more of them. “My impression
is that they are splehdid men.”
In these few contacts, Gen. Glass
ford explained that he dropped in at
the third precinct a few days ago to
see Capt. Beckett about the armistice
costume ball in which he is interested.
“Naturally, we got into a conversa
tion on police matters.” the newly ap
pointed chief said. “Capt. Beckett was
regretful that I had not arrived a half
hour sooner so that I might have seen
his men at Inspection. He was proud
of his men and enthusiastic about their
efficiency and appearance.
“That's the way I hope to be about l
the entire police force when I take
office,” he added. “If all the officers
have the spirit of Capt. Beckett, I an
ticipate no difficulties within the police
force.”
In taking charge of the police force,
Gen. Glassman said he has not enter
tained any definite plans for its ad
ministration. “I shall first undertake
to find out the problems of the officers
and the men under them so that I
may be able to work with them and be
helpful.”
But there is one change which Gen.
Glassman perhaps will inaugurate. It
would not at all be surprising to his
friends if he discards the superinten
dent’s automobile for a motor cycle side
car as a means of easy transportation
between pollee stations.
Likes to Ride Motor Cycle.
He confided that he was a target for
some Jocular comments from his fellow
officers during his war expeditions for
his attachment to the motor cycle. He
would not divulge whether or not he
plans to use this mode of transportation
when he becomes superintendent of
oolice. but one mav be sure that if he
finds the motorcycle the most satisfac
tory way to travel about the city, he
has the courage to use one on Wash
ington streets.
known to his inti
irwtaa as “Happy,” the new police chief
will firing to the department a guiding
spirit that exudes cheerfulness in the
realm of work. With him. it might
be said that work is a joyful estate.
Attesting the esteem in which he is
held by the men who served under him
in France, Gen. Glassford has received
hundreds of congratulatory messages
from his former comrades in the Amer
ican Expeditionary Forces since his ap
pointment to the police force.
Carl W. Walker, battery sergeant of
147th Field Artillery. 32d Division,
who saw service in every battle of thi
: World War in which American troop?
! participated, gave this picture of the
j general:
"That Glassford ‘guy’ was hard a
nails, but when it became necessary to
reprimand and discipline his men hi
acted with a firmness never lacking
kindliness. He was one of the most
capable training officers overseas.
Praised for Efficiency.
“Demanding eflficiancy of his men. he
ably fitted them for the trials on the
firing line.
“Like many others,’* stated Mr.
Walker, “who trained under ‘Happy’
Glassford, I appreciate the splendid
training he gave me.”
Mr. Walker is now an attorney In the
Veterans’ Bureau. He trained under
Gen. Glassford, then a colonel assigned
to the Saumur Artillery School. Glass
ford was later made director of the Ist
Corps Artillery School.
From another war comrade, came the
story of Glassford's reputation of never
requiring an officer or man to do any
thing that he would not care to do !
himself.
As commander of the 103 d Field
Artillery on the Toul Front, Gen. Glass
ford made it a rule never to move his
troops until first personally surveying
the new position. During an offensive
sometime in 1918. Glassford was order
ed to move forward and be ready to
‘ open up the next morning from the
town of Boursches, a small village on
' I GENERAL NEWS~i
v>.
v W3S|lr
J^^R
- I'SSSS^Rb
Brig. Gen. Pelham D. Glassford, new
superintendent of police, on the motor
j cycle which he drove himself during
the World War.
Below: Elizabeth Glassford, Gen.
Glassford's daughter.
the Chauteau Thierry-Soissons High
way. Deciding that a personal re
connoisance was in order he motor
biked up forward during the night and
entered the town, which he found in
fested with enemy infantry.
Recognised Germans.
That was easy to recognize by the
shapes of the helmets of the troops he
found there. It must have been a cu
rious feeling that came over him, the
division intelligence having been too
optimistic. That town was certainly
no fit place for an American colonel—
even of a happy disposition. So back
to the South he scurried, but not before
the Germans had discovered that the
motor bikeman was wearing an Ameri
can or at least a British helmet and.
moreover, the engine noises were not
exactly the pop-pop of the ‘‘one-lung"
German motor cycle.
At any rate, "Happy” got back under
a hail of musketry fire which should
have deterred him from taking such
chances in the future. But, it didn’t,
as he experierred a number of similar
exciting incidents.
HEARINGS ON D. C.
BUDGET NEAR END
Bureau Will Finish Testimony
! Latter Part of This Week
on ’33 Figures.
The Budget Bureau will complete its
hearings the latter part of this w’eek
on the District’s financial estimates for
the 1933 fiscal year.
For two weeks the District Commis
sioners and Mai. Daniel J. Donovan,
auditor and budget officer, have been
in daily session with the budget officials,
going over the estimates, item by item.
The estimates of all departments of the
municipal government, with exception
of the public schqpls, have now been
considered.
The school budget Is to be taken up
when the hearings are resumed tomor
row morning, and indications are that
it will require four days to consider the
school needs, which constitute the
largest individual group in the budget
book. Dr. Frank W. Ballou, superin
tendent of schools, and other school
executives, will attend the hearings this
week with the Commissioners to defend
the estimates.
The Budget Bureau, it is understood,
has made some changes and readjust
ments in the original estimates of the
Commissionejs, but the final approved
total, it is believed, will not difTer ma
terially from the $48,900,000 sought for
1933.
CENTRAL LABOR UNION
MAY FILE TAXI BRIEF
Dickson Calls Meeting to Act on
Question of Outlining Stand
to Utilities Commision.
President R A. Dickson of the Cen
tral Labor Union has called a meet
ing of the executive council to con
sider the question of filing with the
Public Utilities Commission a brief out
lining union labor's stand on the taxi
cab situation in Washington. A date
for the meeting has not yet been ar
ranged, but the commission will be
asked to withhold a decision until the
brief Is submitted.
John B. Colpoys, a member of the
executive council, testified at the public
hearings, but gave his views as his
own and not as representing the Cen
tral Labor Union. He favored meter
cab operation at higher rates and pro
tection to the street car companies.
The Central Labor Union speaks for
114 local unions, having a membership
of about 65,000 union workmen.
GETS PROMOTION POST
Termer Secrotary to Dawes Given
Position With Chicago Fair.
E. Ross Bartley, former Washington
newspaperman, who served as secre- <
tary to Vice President Dawes, has been
appointed director of promotion of the <
Chicago World’s Fair,
j Bartley has been with a brokerage
house in Chicago since Mr. Dawes left <
the Capital. I
I He former!? was wttfe ttia Associated 1
l Press. ]
PAGE B-1
FOUR D. C. POLICE
: FACE RETIREMENT .
FOR PHYSICAL ILLS
Action by Relief Board on
Doctor’s Recommendations
Is Due Tomorrow.
CONSIDERATION OF 17
OTHERS DUE THIS WEEK
i
i
(Inspectors Stoll and Headley Art
Given Class B Rating—Decision
Up to Comm ssior.ers
Immediate retirement lace* four
veteran Washington policemen, found
physically incapacitated for further
duty by the Board of Police and Fir*
Surgeons which last week examined
107 members of the Police Department,
Including Maj. Henry O. Pratt, super*
intendent. The latter already has bees
placed on the retired list, effective No
vember l.
These four officers. Sergt. Minor E
Furr and Pvus. Elmer W. Jones, David
C. Hayes and Frank M. Dlerkoph, wer»
ordered yesterday to appear before the
Police and Firemens Retiring and Re
lief Board tomorrow morning at 11
o'clock, at which time action will b«
taken on recommendations of the
medical board that they be immediately
retired.
(Seventeen other officers, including
Inspectors Louis J. Stoll and Albert J.'
Headley, were found by the examining
board to have physical defects, though
not serious enough to warrant a rec
ommendation for retirement. Their
cases will not be considered by the re
tiring board tomorrow, although it V
likely another session will be held be
fore th« end of the weeic to pass upon
them.
Stoll and Headley In Group.
Inspectors Stoll and Headley were
given a class B rating by the Medical
Board, which means they are able to
perform service. The Retiring Board
has authority to recommend retirement
in class B cases. The Commissioner!*
however, must approve the recommen
dations.
The other 15 officer* were graded
class C, a classification which denotes
physical defects which may, unless cor
rective treatment is administered, causa
total disability. The Retiring Board
also has authority to retire officers' ln
this class, subject to approval of the
Commissioners.
Officers given the class C rating are
Lieut. John T. Wittstatt, Detectives
Charles Mullen, Eugene Davis and
Henry A. Cole, and Pvts. Henry H.
Frye, Robert L. Carroll, Charles C.
Parker, William W. Orme, John S. Mil
ler, Henry A. J. Lanahan. Thomas A.
Blasey, Joseph M. Smith. John C. Smith.
William A. Relth and Frank Leer.
All of the 107 officers who underwent
the examination are over 55 years of
age. Inspectors Stoll and Headley aiw
61 and can be retired by the Commis
sioners Irrespective of their physical
condition. There has been persistent
rumors that Inspector Stoll Is to retire
soon, but Headley’s name has not been
mentioned among those slated for re
tirement.
Aside from acting on the police re
tirements, the District Commissioners
this week also will have before them for
consideration recommendations of the
special committee of five lawyers which
investigated the July grand jury’s
charges against the Police Department
in the case of former Policeman Or
ville Staples.
Inquiry Believed Complete.
The committee’s report has been ex
pected at the District Building for the
last several days, but It was learned
last night from an authoritative source
that it would not be submitted to the
Commissioners until tomorrow or Tues
day. The inquiry, it is understod. has
been completed. . but the committee’s
findings are being guarded with the
closest secrecy.
Corporation Counsel William W.
Bride Indicated that his study of the
evidence in the 56 cases of alleged po
lice brutality uncovered by the De
partment of Justice probably would not
be completed for several weeks. These
56 cases are those classified by thfc Jus
tice Department as “non-indictable,”
and Mr. Bride is studying the evidence
to determine whether there Is a basis
for disciplinary action against the offi
cers involved.
MONUMENT GUARD
LIGHTS DUE THIS WE£K
Beacons to Warn Flyer* to
Placed on Top of Shaft /
Immediately.
The long-awaited lights for the
Washington Monument, so that the
shaft may serve as a beacon to warn
aviators of its presence at night, are
expected this week.
They were shipped from Cleveland
Thursday and will be put in place
shortly after their arrival. James F.
Gill, chief of the building division, ex
pects to place five lights each on the
north and south sides of the shaft,
with three being placed en the east
and west. This is necessary, he ex
plained, as equal illumination all
around would make the Washington
Monument look like a round tower in
the darkness.
Further experiments will be neces
sary to determine if the present “red
eyes” can be removed from the mon
ument, but the officials are hopeful
that this can be dene.
-The Westinghouse Electric and Man
ufacturing Co. is the contractor for
the lights, which include 20 flood
lighting units in each battery, one light
consisting of three 1.500-watt lamps.
Twelve 1,500-watt lamps and eight
1.000-watt lamps will be utilized in the
set-up.
BRENTWOOD POLICEMAN’S
WIFE HURT IN CRASH
Mrs. Gertrud* XcVay Buffers In
ternal Injuries When Gar la
Struck by Bus in Capital.
Mrs. Gertrude McVay. wife of Town
Policeman Steven McVay of Brentwood.
Md.. suffered internal injuries last night
v hen the automobile in which she was
riding was struck bv a bus on Rhor'e
Island avenue. Her husband and Harry
Reed, also of Brentwood, she other oc
cupants of the car. were uninjured.
According to police, the accident oc
curred as the car made a left turn into
Williams street. Brentwood.
Reed and George Elmer Kittley. M,
of White Marsh, Md.. the driver of the
bus, were arrested on chargee of reek- <
less driving and released for hgprißg ft*
Police Court Monday. ___
> •• HA. ■ ■
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