Evening star. [volume], March 15, 1934, Page B-1, Image 17

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Washington News hi f Society and General J
WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1934. * PAGE B—1
■ " ' ' 11 | 1 . ■ " . i in ■■■■■■■■■■». —.. ■ .. ---■———--———————— — ..
LIQUOR IS BARRED
IN ONE-HALF MILE
OF SL ELIZABETH’S
Board Adopts Policy Asked
by Institution Deprived
of Old Law.
RESTRICTIONS RULED
FOR SOLDIERS' HOME
Special Hearings to Be Given Sat
urday Applications for Licenses
Near Schools.
A Dan againsi issuing ui oeverage
licenses of any kind to any place
locating within one-half mile of St.
Elizabeth's Hospital has been adopted
ns a policy of the Alcoholic Bever
age Control Board, it was announced
today by George W. Offutt, chair
man.
The policy was established at the
request of officials of the institu
tion who recently emphasized in a
letter to the Commissioners that en
actment of the District liquor law
had abolished former legal restric
tions against sale of liquor near the
hospital.
Offutt said today also the Alcoholic
Beverage Control Board had adopted
a policy against granting liquor li
censes with a two-block radius of
the grounds of the United States
Soldiers' Home.
This policy, however, will not for
bid the sale of wine or beer within
such a radius at either on-sale or
off-sale licensed places. This action
was taken at the request of Maj. Gen.
H. P. McCain. U. S. A., retired, gov
ernor of the home.
Walter Reed Situation.
The A. B. C. Board previously had
decided not to grant liquor licenses
to places near Walter Reed Hospital.
In that case licenses are to be issued
only for the sale of bottled wine and
beer near the institution. The A. B. C.
Board will also give close attention to
any protest made by Walter Reed
authorities against granting of licenses
in the general vicinity of the hospital,
not merely those within a two-block
radius, Offutt said.
Saturday morning, the first two of
the score of applications for places close
to public schools will be subject to
special hearings scheduled bv the
board since it adopted a general pol
icy against liquor licenses to places
near schools.
At that time arguments will be
made on the application for a re
tail license for the Market Pharmacy
1430 Seventh street, which Is located
near the Polk School, and the appli
cation of Harry S. Gildenhorn for a
license for an establishment at 4400
Georgia avenue, near the Macfarland
Junior High School.
Other contested applications for
places near schools will be scheduled
for hearings next week or later.
Members of the A. B. C. Board will
consult this afternoon with Andrew
M. Housley on suggested amendments
to the District liquor law designed tc
set up a more definite means of de
termining whether liquor dealers art
paying the District liquor sales taxes
Use of Tax Stamps.
One suggestion is to require the use
of tax stamps on all bottles. Tht
board also is studying a suggestion
that local liquor retailers be required
to purchase their stocks from District
■wholesalers, this being designed alsc
to set up a check on the payment oi
sales taxes. Such a system is used In
Maryland.
Chairman Offutt said today he had
rot made up his mind what to recom
mend. but he was aware of the great
difficulties of enforcing payment of
sales taxes under the present system,
under which some dealers here buy
their stock from out of town whole
salers.
The law requires that under such
cases the local retailers furnish a
memorandum of such purchases.
Offutt said such a rule could be
evaded too easily.
Officials of the board also com
mented on the fact that a wholesale
firm located out of the District could
sell to local retailers through a single
solicitor, paying only a license fee of
$100. where, as local w holesalers have
to pay an annual license fee of $1,500
to deal in liquor.
Offutt said it appeared it would
be more fair to require retailers to buy
from District wholesalers because of
this difference in the license situation.
Amendment Effects.
Officials of the board also believe
that both independent retailers and
wholesalers here will have “hard
sledding” if the law is amended to
permit all units of each of the chain
store organizations to obtain liquor
licenses. At the present time but one
store of the chain concerns can ob
tain a license.
The board said it realized, how
ever, that licensing of the many stores
of the several chain concerns should
serve to drive dowrn liquor prices and
thereby stifle bootleg operations.
The board yesterday rejected an
application for a liquor license for
the retail store of H. Albert Buehler,
*7317 Georgia avenue. The place is
located near Walter Reed Hospital,
and the application was opposed by
Brig. Gen. Albert E. Truby, com
mandant of Walter Reed Hospital.
MODEL VOTING SYSTEM
OFFERED BY TEACHER
A model election system to replace
the outmoded systems now in use
throughout the country is offered by
Dr. Joseph P. Harris in his new book.
"Election Administration In the
United States,” published today by
the Brookings Institution.
Dr. Harris, now a professor of po
litical science at the University of
Washington, reviews cases of fraud
excessive expense and generally unsat
isfactory administration of elections
in many parts of the country.
Voting fraud conditions in Chicago.
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Cleve
land are brought particularly under
fire by Dr. Harris, who asserts that
none of them Is exceptional nor
unique, but that similar conditions
exist wherever and whenever elections
are held.
A special chapter is devoted to
Costs and the absence of any appre
ciable financial control in the conduct
of present balloting systems.
* T
G. W. U. Co-Eds Honored I
QUARTET PLEDGED TO ALPHA LAMBDA DELTA.
THESE four freshmen at George Washington University, whose schol
astic averages are the highest in the first year class, were pledged to
Alpha Lambda Delta, national freshman honor society, in ceremonies
at noon today at the university. Left to right, top: Verna Volz, 209
Randolph place, daughter of Mr and Mrs. Frederick Volz; Julia
Gemmill, 1632 Thirtieth street, daughter of Mrs. Mary Gemmill. Bottom:
! Audrey Yaden, 4119 Illinois avenue, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Yaden,
i and Margaret Elizabeth Graves, Kensington, Md., daughter of Dr. and Mrs.
I Roy Ralph Graves.
SHOEMAKER GETS
SECOND DELAY
Representative Accused by
Taxi Driver to Face
Jury April 4.
Representative Francis H Shoe
maker of Minnesota pleaded not guilty
j in Police Court this morning to a
] charge of assaulting a cab driver and
obtained a second continuance. The
case was set for April 4, when he wil!
be tried by a jury.
Shoemaker is charged with twice
striking Charles Newman, a cab driver
i during a traffic dispute March 5.
In granting the continuance. Judge
Isaac R. Hitt insisted there be nc
| further delay, obtaining a promise
' from Shoemaker that he actually
would go to trial on the appointee
date.
Shoemaker had won a continuance
last Friday on his first court appear
ance by a plea that the wife of hli
attorney was ill.
Cannon Takes Case.
Shoemaker was represented today
by a colleague in the House, Repre
sentative Raymond J. Cannon of Wis
consin. Cannon said Friday he hesitat
ed to act as Shoemaker’s attorney be
cause he was a member of the House
Elections Committee before which was
pending an objection to Shoemaker
being seated. Since then he has con
] suited with other members of the
committee and been assured, he said
that he might properly represent the
Minnesotan.
The objection to Shoemaker’s seat
ing was based on the argument hE
! had served a term in Leavenworth
Prison. The President of the United
States has removed the citizenship
bar, however, by a full pardon.
Demands Trial By Jury.
Shoemaker arrived at court at 9:1s
a m. today, accompanied by Cannon
His case was not called until 1C
o'clock.
He entered his plea and Cannon
demanded a jury trial, asking a three
weeks' continuance. Assistant United
States Attorney David A. Hart, the
' prosecutor, informed the court the
trial could not be set before March 28.
Shoemaker protested he had an en
gagement “to speak on an educational
subject’’ at the University of Minne
! sota on that date.
; The court suggested an earlier date,
I but Cannon demurred, insisting he
| could not try the case inside of two
weeks. He finally won his point and
the April 4 date was set.
i-•
JOB AGENCY CASE
DECISION DELAYED
Judge Given Takes Under Advise
ment Charge Against
Former Senator.
Judge Ralph Given has taken undei
advisement the ease of Frank J
Gardner former New York Stat<
Senator, charged with operating ar
employment agency in the Districl
without a license. Gardner’s attor
ney. Daniel Ring, had moved yester
day for a dismissal of charges on the
ground the Government’s case hac
j failed to show the defendant was con
ducting a “business.”
The case will be reopened before
Judge Given in Police Court, March
29
Two witnesses, under questioning by
Assistant Corporation Counsel Elwooc
Seal, testified they paid Gardnei
money to “use his Influence" in ob
taining positions for them. Ring con
tended the charge of “operating ar
employment agency without license’
was unfounded in Gardner’s case, as
violation of the law constituted only
the illegal operation of a "business
or enterprise.”
He told Judge Given the testimony
brought out that the alleged jot
seekers had approached Gardner and
that he was not operating a business
WORK BEGINS SOON
ON WILSON SCHOOL
i -- !
Contract for Building. Long
Delayed, Is Awarded to
McCloskey & Co.
Construction of the Woodrow Wilson
High School, long delayed, will be j
started in about two weeks. Contract
for the building was awarded yester
day by the District Commissioners to
; McCloskey & Co . Philadelphia, which
submitted a bid of $1,043,000, the low
] est of more than a dozen offers from
contractors.
The project has been delayed for
months, due to changes in plans
1 caused by a reduction in the original j
appropriation and the necessity of j
'• closing portions of Brandywine and
Thirty-ninth streets at the site of the
building.
The District Supreme Court has of
ficially ordered the closing of the por
tions of the streets, following an
awarded to property owners made by
a condemnation jury.
The contractor is allowed 600 days,
or approximately 20 months, in which
to complete the structure. The appro
priation act for the current year con
tains a fund for starting construction
and an item to continue work during
the next fiscal year is included in the
1935 budget, now before Congress.
The site of the school is bounded by
Chesapeake street, Nebraska avenue.
Albemarle and Fortieth streets.
•
ORCHESTRA TEAMS
TO MEET TOMORROW
Efforts to Aid Sustaining Fund
to Be Made in
Campaign.
The five campaign teams working
with the Women's Committee of the
j National Symphony Orchestra Asso
ciation to raise a sustaining fund of
$60,000 for next season's concerts, will
meet tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. in the
home of Mrs. James Clement Dunn to
plan a more intensive drive.
Thirty thousand dollars of the quota
already has been pledged. Every effort
Is being made to secure the rest by
April 1 In order to allow plans for
next season to be made at once.
Mrs. Walter Bruce Howe is cam
paign chairman. Team captains in
1 elude Mrs. Eliphalet F. Andrews of
the Junior League, Mrs. Alan Kirk,
Miss Persis Myers, Mrs. Reeve Lewis
and Mrs. Carey H. Brown. An at
tempt is being made to get $10,000
in pledges each week for three weeks.
Contributions in any amount are
accepted. Membership in the Na
tional Symphony Orchestra Associa
tion is $25 and of this amount 12 per
j cent is returnable in tickets. Robert j
V. Fleming, president of Riggs Na
tional Bank, is treasurer of the asso
ciation.
PLANS HEALTH TALK
Dr. John M. Baber to Address
“Y” Forum Tonight.
What to do in case of an accident
will be explained by Dr. John M.
Baber, local physician, in the weekly 1
health forum of the Young Men's
Christian Association tonight at 7:45
o’clock In the auditorium of the j
Central Y. M. C. A., Eighteenth and |
G streets.
Dr. Baber will describe first-aid
measures that should be taken in
the home or on the street. The talk
is one of a series arranged by the
department of physical education of
the Y. M. C. A. in co-operation with
the District Medical Society. Women
as well as men are invited. There
i will be no admission charge.
*
INCOME TAX LINE
IS SNORT DESPITE
Surprisingly Small Crowd
Gathers as Midnight
Time-Limit Nears.
OFFICIAL BROADCASTS
THREAT OF PENALTY
One-Fourth of Amount Will Be
Assessed for Delay in
Filing Returns.
As revenue officials repeated warn
ings of a 25 per cent penalty against
income taxpayers who fail to file
their returns before midnight, a sur
prisingly small crowd appeared today
at the local office of the deputy col
lector of internal revenue, Twelfth
street and Constitution avenue.
The office, located in room 1002.
Internal Revenue Building, will be
open until midnight to help taxpayers
and receive their returns. Returns
also may be mailed to the office, or
to the collector of internal revenue
at Baltimore, although, the regula
tions provide that they must be in the
mail in time to reach these offices be
fore midnight. Officials in the past
have been lenient if the postmark is
dated before midnight, but the regu
lations actually provide that the re
turn must have been mailed in time
to be delivered to the collector or his
deputy before the deadline.
Rush Expected Later.
Government pay day today was ex
pected to bring a rush of taxpayers at
the local office after the Government
dismisses at 4:30 p.m. Many Federal
employes had taken the trouble to
notify the deputy collector they could j
not pay until they received their j
money.
warning oi a penally n returns |
were not made by tonight was made 1
by Charles T. Russell, deputy commis
sioner of internal revenue in a radio
address last night over WJSV.
“By midnight,” said Mr. Russell, “if
you have failed to file an income tax i
return for the calendar year 1933. you I
will have failed in your duty to your ]
Government, and will have made !
yourself liable for additional costs be- !
cause of penalties that by law attach
to the amount that you otherwise i
have to pay. These penalties are se- |
vere, amounting to one-fourth of the i
total tax.
"Where failure to file returns is :
willful, and where it appears that the
individual intended to defraud the
Government of its proper tax. we are
compelled to present the person's rase
to the courts, so that he may be pun- j
ished as the law directs."
Mr. Russell warned that employers
were making reports on the amount !
of money paid to their employes, so
the employes should make accurate ;
and honest returns, or they will be
caught when an audit is made com
paring the employes' returns with the
employers' reports of what was paid, i
Warned of Audit.
"When we do not find a return
from an individual to whom we are 1
advised payments have been made,” j
said Mr. Russell in this connection," |
he must stand the consequences pro
vided by law. And it is also our
practice to examine various other
records which will aid us in ascer- i
taining persons who have failed in
their duty.”
No explanation could be made for
the small crowd at the deputy col
lectors office this morning Whereas
the lines have formed into long
queues In the corridors in previous
days this week, there were only a
few people waiting in the big room
this morning where many deputy col
lectors were on duty to advise tax- \
payers and administer the oath free
of charge.
Yesterday also saw’ a much smaller
crowd than the day before. There
were only 3.362 persons at the office
yesterday, as contrasted to 4.560 on
Tuesday.
The Treasury announced today that
March income tax collections have
pushed revenue from this source for
the fiscal year above the 1933 figure.
On March 13, the latest day avail
able, income taxes since last July 1
had paid the Government *397,918.
076, as compared with *396,980,749
in the 1933 fiscal year.
For March, $39,711,087 has been
collected, as compared with *13,641,
106 last March when an extra two
weeks was allowed for returns be
cause of the bank holiday.
SHOREHAM RECEIVERS
END TERM TOMORROW
Justice Bailey Signs Order for
Surrender of Property to
Hotel Corporation.
Justice Jennings Bailey ruled in
District Supreme Court yesterday that
the receivership for the Shoreham
Hotel must end tomorrow at 6 a.m.
He signed an order directing the
three receivers, F. H. Duehay, Spencer
Gordon and John E. Laskey, to turn
over the property to the Shoreham
Hotel Corporation at that hour, retain
ing $125 000 in the jurisdiction of
the court.
James J. Becker was named to suc
ceed Edmund D. Rheem as trustee
of the deed of trust on the property.
Rheem, who is now serving a seven
year sentence at Lorton Reformatory,
resigned.
FOUR PERSONS INJURED
WHEN AUTO OVERTURNS
Four persons were injured last
night when an automobile struck a
police patrol box at the foot of Til
den street hill and overturned.
The injured were Betty Robinett,
15, of 4901 Ingomar street; Katherine
Worthington, 15, of 5328 Forty-first
street; Carroll W. Ruhl, 18, of 1201
Connecticut avenue, and George Mar
tin, 16, of 2767 Woodley place. They
were treated at Emergency Hospital
for minor injuries.
Fourteen-year-old Robert Pallen,
3300 block of Prospect avenue, suffered
a crushed foot yesterday when his
bicycle smashed into the side of a
street car at Thirty-fourth and O
streets. He was taken to Georgetown
Hospital.
«
Sheds Ordered Down by City Heads
RETAIL MEN MUST FIND OTHER LOCATIONS.
k. ft: Vr—'
View of retailers’ sheds along Eleventh street southwest, looking from G street toward F street. The Com
missioners have ordered these sheds down as "unsightly, insanitary and unsafe.” —Star Staff Photo.
RETAIL dealers on the Farmers’
Market property, backed by
citizens in the Southwest sec
tion of the city, today ex
pressed resentment over yes
terday's decision by the District Com
missioners to oust the retail men from
the square bounded by Tenth and
Eleventh, F and G streets southwest.
J. M. Schaeffer, president of the
Southwest Citizens’ Association, ex
pressed the hope that the Commis
sioners would at least stay their order
until the next meeting of the asso
ciation Wednesday night, at which
time the matter will be discussed. It
has been referred to the association's
Committee on Markets, of which Fer
guson Marshal of the Washington
Terminal & Storage Co. is chairman
This square is part of the property
purchased for a wholesale farmers’
market by the District. On the ad
i joining square, bounded by Tenth,
, Eleventh, E and P streets southwest,
there are substantial metal sheds for
wholesale dealers. Eventually it is
planned to place such sheds over the
entire property. Meantime, however,
retail dealers have built small wooden
shelters on the G street properties,
where some of them have done busi
ness since March, 1932.
Maj. Ernest W. Brown, in a report
to the Commissioners, said that these
shacks were unsightly, insanitary and
unsafe. A number of the retailers,
interviewed this morning, agree with
this estimate. They say that the
District should put up sanitary and
sightly structures instead of criticizing
those now used.
The dealers all claimed that they
had been paying the District 25 cents
per day per space for the privilege of
doing business there. Most of them
I _
' occupy two spaces. Thus, they argue,
they cannot be regarded as squatters,
and if the District felt that they had
no business there, it should not have
accepted the money in the first place.
| They also condemn the selection of
this particular time for the proposed
eviction. Business, they said, has
been slim since Christmas, the deal
! ers in some cases only making enough
to pay expenses. Now that Spring is
arriving, however, business is expected
j to pick up considerably, and if they
move now, they will lose the cream
of the year's trade.
None of those interviewed had any
1 answer to the question where would
1 :hey go if convicted. Most of them
said there was no other place for
them to go. No formal notice to quit
had been served, and the dealers ap
peared hopeful that some way would
be found to allow them to stay.
FIREMAN IS FREED
ON DRUNK CHARGE
_ i
Kenneth L. Martin Found j
Not Guilty by Judge
Ralph Given.
Police Court Judge Ralph Given to
day dismissed intoxication charges
against Fireman Kenneth L. Martin, I
attached to No. 24 Engine Co., who
was arrested March 3 near Fifteenth
and H streets northeast.
Judge Given interrupted presenta
tion of the defense case by Attorney
David L. Riordan to announce that
"there cannot help but be a reason
able doubt in any judge's mind as to
this man’s guilt" after listening to
Government and defense witnesses.
Martin was arrested by Traffic Of
ficer E. H. Lohr, who testified the de
fendant was “staggering on the side
walk” and that he “smelled liquor on
his breath.” Other witnesses for the j
Government testified Martin was stag- j
gering. but it was later brought out !
the fireman had been on sick leave
for several days.
Dr. George Earley, police and fire
surgeon, who examined Martin at the
ninth precinct about an hour after
his arrest, said he was not drunk at
that time, talked and acted normally
and there was no odor of alcohol on
his breath. The physician said the 1
fireman told him he was suffering
from acute indigestion.
Battalion Chief John R. Grove of
the r Fire Department and Lieut.
Dennis J. Cullinane, who was in
charge of the ninth precinct station
at the time of Martin's arrest, testi
fied for the defense. They said
Martin appeared sober shortly after
his arrest and Lieut. Cullinane said
he released the man after receiving
the doctor’s report.
After Martin's release by Lieut. Cul
linane, Traffic Bureau officials sent
a report to Maj. Ernest W. Brown,
superintendent of poUce, pointing out
that Martin had been released con
trary to police regulations.
The Traffic Bureau report said that,
since the man was arrested by a
Traffic Bureau officer the commander
of that bureau should be responsible
for giving orders for his release.
After Martin's release on the night
of his arrest a warrant was issued on
the order of Traffic Bureau officials,
causing his rearrest.
-•
tAAMINAMUIMo otl
FOR CENSUS JOBS
Eligible Candidates Also to Be
Chosen for School Attend
ance Officers.
Competitive examinations for the
establishment of a list of eligible can
didates from which would be picked
census enumerators, attendance offi
cers and child labor inspectors in the
white schools, will be held Tuesday,
April 10, at the Franklin School Ad
ministration Building, Thirteenth and
K streets.
The positions pay a minimum or
$1,400, with a maximum of $2,000.
Appointment would be made at the
minimum, however. Applicants must
be graduates of accredited high
schools, must have at least three
years’ work in a normal school, col
lege, university or school of social
service, or must have had at least
three years’ service in a position ad
judged satisfactory to the board of
examiners.
The written examination will begin
at 9 a m. in the assembly hall at the
Franklin School Administration
Building. April 10. The oral examina
tion wiU be held either April 10 or 11
at a place to be announced after the
written test. The physical examina
tion will be held at Central High
School at 9 a m. Wednesday, April 11.
a
Committee Decides
It Is Too Harm to
Discuss Snow Bill
House Croup Calls Off
Hearing on Removal
by Property Owners.
It was too warm and Spring-like
today so the subcommittee on streets,
avenues and traffic of the House Dis
trict Committee called off a scheduled
hearing on the Jenckes snow removal
bill.
Representative Patman, Democrat,
of Texas, chairman of the subcom
mittee, has not scheduled another
hearing and probably won't unless
there is a flare-back of Winter
weather.
Representative Virginia Jenckes of
Indiana introduced the bill during
Washington's recent Arctic weather.
It would require property owners to
remove snow- within eight hours after
the fall ceased.
NEW STOCKS BILL
Morgenthau Says Congress
Will Approve Measure
as Being Shaped.
By the Associated Press.
Secretary of the Treasury Morgen
thau said today "real progress” was
being made in rewriting the Stock
Exchange control bill and that It
would be put in such shape that Con
gress would approve it.
“Our orders are to fix It so the
bill will get through Congress and
become law,” Morgenthau told news
paper men. "The President wants
the bill and it is coming along fine.”
Morgenthau did not discuss details
of the legislation, explaining it would
be submitted to him when completed
by experts.
Another meeting between Treasury
and Reserve Board officials and ex
perts of the House Interstate Com
merce and Senate Banking Commit
tees was held today.
Chairman Fletcher has called a
meeting of the Senate Banking Com
mittee for tomorrow to take up the
revised draft of the bill. He said he
had discussed the measure briefly
with President Roosevelt while at the
White House yesterday on another
matter.
“The President wants a bill with
teeth in it,” Fletcher said afterwards.
"He doesn't want it emasculated,
although he is not committed to the
details of the bill.”
Earlier Fletcher asked an additional
appropriation of $50,C00 to carry on
the committee’s stock market investi
gation.
The funds were requested to keep
the inquiry going for the rest of the
present session and pay for expenses
already incurred. Fletcher also is
preparing a request for additional
funds and authority to extend the
investigation through the next session
of Congress.
The $50,000 asked yesterday would
bring tb a total of $270,000 the money
appropriated for the stock market in
quiry since it began two years ago.
Only a few thousand out of the $220,
000 previously authorized is still on
hand, and committee officials said
obligations more than covered the
balance.
Auxiliary to Serve Supper.
VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS, Va..
March 15 (Special).—The Ladles'
Auxiliary of the Jefferson Fire De
partment will serve the annual bene
fit dinner at the fire house tomorrow
evening from 5 to 7 o’clock.
r
0. 0. RELIEF ROLL
INCREASE SHOWN
i _
Expected Gain Follows at
Once Upon C. W. A.
Program Slump.
Demobilization of the District civil
works forces has caused the expected
increase in the number of needy cases,
it was shown today in figures made
public by officials of the emergency
relief division.
At the close of February 1 there
were approximately 14.000 cases on
the relief list. Tabulations of the
total number of cases are made only
at the end of each month, but relief
officials today estimated roughly that
the total now stood between 15,000
and 16,000. This included an allow
ance for cases dropped because per
sons had obtained work elsewhere or
else were found no longer to be in
need of direct relief.
18,784 Now on Roster.
Officials said there were now 18.784
“open cases’’ on the roll. This in
cludes those receiving direct aid and
those who have applied for assistance
and whose cases have not been defi
nitely determined.
During the week ended March 10
a total of 927 new cases w'ere added
to the direct relief list. Of these 560
were new applicants and 367 were
reopened cases.
During the week ended March 3,
1.891 new relief cases were added to
the roster. Of these 623 were new
applicants and 1,268 were reopened
cases.
Relief officials estimated that about
three-fourths of the new relief cases
were those resulting from reduction
in the C. W. A. activities. At the
beginning of this month the District
has 13,000 persons at work under the
C. W. A. By March 31 this total is
: to be reduced to 9.000. As the de
| mobilization proceeds an increase In
j relief cases is anticipated by relief
| officials.
New Program to Start.
Beginnig April 1. the C. W. A. pro
gram is to te succeeded by emergency
works programs.
Twenty cases were handled by
Metropolitan policemen during the
past 24 hours ,in line with the new
arrangement for giving immediate aid
to the needy.
SECRET HEARINGS HELD
ON D. C. 1935 BUDGET
House Subcommittee to Go Over
Highway Estimates Today
With Capt. Whitehurst.
The House Subcommittee on Appro
priations continued its secret hearings
today on the District's 1935 budget
estimates by considering the items
recommended for the offices of the
recorder of deeds and register of wills.
Theodore Cogswell, recorder of deeds,
was the principal witness.
At Its afternoon session the sub
committee will go over the estimates
of the highway department with Capt.
H. C. Whitehurst, director of high
j wrays.
PLAYS TO BE GIVEN
Dunbar Dramatic Group Offers
Saturday Program.
A program of three one-act plays
will be given in Garnet-Patterson Au
ditorium Saturday night by the Dun
bar Players. The plays Include
‘‘Early Fro6t,” by Henry Bailey Stev
ens: "The Greek Vase,” by Maurice
Baring, and George Kelly’s "The
Flattering Word.” Members of the
| casts will Include Henrietta Williams
Carolyn Welch, Harold Flowers. Nin
nle Mae Brown, James Jones, Zelma
I Harrison, Cecil Patrick, Audley Jones,
LoU Jones and John Harrison.
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FURTHER HEARINGS
Officials and Inmates Issue
Denials in Final Lor
ton Session.
COMMITTEE EXPECTED
TO DRAFT REPORT SOON
Pitts and Rheem Are Indignant
at Charges of Special
Consideration.
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Further hearings in the Board of
Public Welfare’s investigation of Dis
trict penal institutions appeared prob
lematical today after an announce
ment by W. W. Millan, chairman of
the inquiring committee, that evi
dence on all charges preferred has
been presented.
Yesterday's session, held at the
Lorton Reformatory, adjourned with
out fixing the date for a future meet
ing. It had produced nothing but
denials by prison officials and In
mates of allegations of privileges and
graft.
The committee is expected to begin
shortly its detailed examination of
the seven volumes of testimony taken
during the two weeks of public hear
ings and decide whether any loose
ends exist which need further testi
mony to tie up. If the committee de
cides its information is complete, It
will proceed to draw up a report to
the District Commissioners which
may or may not include recommenda
uons.
Pitts and Rheem Questioned.
Yesterday G. Bryan Pitts and Ed
mund D. Rheem, former heads of the
F. H. Smith Co. and the Swartzell,
Rheem & Hensey Co., respectively, be
fore the collapse of the two financial
institutions, vehemently denied they
have received special consideration as
prisoners at Lorton.
Pitts and Rheem were dressed In
blue sweaters and blue trousers when
they took the stand. Each appeared
indignant that accusations should be
made they were given luxuries and
allowed secret trips away from the re
formatory reservation.
During examination of Rheem a
telephone call was received from Rep
resentative Francis Shoemaker of
Minnesota suggesting a specific line of
questioning. As a result the witness
was asked If he knew a certain patent
attorney In Washington. He replied
he did not and the matter was
dropped.
It was a speech by Shoemaker In
the House which first brought the
charges of graft, special privileges and
insanitary conditions at Lortin Into
the spotlight. Edward Bedell, former
convict at Lorton. had made charges
‘ 10 the Department of Justice Since
Shoemaker and Bedell have been
closely associated investigating Lorton
conditions.
Health Seems Excellent.
Both Pitts and Rheem appeared
healthy yesterday, although Pitts com
plained his blood was not good. The
former Smith Co. head looks older,
grayer and thinner than when he was
a leading investment banker, but his
positiveness of utterance has not de
serted him. He frequently clashed
with Mr. Millan concerning how he
was to give his testimony.
Denials of ever leaving the reserva
tion except on official orders were
emphatically expressed by the two
prisoners. They also said the so
j called "bankers’ porch.” where they
I are housed, is less comfortable than
| other dormitories, having the sole
advantage of seclusion and quiet.
Rheem explained they were assigned
to the porch because the confidential
nature of their work would make it
dangerous to place them in a dormi
tory with other prisoners. For two
years, Rheem has prepared every
paper which has gone from Horton to
the Parole Board. Pitts is an impor
tant cog In the prison commissary.
George W. Bennett, former Wash
ington bank teller, also denied special
privileges or trips away from the re
1 formatory except on prison business
j or to visit his ill mother.
Keys in Auto Explained.
Capt. M. M. Barnard, veteran su
perintendent of District penal insti
tutions, was the last witness. He had
been charged with leaving his car
with the keys in it where two escap
ing convicts could use it. He said his
orderly accidentally left the keys In
the car and assumed all blame for
the Incident.
"Did you intentionally assist any
prisoners to escape?” inquired Judge
Michael M. Doyle, committee member.
“I don't think I have gone crazy
yet." Barnard replied.
Others who testified included J. E.
C. Bischoff, business manager of the
institution; C. W. Hanger, chief ac
countant; Herbert R. Haar, chief en
I gineer; Paul F. Pegelow, captain of
the gruard; William Devers, steward;
Lester E. McMenamin, mail clerk;
j Max Cady, guard, and Thomas V
iNorman, cient.
MAN FOUND LYING
NEAR OPEN GAS JET
Revived by Fire Rescue Squad.
Saved Similarly Before,
Police Declare.
Louis Richter, 66, of 2611 Adams
Mill road, was found unconscious this
morning beside an open gas stove in
his tailor shop at 1797 Lanier place.
Richter was rescued under similar cir
cumstances about two years ago, po
lice said.
He was seen this morning lying be
side the stove by Mrs. Rebecca
Wostein, operator of a grocery next
door, who smelled escaping gas and
peered through the windows of the
shop. She summoned aid and glass
was broken from the windows when
the front door was found to be
latched from the inaide.
Firemen of the Rescue Squad re
vived Richter and took him to. Emer
gency Hospital. Police of No. 10 pre
cinct said Richter was overcome by
gas fumes in a similar manner about
two years ago. He is married and
the father of four daughters.
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