Evening star. [volume], June 28, 1932, Page B-1, Image 17

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
)
WASHINGTON, D. C, TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 1932.
***
PAGE Β—1
RED CROSS GIVES
TONS OF FOOD 10
BONUS VETERANS
9,000 Pounds of Flour and
Wheat Turned Over as
Funds Run Low.
FARMERS SENDING TWO
CARLOADS FROM IOWA
Glas&ford Asks Senators' Aid in
Getting Ex-Service Men to
Leave for Their Homes.
The American Red Cross this after
noon came to the rescue of veterans
rl the Bonus Expeditionary Force and
released 9.000 pounds of flour and
wheat to feed the bonus seekers en
camped in the Nation's Capital.
On requisitions signed by Polioe
Chief Pelham D. Glassford. the Red
Cross shipped from its stocks of Farm
Board wheat and flour 3.000 pounds
of wheat to Ottenberg's Bakery, 3,000
pounds of flour to National B. E. F.
headquarters and 3,000 pounds of
crushed wheat to the bonus headquar
ters.
The shipments were delivered as
food stocks reached a new low level,
with only enough rations on hand to
feed the men through today and pro
vide one meal tomorrow for 1,500 men.
Glassford and Stott "Resign."
Thus. Gen. Glassford once more
came to the aid of the veterans less
than 24 hours after he had resigned
as "treasurer" of the Β. Ε F. and had
returned to the organization the few
dollars remaining in his hands.
Both he and Police Capt. William G.
etott, B. E. F. purchasing agent and
commissary officer, "washed their
hands" of the veterans' affairs when
they resigned yesterday.
Ottenberg's bakery has offered to
bake 500 pounds of bread a day for the
veterans and L. A. Speiss. head of the
Washington Bakers' Association, an
nounced he would ask other bakeries
to do the same. The crushed wheat
will be used for cereal pending arrival
of two carloads of foodstuffs from Des
Moines, Iowa, gift of the Farmers'
Holiday Association.
Thomas Seeks Policy.
A resolution authorizing creation of
• joint congressional committee to
recommend a policy and a program for
the "proper care and treatment" of the
unemployed war veterans now to the
District was introduced today by Sena
tor Thomas, Democrat, of Oklahoma.
This plan is designed to supersede
another resolution introduced yester
day by Senator Cope land. Democrat, of
New York, authorizing an appropria
tion of $100,000 for relief of the vet
erans.
The joint committee under the
Thomas resolution . would be composed
of three members of the House and
three of the Senate »
The resolution pointed out there are
20.000 homeless and unemployed citi
zens in Washington and immediate
vicinity without housing facilites or
funds and almost without food.
In presenting his resolution. Senator
Thomas called attention to the serious
condition faced by the veterans, reading
an excerpt from an editorial in The
Star yesterday relating to the sanitary
conditions at the bonus camp and
stories in the morning newspapers de
claring the members of the B. E. F.
are facing a food shortage because of
avhonsUnn nf fimd*.
Ashurst Suggests Return Fund.
The resolution of Senator Thomas
«as laid on the table temporarily at his
request. During debate on the resolu
tion, Senator Ashurst, Democrat, of
Arizona, agreed that the situation, due
to the presence in Washington of such
a large number of unemployed veterans,
is "acute," and suggested that the reso
lution embody an appropriation as con
templated in the plan of Senator Cope
land, so that members of the Β. E. P.
can be returned to their homes. Sena
tor Thomas replied that many of the
men have no homes.
Senator Ashurst also declared that a
popular misconception exists about con
ditions at the bonus camp.
"The American flag flies from every
tent and every hole." he said. "You go
out there, not as Senators, but incog
nito. and you will be surprised by the 1
abeolute freedom of profanity and
ribaldry. These men may have made
a mistake in coming her?, but there is
just as much true Americanism and
patriotism in that camp of squalor and
misery that can be found In any other
place."
Senator J. Hamilton I «wis. Demo
crat, of Illinois, joined in the debate
and paid a tribute to W. W. Waters.
Acting Commander Quits.
For the second time in three days a
leader of the force resigned today.
Thomas Kelly of Camden. N. J., fol
lowed Walter W. Waters of Portland,
Oreg., Into the discard this morning
when he handed In his resignation as
acting national commander. The ac
tion. which he said was due to press of
business at home, followed a renewed
outbreak of communistic activity, ex
haustion of food funds and a continued
refusal of groups of veterans to obey
orders from national headquarters.
Meanwhile the District government
made known it would not provide any
more trucks to transport veterans out
of the city.
George Kleinholz. another Portland
veteran, took over the reins of the fast
disentegrating bonus army pending
election of a permanent commander at
the forthcoming "first national con
vention" of the B. E. F.
Anacostia Bolt Threatened.
As rain transformed the vast Ana
costia camp Into a sea of mud. the
veterans quartered there threatened to
bolt the organization if .national of
ficers refuse to allow them greater
representation on committees and fail
to hold a direct election of a com
ril^Ilder by popular vote, rather than
by the convention of 500 delegates.
The remnant of leadership today
called on Waters, resigned commander
In chief, to "save the day" by soliciting
contributions. Only $40 was in the
treasury this morning. Supply Oflicer
H. E. Williams reported, cut of the
nearly $200 turned over late yesterday
by Càpt. Stott.
Redoubling his effort» to get the men
out of town. Gen. Glassford last night
sent to all Senators copies of letters he
previously had mailed to Representa
tives, showing the number of veterans
from each State and congressional dis
trict and asking their co-operation in
securing funds for the evacuation of
the veterans by railroad. More than
$100,000 is needed to send the men
home by the railroads, which have
agreed to reduce fares to 1 cent a mile,
less than one-third the regular rate.
TenU May Be Recalled.
"The problems of food and shelter
«•ill soon become acute," Glassford
►aid. "Many of the buildings now oc
cupied by the veterans must be evac
uated so that the Federal building
program may not be arrested and hun
dreds of men thrown out of work. It
may be expected that the return of
143 pyramidal tents borrowed from
Maj. Gen. Anton Stephan (National
Guard commandant) will soon be
called for.
"It does not seem practical for the
Bonus Expeditionary Force to remain
In Washington and X urge that imme
diate steps be taken to co-operate with
me in sending the veterans back to
their homes."
The police chief's efforts to transfer
115 men from Camp Meigs, however,
were defied by. the men there. E. P.
Wagner, Erie, pa., camp commander
said:
"This is Government property and
we're not going to move unless they
want to use force."
The men also defied the Β. E. P.
Executive Committee when It requested
the evacuation of the camp In com
pliance with requests of the District
Commissioners, who fear Its proximity
to the Capital's food supply may
menace the health of Washingtonians.
New Β. Ε. F. Head
ι
GEORGE KLEIN'HOLZ.
—Star Staff Photo.
η υι mit
AID REFUSAL ASKED
Dates and Names Sought to
Give Group Probing Re
lief Work Here.
Facts in substantiation of charges ι
that Washington charitable agencies
failed to aid several highly educated
women in need were requested today
by Fred A. Emery, past president of
the Society of Natives, in answer to a
"letter to the editor" recently published
in The Star.
In a letter to The Star Mr. Emery
asks that the author of the original let
ter send him dates and names in con
nection with the cases mentioned in or
der that they may be presented to a
subcommittee of the Committee on Pub
lic Health of the Washington Board of
Trade, which is now investigating the
efficiency of local relief work. Mr.
Emery Is chairman of the subcommittee.
He requests that he be furnished the
names of applicants for aid, the names
of the agencies applied to, approximate
dates when aid was sought, and who
turned down the applications and why.
Subcommittee Created.
He states: *
"Xt is due the public, including those
now in real distress, on the one side,
and the relief agencies on the other
side, that precise information about
what happens be made available to
those interested in the subject in an
impartial way. I may add that the
Board of Trade's Committee on Public
Health has just created a subcommittee
to inquire into the subject with a view
of determining whether the relief work ]
to which the people of Washington are |
financially committed is functioning
satisfactorily with the very highest pos
sible real service to those for whom the
funds are subscribed, namely, those who
are deserving and worthy of aid from
the community.
"If any Evening Star readers have
any suggestions or authoritative in
formation that will be of help, in view
of the indicated greater demands for
relief during the coming Winter and
possible limitation of the maximum
amount that may be available, I will
be glad to receive it to present and
consider with the committee.
"There are 65 separate services func
tioning in the Community Chest set-up,
with a budgeting of more than $2,
000.000 subscribed b7 the people of
Washington, and there are other sub
stantially organized relief agencies for
which funds are raised, outside of the
Community Chest, each having its sal
aried staffs for administration of the
volunteered funds. What the commit
tee would like to know, or speaking for
myself as one of its members, is: How
is this functioning from the viewpoint
of the public; from those who come
into contact, as applicants or other
wise, with all this organized relief.
U.i: !_ /Λ-- I-.J
"We have faith in Washington and
always will have. We have faith in or
ganized relief in Washington and al
ways will have. But the public is en
titled to accurate knowledge as to what
goes on with respect to the funds it
raises and to know whether relief is
functioning satisfactorily from the
standpoint of the public, including those
who are in actual need as well as from
the standpoint of those wno are sal
aried for relief adminisiration. The re
lief organizations have done splendid
work in the past, including those pa
triotic high-minded citizens who have
volunteered their services and their
time without compensation, but every
large business enterprise sn every pro
gressive city welcomes constructive
criticism and suggestions.
"Any ideas for improving the service
to these in distress, for effecting more
economic management of relief as a
whole—constructive suggestions and
criticisms, not mere idle gossip—will be
welcomed by me personally for presen
tation to the committee. The purpose
is to render, through recommendations,
such impartial, constructive help as the
Information obtained from the public
may make possible in the interest of
organized relief in Washington, a vote
less city w hose citizens hav e never
shirked their responsibilities."
PAROLED YOUTH HELD
On parole from the National Training"
School where he was sent when con
victed of breaking into a hardware store
at 1815 North Capitol street, David A
Robinson. 18, colored, was brought into
Police Court again today on a charge
of illegal entry into the same place of j
business.
Robinson was arrested first in 1930 ι
and aft'r being convicted was sent to
the training school. Today Judge John j
P. McMahon ordered Mm he'd for the
grand jury under S2.500 bond. Police
said he took an air rifle and a pair of
roll?r skates from the store on this oc
casion.
UTILITIES BOARD
DELAYS «G
ON GAS RATE COT
Keech's Petition May Not Be
Acted Upon by Commission
Until Next Week.
DATA ON PHONE SERVICE
AWAITED BY OFFICIALS
Plea for Extension of Bus Line on
Rhode Island Avenue North
east Is Granted.
The Public Utilities Commission today
passed over for later action the petition
of Richmond B. Keech. people's counsel,
for a hearing to consider a reduction
in the rates of the Washington and
Georgetown Gas Light companies. The
matter is expected to come up at a
commission session Thursday, but may
be deferred until next week.
The petition was not acted on today
due to the absence of Maj. John C.
Gotwals. Engineer Commissioner, who
was attending a session of the District
Commissioners.
Mr. Keech, in his petition filed last
Saturday, asked for a rate hearing at
the earliest practicable date, contend
ing a reduction in gas rates would be
beneficial not only to the consumers
but also to the utility concern. He
asserted the gas companies during 1931
had a combined return of 10.25 per
cent. This rate of return, he said, was
based on a valuation of approximately
520.500.000.
The Public Utilities Commission also
was awaiting today completion of data
concerning various costs of different
types of sen-ices rendered by the Chesa
peake & Potomac Telephone Co. The
data is being prepared by engineers of
the commission and the telephone com
pany, and the commission desires it be
fore resuming the hearing on telephone
rates, recently begun.
At,its brief session this morning the
Utilities Commission granted a petition
for extension of the Rhode Island ave
nue bus line of the Washington Rail
way & Electric Co. from Twenty-second
and Quincy streets northeast to Twenty
second and Shepherd streets, at the in
tersection of Bunker Hill road.
The commission postponed action on
a petition for extension of the Trini
dad-Burleith bus line for some distance
farther In the Trinidad area, pending
an improvement of the street in that
section.
POLICE ASK EXEMPT
CLAUSE IN PAY CUT
Declare Overtime and Bisk of Life
on Duty Entitle Them to
Consideration.
A plea that police pay be untouched
In pending salary slashes, has been sent
to all members of Congress by the Po
liceman's Association of the District of
Columbia.
The request, presented as a "state
ment of facts for the serious considera
tion of Congress" was accompanied by
a brief letter. Excerpts from the state
ment follow:
"Policemen of the District of Colum
bia do not protest the so-called "pay
cuts' in the interest of lowering the
public debt, but it must be borne in
mind that the expenses of the District
of Columbia are carried to a greater
extent each year by the taxpayers of
the District. . .
"The policemen of this city have been
working overtime for a long period
. . . the 8-hour day for policemen be
ing more of a fallacy than a fact . . .
"Policemen are allowed by Congress
'one day off in seven.' but the records
will show this 'day off' has been can
celled repeatedly since January 1. va
rious 'marches,' pageants and parades
having required almost continuous day
and night service by policemen. The
Β. E. F. has also caused much over
time work.
When it is considered in the light
of fairness and justice that these po
licemen. who are the guardians of life,
limb and property of the members of
Congress and their families, and the
vast Government possessions in this
city, who do not receive pay for over
time and do not have any of the so
called 'holidays' granted other work
ers, and who are constantly risking
their lives (and the records show an
increase of loss of life by policemen on
duty), it certainly does not seem fair
and just to reduce their present sal
ary."
The statement is signed by Lieut.
Milton W. Smith and Patrick S. Tor
mey, legislative representatives of the
association, and W. H. McGrath, its
president. Lieut. Smith was at the
Capitol this morning presenting copies
of the pamphlet to Senators and Rep
resentatives.
GAS HUCKSTER BAN
AMENDMENT IS URGED
Bride Seeks to Exempt Stations
Having No Driveways to
Off-Street Pumps.
Recommendation for a minor amend
ment to the recently-adopted regulation
prohibiting sale of gasoline from tank
wagons on the public highways was laid
before the District Commissioners today
by Corporation Counsel William W.
Bride.
The proposed modification of the
regulation would exempt from its pro
visions a small number of gasoline
dealers who have off-street stations, but
which have curbstone service due to
lack of private driveways.
There are said to be less than a
dozen such stations which would have
to be abandoned unless the amendment
is adopted. The new regulation, it is
pointed out. was intended to halt the
sale of gasoline on the hlRhways, with
the fuel being transferred from tank
wagons to the vehicles of their cus
tomers, except In emergency cases.
The city heads recently ordered the
arrest, beginning July 1, oi any venders
of gasoline violating the rule.
EMBASSIES SOUGHT
Nanking Government Moves to
Elevate Legation Here.
SHANGHAI, China. June 28 OP).—
The Nanking government has decided
to open negotiations at Washington
and London with the purpose of rais
ing the Chinese legations to the status
of embassies.
Pennsy to Start
Blizzards Point
Project at Once
Railway Line Necessary
J ·
for Building Huge
Power Plant.
Immediate development of a great in
dustrial area at Buzzards Point, on the
Anaccstia River water front, between
the Navy Yard and the Army War Col
lege, appeared assured today when J.
G. Nettleton, Washington representative
of the Pennsylvania Railroad, an
nounced his board of directors had ap
proved the project of immediately
throwing trackage facilities into the
Buzzards Point area. The board of di
rectors also appropriated sufficient
money to proceed and authorized a
prompt survey to initiate the work, Net
tletcn said.
Extension of the Pennsylvania Rail
road tracks from the Washington Navy
Yard trackage system into the Buz
zards Point zone will mean that the
Potomac Electric Power Co. will be able
to begin soon erection of its $5,000,000
electrical plant, which will give added
facilities to the Capital. The electric
firm proposes to bring in its building
materials in carload lots, directly to the
site of the new plant. The company has
about reached the limit of its produc
tion at Benning and the Buzzards Point
plant will provide for future expansion.
Test borings for the new plant are now
going forward.
Mr. Nettleton said the survey for the
track extension will be made this
week. Actual laying of the tracks will
begin in from 10 days to two weeks
and it is expected the work of placing
the new tracks in place will take
about a month. This work will give
employment to a number of trackmen
and for material and labor alone, the
Pennsylvania Railroad authorities will
spend about $125,000.
The Industrial development of Buz
zard's Point has long been favored by .
the National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, which lent its support to
legislation to achieve this objective.
President Hoover recently put his
signature to bills for the extension of
the tracks of the Philadelphia, Balti
more & Washington Railroad from the
Navy Yard into Buzzard's Point and
for the closing of certain streets and
alleys for construction of the Potomac
Electric Power Company's plant.
TORN SLIPS BARED
IN EMBEZZLEMENT
Anacostia Teller Accused of
Taking $19,000 Cash.
Awaits in Jail.
A system of tearing up deposit slips !
and pocketing the money of depositors
was employed by Robert B. Field, 31,
teller at the Anacostia Bank, charged
with embezzlement of more than $19,
000, officials of the bank disclosed to
day.
Arrested yesterday when he returned
from a vacation. Field signed a state
ment admitting the peculations and j
said he first began the series of em- j
bezzlements when he needed extra '
money during the illness of one of his i
two children about a year ago.
Immediately after Field's arraign
ment yesterday afternoon before United
States Commissioner Needham C. Tur
nage, when he was held for the grand
jury under $20,000 bond, Maurice Ot- j
terback, president of the bank, Issued a
statement that the institution is fully ;
covered by a bonding company and the
loss already has been made good.
According to bînk officials, the em
bezzlements possibly would not have ;
been discovered for years but for the
fact that Field left for a two week's va
cation and a depositor with whose ac
count Field had tampered asked that it
be balanced during that time. The j
teller, Mr. Otterback, explained, was j
able to juggle the account, while he |
was at the bank, so that the books ap- j
peered to be in perfect order and !
showed no shortage.
Field went on his vacation June 16. !
When he returned yesterday morning j
he found a special agent of the Depart- j
ment of Justice waiting for him with a
warrant charging embezzlement. He
had been unable to make bond to se- \
cure his release this morning and was
in the District Jail awaiting the pres
entation of his case to the grand jury.
CAPPER'S CAR RECOVERED
Senator Capper of Kansas today was j
again in possession of his automobile,
which was reported stolen early last
night while parked in front of the May
flower Hotel.
Police recovered the machine shortly
after Senator Capper notified them of
the theft. The machine was spotted by
a third precinct patrol car near
Twenty-sixth and Ε streets which gave
chase. Alter fleeing a short distanc?
the two occupants deserted the cap·. J
Police ran after them and caught j
Robert Morlittle. 18, of Graham. N. C
He was held lor investigation. He said i
the driver of the car was a stranger to
him. The driver escaped.
CAUGHT BY PRIEST
Captured by Rev. Francis J. Hurney. ι
after he is said to have broken into j
the Immaculate Conception Church, j
Eighth and Ν streets, early Sunday i
morning, Alfred J. Webster, 21, colored,
was remanded from Police Court to the
grand jury today under $1.500 bond.
Warned by a burglar alarm which
had been sounded. Father Hurney,
armed with a pistol, halted Webster
just as he Is said to have been breaking j
into the money boxes of th? church. !
He said entrance was gained through
a window.
DISTRICT BUDGET
FIGURES FOR NEXT
VEAR DUE FRIDAY
Revenue Estimates Will Be
Ready When New Fiscal
Period Begins.
DONOVAN TO ISSUE CALL
FOR 1933-34 NEEDS
Department Heads Will Be Asked
to Keep Recent Decline in
Receipts in Mind.
With the close of the current fiscal j
year Thursday, District officials will |
make a final tabulation of the revenues j
and expenditures in prospect for the ι
new year to determine the financial
condition of the municipal government
for the year 1932-3.
Pinal action by Congress yesterday in
sending the District supply bill to the
President settled the question of the
amount of appropriations for the new
fiscal year, and on Friday Maj. Daniel
J Donovan. District auditor and budget
officer, will have compiled the totals for
the revenues anticipated during the
coming year.
Meantime, Maj. Donovan is preparing
to issue the annual call to the heads
of the various departments of the Dis
trict government to submit their esti
mates for appropriation needs for the
operation of the District government for
the fiscal year 1933-4.
Preparation Later Than Usual.
Preparation of these estimates for the
year following the one just beginning
comes later this year than usual, due to
the fact department heads have been
waiting to see what the final figures
would be for the ensuing fiscal year be
fore completing total estimates for the
following year.
The department heads will be called
upon to hold their estimates down to an
even lower figure than their estimates
for this year, due to the falling off in
revenues that occurred during the last !
12 months after their estimates wera j
submitted last Summer.
As soon as the estimates are re-1
ceived. the special Economy Committee
of District officials will bring the work
of studying them with an eye to elimi
nating any appropriation request not
deemed essential. The estimates are to
be filed with the auditor by July 9.
Evidence of the need for holding
estimates for the next fiscal year down
to the lowest possible total was seen a
few days ago in a preliminary estimate
by Tax Assessor William P. Richards,
which showed that during the year
now ending, there was a sharp de
cline in receipts from the intangible
and tangible personal property taxes
and no considerable rise in the real
estate tax assessment base for the new
fiscal year.
Bill Carries 841.245,622.
The District appropriation measure
as passed by Congress carries an appro
priation of $41,245,622, this repre
senting a reduction of about $4,500,000
from the total for the current year.
While the tabulation of the tax reve
nues to be made Friday by District
officials will estimate the funds which
the District may expect in addition
to the Federal lump sum of $7,775,000.
a third important element Is contained
In the economy measure now awaiting
final action by Congress.
Under the operation of this proposed
law, the District has anticipated a sav
ing of approximately $1,900,000, due to
the furlough of employes and the 8.3
per cent pay cut for its firemen and
police and school teachers.
RECEIVERS ARE ASKED
FOR RAUSCHER'S, INC.
Joseph A. Fisher, Part Owner, Says
Differences Interfere With
Management.
Application has been made to the Dis
trict Supreme Court for the appoint
ment of receivers for Rauscher's, Inc..
famous old catering firm at 1345 Con
necticut avenue. Joseph A. Fisher, own
er of half the stock of the corpoiation,
brought suit against Mrs. Augustine
Dagneaux. widow of Rene C. Dagneaux.
who owned the other half of the stock.
Through Attorneys W. Gwynn Gardi
ner and Charles S. Baker, the plaintiff
says irréconciliable differences have
arisen over the management of the
business of the corporation which calls
for the services of a receiver. The busi
ness will be continued, it is announced.
RESOLUTION FOR BRYAN
MEMORIAL IS SIGNED
President Hoover yesterday signed a
congressional resolution Tor the erec
tion of the memorial to William Jen
nings Bryan in the Capital.
The Fine Arts Commission and Lieut.
Col. U. S. Grant, 3d, director of Pub
lic Buildings and Public Parks, are
studying plans for the location of the
memorial, possibly in Potomac Park.
Gutzon Borglum, noted sculptor, is
now at work fashioning a statue in one
of Bryan's characteristic oratorical
poses.
The commission recently viewed a
statue by Borglum at the Corcoran Art
Gallery here. Josephus Daniels, wartime
Secretary of the Navy, is a leading fig
ure in the Bryan Memorial Association.
Boy Shoots Self Accidentally.
James Glakas, 13, of the 500 block of
Fourteenth street northeast, was treat
ed at Casualty Hospital yesterday for
a bullet wound in the hand. The boy
had shot himself accidentally while
playing with a revolver.
LIBRARY'S "FINELESS WEEKS"
RETURN 14,000 BOOKS TO USE
Some Missing Since 1913 Are Brought Back to Shelves
as Fines of #1,585 Are Canceled.
A summing up today revealed that
the shelves of the Public Library have
been enriched by 14.000 books returned
to circulation during the two "flneless
weeks" declared by Dr George F. Bower
man to give delinquent borrowers a
chance to clear the record of charges
against them.
Of the tctal. only 167 unrecorded
book were returned, while 1,646 volumes
had been overdue three weeks or more,
single cases dating back as far as 1913.
The library canceled payment on a total
of $1,585.55 in fines which had accumu
lated on the carcjj of delinquents.
The return of borrowed volumes, how
ever, will enable the library t:> extend
a larger service by placing long-overdue
books back in the hands of the borrow
ing public.
To a great extent the library records
have been cleared against delinquents
and the service re-extended to many in
need of library facilities during the de
pression. Library books, it was ex
plained, are often called upon just ncjv
to take the place of recreation Invok
ing the outlay of money.
Lives Alone on Mountain
MISS BECKY PASSES YEABS WIYHOl'T CLOCK.
Miss Becky Hewitt and the lonely i
cabin in which she lives alone at the
age of 85. —Star Staff Photos. I
THERE is no call for clock or cal
endar at Miss Becky Hewett"s
cabin in a cove on Upper Bull
Run. Va., which is only 45 miles
from Washington, but still as
remote as the eariy frontier.
The days, like the weeks, months and
years, are of less crr.sequence than the
seasons, which demand a little garden
ing in the Spring, more wood chopping
in the Fall.
Miss Becky, what with living alone
and marking the hours by the slant of
sunlight across her doorsill, long since
has lost count of her years.
But the eldest residents who live in
the valleys of Prince William and
Fauquier Counties near the Bull Run
Mountains say she is older than any of
them and must be over 85 years.
Remembers "the War."
Miss Becky herself estimates more
conservatively. Still, she can remember
"the war"—the one and only war—of
Bull Run and Manassas. She lived in
her mother's cabin then, just "across
the branch," a stone's throw from her
present doorstep.
The other wars, if Miss Becky had |
heard of them at all, echoed but faintly I
in the timeless cove where Miss Becky j
has lived alone for perhaps 50 years, :
cultivating a garden patch, keeping a J
cow and a tev: chickens, chopping wood
against freezing weather and cooking j
over an open Are.
Feebleness grew upon Miss Becky j
slowly with the advancing years, the '
garden· sprouted weeds, cherries and
apples ripened out of her reach, fire
wood became increasingly hard to
gather.
Will Never Leave Mountains.
But Miss Becky Insisted then, as she
insists today, upon living on in the
lonely cove. She's "scrta used to the
mountains," she says, and will never
leave them for the county alms house
or anywhere else.
Now residents of The Plains, Va., say
Miss Becky is "on the county" for some
S5 a month, delivered by messenger to
her door. Church people from the sur
rounding valleys ride the 3 miles of
overgrown trail to deliver butter, milk
and eggs from time to time.
But for the rest, and sturdily enough,
Miss Becky looks after herself. Yester
day she was stirring about her yard,
talking to herself and collecting brush
for her cooking fire when visitors ar
rived—Miss Margaret Shirley of Water
fall, Va., who with her young niece had
volunteered to show a reporter end ,
photographer to Miss Becky's door.
Surprised by Callers.
Miss Becky was surprised and more
than a little puzzled by so many callers,
but invited them into her tiny one
room cabin, with its single window.
She saw that her guests were comfort
ably seated, and sought, in the name
of courtesy, to restrain her curiosity
regarding the purpose of the call.
Miss Shirley, on a previous visit, had
taken Miss Becky's photograph for the :
first time, and now presented the aged |
woman with an enlargement.
Miss Becky scarcely glanced at the
picture, which she quickly hid under
her gingham apron. "It must be a
purty sight," she scoffed. "I don't aim
to look at it."
Nevertheless Miss Becky presently
tucked the picture furtively away in !
an old trunk, for later reference, per
haps.
Cats Keep Her Company.
Miss Becky, she said, had "got'sorta :
used to the mountains" and wasn't
lonely, especially since she had three
cats to talk to. Only a few seasons
back she had two "top knots," chickens j
which something, man or beast, had
stolen.
"I wouldn't have took a dollar a piece ,
for them." Miss Becky said. "No, nor |
two dollars neither!"
About her tiny cabin Miss Becky had
a garden in which hollyhocks, bridal
wreath and other flowers grew pleas
antly. There were apple trees—"Sweet- i
enins," Mise Becky said, and too high |
to reach anyhow. A great cherry tree :
gleamed with a profusion of fruit at |
Miss Becky's doorstep, but Miss Becky |
"didn't have no tooth for cherries."
Instead, Miss Becky subsisted largely
on corn pone and coffee, which she
prepared over the hearth, pieced out
by a few "store rations" from time to
time and such produce as the weed
grown garden yielded.
Has Fear of Snake*.
But Miss Becky, despite her sturdy '
self-reliance and a lifetime in the I
wilderness, fears one thing, and because
of it taxes her meager resources to keep 1
a lamp burning all night long.
The light, which she has tended for <
years, will keep snakes out of her '
cabin. Miss Becky hopes. Once Miss
Becky was on her way to the store
when she saw what looked like a pretty
necktie in the trail.
Her failing eyes almost betrayed her
into picking up a rattler, which coiled
and struck with vicious speed. Again
a rattler crawled under her cabin, and
Miss Becky was forced to move softly
about the floor for days, lest her foot
falls anger the snake.
A creaking boaru, Miss Becky said,
was enough to set the rattler off, and
the deadly buzz had a way of unnerv
ing her. She walked softly on the
floor of her cabin and every day trim
med a few shrubs and weeds from about
the cabin, hoping the unwelcome visi
tor would leave.
This he did eventually, but Miss
Becky keeps the lamp burning against
his return.
Bad Luck to Say Good-by Twice.
When it came time to say good-by
Miss Becky shook hands all around and
wished her visitors well. At the door
step they paused to chat a little longer,
but Miss Becky raised her hand in a
warning gesture, when they started to
repeat the. bood-bys.
"Stop," she commanded. "Hit's bad
luck to say good-by twice. A preacher
said howdy twice to me once," she
added grimly.
"What happened?" some one asked.
"He died!" announced Miss Becky,
grimly, turning back into her cabin
without a backward glance.
DISTRICT FUND BILL
AWAITS SIGNATURE
Measure Sent to Hoover After
Scrutiny by Congressional
Conferees.
All that Is needed now to Jet the
1933 District of Columbia appropria
tion bill become law on July 1 is Pres
ident Hoover's signature.
Congress put the finishing touches on
the conference report late yesterday,
with a result that the bill's authoriza
tion for $41,245,622 will be made avail
able at the beginning of the new fiscal
year. Although this is a reduction of
considerably more than $4,000,000 under
this year's appropriation, a concession
to the demands for economy, the 1933
bill goes to the President carrying
$1,351,812 above the sum criginally
voted in the House Of the total in
the bill. $7,755,000 represents the
amount of the Federal lump sum con
tribution toward the support of the
municipal gavernment and $350,000 for
unemployment relief.
The final action that sent the bill to
the President was taken in the Senate
late yesterday afternocn following the
House agreement to the conference re
port. This was merely a routine matter,
as the Senate previously had passed
favorably on all the provisions in the
conference recommendations. There
were five amendments, however, which
had to be acted on separately, as they
constituted legislation in an appropria
tion bill. For this reason it was neces
sary for the conferees to report a dis
agreement so that the House could
approve them.
Salary Expenditure Limited.
One of the amendments was the
$350,000 for tlrt> Public Welfare Board,
to be expended for emergency unem
ployment relief. Not more than $35,000
3f this can be devoted to administrative
purposes. The amount the Senate origi
nally voted was $600,000 but this was
reduced in conference The other
amendment related to the Municipal
Center.
The relief fund was the subject of a
brief but bitter debate in the House
Λ-hen Representative Holaday of Illinois,
Republican conferee, attacked the Com
munity Chest, charging it used "more
than $1,800,000 to pay salaries from
$10,000 a year dowr
The belligerent Mr. Holaday, how
;ver was effectively refuted by Repre
sentative Byrns of Tennessee, chair
man of the Appropriations Committee,
aho had charge of the District bill, and
Representative La Guardia of New
Vark. They charged that Holaday had
misrepresented the Chest, and the latter
finally was forced to admit that he had
ίο exact figures relating to salaries.
Administration the Same.
The relief item finally was agreed
;o when Mr. Byrns and Mr. La Guardia
Doth explained that the money would
»me from the District revenues in the
>rme way that practically every other
arge city had administered its emer
?ency relief fund this year.
"Representative Holaday's statement
that $1,800,000 of the Chest's fund goes
to pay the salaries of employes is not
true and the House conferees know it
Is not true." Elwood Street, director
Df the Community Chest, said. "It is
misrepresentation of the worst kind."
Mr. Street explained that the 65 con
stituent organizations of the chest do
pay that amount to their employes, but
that less than lialf their funds comes
from the Chest.
The Chest raised $2,417,000, Mr.
Street declared, while the budget of
,he member organizations totaled ap
proximately $5,500,000, more than half
af it coming from sources other than
he Chest. Therefore, Mr. Street
pointed out, thé figure of $1,800.000
paid out In salaries should be compared
with the larger figure rather than with
.he amount raised by the Chest.
BEER IS CONFISCATED
Some 37 cases of beer were confis
cated by police yesterday in a building
η the 2100 block cf Fourteenth street
ihile they were seeking an alleged gam
>ling establishment.
As Detective Sergt. Howard Ogle and
ietective J. K. Baker entered the place
)ccupants fled. A number of large
rocks used in making home brew also
irere found, the officers reported.
RUE'S COUNSEL
BLAMES PITTS FT
SPURIOUS EVIDENCE
Effort Made to Show Former
Smith Co. Head Planned
Fake Documents.
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT
TELLS OF AGING PAPERS
John H. Edwards, Jr., Declares
Ex-Associate Ordered Letter
heads Taken to Florida.
Counsel for Prank G. Raichle, Buffalo.
Ν. Y., attorney, now bsing tried in Dis
trict Supreme Court on perjury charges,
tried to show today that G. Bryan Pitts,
former president of the P. H. Smith Co„
conceived the idea of using spurious
evidence at his trial on ccnspiracy
embezzlement charges before Raichle
began working on the defense in that
case.
John H. Edwards. Jr., a forrmr vice
president of the Smith company, who
was convicted with Pitts on the con
spiracy-embezzlement charge, testified
on cross-examination this morning that
Pitts told him to bring blank letter
heads of the Smith company to Florida
in July. 1930. Edwards ?aid he did not
know Raichle at that time. He de
scribed how he spent two days aging the
authorizations with acid.
Prosecution Blames Rairhle.
The defense is expected to produce
evidence in an attempt to show these
letterheads were subsequently used in
the preparation of spurious author
izations Introduced in Pitts' behalf at
his trial and that Pitts must have been
planning his defense when he gave Ed
wards instructions to secure the blank
papers.
The Government has contended that
Raichle conceived the fraudulent de- *
fense and Edwards testified yesterday
that the attorney, after he had met him
in Florida, told him it would be neces
sary to prepare spuricus authorizations.
C. Elbert Anadale, another former
vice president of the Smith Co.. testi
fied he had never seen the authoriza
tion prior to the trial of the conspiracy
embezzlement charges on which he also
was convicted, and that he did not
know what the defense was going to
be until it was offered in court.
On cross-examination he said he
did not know whether Pitts had ever
embezzled any money from the
Smith Co.
Emory L. Coblentz. banker and Mary
land State Senator, yesterday denied he
had received any promises of immunity
from the Department of Justice for
testifying against Raichle. Coblentz is
under indictment for aiding in the
commission of perjury in connection
with the Smith Co. case
He said, however, that Dodds and
Burkinshaw had told him they "hoped
the perjury matters would be cleared
up after this trial, and that he would
be exonerated."
Conversation Is Read.
A stenographic report of a telephone
conversation between Raichle and Cob
lentz was read to the jury by Burkin
shaw after it had been shown Coblentz
induced a stenographer and a friend to
"listen in" on the conversation without
Raichle's knowledge.
The report indicated Raichle knew
Pltte had some spurious documents In
his possession, but also tended to prove
he thought thoee used at the trial were
genuine.
During the afternoon session Edwards
testified he told Raichle prior to the
conspiracy - embezzlement trial that
some of the genuine authorizations were
missing. Raichle. he testified, then
said: "The only thing to do Is make
them up."
Edwards said none of the genuine au
thorizations was offered at the trial. He
said they were different In size and
shape from the spurious ones.
Pitts, he said, dictated the fake docu
ments from the original ones in
Raichle's présence.
FOUR DISTRICT BILLS
MAY COME UP IN HOUSE
Black to Seek Floor for Action on
Measure to Close Useless
Streets and Others.
Speaker Garner will call the rolls of
the House committees within a few days
and as a result the District Committee
may secure the enactment of several
bills.
Representative Loring M. Black, Dem
ocrat, of New York, who is acting chair
man in the absence of Representative
Mary T. Norton, said he would seek the
floor for action on four bills. These
would empower the Commissioners to
close useless streets, authorize the
Washington Gas Light Co. to erect an
additional ga·; holder in Southeast
Washington, accept Senate amendments
to the firearms bill and set up a board
of Intermediate sentence and parole in
the District.
FREIGHT LOADINGS TOTAL
518,409 CARS FOR WEEK
By the Associated Press.
Revenue freight loadings for the
week ending June 18 were announced
today by the American Railway Asso
ciation as totaling *518,409 cars.
This was an Increase of 16,649 over
the preceding week, but a reduction of
220.685 below the corresponding week
in 1931.
Miscellaneous freight totaled 208,277
cars, a decrease of 85,384 from the
corresponding week last year: mer
chandise, 175,925. decrease 41,211; grain
and grain products, 25,873, decrease
6,898; coal, 68,603 decrease 40,728;
forest products, 17,140. decrease 13.415;
ore. 4.290, decrease 26,350; coke, 2,941,
decrease 2,510; live stock, 15,360, de
crease 4,189.
Grain and grain products Increased
1,250 cars over the preceding week;
live stock, 148; ore, 1,149; coke, 294,
and coal, 1,770.
MISS HAYD0N RENAMED
Stays on Nurses' Examining Board
for Another Term.
Miss Edith Haydon, whose five-year
term as a member of the Nurses
Examining Board of the District
Government expires with the beginning
of the new fiscal year Friday, was re
appointed today for another term by
the Commissioners, on motion of Dr.
Luther H. Reichelderfer, president of
the board.
Miss Havdon. a graduate of the Army
School of Nursing at Walter Reed
Hospital, now Is superintendent of
nurses at St. Elizabeth's Hospital.