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WEATHER. A ‘ (TJ. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) r " Increasing cloudiness and warmer to- The only evening naner night, showers late tonight and tomor- nt /• , ®.,£ row; warmer tomorrow; moderate winds. -*1 WdSningtOn With the Temperatures—Highest, 71, at noon to- Associated Pl'eSS Ne\VS d^i,i?eSt5o4nPa5geaA-2ray- and Wirephoto Services. Closing N.Y. Markets—Sales—Page 18 Yesterday’s Circulation, 141,818 y ■■ 1 ■ - -- —.. ...^___'Some returns not yet receives ) 85th YEAR. No. 33,988. StTc! WASHINGTON, I). C., FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1937—FIFTY-TWO PAGES. *** <*> M..n. A..oci.t.d Pres9. TWO CENTS. OFFERS CONTRACT Steel Union’s Bargaining Right Secured by Vote of Over 21/2 to 1. 20-MINUTE CONFERENCE IS DECLARED ‘AMIABLE’ Corporation Chairman Lewis and Murray of S. W. 0. C. May Sign Pact Tomorrow. BACKGROUND— John L. Lewis heads union forces pushing vertical organization of in dustrial workers as opposed to A. F. of L. ideal of craft or horizontal organization. By coincidence, it nuis Jones & Laughlin Steel Co. that challenged legality of the Wagner act and lost before the Supreme Court. The act sets up machinery to force collective bar gaining upon firms through recog nition elections. Br the Associated Press. PITTSBURGH. May 21—The Steel Workers' Organizing Committee, vic torious in the Nation's first major em ploye election under the supervision of the Government, presented a collec tive bargaining contract today to the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. The contract was received by Chair man H. E. Lewis of the corporation at a 20-minute conference with Chair man Phillip Murray of the steel union, spearhead of John L. Lewis’ indus trial unionization drive. Emerging from the conference room, Murray said: "The meeting was very amiable. Mr. Lewis accepted the result of the elec tion in good spirit,” The two leaders will meet again to morrow when the contract possibly may be signed. It is expected to be considered first by counsel for the corporation. Vote Over 217 to 1. More than 24,000 of Jones & Laugh lin's mill 27.000 employes voted yes terday by a 2!2 to 1 margin in favor of having the union represent them exclusively in bargaining with the management. The result was an nounced at dawn today by the Na tional Labor Board. After the last ballot had been counted In the quiet of a post office room. It was an historic election because It was the biggest ever conducted un der the Federal Government's super vision. It was a decision of mo mentous significance to the forces of John L. Lewis, whose Committee for Industrial Organization already was reaching out toward other steel com panies where yet it has been unrecog nized. At 5:38 am. (Eastern standard time) Ernest C. Dunbar, regional di rector of the National Labor Rela tions Board, emerged from the count ing place with a slip of paper giving these figures: Total ballots, 24.412: for the Steel Workers’ Organizing Committee—the C. I. O. unit involved—17.028; not in favor of the S. W. O. C., 7,207; blank ballots, 31; void ballots, 56; chal lenged votes, 90. The men voted in two plants, the larger at Aliquippa, 18 miles down the Ohio River from Pittsburgh; the other at the South Side mills in the city proper. Breakdown Not Available. No official breakdown of the ballots was available immediately. Figures issued unofficially by Joseph Timko, subregional director for the S. W. O. C., before the tabulation had been completed indicated under partial re turns that in Aliquippa the C. I. O. vote was about 2 to 1, or less, against about 3 to 1 in the South side plant. The vote in the Pittsburgh works was unofficially reported as 9,073 for the union and 4,031 opposed. At Aliquippa. the unofficial tally was 7,940 for and 3,191 against the union. These figures were at slight variation with the official totals. It was at Aliquippa that mast of the unrest occurred in the recent 36-hour strike which brought about the elec tion. A *'J. & L.” spokesman, commenting or. the fact that about 91 per cent of all eligible men voted, remarked: "This shows the intense interest of the men. The men have spoken. This shows what they want.” Corporation Chairman Lewis issued this statement: "The Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. Is gratified that such an important Issue has been so amicably settled by peaceful and democratic methods un der the provisions of the Wagner act. “Now that the election is over and our employes have made their decision, let us forget the tension of the past few weeks and cheerfully apply our selves to our duties, as there is much for all of us to do with our order books better filled than for some time pest.” Policemen Aid Tabulators. The voting had ended officially at 1 a.m. (Eastern daylight time). The ballots, dropped by workers In the ballot boxes at the great mills as they began or ended their shifts, were rushed to Dunbar's headauarters by representatives of bothxsides, and, in gome instances, by uniformed police men. They were gathered from 46 polling boxes. At the counting machines were Lee Pressman, attorney for the C. I. O.; W. H. Dupka, controller of the com pany, and Dunbar. They all appeared in amiable spirits and as soon as the result was announced Dunbar felici tated all concerned. Through it all, he had said earlier, not a single “serious” complaint as to irregularity wTas made by either *ide. The first batch of ballots—from the south side steel district of Pittsburgh— did not arrive for tabulation until 3:29 a.m. They were seized eagerly from the rcd-faced, earnest union men who carried them. Other batches ar rived at long intervals. * A 500 Striking Miners Start Sit-In 360 Feet Under Ground 2,500 Onlookers Watch as Illinois Work ers Begin S ha re-th e-Work Siege in Festive Night. By the Associated Press. GILLESPIE. 111.. May 21.—Volun tarily entombed 360 feet below the earth's surface, approximately 500 miners settled down lo an underground existence today after a jolly, near sleepless night inaugurating a sit down strike in the Superior Coal Co.'s No. 4 mine at Wilsonville. The strike was called late yesterday to support demands for a share-the work plan with 300 employes of the company made idle last week by the closing of another pit for repairs. Laughing and singing the men underground carried their carefree demonstration into the early morning hours. Seventy of the older men, those between 65 and 70 years of age, were sent to the surface by the pit committee to spare them the hard ships of the self-imposed entombment. The others—hardy young men of 26 and gray haired veterans of the pits twice their age and more—were determined, said John Fisher, presi dent of Local No. 1 of the Progressive Miners of America, "to stick it out to the last.” As rapidly as the news of the under ground sit-down spread, crowds gath ered at the mine tipple. Wives of the strikers brought their children. Idle miners and their families flocked to the shaft. Hundreds of curious came to look on. There was no demonstra tion and the crowd, estimated at 2,500, remained orderly as it dispersed late last night. An official of the mine who did not wish to be quoted said: Food, clothing, reading material and playing cards were lowered to the men soon. Fisher said there was enough food "to last us quite a while." Mrs. Fisher, who remained at home to assist in arrangements to make the strikers comfortable, said "three truckloads of food have been sent down." Fisher said the idle miners had promised they would supply food while the strike was in progress. Fied S. Pfalen of Chicago, president of the Superior Coal Co., was report ed en route here early today. Mine officials said no statement concerning the strike would be made until his arrival. The strike, Fisher said, was agreed upon "simultaneously" after negotia tions to institute a stagger system of work had failed. The union’s con tract with the company, which ex pired March 31, but was extended during negotiations with the operators’ organization, provides the operators must arrange a division of work after men have been idle 30 days. Fisher said the local union was demanding immediate share-t.he-work for those affected by the closing of another mine. Duke to Abandon Religious Service in Marriage to Mrs. Warfield. BACKGROUND— The Church of England, regarded one of prime forces in abdication of Duke of Windsor, together with pressure brought by Prime Minister Baldwin, again proves stumbling block as wedding day approaches. Royal family now may personally recognize marriage by sending members to meet duke at Biarritz. By the Associated Press. MONTS. Prance, May 21—Thpre will be no religious ceremony to unite the Duke of Windsor and Mrs. Wallis Warfield, a spokesman announced to night. Herman L. Rogers made the an nouncement. He refused to say why the plans for a religious service, to follow the civil service on June 3, had been abandoned. It was known, however, that the Duke and his fiancee had been trying without much success to find an Anglican pastor who would marry them in the face of the church's stand against remarriage of divorced persons and its constant opposition to the Ed ward-Warfield union. Counsellor Calls at Cande. Hugh L. Thomas, British Embassy \ counsellor at Paris, was at the Chateau de Cande with Windsor and Mrs. Warfield today, presumably on the question of a religious service. But Rogers would not say whether Thomas’ presence had anything to do with the decision not to have such a service. Rogers did say that the British consul from Mantes would attend the civil ceremony, thus giving it some thing of a British official favor. How ever, the consul's capacity will be un official. The British government still is steadfastly opposed to any public recognition of the match, and no member of the royal family will come here. Mrs. Merryman Arrives. Mrs. D. B. Merryman, Mrs. War field's ‘ Aunt Bessie," arrived at the chateau today from the United States to be the ‘‘number one” wedding guest. Just ahead of her were Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bates, described as Americans who are ‘ personal friends of the duke.” They will stay over the week end. The duke and Bates set out for 18 holes of golf, with Mrs. Warfield and Mrs. Bates trailing. When “Aunt Bessie” arrived, Mrs. Warfield left the course to greet her. The British government in the mean while was reported by a source close to the Duke of Windsor to have denied the former monarch the protection of the British Navy for a honeymoon cruise down the coast of civil-war ton Spain. Windsor, his friend said, was con sidering turning to a foreign nation for the guarantee of safety which he was unable to get from the naval empire he once ruled. The British government was said to have refused the request in view of naval incidents, growing out of the Spanish conflict, that increased international tension. Honeymoon Trip Plans. The original honeymoon plan was said to have called for Windsor and his duchess to leave Chateau de Cande immediately after their wed ding June 3 for an automobile trip to Biarritz, a French resort on the Bay of Biscay, whose waters also wash the Basque coast of Northern Spain. After three days at the famed wa tering place the royal couple were to cruise on a British yacht down the Spanish coast, through the Straits of Gibraltar to the Mediterranean and the romantic Dalmatian coast of. Yu goslavia. The owner of the yacht which Edward planned -to use had insisted upon the naval protection. There was a possibility the duke might change his honeymoon plans completely or might seek a foreign yacht and protection for the cruise. Prince Paul May Offer Aid. It was pointed out that the prince regent, Paul of Yugoslavia, was a close friend of Windsor and might offer a Yugoslavian convoy. This possibility was considered to be increased by the fact that the duke planned to end the cruise with a visit to the Dalmatian coast, where he and Mrs. Warfield once spent a care-free vacation. a * House Lines Closely Drawn, as Vote on Program Is Expected Today. BACKGROUND— Disappointing tax revenues have served as springboard for deter mined economy drive by congres sional bloc. Major issue in contro versy is relief appropriation, with President asking $1,500,000,000 and some of economy Senators seeking curtailment by as much as 50 per cent. Efforts also made to slash other appropriations. By the Associated Press. The House battle over the size of next year's relief fund developed to day into a contest between administra tion forces and groups wanting to increase or decrease President Roose velt’s recommendation for $1,500, 000,000. Observers described the final vote, probably late in the afternoon, as an important test of sentiment on the economy issue. Harry L. Hopkins, works progress administrator, addressed a strategy meeting of House leaders just before the House met. The meeting was held behind closed doors in the office of Representative Boland of Pennsylvania, the Demo cratic whip. Majority Leader Ray burn and more than a dozen of Bo land's assistant whips attended. Boland declined to comment on the object of the gathering. “You're up awfully early,” was Hopkins' only re mark to news men on his arrival. Among those attending the session was Representative Beiter, Democrat, of New York, spokesman for a House group seeking to earmark $300,000, 000 of the relief fund for the Public Works Administration. Later Boland said plans had been completed to steer the bill to passage without any amendments or earmark ing that would be “contrary to the w'ishes of the President.” Cannon Makes Plea. Later, when the House convened, Representative Cannon, Democrat, of Missouri, acting chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, took the floor to plead for $1,500,000,000. “The bill calls for $1,500,000,000, and it is an economy bill. It is the first step toward discontinuance of the emergency relief program. It is a compromise between two extremes— $2,000,000,000 on the one hand and $1,000,000,000 on the other.” Cannon said the relief program would entail a total expenditure of $2,214,000,000 this year. “The President,” he declared, “has said needs justify the continuance of the program on the same basis. But he says we must balance the budget.” Cannon said the President or House leaders “have never attempted to coerce the House or any members to vote for $1,500,000,000.” “But he has recommended that amount.” The Missourian contended that Re publicans wanted to reduce the amount to “create hard times.” “They are looking ahead to the next election,” he said. He warned Democratic colleagues the people "at the next primary” would ask them if they stood with their President or the Republicans. , Supports President. Representative McReynolds, Demo crat, of Tennessee, advocating a bil lion-dollar bill, replied to Cannon that "I yield to no man in support of the President. “The people will not say that we voted with the Republicans, but that the Republicans voted with us to save the Democratic party and the tax payers.” McReynolds told colleagues it was the duty of Congress to say what the amount should be. “The other day the executive sent us word it did not want the legislative department encroaching upon its rights. “Neither do we want the executive encroaching upon the legislative,” he declared. Both Republicans and Democrats applauded. The President, in vetoing a $5,000, 000 appropriation for the New York World Fair, offered an opinion of the Justice Department that the appropri ation measure violated the Constitu tion by placing responsibility for spending in the hands of an agency outside ot executive oontroi, * WENT PAY LEVEL HELD PRESIDENTS LABOR DILL PLAN Administration Proposal Ex pected to Provide 40-Hour Work Week as Well. FORMULATING BODY PLANNED, IS BELIEF Measure Is Expected to Prohibit Child Labor Alto gether. B.v the Associated Press. Congressmen closely in touch with labor matters predicted today the ad ministration's general labor legislation would seek to establish a 40-hour work week and a basic minimum wage of 40 cents an hour. The administration bill, to be recom mended by President Roosevelt in a special message to Congress, will be in troduced by Chairman Connery of the House Labor Committee. Connery would not discuss details, but other members said the provisions of the bill probably would be flexible so as to take care of industries having labor problems peculior to themselves. hTe bill, they indicated, would set up a commission to work out details of the program. They said the commis sion probably would have power to fix maximum hours in some cases of 35 hours a week and to establish minimum wages in brackets ranging up to a limit of $1,500 a year. The bill was expected to provide a flat prohibition against child labor. o|i|iues 10 iiiirrHiue nuMness, Representative Ellenbogen, Demo crat, of Pennsylvania, author of a bill to create a "little N. R. A." for the textile industry, said the Presi dent's wage and hour program would not become effective for individual industries until the commission so derided. Chairman Keller of the labor sub committee holding hearmgs on the textile bill, said it had been decided not to sidetrack the Ellenbogen bill. "We have had the President's bill before us.’’ he said, "and see no rea son why we should not go ahead with hearings on the textile measure. In fact, we see every reason why we should." The President's bill, 41 pages long, sets up detailed standards for appli cation of its minimum wage and maxi mum hour provisions, it was learned, and is designed to apply to interstate business. “There are at least several hundred basinesses in that category,’’ Ellen bogen said, “and if a commission can arbitrarily decide when they should come under the bill, why can’t Con gress do it? Licensing Bill Proposed. “To decide that question intelligent ly the commission would have to hold months of hearings for each industry, and we’ve already been doing that for two years w-ith textiles.” Representative Hartley, Republican, of New Jersey, proposed, meanwhile, that Congress regulate wages and hours by a licensing bill applying both to industries operating in interstate commerce and to labor organizations. This bill would deny licenses to businesses operated in excess of 40 hours a week without overtime pay ments, employing persons under 16 years of age or failing to pay a "just and reasonable weekly wage sufficient to permit workers to maintain stand ards of living of decency and comfort.” The minimum wage would be $12. Labor organizations would be refused licenses if they forced workers to join by threats, coercion or violence, in jured or destroyed property, ordered strikes in violation of an agreement or to force violation of a contract, or used force or intimidation in connec tion with a strike. King George Inspects Ships. PORTSMOUTH, England, May 21 W).—King George VI spent his last day w:ith the fleet for the coronation review today in a personal inspection of some of Britain’s mighty men-of war. A HORSE! A HORS tS) my Kingdom for ) HORSE? ^ U. S. Agent Taken on Narcotics Charge After Woman Gives Tip ._____ Eight Alleged Peddlers Also Seized. “Shocking Conditions” Reported to Treasury by Observer. A tip from a woman living in Reno's divorce colony has resulted in the ar rest by a special Treasury squad of a Federal narcotics agent and eight al leged drug peddlers on charges of operating a “dope ring" in Nevada, The agent, Chris Hansen, was sus pended by Treasury officials here coincident with his arrest at Reno last j night under a Federal warrant charg- | ing conspiracy to violate the Harrison 1 narcotics law, it was announced here : today. A, V. McAvoy, described at the I Treasury as the “probable leader” of the ring, and seven Chinese also are J in custody. All the prisoners are to , j be arraigned at Reno today belore a 1 United States commissioner under conspiracy charges. Evidence against the group is to be turned over to the United States attorney for grand jury consideration, it was stated. Investigation of Hansen's activities in Reno was begun several months ago, officials said, after information against him had been given by Joyce McAl lister of Santa Barbara, Calif., Asso ciated Press dispatches quoted her as saying she complained to Federal au thorities after witnessing ''shocking” drug violations in Reno. A group of special investigators from headquarters was sent to the scene. Of ficials here said Hansen was observed ~ i See NARCOTICS, Page A-4.t_ JURY MAY PROBE ' Man Accused of Offering Witness $35 Not to Tes tify in County. A special session of the Prince Georges County grand jury may be called, it was learned today, to study evidence that a former county police man, under indictment in a bonding investigation, was implicated in an at tempt to “buy off" a witness here last night. If the jury were recalled, it would open its session about June 7, when trials of six other former policemen, a bondsman and a justice of the peace are scheduled to start. State's At torney Alan Bowie said evidence of the alleged bribery would be heard by the grand jury at its regular sitting in October if no special session is held. These developments followed the arrest last night of Harry McH. Brax ton, 26, colored. Lakeland, Md., who was charged with “bribery” after he was trapped in the apartment of a former county grand jury witness. Bowie and Special Prosecutor Ogle Marbury planned to attend a confer ence in the district attorney's office here at 2:30 p.m. today. Bowie said any immediate action by Maryland (See BRIBERY,-Pag<T"A^37) Summary of Today’s Star ------- Page. Amusements B-18 Comics _C-6 Editorials __ A-10 Financial_A-17 Lost & Found A-3 Obituary_A-12 Page. Radio_C-7 Short Story. B-12 Society __B-3 Sports_C-l-3 Woman's Pg.. C-4 FOREIGN. Windsor to abandon church ceremony in wedding. Page A-l NATIONAL. Court plan foes urged to “stand firm” under “pressure.” Page A-l C. I. O. wins sole bargaining rights for Jones & Laughlin. Page A-l Economy test seen in approaching House vote on relief. Page A-2 Three Senators begin draft of child labor ban. Page A-3 Baruch warns Pittman act may not insure neutrality. Page A-4 WASHINGTON AND VICINITY. D. C. real estate tax bocst opposed by two Senators. Page A-l "Missing witness” found, denies hear ing noise in Keene cabin. Page A-l Special jury session may be called in police bribe case. Page A-l Washington midshipman wins medal for target practice. Page A-4 Sanitary engineer cites pollution men ace of slaughter house. Page A-6 Favorable report expected for daylight savings bill. Page B-l School Safety Patrol youths here for conference. Page B-l Planners have model showing site for auditorium here. Page B-l New milk marketing agreement here held possible. Page B-l Cooper asks Appeals Court to recall mandat* to bank cat* Pace B-l EDITORIAL AND COMMENT. Editorials. Page A-10 This and That. Page A-10 Political Mill. Page A-ll Washington Obesrvations. Page A-ll Answers to Questions. Page A-10 David Lawrence. Page A-ll Paul Mallon. Page A-ll Dorothy Thompson. Page A-ll Constantine Brown. Page A-ll Headline Folk. Page A-ll FINANCIAL. Corporate bonds gain < table). Page A-17 Weather curbs trade. Page A-17 Freight loadings up. Page A-17 Stocks improve (table). PageA-18 Curb list higher (table). PageA-19 Earnings favorable. PageA-19 SPORTS. Nats hunting catcher, rumored Bol ton may return. Page C-l Tribe setting American League pace in hot race. . Page C-l McLeod planning to play in his thirty fourth open tourney. Page C-2 New tennis ace adds spice to Star's tournament. Page C-3 MISCELLANY. Washington Wayside. Page A-2 Young Washington. Page A-t Shipping News. Page B-5 Vital Statistics. Page B-5 City New's in Brief,. Page B-5 Traffic Convictions. Page B-5 Service Orders. Page B-5 Dorothy Dix. Page C-4 Betsy Caswell. Page C-4 Bedtime Story. Page C-5 Nature's Children. Page C-5 Winning Contract. Page C-5 Crossword Puzzle. Page C-6 Letter-Out. Page C-l COURT BILL FOES Burke Warns “Pressure” on Doubtful Senators Un derlies Apparent Calm. BACKGROUND— Presidential proposal to revamp Supreme Court has kept Congress tied up since February. After ex tended hearings, Senate Judiciary Committee disapproved plan on same day that Associate Justice Van Deranter announced resigna tion from bench. Court's “liberal” attitude in re cent rulings on New Deal laws also has entered into controversy, but President is still reported as firm in intention to effect passage of plan. By the Associated Press. Senator Burke. Democrat, of Ne braska called on foes of the Roosevelt court bill today to stand firm, declar ing administration leaders were "put ting pressure” on doubtful Senators. "The present calm is largely on the surface,” he said. "Now is the time for opponents of the bill to be most alert.” Foes of the measure said talk of modification was centering on the idea of two new justices instead of a passible increase to 15. The White House, however, was standing by the original provision for appointment of new justices for every member serving past 70 F ^ years. At present five justices are beyond that age. A White House secretary, speaking for the President, said administration Senate advisers were urging that the fight for the entire measure continue. Burke said he believed the President sincerely wanted “all or nothing,” but that friends of the bill in the Senate were "quietly laying the foundation for an attempt to compromise.” There were indications the bill would not reach the Senate for an other 10 days. Chairman King. Demo crat, of Utah of the subcommittee drafting the committee's adverse re < See_JUD'lCIARY,_Page D. C. REALTY TAX Senators Capper and Austin Favor New Levy as Alternative. BACKGROUND— Budget estimates for District's next fiscal year threatened deficit of nearly $8.000,000. Action by House cut threatened shortage to about $6.000.000. To overcome this, flood of tax proposals was sub mitted. Program of Commissioners now apparently favored. Mean while, Senate committee, studying appropriations, may alter revenue needs. BY J. A. O’LEARY. Enactment of some of the proposed new taxes for the District in prefer ence to meeting the impending deficit by raising real estate taxes was fa vored today by two members of the Senate District Committee—Senators Capper, Republican, of Kansas, and Austin, Republican, of Vermont. Meanwhile, the Senate subcommit tee handling the $45,228,000 local ap propriation bill went ahead with hear ings today, concentrating on unem ployment relief and other welfare ac tivities. including the jail, hospitals and other institutions. Senator Austin announced his sup port of the sales taxes, which would produce $5,000,000. as more desirable than increasing the real estate levy. Senator Capper Declared he would rather have an income tax than a higher tax on homes. The Commis sioners, however, have decided to recommend the sales tax temporarily, in lieu of the income tax, in their five-point revenue program, and ask Congress for $15,000 for a thorough study of the entire local tax structure during the recess. Capper pointed out, however, that use of the sales tax is growing elsewhere. S8,500.000 Possible Deficit. As the appropriation bill now stands it would require the District to raise $6,000,000 of new revenue, and, if changes being requested in the Senate hearings are approved, the deficit might go to $8,500,000. If the supply bill passes, even with out further increases, and no new taxes are enacted, the commissioners would have no alternative but to raise the rate on real estate and tangible personal property, since they are prohibited by law from creating a deficit. The House Appropriations Committee wrote a proviso into the supply bill that would have prevented any increase in the real estate or (See D. C. BILL, Page A-5.) -• 200 REBELS TAKEN Albanian Troops Also Report Cap ture of Leader. ROME, May 21 The number of insurgents captured by government troops in the Albanian revolt has risen to 200, the Stefani (official Ital ian) News Agency reported today. The agency said Elmas Toto, cousin of Etem Toto, former cabinet mem ber and reported originator of the revolt, was captured at Konispoli. He was carrying $4,000 in gold francs, the dispatch said. “Full-Dress” Burglar Sentenced To 12 to 40 Years, Record Here A sentence of 12 to 40 years—almost without precedent in District Court annals—was imposed today by Justice F. Dickinson Letts on George Garcia, so-called “full-dress burglar," who pleaded guilty to 22 housebreaking cases and was convicted of three others. The punishment was the most severe meted out here for offenses other than homicide in recent years. Despite the length of the sentence, it was far short of the total 103 to 515 years, which might have been imposed. Garcia, a 25-year-old Cuban waiter, was arrested here several months ago. At that time he boasted to detectives that he was a “master craftsman— probably one of the best thieves in the country.” Often clad in a dress suit or a tuxedo, he operated throughout the better sections of the northwest apart ment house district, usually during the late afternoon or early evening, i Polios said he used celluloid strips to "jimmy” apartment door locks. His loot during the past six months was estimated to be in the neighbor hood of $50,000 in jewelry. He was indicted in 30 cases. Five were nolle prossed. he was found guilty in 3 and pleaded guilty to 22. Of the 25 cases on which he was sen tenced, 14 were housebreaking and grand larceny, 9 were housebreaking and petit larceny and 2 were house breaking alone. The indictment of Garcia on so many charges was an example of the so-called "Willie Pye” indictments mentioned by the Criminal Justice As sociation in its recent report. It was because of the expressed wishes of Criminal Justice Association officials that the multiple indictments were re turned against Garcia and other pris oners. Sentences which Garcia will have to serve were imposed in only four of the cases. The terms In the 21 other cases were made to run concur rently with the first foua. WOMAN IN KEENE MYSTERY APPEARS AT NEARING NERE Mrs. Mary E. Loper, Boat Passenger, Denies She Was Missing. SOUND LIKE SHOT HEARD BY WATCHMAN William H. Bowen Tells of Pass ing Stateroom of Man Who Disappeared. BACKGROUND— Charles F. Keene, 03-year-old Washington real estate man, has been missing since last Friday morning, when his state room aboard the steamer District of Co lumbia was found vacant after the ship docked at Norfolk. Author ities inclined to murder theory after bloodstains were found in state room, which was in disordered, state. Relatives of Keene, who lived at 2100 Massachusetts avenue, said he had planned a business deal in Norfolk. After considerable conflict over jurisdiction, open hearing was or dered by Federal Board of Inquiry, Mrs. Mary E. Loper, so-called ‘ mystery witness" in the strange dis appearance of Charles F. Keene from a blood-stained cabin aboard the steamer District of Columbia, ap peared before a Federal board of in quiry' at the Commerce Department today, and said she heard nothing un usual aboard the vessel on the trip from Washington to Norfolk last Thursday night. Mrs. Loper, gray-haired matron, occupied the cabin adjoining Keene's. Although she is an unusually light ; sleeper, she testified, she was not dis turbed during the night and did not , realize that the adjoining cabin waj occupied. Search for a "Mrs. R. F. Loper" was launched by police after they were told a mysterious woman giving that name telephoned offices of thy Norfolk & Washington Steamboat Co. in Norfolk last Friday after Keene vanished and indicated she had im : portant. information about the case. Denies She Was Missing, j Mrs. Loper, who denied having made such a call, indignantly declared that | apparently no effort had been made to find her. She pointed out that he) , name is listed in the Norfolk telephone [ directory. Not until Wednesday, when j she saw her name in a Norfolk paper Mrs. Loper said, did she realize that she had occupied the cabin adjoining that of the missing man. William H. Bowen, 38. of 1269 Oatei j street northeast, night watchman aboard the steamer, said he heard y peculiar noi«? which "sounded like y i muffled shot, about 1:45 a.m" ai I the boat proceeded down the river. “Tlie noise sounded like it cam« | from the back of the boat and J walked out on the aft deck, but die not see anything unusual," Bower i told the board. "The lights were out : in all the state rooms. After making I my rounds, I dismissed the nois« j from my mind until that night, wher [ the purser told me a passenger had disappeared." i asM-a siaie Koom frequently. Bowen said he passed Keene's stati room every 20 minutes during thi nicdu and heard no disorder. Hi said he saw Keene three times earliat in the evening. His attention was at tracted. Bowen said, by the brown beret worn by the 63-year-old reai estate man. J. M. Eby, who conducts a sofl drink stand on the steamer, saic j Keene appeared at his stand three j times between 8 and 12 o'clock. A mysterious “red-faced man" accom panied Keene on his last visit to the stand and purchased a bottle of beet for him. Eby said. "When Mr. Keene first came up tc the stand wearing that beret, I thought he was a foreigner," Eby said. "If hi j had not been wearing that, I would j not have remembered him at all ! When I heard him talk, I decided hi was probably an artist. "He came to my stand first at I o'clock and bought a bottle of Coca Cola. He gave me a $5 bill. About an hour later, he bought another bot tle and gave me a dime. Each tims he took the bottles back to his room. “Just as I was about to close the stand around midnight, a red-faced man came up and ordered a bottle ol beer. After I poured it into the glass for him. Mr. Keene came up to the stand. The two men did not exchange a word, but the red-faced man shoved the bottle of beer and a glass to Mr Keene. Then he bought a bottle ol Coca Cola and walked away after paying for both drinks. Mr. Keene stayed and drank his beer. “I thought that was strange. I haven’t a very good recollection of what the other man looked like. ] j i See KEENE,- Page-A-5. > -—— -— President Refuses To ‘Confirm’ Senate ‘Nominee’ for Court President Roosevelt today re fused to “confirm" the Senate’s “nomination" of Senator Robin son, majority floor leader, to succeed Associate Justice Willis Van Devanter of the Supreme Court, who will retire June 2. Mindful of the talk in the Sen ate about Robinson's being slated for the position, a reporter face tiously asked the President this question: "When, Mr. President, are you going to confirm the Senate's nomination of Senator Robin son?” The President leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily. Afterward Mr. Roosevelt re iterated he had given no thought yet to the question of appointing a new’ justice. ■ ■ . I