Evening star. [volume], November 28, 1934, Page B-1, Image 13

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Washington News
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ν -V J V y WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION
WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1934.
**·
PAGE Β—1
HAZEN AND ALLEN
OPPOSE 0. S. ROLE
FOR PUkYGROUNDS
Commissioners Maintain
Control of Centers Is
City Function.
FOUR PLANS OFFERED
BY RECREATION EXPERT
Cammerer presents Fifth Scheme
at Conference, Supported by
Dr. F. W. Ballou.
Commissioners Melvin C. Hazen and
George E. Allen revealed today they
would, resist any effort to place con
trol and supervision of playground
and recreational centers of the Dis
trict in a Federal agency.
The Commissioners, both of whom
believe these activities should be under
the Board of Commissioners, marie
known their views as a result of a
conference of a group of civic, busi
ness and recreational leaders yesterday
et which L. H. Weir, National Recre
ation Association expert, presented
lour alternative pians inr tu-uiui
nating ail District recreational units.
No decision was reached on any
of the plans, but the one subjected
to the most discussion contemplates a
recreation department under the Na
tional Capital Parks and the Board
of Education. This proposal, however,
met the opposition of Dr. Frank W.
Ballou, superintendent of schools, and
Henry I. Quinn. a member of the
Board of Education, who foresaw dif
ficulties growing out of the divided
responsibility.
Allen Plans Study.
Commissioner Allen, who has super
vision over the District Playground
Department, said:
"I have not had an opportunity as
yet to study the plans proposed at
yesterday's meeting. Regardless of
the details of these suggestions, I am
convinced that playgrounds and other
recreational centers are a municipal
function and. for this reason, their
control ultimately should be lodged
with the Commissioners as the heads
of the District Government. With
this control, full responsibility as well
as management should be vested in
the District Government."
Allen, who was confined to his home
yesterday by a cold, said he plans to
make a careful study of the detailed
suggested changes.
Commissioner Hazen. president of
the Board of District Commissioners,
said he could see reason for a unifi
cation or co-ordination of recreational
facilities here, jurisdiction over which
now is divided among the District
and Federal agencies.
A City Matter, He Says.
"However this is accomplished." he
eaid, "I am convinced that manage
ment of these facilities is a municipal
matter and that in the last analysis
the responsibility and control should
be left with District Commissioners.
"We are told that if a Federal agency
were given the management more
adequate funds could be obtained for
provision of staff and equipment. We
are told that present facilities are in
adequate. We should bear in mind,
however, that the money for these
facilities comes from our taxpayers
and that appropriations are a part of
the District budget. If too much of
our revenue goes for Federal play
ground and recreation facilities, it
means that other municipal functions
might suffer. Appropriation matters
for the District are handled by Con
gress. which must consider all District
needs as well as its playground re
quirements.
"I see the wisdom of unifying or
co-ordinating our playground and rec
reation facilities, but since we have a
municipal government it appears most
logical to me to vest the responsbility
and control of these facilities in this
District government."
Cammerer Offers Plan.
Arno B. Cammerer, director of the
National Park Service, presented a
fifth plan, under which the Play
ground Department of the District
government, the Community Center
ι^υμαι i/iiiciii. niiu urc iiauunai νομκαι
Parks Office would sign an agreement
employing a superintendent to oversee
recreational activities and promote a
well-rounded program. Mr. Weir de
clared that he does not feel this would
solve the problem, as it would be such
a "loose organization." He conceded it
could be done if the three agencies
would pool their resources.
Dr. Ballou supported Mr. Cammerer,
who pointed out that a similar ar
rangement is in effect between the
National Park Service and the Bureau
of Public Roads for highway con
struction. The school superintendent
asserted that the three groups could
get together, pool their interest·! and
map out a unified program without
any new legislation, such as would be
necessary under the Weir set-up.
Ar. attempt to get Mr. Weir to say
definitely which of his four plans is
best for Washington failed. He said
that, as a general rule, the National
Recreation Association prefers the
recreation commission type.
Four Plans Outlined.
Mr. Weir's four plans proposed :
Plan 1—A recreation commission ap
pointed by the District Commission
ers. Plan 2—A recreation commission
appointed directly by the President.
Plan 3—A recreation department un
der the District Commissioners.
Plan 4—A recreation department un
der National Capital Parks and the
Board of Education.
Explaining his fourth plan, which
was subjected to most discussion, Mr.
Weir said that Washington might fol
low the lead of other cities, such as
Springfield, Mass., and in California
and have some of the employes of the
recreation department on a part-time
basis, at the same time being employed
by the Board of Education in a full
time capacity. This discussion arose
when Mr. Quinn asked if it would not
be "dangerous to turn the use of school
properties over to another organiza
tion. which has no responsibility, such
as has the Board of Education." Mr.
Weir's answer was that it is being done
successfully elsewhere.
Standard Ranks High.
The standard of maintenance of the
Washington park system, Mr. Weir
emphasized, ranks high. He pointed
out that 268 employes of the National
Capital Parks Office constitute a small
number for handling such a large j
4 system as this. Had it not been for
Jeweler Regains
Ring by Forcing
Woman to Talk
Persists in Questions and
Prize Drops From
Her Mouth.
A woman who tried to steal a $125
diamond ring from a jewelry store at
935 Ρ street yesterday talked herself
right out of her prize.
Arthur J. Sundlun. manager of the
store, got only nods and shrugs in re
sponse to his questions when he missed
the ring while the woman was in the
store.
But Sundlun was persistent and
wanted a verbal reply, so he continued
to question the woman, whom he de
scribed as being about 45, dressed in
a short sealskin jacket and black hat.
The woman finally broke her silence
and the ring dropped from her mouth.
Sundlun let her go, but described
the incident to police.
Committee Declares Rights
of Pedestrians Are
Neglected.
A sound verbal slap was admin
istered to the Police Department yes
terday by the Board of Trade's Traf
fic Committee in a resolution charg
ing the police with neglecting their
duty of protecting pedestrians.
The committee stated there is a
"lack of appreciation on the part of
the Police Department of the necessity
of protecting pedestrians."
"The absence of special orders on
this point," the resolution continued,
"has resulted in a situation in which
pedestrians are almost universally left
without protection by police officers,
and, as a result, their rights and
safety are usually utterly disregarded
1 by motorists."
I The committee decided to bring the
! matter before traffic authorities "with ,
! a view to remedial action."
The resolution, which was adopted
I unanimously, was presented by Col.
ί Lawrence C. Crawford, chairman of
j the group's enforcement subcommit
tee. Crawford prefaced his remarks I
wth the statement that no reflection
ι was intended on Traffic Director Wil
I liam A. Van Duzer, his assistant,
M. O. Eldridge, both of whom were
present, or Inspector B. A. Lamb,
commander of the Traffic Bureau.
Want "Even Break."
"ΑΠ we want is to see the pedestrian
given an even break." he declared.
"Motorists habitually violate the rights
of pedestrians, but never yet have I
seen one of them warned by a police
man."
Van Duzer later said he did not
agree with the committee in its cen
sure of the police. He pointed to the
. statistics indicating 37 per cent of all
j pedestrians cross streets in the middle !
of the block and that the great i
majority of pedestrian casualties are
caused by the pedestrians themselves, ι
Col. Crawford and Van Duzer were j
the central figures in a controversy at |
the meeting which resulted in action
oeing postponed on a recommendation
fnr rnmnnlcnrrr ovowinoHnn nf ell
automobiles with the tests to be made
by private service stations.
Crawford recommended that motor
ists be required to produce certificates j
furnished by service stations as a |
prerequisite for issuance of license 1
tags. Van Duzer also was for com- j
pulsory mechanical examination of j
automobiles, but favored the system |
in effect in Memphis. Tenn., where j
cars are tested at a central municipal I
parage.
Plan Is Opposed.
"If you knew how the private ex
amination plan works in the various
States which have tried it, you
wouldn't recommend it," said Van
Duzer. "It is rapidly being discarded
for the Memphis plan. Even the deal
ers and garage men oppose it because !
they realize the difficulty of being a j
sort of judge over the persons on
whose patronage they depend."
Crawford and others favored a sys- '
tem of private examination because it j
wculd give work to service stations and ;
because of the argument that it would !
facilitate testing the city's cars.
The committee finally voted to have
Col. Crawford's subcommittee and Van
Duzer discuss the matter in private.
Opposition to any change in the
present speed regulations was formally
expressed.
The committee decided "to try to sell
the idea" of a negligent homicide law
to United States Attorney Leslie C.
Garnett, who was represented as op
posing it on the ground that the pres
ent manslaughter law is adequate. In
a report on the status of the proposed
bill, Milton R. Vollmer, member of
subcommittee on laws and codes, told
the group its progress had been halted
by Garnett's opposition. He also said
the measure had been referred to Cor
poration Counsel E. Barrett Prettyman
and he "ignored" it.
Prettyman Explains.
Prettyman, who was present, ex
plained that the matter was entirely
outside of his province, since enforce
ment of the proposed law would come
within the jurisdiction of Garnett's
office rather than his own.
In a brief address Prettyman told
the trade body members that "you
can't treat the vast majority of our
citizens, who want to observe the
traffic laws, as if they were outlaws."
the emergency workers, he said, the
condition of the Washington parks
would not be what it is, due to the cut
in the number of permanent employes.
When the Washington plan is com
pleted, Mr. Weir said, the District will
have 2,500 and 3,000 acres devoted to
recreation, about twice what it has
now.
Mr. Weir emphasized the lack of
a unified plan here and the conflict
of authority and said the ideal set-up
would be a trained executive to con
duct the recreational system, guided
by a strong body of interested citizens.
He advocated the calling of a meet
ing of interested groups to map a plan
of action.
Referring to the Playground De
partment of the District, Mr. Weir
declared: "Apparently the District
government has not taken a forward
looking, dynamic, constructive atti
tude toward the department, other
wise many of the difficulties under
which it has labored would have been
Ironed out long ago."
«
COOPER ORDERED
TO FACE TIE ON
FUNDACCUSATION
Indictment Involves More
Than "Bad Judgment,"
Court Holds.
MANIPULATING MONEYS
IS CHARGED TO BANKER
Former Commercial National
Head Holds Indictment Not
in Good Faith.
Holding the conduct of Col. Wade
I!. Cooper as described in an indict
ment pending against him "means
more than the use of bad judgment."
Justice Oscar R. Luhring ruled in
District Supreme Court today that the
former president of the Commercial
National Bank must stand trial on
charges of misapplying funds of that
institution.
The indictment alleged that Cooper
while serving as president of both
the Commercial National Bank and
the Continental Trust Co. manipu
lated funds of the former institution
so as to give the trust company large
credits to which it was not entitled.
Charges Lack of Good Faith.
Cooper attacked the indictment on
several grounds, one of which was that
the charge was not brought against
him in good faith, but only to discredit
him in civil litigation between himself
and the Treasury Department. Cooper
charged the controller of the currency
informed the Court of Appeals he was
under indictment in an effort to im
pede his suit to regain control of the
United States Savings Bank. He also
alleged the charges against him were
so vague and indefinite that he could
not properly prepare a defense and
could not protect himself by a plea of
former jeopardy in case similar charges
should be brought against him in the
future. He also contended there was
no showing before the grand jury that
he had willfully misapplied the funds
of the bank.
"Improper I'se of Money."
In this connection, Justice Luhring
said:
"The conduct described in the in
dictment meant more than that the
defendant used bad judgment with
reference to these transactions. It was
obviously an improper and unjusti
fiable use of the moneys, funds and
credit of the bank, and there was the
likelihood and probability that the
bank would lose. This conduct is de
nounced by the law as a willful mis
application. The indictment in my
opinion meets every necessary require
ment. It contains every element of
the offense intended to be charged—
that is. a willful misapplication of the
funds or credits of the bank, with the
intent to injure and defraud the bank.
The manner in which this was ac
complished is clearly and definitely
stated and sufficiently appraises the
defendant of what he must be pre
pared to meet."
The Government was represented
during the argument in support of
the indictment by Assistant U. S. At
torneys John W. Fihelly and Irvin
Goldstein.
It is expected Col. Cooper's case will
b° set down for trial within the next
few months.
SAFETY CONTEST
WINNERS LISTED
33 of 100 Announced Will Get
Special Prizes From
Merchants.
The 100 persons who were given
honorable mention in the Board of
Trade's traffic safety and design con
test were announced last night. Thir
ty-three of them will receive special
prizes donated by Washington mer
chants. and the others will be given
$1 each.
The contest was won by Harry
Francis Cunningham, architect, who
submitted the slogan, "Caution-Care
Courtesy." The>e were approximate
ly 20.000 entrants. The 33 who will
receive special prizes are:
B. L. Owings, William Hofmann,
Winifred Hartley, Woodrow Bridgett,
Bernice L. Hammond, F. A. Amster,
Dorothy Drew, W. Ralph Grooms,
Frank E. Wright, Ray E. Dhein, Eli
nor Shea Oliver, Maj. Lee F. Hamm,
William L. West, jr.; Melvin Fletcher,
Edward Lawless, June McNown, Jane
Gatewood. A. Pearl McPherson, R. H.
Offutt, John Donovan, Mrs. Alice
Green, Virginia Rabb, G. Frances
Raab. Emmett Galloway, G. L. Rodier.
Harlow C. May, Charlotte Weaver,
C. J. Pillow, M. W. Schneider,
Charles McLendon, Ray Dean, J. R.
Corry and B. Morrell.
Winners of $1 each are:
Rhoda Long. Virginia Saffold, Doris
B. Abbott, Vicken Von Post Totten,
Mrs. G. Thoene. Helen A. Johnson,
Virginia Ryder. Dudley Spruill, Mrs
M. Watts. Marston Shore. Jane Hill.
Marion Riche Wood, Betty Small.
Eunice Teel, Mary E. White and Gér
aldine Israelson.
Grace W. Atherton, Floyd Mont
gomery, Miss Ν. M. Quander, Ray
Dean, Charles Upham, Helen A.
Johnson. Eddie Hayes. Imogene
Smith, G. Anita Raab, Harry Gaghan.
John W. Striffler, J. A. Rice. Dolph
Atherton. Edythe Swinney. Alice Mc
Fall, Winfree G. Lee, Harriet Ann
Ross. Ellen Talcott, Robert N. Wynne
and J. E. Lamb.
Loretta Hawkins, Virginia Manson.
Mrs. Fred Ranch, Emma Golomb,
Howard McClaji, Margaret Mauson.
Frances P. Suter, Constance Kramer.
Frank L. Temple, Shirley Kurland.
Lewis Lawrence. John S. Ratrie. R.
Conkling Brown and William J. Hig
gins.
Alice D. Ritter, Dorothy H. Mar
quvrdt, Barbara Hodge, Paul Arey,
Franklin Shippen, R. E. Vincent, B.
Golkoski, Robert Easton, S. M. Bar
rett, Mrs. Marguerite Wilcox, Clar
ence Wright, Sally Hudson, Sara Field.
Mrs. J. S. Ratrie, Jeanne Morgan and
Joseph Keyes. _·
*a
Dance to Be Given.
VIENNA. Va., November 28 fSpe
:ial).—A square and round barn dance,
with two orchestras, will be given in
the J. A. Wheeler barn at Huntmere
Farms tomorrow night.
Co-ed Drives Taxi to Earn
Tuition and Ignores Critics
Miss Janie A. Michener,
young George Washington
University sophomore, who is
driving a taxi to make enough
money to finish college.
—Star Staff Photo.
EVERYBODY has met the young
man who is working his way
through college by selling
magazines, but few persons
are acquainted with the ease
of the attractive George Washington
Uni\ersity co-ed who is driving a taxi
to make enough money to pay for her
tuition.
She is Miss Janie A. Michener. 1813
F street, and she drives a late model
sedan, attired in riding breeches.
Some people criticize her for driving
a taxicab because they believe it is
no business for a woman. Miss
Michener says, "but there are others
who think it is perfectly all right for
me to do this and they praise me for
my courage."
Miss Michener has attended George
Washington University long enough to
pain sophomore standing and she also
has taken a course at a local business
school. She Is not going to school at
present, but wants to return as soon
as she gets enough money. She
doesn't know whether she will finish
i at George Washington or some other
college, possibly the University of
I Maryland.
Asked how the other cab drivers
1 treated her. Miss Michener replied:
"Well, about like any of the man
drivers. I guess. But when I get a
flat tire, they always are very cour
i teous. They always change my tires."
Burkart Tells Utilities Com
mission Plans Are Be
ing Drawn.
A proposal for construction of a
subway in the District is being pre
pared and will be forwarded to the
Public Utilities Commission, accord
ing to a letter received by the com
mission today from Joseph A. Burkart,
1 attorney.
Burkart's proposal is the revival of
an attempt to form a private corpo
ration in 1912 to construct a subway
from Union Station to the Capitol
and thence along Pennsylvania ave
nue to the Treasury and by way of
Vermont avenue and Fourteenth
street to Thomas Circle with a sur
face line from Thomas Circle to
Thirty-third street and Western
avenue.
A bill for that purpose was intro
duced in 1912, but never passed. Ac
cording to one of Burkart's associates,
it is proposed to construct the subway
with private funds, but an application
will be made to the Public Works
Administration for financial assist
ance.
The line of the new proposed sub
way. it was said, will start at Union
Station and run along Louisiana and
Indiana avenues to Seventh street and
Pennsylvania avenue. It will follow
Pennsylvania avenue to Thirteenth
street, north on Thirteenth street to
Park road and Piney Branch road, and
thence to Fifth street in Takoma Park.
Another proposed subway route
starts at Thirteenth street and Massa
chusetts avenue and extends west on
Massachusetts avenue to Hamilton
Circle and Idaho avenue, just beyond
the National Cathedral.
storëbàndïtTocks
THREE IN ICE BOX
Customer Flees to Basement as
Lone Robber Gets $55 at
1136 Florida Avenue.
Locking three clerks in an Icebox
while a frightened customer ran to the
basement, a bandit late yeserday held
up and robbed a chain grocery store
at 1136 Florida avenue northeast of
$55. In the excitement of getting out,
the robber dropped about $4 in change.
Racing down Florida avenue to
Fifth street, the man and a woman,
who waited outside in the car for him,
struck another automobile after dodg
ing a milk bottle thrown by E. Hoff
man, 1134 Florida avenue northeast.
After the accident, In which no one
was hurt, the couple commandeered a
passing taxicab and fled.
Hoffman hailed a passing car and
gave chase, but as they drew near the
fleeing car the driver said: "I'm a.
fireman and am late for work now. I
can't go on with this thing." He let
Hoffman out at Seventh and Florida
avenue. The crash was two blocks
away.
Those locked in the icebox were Ed
ward Parlaman, «tore manager, 151β
Isherwood street northeast; Alfonso
Trepani, and A. W. Anderson.
HOUSING PROGRAM
HERE LEADS 0. S.
Greater Success Is Seen in
District Than in Any
State.
The national housing program has !
attained greater success in Washing- 1
ton than in any State in the Union,
it was learned today at the Federal
Housing Administration.
Figures presented by F. H. A. show
the Capital has a far better record
in connection with the modernization
drive than any other section. Ad
ministration records show that up to
November 23. local banks granted 679 '
insurable loans to property owners
for modernization, representing a
total valuation of $358.938 52.
In addition, the 20 building and
loan associations here have made an
equal number of repair and improve
ment loans which are not insurable
under F. H. A. rules because of pro
vision in their charters that prohibits
the making of a loan on the short
terms required under Title I of the
housing act.
Comparing the loans granted here
by the number of owner - occupied
dwellings, the housing administration
found that the District leads the
country on a ratio basis, with Cali
fornia second. In that State more
than $2,400,000 has been spent, but
its record by comparison la not as
good as that of this city.
It was stated that while the figures
for the various States include prac
tically all "modernization" loans,
those for Washington do not include
the approximately 650 loans, totaling
about $350,000 made by building and
loan associations.
HENDERS0NÉSTATE
SETTLEMENT SIGNED
Justice Cox Approves Division
Decided Upon a Year Ago.
$41,897 for Mrs. Wholean.
The long controversy over the
estate of the late Mrs. Mary F. Hen
derson, for many years leader of
Washington's inner social circle, was
formally ended in District Supreme
Court yesterday.
Justice Joseph W. Cox signed a
final decree approving a settlement
agreed upon more than a year ago
when an attack upon Mrs. Hender
son's will was settled out of court.
The decree provides for a division of
real estate valued at approximately
$1,700,000 between the National Met
ropolitan Bank, executor of the es
tate of John B. Henderson, Jr., and
George E. Edelin, executor of Mrs.
Henderson's estate. No estimate was
given of the values of the respective
settlements.
The decree directed the payment of
$41,897.90 to Mrs. Beatrice Wholean,
who was described by Mrs. Henderson
as an adopted granddaughter. This
item apparently represented an In
terest claim and there was no dis
closure as to the full amount received
by her.
Κ
10 BINGO-ARCHERY
PLAYERS MED
BY GRAND JURY
Game Requires Skill and Is
Held Outside Law on
Gambling.
•
JOCKEY AGENT INDICTED
IN TWO MARRIAGES
William F. Gillispie of Baltimore
Alleged to Have Wed There and
at Hagerstown in Two Weeks.
Bingo-archery, which consists of
hurling darts at numbered placards
for prizes, Is not a gambling game, the
District grand jury decided today.
In making this decision, the jury re
fused to indict 10 men said to have
operated a bingo-archery parlor in the
1100 block of Connecticut avenue. The
jury decided the game was a matter of
skill.
The case was placed before the
grand jury for investigation by United
States Attorney Leslie C. Garnett after
he had received complaints from resi
dents living in the vicinity. Those
exonerated are Edward L. Mahoney,
John F. Storey, Claude W. Giles, Her
man L. McLeod, Clarence B. Crosby,
Horace W. Trice, Lester P. Katchie,
Edward Juliano, Henry A. Peckham
and George Chase.
William F. Gillispie, 24. a jockeys'
agent, alleged to have gone through
two marriage ceremonies with differ
ent women in two weeks, was indicted
on charges of bigamy and perjury.
According to the indictment, Gillispie,
who lives in Baltimore, married Edith
M Jenkins October 26 in Hagerstown,
Md., and two weeks later married
Helen G. Redford of Baltimore in this
city.
Hall Charges Similar.
Similar charges were returned
against William George Hall, 27, who
allegedly married Sadie E. Hall here
In June, 1931, and last month married
Leona M. Honeycutt without securing
a divorce from the former wife.
William Henry Moquin. former
Wardman Park Hotel auditor, was In
dicted on a charge of embezzling $685
of the hotel funds.
Joseph Lilly, colored, 27. was In
dicted for first-degree murder in con
nection with the killing of his wife
Bessie, who was fatally beaten with a
stove poker, November 6.
Many Others Indicted.
Others indicted, with the charges
against them, are:
Milton Winslow, Samuel Davis,
Preston Hymes, Theodore Patterson,
Walter Watson. Arthur G. Doyle and
Milton Hicks, Joy riding; Monroe Bell,
grand larceny and joy riding; Alger
Cheeks, Jesse Greenwell, James Robin
son. Clarence Ashton, William John
son, Pulton A. Bond and William M.
Crump, grand larceny; Wallace W.
Elliott, housebreaking and joy riding;
James White, Mellon Springs. Nick A.
Sampagna and George I. Mahoney,
housebreaking and larceny; James
Clark, William H. Evans, Iley Moore.
Claude Rose. Solon Richardson and
George Bernard, assault with a dan
gerous weapon; Richard O. Miller.
Samuel Hawkins. Daniel Davis. George
Bernard, Ollie Roy, James H. Neal,
William Frederick, Dletz L. Paris,
William M. Taylor and Charles Bass
ham, robbery; Herman Jackson, George
Smith and Michael A. Curtin. assault
with intent to commit robbery; James
Williams and George Jackson, assault
with Intent to commit carnal knowl
edge; Wilbur B. Peaire. carnal knowl
edge; William Jackson. Thomas J.
Evans, Anselmo Arvillis and Irving
West, violating liquor taxing act of
1934; Rosa Hines Lee. violating sec
tion 73. title 18, U. S. code; Edgar
M. Campion, violating section 100,
title 18. U. S. code: Bernard D. Reed,
violating section 265, title 18. U. S.
code, and Hadley Lane, James Ralph
Harris and Willie Lee, manslaughter.
List of Those Cleared.
The jury cleared the following of
the charges indicated:
Benjamin R. Falkner, housebreak
ing and larceny; Le Roy Day and
Lawrence Holmes, joyriding; Creed
Martin, grand larceny; Fred E. Fos
night, Robert Jackson, Herman T.
Lewis, Daniel J. Sanklin and George
W. Briscoe, assault with a dangerous
weapon; Joseph Miller, assault with
intent to commit robbery; George
Dodson and Priscilla Jones, violating
liquor-taxing act; Herbert Barrett,
blackmail; Edward B. Gaskill, violat
ing section 851-b, District of Colum
bia Code; Stephen Russell Gates, vio
lating section 75, title 18, United
States code; John Landon, violating
section 73, title 18, United States
Code, and Harry Chester Smith,
violating section 76, title 18, United
States Code.
SOLUTlÔrTÔFWILSON
MURDER BRIGHTENS
Secret Information Obtained by
Ballistics Expert Gives
Police Hope.
Secret information which police
hope will lead to the solution of the
murder a month ago of Allen B. Wil
son, newspaper route agent, has been
obtained by Lieut. John Fowler, police
ballistics expert, and Detective Sergt.
E. P. Hartman. Police Supt. Ernest W.
Brown disclosed today.
Brown declined, however, to make
public the Information, intimating the
whole mistaken Identity slaying case
depends on utmost secrecy.
Fowler and Hartman encountered
considerable difficulty in running down
the lead they were following, it was
said, and had to travel several thou
sand miles to obtain the information
they were seeking.
Wilson, a resident of Takoma Park,
Md., was slain as he delivered a morn
ing paper at the home of "Mickey"
Mac Donald, near Takoma Park.
Wins Beauty Contest.
WARRENTON, Va., November 28
CSpecial). —Miss Bessie Woodzell.
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry
Woodzell, of Warrenton, won the
beauty contest held in Warrenton
High School last night. About 30
girls competed.
Legal Death Plea
Rejected by M'Carl
On $25,200 Claim
Missing Retired Naval
Officer Held Pos
sibly Dead.
State laws fixing a "legal death"
date for persons who have dropped
from sight are not binding upon the
Government, Controller General Mc
Carl held today in a decision which
turned down a claim for (25.200 filed
on behalf of the estate of Fidelio S.
Carter, retired lieutenant commander
of the Navy.
Carter disappeared on February 7,
1927, and has never been heard from.
On May 19 last, the Surrograte's
Court of New York declared him
legally dead as of February 7, last,
which was the end of the seven years'
period of his unexplained absence.
The administrator filed claim for his
retired pay from the date of his dis
appearance through the seven suc
ceeding years upon the presumption
that life continues until the contrary
is shown or until the statutory seven
years after unexplained disappearance
when the court enters the legal decree
of death.
McCarl granted retired pay only un
til the date Carter dropped from
sight.
"There Is no evidence of his ac
tually having been alive after that
date." McCarl said. "For the purpose
of establishing a claim against the
United States the burden of proof is
upon the claimant."
Tells Commission Extra Fa
cilities on Kennedy Are
Not Necessary.
I People's Counsel William A. Roberts
j today filed with the Public Utilities
! Commission a protest against its pro
posed order requiring the double-track
[ ing of Kennedy street east of Georgia
avenue with double-track connections
j into the Georgia avenue tracks.
Under the commission's proposed
j order, -which has not yet been defi
nitely settled upon, all street car serv
ice from the Takoma Park area would
come east along Kennedy street and
thence south into Georgia avenue.
None of it would travel south by way
of Fourteenth street as at present, and
the connection on Kennedy street be
tween Georgia avenue and Fourteenth
street would be abandoned.
Suggests Single Branch·
Roberts suggested that a few of the
Takoma cars might be brought down
Georgia avenue by putting a single
track branch-off at the intersection of
Georgia avenue and Kennedy street,
and suggested that additional bus
service be instituted, reaching out into
Takoma Park, Md.( operating over
Fifth street or some other street lying
between Georgia avenue and Third
! street, passing Fourteenth street and
Colorado avenue and coming down
town by way of Thirteenth street.
He opposed the large investment
I which would be required by the in
! stallation of double tracks in Kennedy
street and the double track branch
off into Georgia avenue.
Discusses Bus Preference.
In speaking of his preference for
bus over street car service, he saici:
"The rapid growth of transportation
by individual motor car and the gen
eral falling off of mass transportation
patronage under this competition has
also hampered the transition (from
street car to bus service), but in the
light of the experience of the last
10 years it is a brave soul who can
persist in a position that mars trans
portation over steel rails will be other
ί than a museum curiosity within the
next 30 years."
PRESSMAN INHALES
GAS TO END LIFE
Government Printing Office Em
ploye Was Despondent
Over Suspension.
Despondent over being suspended
from work at the Government Print
ing Office due to alleged Infraction of
regulations, Prank J. Reles, 46, a
pressman, ended his life early today
with illuminating gas in his room in
the 200 block of Ε street northeast.
Reles was charged with having sev
eral times left the office without the
permission of his superiors and had
been given until December 3 to an
swer the charges.
In his room was found a note ad
dressed to his wife, Mrs. Rose Reles,
Cohoes, Ν. Y„ reading:
"Dear Rose: I am out of work.
Sorry, but I can't help it."
Odor of illuminating gas was de
tected this morning by Walter E.
Barr, another roomer at the Ε street
address, who entered and found Reles
•unconscious. Barr turned off the gas
and summoned a physician from Cas
ualty Hospital, who pronounced Reles
dead.
A certificate of suicide was issued
by the District coroner, Dr. A. Ma
gruder MacDonald.
.
ROBBERS GET CASH
INSTEAD OF TURKEYS
—————
Two Thanksgiving-minded colored
robbers had to be content this morn
ing with approximately $20 in cash
when they learned the Sanitary
Grocery store, at 2315 Eighteenth
street, did not have turkeys.
"Where's the turkeys?" they first
asked the manager, A. M. Scat«s of
534 Fourteenth street southeast, when
they entered the store shortly after
opening time and pointed a gun at
him.
After Scatea had Informed them
that this store did not have any
they told him to open up the register,
he said. While one held the gun on
him the other helped himself to the
cash. When a woman customer en
tered they hurriedly left, leaving a
few coins In the till.
ALIBI UNDER FI
AS BERLIN-DUNN
TRIAL NEARS END
Baltimore Policeman Called
to Refute Story of Hold
up Suspect.
PROSECUTION BANKING
ON MISUNAS' TESTIMONY
Hopes Gangster's Identification of
Pair as Brewery Bandits Will
Bring Conviction.
Concluding: arguments were being
presented today as the trial of John
(Slim) Dunn and Samuel C. Berlin
on charges of participating in the
$1.600 Heurich brewery hold-up drew
near a close in District Supreme Court.
A rebuttal witness, Policeman Jo
seph E. Lynch of Baltimore, testified
this morning in the Government's
effort to refute certain details of
Berlin's history given by the defend
ant yesterday. Lynch had testified
Berlin had not been absent more than
six months at any time since 1929
from the vicinity of the policeman's
beat in downtown Baltimore. Lyr.ch
said Berlin apparently had no regular
employment during this time.
Yesterday Berlin told the Jury he
had lived several years in New York
and Atlantic City, since 1925 and had
been regularly employed by «everal
large concerns.
Prosecution Banks on Misunas.
The trial opened Monday before
Judge James M. Proctor, with the
Government banking heavily on the
testimony of Arthur (Dutch) Misunas.
former Tri-State gangster, who turned
State's evidence. Misunas probably
will be returned to Richmond today.
Police guarded Misunas with sub
machine guns and picked details of
sharpshooters when they brought him
to and from court. All spectators not
known to police are searched before
being admitted to the court room.
The two defendants testified in their
own behalf late yesterday and issued
categorical denials to all charges
made by Government witnesses. In
particular, they denied the story of
Misunas, and both were positive they
had never seen the burly blond gang
ster before he implicated them in
the robbery.
Berlin, prompted by Defense Attor
ney Ellis Levin of Baltimore, gave a
sketchy history of his life. He ad
mitted he had been arrested on at
least two previous occasions, once for
fighting and again for carrying a gun
he never saw until a policeman pulled
it out of his pocket at headquarters
like a rabbit out of a hat.
Both Offer Alibis.
Berlin said he was in Baltimore, at
a restaurant, listening to the broad
cast of a world series game, and there
fore could not have been in Washing
ton when the robbery occurred, as
charged by Misunas. He said he could
find no one who remembered his being
there, and had no alibi witnesses.
Dunn said this same world series
game had helped him to refresh his
memory as to where he was on the
afternoon of October 5, 1933. Dunn
confirmed the testimony of four alibi
witnesses from Richmond, who had
preceded him to the stand. They
placed him in the Virginia capital at
the time of the robbery.
These witneses were Mrs. Ruth Hoff
man, 10 North Belmont street, Rich
mond; Edward D. Strain, unemployed
locomotive fireman, of 5 North Bel
mont street; Thomas Neahni, operator
of a delicatessen at 20 North Belmont
street, and Elmer Ray Neville, a bar
ber of the 1400 block of West Main
street.
Witnesses Positive on Alibi.
Strain and Neville recalled they saw
Dunn watching world series returns
being posted on a scoreboard at the
Richmond Fair late on the afternoon
of October 5, 1933, and the other two
placed Dunn in Richmond early that
same night. Mrs. Hoffman said she
lived at the same boarding house
where Dunn had a room.
Cross-examined by Assistant United
States Attorney Julian I. Richards,
all the alibi witnesses were positive
they recalled seeing Dunn on the
day of the robbery, although less cer
tain as to when they saw him before
and after this date. Mrs. Hoffman
said she fixed the date because of the
iair. ana uie men saia it was me
world series game which made the day
stand out in their minds.
Denies Boasting of Hold-up.
Berlin was at a loss to explain why
a former cellmate at Baltimore, Rus
sell V. Edwards, came here and testi
fied Berlin boasted of robbing the
brewery when he returned to his cell
following a removal hearing at Balti
more last June. Edwards is serving
four years at the Maryland Peniten
tiary for false pretenses.
"All I ever said to that guy," pro
tested Berlin, "was to pass the time
of day and hand him a few cigaretts
now and then."
Berlin denied he had described the
activities of the tri-State gang to
Edwards, as the witness charged, or
had asked his cellmate to join a gang
he planned to form when he got out
of jail.
The prosecution closed late yester
day, after putting a dozen witnesses
on the stand. Several brewery em
ployes Identified Dunn. Berlin and
Misunas as men who had held guns
over them during the robbery. The
defense closed just before adjourn
ment for the day, after putting the
defendants on the stand.
Deaths Reported.
Princes A. Calvert. 88. Emercency Hos
pital.
John L. Sherty. 81. 1701 Park rd.
Lucy Harkness. 76. 120β 10th »t.
Andrew Johnson. 70. 81bley Hospital.
Edmuno Down. 67. National Homéopathie
Hospital.
Lucy B. Blanchard. 66. 806 Massachusetta
ave. n.e.
Mary A. Gould, «4, Emergency Hospital.
Max E. Melton, 62. 3661 Morrison st.
William J. Hennessy. 82. I860 Park rd.
George 8. Dodge 81. Gallinger Hospital.
Archibald C. Tindell. 60. Providence Hos
pital.
Walter H. Horn. SO. Home for Incurables.
Elizabeth M. Wolstenholm. 58, Emergency
Hospital.
Joseph Ostrich. 51. 1230 11th st. s e.
John Ε 8wink. 47. Gallinger Hospital
Harriet Tlmbrook. 70. Gallinger Hospital.
William B. Hollmand 66. 1602 6th »t.
Taylor Bonds. 65. Garfleld Hospital.
8amuel Stewart. 50. 1.316 U st
Prank Oarner. 5». Gallinger Hospital.
John Kidd. 47. 1802 14th it
John Dwver. 37. Gallinger Hospital.
Henry Allen. 35. Oallinger Hospital.
Mary Bailey. 29. Casualty Hospital. J
»