Captain and Son, 5,
Fire Victims, to Be
Buried in Arlington
Father Saves 2 Children,
But Dies With Third
In Flaming House
Capt. George Lermond. U. S. A.,
will be buried tomorrow In Arling
ton National Cemetery with the
small son for whom he gave his life
early yesterday in a flaming home
near La Plata, Md.
The death of the father and his
son, George Lermond, jr„ 5, was
termed accidental yesterday after
noon at an inquest called by Cor
oner James L. MacKavanah of
Charles County. The fire, which de
stroyed the home, was believed to
have started from electric wiring in
the kitchen.
Funeral arrangements were com
pleted last evening following the re
turn of Capt. Lermond’s father-in
law, Maj. William Lloyd, U. S. A.,
retired, owner of the home. Maj.
and Mrs. Lloyd had left Friday for
a motor trip to Pennsylvania, leav
ing the Lermond family at the resi
dence.
The 35-year-old father was awak
ened by the blaze during the early
morning hours. He dashed into the
nursery and rescued the two younger
children, William, 4. and Edith, 15
months, carrying them to his wife
on the sleeping porch.
Tried to Save Husband.
Mrs. Lermond lowered the chil
dren to the lawn with bed sheets,
while her husband re-entered the
nursery to get George, jr. When
Capt. Lermond failed to return, Mrs.
Lermond ran into the burning room
after him.
The wife, it was said, found her
husband lying unconscious on the
floor of the smoke-filled room and
tried to drag him to safety until
the heat and flames drove her back
to the porch. She was forced to
climb down a rose trellis to escape.
Employes of the Lloyds ran from a
nearby house and found Mrs. Ler
mond and her children outside the
burning building. The fire was too
far advanced to permit another res
cue attempt.
The home, known as Wicomico
Knoll, was located at Mount Vic
toria, about 18 miles from La Plata.
Mrs. Lermond and the children had
been at the home since May and
Capt. Lermond joined them there
two weeks ago. coming from Fort
Lewis, Wash. He was on leave be
fore reporting for duty at Fort Ben
hing, Ga.
Services Set Tomorrow.
Funeral services for father and
son will be held at 9 o'clock tomor
row at Fort Myer Chapel (and burial
will follow in Arlington Cemetery.
Maj. and Mrs. Lloyd were lo
cated through a police broadcast
yesterday and notified that their
home had burned. They returned
during the afternoon and joined
Mrs. Lermond and the children at
the home of a neighbor.
Capt. Lermond, a native of Mas
sachusetts and a graduate of Bos
ton College and West Point, attend
ded the Air Corps Tactical School
at Maxwell Field, Ala., in 1930 and
1931. He later saw duty in New
York State and Georgia before join
ing the 15th Infantry in China in
1936. Upon his return he was as
signed to the post in Washington
State.
Mrs. Lermond, overcome by grief,
was treated for shock by Dr. J. T.
McAndrews of La Plata, who also
gave the children first aid for
scratches and partial suffocation.
Neighbors said Mrs. Lermond was
doing as "well as could be expected”
last night.
Woman, 57, Is Treated
After Fall Injures Hip
Mrs. Sadie W. Campbell. 57, of
6525 Nevada avenue N.W., was being
treated for hip injuries last night
in Sibley Hospital after having
fallen on a street car at Seventh and
G streets N.W. yesterday, according
to police.
In Freedmen's Hospital, Delores
Johnson. 2. colored, of Logan Circle,
was receiving treatment for a frac
tured skull and lacerations received,
police said, when she was struck
with a stick by a colored boy in the
yard of her home yesterday.
Boys' Camp Fraternity
Four youngsters attending Camp
Letts, Y. M, C. A. camp on the Rhode
River near Annapolis. Md„ were in
itiated Friday into the Sahawhe
group, camp fraternity, in the first
ritual of the camping season. The
Initiates were David Parsons, Bill
Nighman. Preston Smith and Jimmy
Sheffield. Fred D Carl, Sahawhe
chief, conducted the rites.
AFTERMATH OF FATAL FIRE—Here is all that remains of the home near La Plata. Md., in which Capt.
George Lermond, U. S. A., died early yesterday in a futile effort to rescue his son, Gerge, Jr., 5.
Edith and William Lermond, who were lowered to safety by
their mother after being wrapped in bed sheets.
Guild President Predicts
Roosevelt Third Term
By the Associated Press.
MEMPHIS, Term., July 6.—A third
term for President Roosevelt is now
“definitely in,” Kenneth Crawford,
long-time Washington correspond
ent for Eastern newspapers, believes.
“If Roosevelt should decline.
Cordell Hull would certainly be the
Democratic choice," added Mr.
Crawford, president of the Inter
national Newspaper Guild, in an
interview tonight. He is here for
the guild convention opening Mon
day.
Mr. Crawford said, with “no reser
vations,” he would not seek re
election as guild president. Only
announced candidate is Harry Mar
tin, amusements editor of the Mem
phis Commercial Appeal.
Mr. Crawford said there was a
current disagreement among guild
members because of an effort of
a number of leaders, including him
self, to give the guild's policy a more
conservative direction so that it will
reflect more accurately “the sym
pathies of the vast majority cf
newspapermen who, after all, have
little trade union background.”
British Issue Overalls
As Parashots' Uniform
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, July 6.—Overalls are
being issued by the War Office as
uniforms for local defense volunteer
“parashots.”
Their only distinguishing dress
hitherto has been armbands bearing
the letters, "LDV." They have rifles
and bayonets.
Arlington Chamber
Plans Outing July 24
The second annual outing of the
Arlingtoin Chamber of Commerce
will be held at Fort Hunt, Va., July
24, commencing at 1:30 p.m., it was
announced yesterday by E. L. De
Hagh, chairman of the committee
in charge.
Various prizes for attendance and
sports will be given, among them
linen sets, a ping-pong table and a
radio. Box lunches will be served.
Mrs. Edith Lloyd Lermond,
who escaped the fire with her
two youngest children, Wil
liam, 4, and Edith, 15 months.
GEORGE LERMOND, Jr.
—Star Staff and Hessler Photos.
Boy Scouts Plan Pageant
A water and land pageant will be
given by 250 Boy Scouts at Camp
Theodore Roosevelt on Chesapeake
Bay at 8 o'clock tonight. A similar
pageant was held on the Fourth of
July.
Late Sports News
Kiefer Shaffers All
Backstroke Marks
In A. A. U. Swim
Three Records Are Set
In 110-Yard Victory;
Hawaiicrns Cut Time
By the Associated Press.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., July
6—Adolph Kiefer of Chicago re
wrote the record book for back
stroke swimming today.
Performing for the Towers Club
of Chicago, the big lad was credited
with breaking every mark in th*
book in a sensational burst of speed
that capped another brilliant exhi
bition in the National A. A. U. men’s
outdoor swimming and diving
championships.
Kiefer captured the 110-yard
backstroke race as expected, and
here's what he did:
His time for the 110 yards was
1:5.5. His time for the 100 yards
was 0;58.1. His time for the 100
meters was 1:4.7.
A hasty search of the A. A. U.
records disclosed:
Event Is a New One.
Kiefer established the UO-.vard
record—a new distance in A. A. U.
competition—two days ago. His
time was 1:5.6. Kiefer held the
100-yard record. It was 58.8 sec
onds. set in Columbus, Ohio, in 1939.
He held the 100-meter record. It
was 1:4.8. He set it in Detroit in
1936. All these records were hung
up in a short, or 25-yard, pool, which
gives a faster edge because a
swimmer can oome off the walls
k
and gain time. Today's race was
over a long, or 55-yard, route.
The only long course record was
set in the Olympic games in 1936
by Kiefer. It was 1:05.6 for 100
meters.
Thus Kiefer, long the world's
greatest backstroke swimmer, hung
up new records for Adolph Kiefer
to break.
The 200-pound artist was not
the only record breaker. The four
man team of the Island of Maui,
Hawaii, won the 880-yard free
style relay in 9:17.3. Three years
ago the Lakeshore Athletic Club
team set the American record at
3 minutes 20 seconds.
The team, boasting two brothers
newly crowned as A. A. U. cham
pions, moved the Hawaiians nearer
the hope for team championship.
Kiyoshi Nakama of Maui's Alex
ander Community House, dethroned
two days ago as th* 220-yard cham
pion, came back today and won
the 440-yard freestyle In 4:50.4. He
was an easy winner over Paul
Herron of Los Angeles and the
third-place finisher, Henry Paris of
San Francisco. Ralph Flanagan
won the title in 1939, but did not
compete this year.
Skinner Keeps Crown.
Defending Champion Jim Skinner
of Detroit, Michigan star, had little
trouble retaining his 220-yard
breaststroke championship, but fail
ed to break a record. He was timed
at 2:48.8.
Team scores at the end of the
third day, with the final events to
complete the tournament tomorrow,
found the Hawaiians leading with
29 points. The Towers Club was
next at 23 and the Los Angeles
Athletic Club third with 12
Tomorrow’s windup brings the
880-yard freestyle, the 110-yard
freestyle, the platform diving and
the 330-yard individual medley.
i
National Record Made
By Midget Outboard
In Richmond Trial
Whitfield Drives Craft
At 38.298 Many
Fast Heats in Meet
By the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Va.,* July 6—Don
Whitfield of Upper Montclair, 1T. J.,
today laid claim to the national
midget outboard record for the mile
with a 38.298 m.p.h. average run in
trials opening Richmond’s fifth an
nual outboard regatta.
The record he topped was 38.018
m.p.h. established by Richard (Dick)
McFayden also of Upper Montclair,
at Washington last year.
McFayqkn made an effort to re
gain the record in the last run
today, but missed with a 37.373
average.
The time trials on the James
River here were run under the
sponsorship of the Virginia Power
Boat Association, and with the
sanction of the American Power
Boat and the National Outboard
Association, but Whitfield’s record
must be approved by the National
Outboard Racing Commission be
fore it will stand as official.
Clinton Ferguson of Waban, Mass.,
failed in 2-mile trials to better the
class B-l record of 54.553 m.p.h.
which he set June 8 on canal water
in the Carlstadt (N. J.) Regatta. His
two averages were clocked at 53.492
and 53.657.
He also failed to reach the class
A
C-l national record of 60.560 m.p.h.
racked on the same James River
course in 1939 by Gar Wood, jr.
Young Wood is not participating
here this year.
Ferguson, who also holds the
national uiWimited class (X) title
with a 73.44 m.pii. rung up at
Worcester, Mass., in 1939, made a
game try for the world record of
79.04 held by Jean Dupuy of Paris,
but was halted abruptly halfway
through his first mile when a piston
jammed. His mechanic estimated
his speed then at “over 80” miles
an hour.
Silver Spray II Leads
In Hampton Regatta
HAMPTON, Va„ July 6 (A5).—Bill
Cox. Norfolk youth, sailed his trim
white Silver Spray II to a decisive
win over a field of 23 vessels in
the first heat of the Hampton one
design cla*^, feature event on the
sailing program of the 13th annual
Hampton Yacht Club regatta. The
second heat will be held tomorrow.
Norfolk entries took first place in
every one of the five races on the
schedule today.
Filly Bought at Sales
Takes $10,000 Race
By the Associsted Press.
LOS ANGELES, July 6.—By seven
gaping lengths, Flying Choice raced
to victory today in the $10,000 Star
let Sweepstakes at Hollywood Park.
Flying Choice is a 2-year-old filly
which a pair of Arizona cowboys
acquired at the Lexington fall sales
last year.
The time of 1:11% for 6 furlongs
Is the fastest ever run by a 2-year
old in three seasons at Hollywood
Park,
k
500,000 to Be Used
By W. P. A. on Jobs
Of Defense Nature
100,000 Men Employed
On Such Work in June,
Harrington Reveals
Work Projects Commissioner Har
rington said yesterday the W. P. A.
was expanding its program to in
crease by more than half a million
men the number now employed on
projects of an essential national de
fense nature.
His estimate was made in con
nection with a report disclosing that
the W, P. A. program, from its in
ception in July, 1935, to June 1,1940,
had accounted for expenditures of
$346,689,000 in Pederal, State and
local funds for projects of a mili
tary or semi-military character.
"One hundred thousand men were
employed on projects of a national
defense nature in June,” he said.
“We plan to have five or six times
that many at work on preparedness
projects by fall, and the defense
accomplishments of W. P. A. In the
single year just begun should ap
proach the total of the five preced
ing years.”
Col. Harrington said the five-year
program had Included construction
or Improvement of 12,000 military
and naval buildings and 500 landing
fields.
“An Important Foundation.”
“The barracks, airports, armories,
garages, utilities and other defense
facilities provided this country by
men who otherwise would have been
idle,” he added, "now emerge as an
important foundation for the In
tense period of training and ma
terial preparation ahead. In this
work of preparedness the W. P. A.
is now multiplying Its already sub
stantial efforts.”
As of June 12, it was disclosed,
59,783 men were employed on de
fense projects operated by the W.
P. A., and an additional 39,650 on
projects operated by other agencies
but financed by transferred W. P. A.
funds. In addition to the $346,
689.000 for which specific accounting
was given during the last five years,
the War Department expended $36,
317.000 from W. P. A. funds, the
Navy received $22,221,000 and the
Coast Guard $366,000 in W. P. A.
funds. These service figures, it was
■aid, cover a two-year period only.
The five-year program Included
222 new armories, 36 additions and
Improvement of 356, and 1.084 bar
racks, quarters, mess halls, etc.,
at military establishments and im
provements and additions to 6,298
other buildings.
Airport Program.
The airport and airways program
for the Army, Navy, Coast Guard
and the National Guard included
14 new landing fields, additions to
5 and improvements to 30. More
than 40 miles of runways were con
structed. Also included were 90
hangars, improvements to 479 and
additions to 23. The program also
provided boundary lights and air
way markers in large numbers.
Aside from this strictly service
construction, 171 new landing fields
were built under the sponsorship of
State and local communities; 274
improved and 41 enlarged. Ten sea
plane bases also were built and re
constructed. There were also 150
new hangars and several hundred
other buildings for local and State
airports.
Construction of utilities, it was
said, accounted for hundreds of
miles of water, sewer, telephone and
electric lines at military posts and
828 miles of road and 841 bridges
and culverts in and near such posts.
All these items would be of im
portance in times of national
emergency or mobilization. Col.
Harrington said.
28 Bridge Players Enter
Finals at Annapolis
Br the Associated Press.
ANNAPOLIS, Md„ July 6.—Twen
ty-eight seeded bridge players to
night qualified for the finals of the
third annual Carvel Hall-Annapolis
tournament conducted by the Amer
ican Contract Bridge League.
Leading the field of bridge experts
were Mr. and Mrs. William Cheeks,
Washington, 149; J. R. Crawford and
A. M. Hickman, Philadelphia, 139;
Oscar Brotman, A1 Roth, Washing
ton, 134%; Mrs. J. p. Deems, C. F.
Home, Annapolis, 133%; John D.
Mothershed, Washington, N. G. Wil
son, Jr., Norfolk, 133%; Stanley Fin
kel, Benjamin Golder, Philadelphia,
132%; Mrs. Lester Mayer, L. L.
Bucks, Philadelphia, 132.
Others who qualified were Mrs.
Sally Young, leading woman player
of the United States, playing with
E. R. Thomas, Jr.; Charles H. Goran,
leading master point scorer of the
country, teamed with Byron Kauf
man, and Waldemar von Zedwitz
of New York, whose partner is S.
Garton Churchill of Washington.
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