Evening star. [volume], April 11, 1938, Page B-1, Image 19

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Washington News
r # '
. ', ■ •
V
Society and General
WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, APRIL 11, 1938.
PAGE B—1
a 1.0. OPENS FIGHT
TO SEIZE CONTROL
IN TRW ROW
Seeks to Enroll Workers in
New Union, Assailing
A. F. L. Agent.
• -__
ASKS TO BE RECOGNIZED
OFFICIALLY IN PARLEYS
Move Comes as Green Unit Tries
to Negotiate New Contract
With Owners.
With the American Federation of
Labor unit that for 20 years has rep
resented traction employes here seek
ing to negotiate a new contract with
the Capital Transit Co., the Trans
port Workers’ Union of the Commit
tee for Industrial Organization has
launched an organizing campaign
among the 3.200 street car and bus
Workers, and has asked the Labor
Board for recognition as their bar
gaining agent.
The entry of the John L. Lewis
Unit into the local transportation field
was made known generally yesterday
when circulars were distributed an
nouncing two mass meetings tomorrow
night at Turner's Arena, 1341 W
street N.W. One will be held at 8:30
p.m. and the other at 1 a m. (Wed
nesday).
The announcement of these meet
ings was accompanied by circulars at
tacking John H. Cookman, business
agent for the Amalgamated Associa
tion of Street and Electric Railway
Coach Employes, now representing the
workers and the Amalgamated. They
also outline the T. W. U. program,
which calls for a flat 15 per cent pay
increase and other employment ben
• efits.
Contract Expires April 15.
The Amalgamated had a three-year
contract with the Capital Transit Co.
which expired April 1 and was ex
tended to April 15 when the union on
April 5 voted down a three-year re
newal without substantial change.
» E. D. Merrill, president and general
manager of the company, declined to
say what the union was asking, other
than that it “would involve some ad
ditional cost to the company,” but Mr.!
Cookman said salient features were j
increases of from 67 cents hourly—the
top rate—to 87 cents for two-man car
operation, and 74 cents to $1 for one
man, and a 40-cent boost for shopmen,'
whose pay ranges from 20 cents to;
$1.25 hourly.
If no decision Is reached by Friday, I
Mr. Cookman said, the case would go
to arbitration.
Twelve-Point Program.
The Transport Workers Union has
* 12-point program.
In addition to the 15 per cent pay
boost, the organization asks: No fur
ther changes of two-men cars into
one-man cars; two weeks’ vacation
wuth pay; $35 weekly guarantee for
extra men and four days off monthly;
no speed-up and better running sched
ules; full pay for show-up time: pen
sions, with union representation on
the pension board; eight-hour day
within a 10-hour span: hiring and fir
ing on seniority basis; no classifica- ■
tion of shopmen below second class;
no shopmen to work trippers and 40
hour. 5-day week for shopmen.
Office workers are not involved.
Mr. Merrill said his only knowledge
Of the C. I. O. move was a notification
from the Labor Board that the Trans
port Workers Union was seeking to
represent the workers.
Making clear that he was not in
dulging in an union controversy, Mr.
Merrill said the C. I. O. plan would
‘mean a startling increase in costs.”
“I see no reason for a 15 per cent
Increase in the present circumstances.”
he added. “Factories are laying off
men, and workers in some cases are
taking a reduction in pay to hold
onto their jobs,” he said.
Cites Pay Increase.
This company has granted two pay
Increases in the last few’ y«ars. one
amounting to $800,000 in 1935 and
another amounting to $220,000 in
1937. The pay roll has increased
$2,000,000 since 1933.”
Increased cast he added would have
to be met in higher fares or lessened
service, which would mean unem
ployment.
The C. I. O. organizing drive has
been on here for two weeks under the
direction of Neale McGillicuddy, na
tional organizer for the T. W. U.
Mr. McGillicuddy explained that he
had filed an application with the Labor
Board last week for recognition as the
employes' bargaining agent, claiming
a majority of the employes, and had
expected to have 30 days to show this
majority, but was given only until
April 13.
Michael Quill, president of the T.
W. U.. who led the successful argan
izing drive in New York City, and who
was elected a councilman on the
Fusionist ticket with Mayor La Guardia,
will be the principal speaker at to
morrow night's mass meeting. John
P. Davis, president of the National
Negro Congress, also will speak.
The T. W. U. circulars assail the
Amalgamated as “company unionism
in disguise” and accuse Mr. Cookman
of failing to support the suit of the
Federation of Citizens Associations to
block one-man car operation.
Mr. Cookman says his organization
has 2,800 traction employes in its
ranks. *
FLOYD DELL TO TALK
Author to Lecture Wednesday at
Maryland U.
The second of a public series of
lectures on contemporary literature
presented under the auspices of the
tlniversity of Maryland Department
of English will feature readings and
discussion of current trends in modern
poetry by Floyd Dell, nationally known
editor, novelist, critic and poet, on
Wednesday at 8 p.m. in the university
auditorium.
Mr. Dell, who lives in Washington
at present, is conducting a course of
special lectures at the Federal Work
ers’ School.
a m
| Attempt to Pull in Fish on Line
j Fatal to Boy, 10, in Rock Creek
Three Passersby Leap in
and Recover Body of
Richard Wenit.
An excited attempt to pull in a fish
on a handline that slipped from the
bank of Rock Creek yesterday cost
the life of 10-year-old Richard Wenit.
who was drowned while two young
companions watched helplessly.
Rescue efforts by a pedestrian and
two marines were futile. The boy. only
child of Mr. and Mrs, Benjamin Wenit,
Chalfonte Apartments, 1601 Argonne
place N.W., was dead when his body
was recovered.
Richard, a fifth-grade pupil at the
Cooke School, rode his bicycle into
the park shortly before 2 p.m., with
James Jones, 9, also of the Chalfonte,
and Charles Jefferson, 10, of 1761
Lanier place N.W.
Threw Out Their Lines.
From a spot near the Pierce -Mill
Dam. where the current is swift and
the water reaches depths of more than
12 feet, Richard and James threw
out their lines while Charles locked
their bicycles.
Richard's line had hardly struck
the water before it jerked and started
to slide away. Intent only on saving
his line and making the best of the
"bite." Richard skidded in the mud
as he ran forward and fell into the
creek.
Unable to swim and dressed in
heavy clothing he was swept under
and downstream. The cries of his
young friends attracted passersby,
among them Mark Racioppi, a W. P.
A. clerk of 1121 New Hampshire ave
nue N.W., and two marines, driving
in a machine with Quantico tags.
All three, police were told, leaped j
in, fully clothed, and ffnaliy succeeded
in hauling the lad ashore.
Attempts Are Futile.
Other persons who arrived on the
scene a few minutes later called the
rescue squad, an Emerge icv Hospital
ambulance and several physicians liv
ing nearby. After unsuccessful at
temps at resuscitation, the boy was i
taken to Emergency, where he was i
pronounced dead on arrival
Richard had made fishing excursions
Corps of Six High Schools
to Hold Annual Event at
Central.
The Cadet Corps of six Washington j
high schools were to go on parade
i
in the annual regimental competition
In Central High School Stadium at 3
p.m. today.
At the conclusion of the parade
awards will be presented to the win
ning regiment and the band, to the
winner of the battalion competition
held March 31 and to the team that
placed first in the military map prob
lem competition on' March 9.
Completing this afternoon in the
military drills and band contests will
be tht regiments from Central, Roose
velt, Eastern. Woodrow Wilson, West
ern and McKinley High Schools, pa
rading in the order named at 20
minute intervals.
The leaders will be Cadet Lt. Col.
Rodney R. McCathran and Band
Cadet Capt. Harry G. Newmann, Cen
tral; Cadet Lt. Col. David Richardson
and Band Cadet Capt. John T.
Mitchell, Roosevelt; Cadet Lt. Col.
John A. Huddleston and Band Cadet
Capt. Bert K. Ludy, Eastern: Cadet
Lt. Col. Jo V. Morgan, jr._and Band
Cadet Capt. Edwin L. Davis, Woodrow
Wilson; Cadet Lt. Col. Richard Green
and Band Cadet Capt. Edward Nagel,
Western, and Cadet Lt. Col. J. Rich
ard Weiss and Band Cadet Capt. Zeb
T. Hamilton, McKinley.
Judges for Parade.
Three infantry officers will act as
judges of the military parade. They
are Capt. James Regan, jr.; First Lt.
Forrest Caraway and Maj. Alexander
R. Rolling. Three musicians will
select the best regimental band. They
are Second Leader William F. Santel
mann. United States Marine Band;
Bandmaster J. M. Thurmond, United
States Navy School of Music, and
Master Sergt. Fred Hess, United States
Army Engineer Band, retired.
Dr. Harvey A. Smith, assistant su
perintendent of schools, and Col.
Frederic G. Kellond, U. S. A., inspec
tor of the 3d Corps Area, from Bal
timore, will present medals, cups and
silken flags to the winners.
Medals and Flags Awards.
To the winning regiment will go
a gold medal for the lieutenant
colonel, a cup and a silk flag that
will become regimental property.
Cadet Maj. Edward Wood of Roose
velt High School will receive a cup
and flag for his battalion, which won
the battalion competition.
The captain of the winning band
and his drum major each will re
ceive gold medals for themselves,
presented by Bunker Bill Post No. 31
of the American Legion. The win
ning band will be presented with a
loving cup..
Lt. Col. Weiss of McKinley High
will receive the Col. Wallace M.
.Craigie Cup for the victory of his
team in the military map problem
contest.
WOMAN, 75, SUCCUMBS
AFTER AUTO ACCIDENT
The death of a 75-year-old woman
was tentatively blamed on traffic today
while police and the coroner Investi
gated a collision In which she figured
more than two weeks ago.
The victim, Mrs. Susan Curran, 1306
Kenyon street N.W., died in Gallinger
Hospital, where she was transferred
after treatment at Emergency Hospital
for a hip Injury.
Mrs. Curran was hurt March 25, po
lice said, when she was struck by an
automobile at Fourteenth and Kenyon
streets N.W.
If the case Is traced definitely to
traffic, it will make the 24th fatality
this year, four less than at the same
time last year.
k i
RICHARD WENIT.
with his father, a bookbinder at the
Government Printing Office, but it
was said to have been the first time
he had gone to fish unescorted by an
adult.
The marines left without revealing
their identity.
Coroner A. Magruder MacDonald
issued a certificate of accidental death.
Effort Will Be Made to End
Non-Union Protest at
The University.
Trustees of Howard University will
meet at 10 a m. tomorrow to discuss
the strike of approximately 125 men
working cn two Public Works Admin
istration projects at the institution in
protest aga nst tne employment of
nine non-union laborers on repair
work at the home of Dr. Motdecai
W. Johnson, university president.
Work has been suspended for two
weeks on the $1,500,000 administra
tion building and dormitory project.
Colored union laborers, on strike
since two weeks ago last Thursday,
continued ta picket the Sixth and
Fourth street entrances to the campus
They carried posters accusing Dr.
Johnson of being “a labor exploiter”
and “a union wrecker.”
In a statement announcing the
trustees’ meeting. Dr. Johnson said
“the issues at stake in the present
strike” are matters to be decided by
the boat'd, which has not met since
the dispute began.”
Explains Position.
“I may say for the trustees that
there is no question of trustee an
tagonism to organized labor,” Dr.
Johnson continued. "There are three
contracts at present in force at How
ard University, involving a total of
$1,638,000. Union labor is in control
of all the work opportunities and
wages on two of these contracts in
volving $1,630,000, or 99.4 per cent of
all the work and wages in question.
"The questions at issue revolve
solely around the work being none by
seven Negro laborers and two white
laborers on a repair and renewals job
involving $8,000, or less than six
tenths of one per cent of the work
opportunities and wages involved in
this strike. The representatives of
the organized laborers are demanding
that the trustees forthwith drive these
nine men off the repair and renewals
Job by canceling the contract of the
firm which employs them.”
End of Strike Urged.
After union officials had called off
the workers on the P. W. A. projects,
Secretary Ickes, who is P. W. A. ad
ministrator, is understood to have
WTitten to Dr. Johnson, urging him
to end the strike by canceling the
non-union contract. The university
president’s home was on the site se
lected for the new library last year
and was removed to another site on
the campus, that work being paid for
from P. W. A. funds.
Suicide Uses
Gas, Poison,
Pistol, Fire
William A. Buchanan, 57, colored,
900 block of T street N.W., used every
resource at his command yesterday
to end his life.
Firemen who broke into the garage
behind his residence found him dead
behind the wheel of his automobile.
The car was on fire. The motor was
running. Buchanan's clothes were in
flames.
Beside him the firemen found an
empty poison bottle and a .32-caliber
revolver. There was a bullet wound
in his head.
The colored man left a'note to his
wife, Florence, saying ‘‘Good-by every
body.” Police said he had been in ill
healh.
Coroner A. Mag ruder MacDonald
issued a oertiflcae if suicide.
m
APPEALS TREBLED
SINCE DEMISE OF
POLICECOURTLAW
Proponents of New Act Say
111 Cases Taken Up Show
Legislation Need.
DECISIONS OF JUSTICES
ARE OFTEN REVERSED
Prince Georges County Police
Claim New System Gives
Them ‘Black Eye.’
By » Staff Correspondent of The Star.
UPPER MARLBORO, Md., April
11.—Proponents of a new and consti
tutional police court act today pointed
to 111 appeal cases, most of them from
decisions by justices of the peace, as
outstanding proof of necessity for such
a court.
Maryland State and Prince Georges
County police, meanwhile, claimed the
handling of their cares had “given
them a black e\'e.” State police were
particularly wrought up over disposi
tions of the cases in the Circuit Court
here. Failure to get a conviction
after an arrest goes against their
efficiency record.
Since the 1927 police court act was
held invalid, in part, by the Maryland
Court of Appeals last September, the
number of appeals has nearly trebled.
Most of them were for motor vehicle
law violations. Court and county
officials blamed the increase on the
fact all such cases were returned to
the justices of the peace for trial by
the appellate court ruling.
18 Are Nolle Prossed.
Of the 87 criminal appeals cases
disposed of since the court started
working on them last Thursday, only
one trial resulted in a fine of more
than $25. That was a rase of assault
and battery in which the fine was $50.
Before the cases could go to trial 18
were nolle prossed by State's Attorney
Alan Bowie for various reasons, many
of them because the magistrates held
hearings on Sunday. Seven others
were disposed of by Mr. Bowie without
hearings. 10 were left on the docket for
trial and 17 were continued until the
next term of court.
The State's attorney explained that
a great many of the cases could not
be taken into court because warrants
had been drawn faultily.
In circuit court 12 appeals were dis
missed, nine pleaded guilty, motions to
quash were overruled in four cases and
one was passed for trial during the
present term.
One $50 Fine.
Of the seven cases out of the 87
which have gone to trial, one fine of
$50 was assessed on an assault and
battery charge, three cases of driving
while under the influence of liquor
resulted in verdicts of not guilty, one
case of driving while under the in
fluence of liquor resulted in a plea of
guilty and the defendant, a prominent
Hyattsville woman, was given a sus
pended sentence. Of the two speeding
cases which went to trial, one resulted
is a verdict of not guilty and a sus
pended sentence was given in another
on a verdict of guilty.
It was learned that nearly all speed
ing and driving while drunk cases
made by county officers were thrown
out. most of them on faulty warrants.
Members of the County Bar Asso
ciation who have been working for a
new police court law to replace the
one killed by the Appeals Court, said
this clogging up of the Circuit Court
docket and l^ie subsequent disposal
of the cases should demonstrate the
necessity for a court where traffic of
fenders can be tried with dignity.
Most of the justices of the peace in
the county have their offices in their
homes and it is claimed that a trial
in such surroundings does not impress
the offenders as being legal, hence the
large number of appeals.
- ■ 9 —
STOVE BLAST BURNS
FATAL TO WOMAN
-»
Colvin Run (Va.) Resident, Wife
of TJ. S. Employe, Dies in
Hospital Here.
Burns suffered In a stove explosion
which took the life of her 2-year-old
daughter Saturday afternoon proved
fatal yesterday to Mrs. Bessie Eager,
22, wife of a United States Patent Of
fice examiner. She died in George
town Hospital.
Mrs. Eager and her child, Betty Anne
Eager, were injured early Saturday.
The explosion occurred when she
poured some kerosene into a stove in
which a flame already was burning.
The child died several hours after she
was rushed to the local institution.
The husband, Thomas H. Eager, suf
fered minor burns when he beat out
their flaming clothing with a blanket,
and was given first-aid treatment. The
Eagers’ home is in Colvin Run, Va.
TWO JEWISH REFUGEES
SPEAKERS AT BANQUET
Declare Voteless Conditions in
Washington Also Prevail
in Germany.
Two young Jewish refugees, in
formed at a banquet last night that
Washington has no vote, responded
“That’s the way it is in Germany."
The two boys, Stefan and Gunther
Zweig, who came to Washington re
cently from Germany, were speakers
at the father-and-son banquet of Mu
Sigma Fraternity in the Gingham
Club. Their comment on voting fol
lowed a talk by Frank C. Waldrop,
urging all District residents to vote
on April 30.
The brothers told the gathering all
the German Jewish youths now in
the United States agreed with the
sentiments of their fellow refugee,
Martin Marden. They urged the au
dience to contribute to the national
drive for funds, now being sponsored
by the United Jewish Appeal, to en
j able more refugees to find a haven in
the United States.
C. Socialites Who Curtsied Before King
Sympathetic to Kennedy Presentation Ban
MRS. SNOWDEN FAHNESTOCK
Police Bench Busier Than
Usual—New Method for
Traffic Cases.
Police Court is busier than ever
since moving into new quarters as the
result of numerous factors not con
nected with the transfer from its anti
quated building to the new block-long
structure on Fifth street between E
and F street N.W., court officials said
today.
The unprecedented jam was particu
larly noticeable today as Judges Ed
ward M. Curran, Walter J. Casey and
Hobart Newman tackled the crowded
Monday docket without the assistance
of Judge John P. McMahon, who left
last Thursday for a 10-day vacation.
One of the complicating factors is
the indication that no new substitute
to serve during absence of one of the
four Police Court judges will be ap
pointed when the term of Judge Robert
E. Mattingly of Municipal Court ex
pires shortly.
Another is a new method of handling
traffic collision cases, which now are
presented to the court for final dis
position after investigation by a spe
cial police squad instead of being sifted
by preliminary hearings before an as
sistant corporation counsel to deter
mine the probable guilt of the de
fendants.
Each of the four Police Court
judges is entitled to one month's vaca
tion a year and this, in addition to
sick leave averaging about 15 days
per year for each judge, cuts down to
six months the actual time for all the
judges to be on duty. Chief Clerk Wal
ter F. Bramhal pointed out.
Assistant Corporation Counsel
George D. Neilson estimated the cor
poration counsel's office at Police
Court is 500 cases behind in its docket
at present.
A bill to provide an additional Po
lice Court judge to relieve the jam
has been prepared by Corporation
Counsel Elwood Seal and sent to the
Budget Bureau.
HOUSE UNIT DELAYS
D.C. COURT MEASURE
Survey to Be Made on Proposal
for Magistrates to Handle
Minor Infractions.
Action was delayed by the Judiciary
Subcommittee of the House District
Committee today on the Palmlsano
bill to establish a system of magis
trate courts in Washington ending a
comprehensive survey of the Police
Court docket by Corporation Counsel
Elwood H. Seal.
Mr. Seal was instructed to make the
study when only one witness ap
peared at a scehduled public hearing
on the bill. No testimony was taken
by the subcommittee.
The measure would establish four
magistrate courts in four police pre
cinct stations to handle cases in
volving minor infractions of police
and traffic regulations. The plan is
designed primarily to expedite trial
of persons arrested for minor offenses.
Chairman McGehee said there has
been some opposition to the proposal
to allow magistrate courts to handle
traffic cases, but he believes this fea
ture should be retained in the bill.
MISS GUERNSEY, SINGER
AT HAMILTON, IS WED
‘Ginger Lee’ and Carl Gentzel of
Earle Orchestra Marry
in Arlington.
Miss Virginia Guernsey, who sings
under the name of Ginger Lee at the
Hamilton Hotel, and Carl Gentzel of
the Earle Theater Orchestra were
married Saturday at the Arlington
Lutheran Church, Arlington, Va.
The bride, who has been singing in
the rainbow room for 18 months, was
heard over national radio hook-up6 at
the last two President’s birthday balls.
Born in Roanoke, Va., the former
Miss Guernsey spent most of her child
hood in San Mateo, Calif., a residential
suburb of San Francisco. She com
pleted her education at Fairmont
School here. She is the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. John Guernsey of the
Highlands.
The bridegroom, whose home is in
Altoona, Pa., has been In Washington
for six years. The couple left shortly
after the ceremony to visit Mr. Gent
zel's parents in Altoona.
MARYLAND U. HOLIDAYS
COLLEGE PARK, Md., April 11 (#).
—Easter holidays for the University
of Maryland student body will begin
Thursday afternoon and end Tuesday
morning, April 19.
4
* (Upper) MRS. HOMER
CUMMINGS.
(Lower) MISS STELLITA
STAPLETON.
__ i
Capital socialites who have curtsied
prettily for the King and Queen of
England are for the most part sym
pathetic with Ambassador Kennedy’s
abolition of the presentation at Buck- !
ingham Palace of American women!
wdth no particular business in Britain. |
Since Mr. Kennedy’s social bomb
shell was hurled a little too far in ad
vance of next presentation day, it is
hard to determine the reaction of
those who were in line for a royal nod
and smile.
Mrs. Dwight Davis, wife of the for
mer Secretary of War. whose three
step-daughters have appeared at
court, thinks Jhe Ambassador "took a
very wise stand and should be under
stood."
Mrs. Homer Cummings, wife of the
Attorney General, whose appearance at
court last year in a red gown caused
a mild sensation, said she preferred not
to make a statement, but added: ”1
think it is Mr. Kennedy's own problem
and he knows best what to do." -
“Although its frightfully tough on
debutantes,” said Miss Stellita Staple
ton, daughter of Mrs. Daniel C. Staple
ton, “it was a necessary stand for Mr.
Kennedy to take this year. I hope it
won't be permanent though.”
Miss Stapleton's presentation in
1935, at the first court of jubilee year,
was more pretentious than usual. It
was not a public court that she faced
and she rubbed elbows with royalty at
a dinner that followed.
Mrs. Snowden Fahnestock, daughter
of former Representative James Beck
of Pennsylvania, commented on the
fact a "lot of pull” is necessary for a
court presentation and said: "There's
a lot in what Mr. Kennedy says.”
Mrs. Walter Edge, wife of the for
mer Ambassador to France and the
Senator from New Jersey, feels Mr.
Kennedy is “absolutely right.” Mrs.
Edge said she had never sought an
audience with the royal family her
self because she believed too many
persons were presented without reason.
ROAD TO RESORTS
MAY OPEN IN JUNE
Three-Mile Stretch of New Route
Finished—To Ease Peace
Cross Tie-Ups.
An automobile route from Washing
ton to the resort section south of
Annapolis is expected to be available
June 1 with the completion of a 3-mile
stretch of road linking the Central
avenue route with a 5-mile concrete
road leading south from Annapolis.
The new route will not go through
Annapolis.
Ross R. Guthrie, chairman of the
Suburban Traffic Committee of the
Junior Board of Commerce, which
has been working on the plan for some
time, said today the new route is
expected materially to relieve conges
tion at the Peace Cross as well as in
the City of Annapolis.
The Central avenue route can be
used now for traffic going to Annapolis,
but the new stretch of road will make
it possible to get to the beach section
south of' Annapolis without going
through the city. Mr. Guthrie said
the new road is being built by the
county with the help of the Works
Progress Administration.
The Traffic Committee also has Un
der consideration the practicability of
several routes which would lead from
Washington to the Baltimore boule
vard without going through tlje “bottle
neck” at Bladensburg.
The Maryland State Roads Commis
sion announced recently it will widen
the Defense highway to 40 feet at
Bladensburg.
GETS ROBBERY TERM
Alleged Apartment Looter Is
Sentenced in Arlington Court.
Charged with robbing an Arlington,
Va„ apartment of a quantity of cloth
ing, Henry Sturtevant, colored, Alex
andria, was fined (250 and sentenced
to six months in jail in Arlington Po
lice Court today.
He was accused of taking a topcoat,
two suits and other articles from an
apartment on North Fairfax street,
occupied by Paul Allen and Roland
Orrison.
a. -
MRS. WALTER EDGE.
Paul Nelson Is Seized, but
Victim in Attempted Killing
Is Missing.
Prince Georges County police today
were holding Paul J. Nelson, 32, mem
ber of the gang of the slain Carlton G
"Cotty'’ Williams, in connection with
an attempted slaying early yesterday
at Mike Young's Tavern, on the Marl
boro pike. .
However, officers still are searching
for the intended victim, who is said
to be a United States Capitol police
man. Members of the Capitol force
declared this morning they “had heard
of the shooting,” but had no further
information.
Meanwhile Capt. I. C. Keck, acting
chief of detectives, announced that
Lloyd Coblentz, proprietor of a store
in the 1500 block of North Capitol
street, went to Upper Marlboro, Md.,
today and identified Nelson as the
lone bandit who held him up and
robbed him of $25 Saturday night. De
tective Sergts. Elmer Lewis and Paul
Ambrose accompanied Mr. Coblentz
to Marlboro.
Nelson was arrested at Young's inn
yesterday after a search which began
at 2 a m. when a man who identified
himself as a Capitol guard reported
Nelson had fired a shot at him.
The guard, county police stated, de
parted without leaving his name
with the desk clerk on duty at the
Marlooro station at the time.
Shell Exploded.
Nelson, who was taken into custody
by Policemen Edwin Cissel and
Charles McGuire, was booked for
carrying a concealed weapon and also
for investigation. He had a .32-caliber
revolver with an exploded shell in the
cylinder, Mr. Cissel said.
Mr. Cissel stated that Nelson was in
"a dazed condition” and failed to give
any coherent answers to questions
asked him by both Prince Georges
County officers and Detective E. E.
Thompson of the Washington police
force.
It was said by Mr. Cissel that a num
ber of conflicting stories regarding the
manner in which the shooting took
place were told to police, the only
point on which witnesses were able to
agree being that one shot was fired.
He said that the man fired at was
not with Nelson at the inn, but had
entered the place alone a few mo
ments before the shooting took place.
Admitted Part in Bobbery.
Last December, Nelson, who resides
in Washington, but formerly lived on
the Marlboro pike, signed a confession
for Washington police in which he ad
mitted being the "finger man” in a
$12,500 robbery at the home of his
own brother, Charles Nelson, in Ar
lington, Va.
He admitted later he was the "finger
man” again in another robbery which
the Williams gang planned at another
home of Nelson's brother in the 1800
block of Suitland road S.E., where it
was planned to steal $10,000 from a
safe. He was released by police.
The Suitland road robbery miscar
ried and the gangsters walked into a
p>olice trap. Williams being slain by
officers’ machine-gun fire.
1,200 C.C.C. NINES TO VIE
Raymond Dumont, president of the
National Semi-Pro Baseball Congress,
announced today 1,200 Civilian Con
servation Corps camps will enter
teams in this year's competition.
John H. Stoneburg, jr.. sports editor
of the C. C. C. newspaper, Happy
Days, will direct the corps' baseball
activities. The national play-offs will
be held in Wichita, Kans., August 12
to 24.
BAND CONCERTS
By the Army Band in the audi
torium at 6 p.m. today. Capt. Thomas
P. Darcy, leader; Karl Hubner,
assistant.
Program.
March, "Flag Day"_Schramm
Morceau, "Serenade”_Chaminade
Air de ballet, "Pierette”-..Chaminade
Duet, "Home to Our Mountains” Verdi
Ralph K. Ostrom, Cometist, and Wil
liam F. Raymond, Trombonist.
Characteristic, "Rustle of Spring,"
Sinding
Waltz, “A La Bien Aimee”_Schutt
March, “The Grand Old Man”.Simon
"The Star Spangled Banner.
By the Marine Band in the audi
torium tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. Capt.
Taylor Branson, leader; William F.
Santelmann, second leader, conducting.
Program.
Marines’ hymn.
“Prelude” to "Lohengrin”_Wagner
Trombone solo, "Ave Maria”—Gounod
Robert Isele.
"The Palms” (Les Rameaux) — Faure
Trumpet solo, "Inflammatus,” from
“Stabat Mater”,.Rossini
John P. White.
"The Lord’s Last Supper”_Wagner
"The Star Spangled Burner.
YELLOW FEVER’S
DANGER IS CUED
TO HEALTH AIDES
Setting Up of Laboratory
Off Coast of Florida Is
Suggested.
SOUTH AMERICA SEEN
MENACED BY DISEASE
Keeping Coast Line Free of Dread
Mosquito Is Described as
Only Safeguard.
By THOMAS R. HENRY.
A slender ribbon of mosquito-free
territory along the South American
coastline may be holding back a new
tide of yellow fever which in the past
has caused some of the most terrible
epidemics in American history, State
and provincial public health officers
meeting here today were warned.
The danger is considered so real that
suggestions have been made, it was
learned, to establish a yellow-fever
laboratory on one of the Dry Tortugas
off the southern coast of Florida where
experiments on transmission of the
virus among animals can be made.
It also was proposed this morning
that a national diagnostic center be
set up somewhere in the Southern
States from which mice could be
shipped to the bedside of any sus
pected yellow-fever patient m order to
make an accurate diagnosis immedi
ately.
Jungle Yellow Fever.
The new menace is jungle yellow
fever which exists in the interior of
South America over an area two
thirds the size of the United States
and which appears to be spreading
southward until it has now reached
the southern limits of Paraguay with
in striking distance of Buenos Aires
and other Argentine shipping centers.
Yellow fever in the past has been
considered almost strictly a disease
of towns and the experiments of Wal
ter Reed and his associates in 1898
established that it was spread only
by one variety of mosquito which was
found chiefly in urban neighborhoods.
By the elimination of this particular
mosquito over a greater part of South
America and East Africa, the great
yellow fever centers, the disease was
believed conquered.
The new yellow fever is still some
what of a mystery. It first appeared
in a few South American towns a
few years ago, chiefly among newly
married men. Investigation showed
that these invariably had been out in
the jungle just before their weddings,
gathering materials for their new
homes. Tests during the last two
years, it was revealed today, have
shown that all over the interior,
where there are none of the variety
of mosquitoes hitherto blamed for the
epidemics, evidences of the disease are
widespread among the wild ahimals,
especially the monkeys.
Fierce Biting Mosquito.
A very fierce biting mosquito which
is found only in the jungles is sus
pected of transmitting it. But, tests
have established, it also can be trans
mitted by the old rfedes egyptae, the
yellow fever mosquito known in the
past. Thus there is a constant possi
bility that jungle yellow fever will be
come urban yellow fever at any time.
The only safeguard is keeping the
South American coast line free of thi'
type of mosquito. This has been done
quite efficiently in the past. Un
fortunately, it was explained, th°
aedes egytae is abundant all over the
Southern United States and it actually
lives through the winter on the south
ern tip of Florida.
The great interior region of North
ern and Central South America has
now taken the place of the American
West of a half century ago as a res
ervoir for European immigration. Ap
proximately 1.000,000 immigrants a
year are pouring into the area. The:
can leave their staked out claims and
be in Cuba or even the United State
in four days, before the fellow fever
symptoms have a chance to develop,
and with night flying in prospect this
will be cut down to two days. Thus
thfe danger is greatly increased. Ships
are no longer a menace since rigid
control of water supplies render im
possible the breeding of mosquitos on
shipboard, and an infested person i
bound to develop symptoms before a
ship from South America reaches an
American port.
Danger Stressed in Report.
The danger was stressed in a report
by Dr. Earl B. McKinley, dean of
George Washington Medical School, in
a map showing the present ravages of
dengue fever in the Southern United
States. In 1922 there was an epidemic
in which several millions were sick
of dengue. The death rate from this
fever is low but it is transmitted by
the identical mosquito which trans
mits yellow fever and the dengue map
might well turn overnight into a yel
low fever map, except for the terror
which would come with the first ap
pearance of the dread disease and
the extraordinary precautions which
would be taken.
One great safeguard. Dr. W. A. Saw
yer of the Rockefeller Foundation told
the health officers, was'the successful
production of a yellow fever vaccine
by his organization with which 170,000
persons in South America have been
vaccinated within the last year. Vac
cinations sometimes proceed at the
rate of 10,000 a week. Ninety-eight
per cent of those vaccinated become
immune. With a sufficient supply of
the vaccine wholesale vaccinations
could be carried out in the Southern
States as soon as yellow fever struck.
FALLS FROM HORSE
Miss Clara Kneesi Is Treated for
Cuts and Bruises.
A fall from a horse resulted in a
bad shaking up yesterday for Miss
Clara B. Kneesi, 19, of 4714 New
Hampshire avenue N.W. The acci
dent occurred while she was riding in
East Potomac Park near the Tidal
Basin.
After treatment at Emergency Hos
pital for cuts and bruises, the girl,
who is employed as a saleswoman at
a chain drug store, returned home.