Evening Star Newspaper, December 24, 1926, Page 7

- DIVORGEE'S SUICIDE * LAIDTODELUSION Attorney Doubts Blackmail Plot Revealed in Woman'’s Death Note. By the Assoriatrd Preas NEW YORK, December 24 lon that she was a was_given by today as the probable cause of the sujcide of Mrs. Estelle Marr Boliman, -year-old divorcee, tate of more than $47.000 Her body was found dead with a gas tube in her mouth in her apartment in West day, and a rather vague note she had written said she was being blackmatiled by a man who owed her $50,000, but she would rather die than pay a cent The note was w A de vietim of a police who left an es one-room 78th Rireet vester- on stationery Washington note mentioned a the man threatened to reveal Discredited By Attorney. Benjamin A. . ney, whn was directed in annlhflr,”f Washington. 1ettér 1o give her ettate. coi land in Florida, jew to her brother attor- g of and securities, George Marr of Balti: more, discrédited the blackmail idea. Bollman had been in | & nervous condition recently and there was nothing in her any scandal loan had been repa'd of no blackmail threats against her. Police_discovered man's effects a hroker's memorandum 22 which listed securities He rald Mrs. that indicated He declared the $50.000 He said he knew Roll- held_as | evidence that the inan she referred to | had heen paid Housekeeper Fi The body was found hy Mrs. Evelyn housekeeper, Mrs. Boliman had ment six weeks ago. who said | the apart- | Mrs. Withee said | said she had a always checked herself at the point of telling it. ing: “You have vour own: troubles, I shouldn’t_trouble you with mine.” in Baltimore about 20 years agn and was divorced two years ago from George Pearson Bollman, a prosperous retired business man of Pittsburgh, who says he has no knowledge of any blackmall threat against his former wife | HATFIELD-W'COY GLAN RECALLED BY ARREST ROCKVILLE. ROCKVILLE, Md.,, December (Special).—James M. Foid of Silver Spring, formerly for many years prominent in Washington business circles, was declared of unsound mind by a jury here yestérday. The pro- ceedings were preliminary to having the court appoint a_ committee to manage his estate, valued at around 0 75,000, Rev. 8. J. Goode, pastor of the officiated at the Christian Chure! 1t marriage here yesterday of William 21, and Mise Thomas _Tapscott, Fleanor Shelton, 19, hoth of Alexan dria, Va The funeral of James Willlam Hull, son of Mrs. Annle P. Hull of this vicinity, who was killed by an automo- bila in Detroit, Mich.. last Friday took place vesterday from Pumphrey’s chapel. The services were conducted by Rev. Bertram M. Osgood. pastor of the Baptist Church, and burial was in Rockville Unfon Cemetery. Mr. Hull was 39 vears old and unmarried. He had heen making Detroit his home for five vears. Licenses have been issued by the Merk of the Circult Court here for the marriage of Charles L. Cooley. 23, of Kensington and Miss Beulah Gihbs, 23, of Cabin John, Md.: James . Windsor, 23, and Miss Nebraska E. Carroll, 17, hoth of this county: Oscar 1. Cook, 22, of Hyatteville, Md., and Miss Myrtle €. Behm, 20, of Takoma Park, Md.: James L. Comahan, 21, and Miss Sarah D. Marshall. I8, both Dance Invitations Issued. Invitations have been issued for the annual Christmas hollday dance of the young people of Poolesville and vicinity. It will be held in the Pooles- | ville Town Hall Wednesaday |and will be in charge of {ert Dayhoff and David Clothier. Mrs. | Lloyd J. Jones and Mrs. Wallace W. Poole will he the chaperons. William F. Hedges of Rockville and Miss Alice E. Burruss of Olney. Md.. were married in Rockville a few days ago by Rev. B. W. .John af the Methodist Church, at the home of the minister. i Young people of Epworth Methodist Church, thersburg, will present “Good Work, Willlam,” in the Gaithersburg High School auditorium next Tuesday evening. Mrs. Ethel Mills is in charge. Follggring & custom of many years, midnigWe mervices Wil be held in St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Rockville, to- night. Mass will be celebrated by the pastor, Rev. John T. Coolahan, and special music Will be rendered by the choir. The Christmas morning serv- ices in the Baptist Church will be at 6 o'clock, when the pastor. Rev. Bar- tram M. Osgood, will preach Children Are Guests. Something like 400 children were guests last evening of the Catholic Daughters of America and Knights of Columbus of Gaithersburg and vicin- ity at a Christmas tree party in St. Martin's Hall, Gaithersburg. Santa Claus, impersonated by Edward Hup- lett of Germantown, was on hand and distributed gifts and goodies and was of | | | | | ay- ances ! JTAX CUT DREAMS | o= weatsex AREFADIG {People as Whole Do Not De- mand Reduction in Levies, Mail Gauge Shows. BY DAVID LAWRENCE. Dreama of tax reduction are fading. The expected deluge of letters and | telegrams from the country as a { whole has not materialized. And the | Republican leaders are convinced that the Democrats will not get enough names (6 attach to the petition re cently circulated in order to bring about the discharge of the commit- tee and the projection of a tax meas- ure to a place on the House calendar. A falrly heavy mail came at the outset of the session when tax reduc- tion was heing widely Aiscussed. but when the Republican majority con ference decided against any tax legls. 1ation at this seswion the letters drop- ped off. Since then the -mail has hean scattering. It comes mostly from manufacturers, chambers of commerce, cogporations and associa- tions who think the corporation tax of 1313 per cent should he reduced at least to where it was at the last session. These letters are clamoring for a repeal of an increase rather than any decrease beyond what was bheing paid a vear ago. . Popular Demand Lacking. Other interests especially concerned with particular levies are asking for relisf. but the people as a whole are not pleading for tax reduction or critieizing the Republican leaders for their policy—at least very little avi- dence of such dissatisfaction has | reached here. Ev letter that reaches the ways and means com- mittee is being answered to the affect that the decision has heen made and will not he altered. 1If, of course, there were a large number of letters and the demand seemed to he wide- spread there might he a different reply. Two things are being inferred from the scattering number of letters re- ceived on tax reduction. One is that the small taxpayer realizes that the amount of reduction he can get is relatively small and the other is that the people who really want tax re- duction have failed to express them- welves. May Rely on Democrats, Couple in Auto Held at Winchester, | y the little folks enjov themselves. in other ways in making prominent As Charged With Aiding Con- he entered the hall a song of greet- vict to Escape. y Bpecial Dispatch to The Star. WINCHESTER, Va., December 24.— #. D. McCoy and wife, the latter formerly a Hatfield and both sald to members of the noted Hatfield- McCoy clan of West Virginia, were in custody here late today, charged with aiding a West Virginia convict, Hugh Stevenson, a friend, in escap- ing from a road force in Berkeley County, W. Va They were arrested while operating an automobile bearing no license plates. They denied their identity until e conted by Sheriff McKown of Berkeley County. who took them back to Martinsburg. SPANISH CATHOLICS ASK PLEA BE SENT TO MEXICO Premier Replies That Mpssage Ask- ing “Religious Freedom” Will Be Forwarded in Friendly Way. By the Associated Press MADRID, December 24.—An offi- clal statement today reveals that the Epanish Episcopate, in a message to Premier Primo de Rivera on Decem- ber 14, asked that the Spanish gov- ernment intervene on behalf of the Catholics of Mexico to the end that “the faithful may regain their reli- glous freedom.” The premier, in acknowledging re- receipt of the message, declared he recognized the spirit in which it was wrtten and that he would forward it to the Mexican government in a form compatible with the cordial relations existing between the two govern- ments. feet. TWO D. C. YOUTHS FINED. Dynamited Mail Boxes Near An- napolis “Just for Pun.” £perial Dispatct to The Star. BALTIMORE, December 24. — El- Yott Reese Thompson, jr., and Thomas Meade Willlams, youths of Washing- ton, D. C., in pleading gullty to an in- dictment charging destruction of five rural delivery mall boxes near An- napolis, were find $50 and costs, ‘The defendants said they dynamited three boxes October 28 and “it was much fun they decided to blow up twoe more on October 29 just for a lark.” They said restitution had been made in each case and promised to refrain from such “fun” in the future. sustained a broken arm, collar bone and other serious injuries Wednesday through a _trestle on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, near the station here. Methodist Sunday burg, were entertained at a Christ- évening. William G. Plummer, a program of recitations and other features was given by the children and the church choir sang several selections. Martin's Catholic Chureh, burg, and St. Rose's Catholic Church, Cloppers, the pastor, Rev. John 8. Cuddy, will celebrate mass, and at St. Rose's the celebrant will be Rev. Woodstock College. program will be rendered at each place. County closed at noon yester: the holidays. day, January 3. ng was given by the smaller children An elaborately decorated tree was an attractive ; Cuddy, "pastor of St. Martin’s Church, was in general charge. feature. Rev. John 8. Irving Hoskinson of this vicinity a broken evening when he fell He fell a distance of about 40 He left his automobile standing on the track, and it is thought he jumped to avoid being struck by an approaching train. ‘was demolished. The automobile The smaller children of Epworth School, Gaithers- celebration in the church last Under diréction of Mrs. Davie and Mrs. Clay Midnight services will be held at 8t. Gaithers- tonight. At St. Martin's Edward Duff of A special music The public schools of Montgomery y for They will ropen Mon- SLAIN ATTEMPTING TO ESCAPE POLICE Virginis. Youth Said to Have Been With Party in Clash With Girls’ Father. By the Associated Press. TAZEWELL, V December 24— Dave Ratliff, 22 years old, sought in connection with an assault, was shot and killed last night by Tazewell County. officers near Wittens Mill, Va., when he attempted to escape as the officers approached his father’s house. Ratliff and thrée companions were sald by police to have probably fatal- ly injured W. R. Bowen when he at- tempted to avenge alleged insuits to his daughters. Two of the youths with Ratliff have been arrested. Ordered to Hospital. First Lidnt. Harry L. Calvin, Quar- termaster Corps, at the general inter. mediate depot, Brooklyn, N. Y., has A 80-volume Soviet encvclopedia ia ' been ordered to thix eity for treatment meing published in Moscow. E hope that this- Christmas you at Walter Reed General Hospital. may be the happiest and yours have ever known, and that the coming year may bring you abundant prosperity—e through our assistance! - —— NATIONAL PERMANENT BUanmG;_A‘\ssocwrmN ORGANIZED OCTOBER /1890 UNDER GOVERNMENT SUPERVISION Just Below There is the possibility that reli- ance has been placed on the theory that the Democrats by some parlia- mentary maneuver would be able to compel consideration of tax revision. The Democrats cannot do anything unless they get a mafority in the House, and this seems unlikely, as thus far have not proved successful. As a mattér of fact, it is diffcult to do much at a short session of Con- gress anyvhow. and the Democrats know that if they force an extra ses- sion they will have a much better chance of getting action on tax revis- ion. The Democrats have not shown their hand as vet on the question of an extra session. There are plenty of investigations and controversies to talk about, so that a’fillbuster against | §; appropriation bills would be rather a simple task for the minority party. The chances are that the question will not be decided until along about the middle of February. The condi- tion of business ahout that time will have an important influence on the Democrats. If business conditions are as favor- able as they seem to be today, the demand for an extra session will be based. entirely on political considera- tions—whether there will be advan- tages in beginning an aftack in the Spring of this year in preparation for 1928 or leaving it till the Winter of that year. 4 - (Covyright, 1926.) — —e- County Treasurer Hurt. Special Dispatch to The Star. FRONT ROYAL, Va., December 24, —A. L. Warthen, treasurer of Warren County, while fox hunting in Rappa- hannock County, sustalned a_broken leg in the fall of his horse. He was brought to his home here. $200,000 Fire in Boom Town. SEMINOLE, Okla., December 24 .—Property damage estimated at 200,000 resulted from a disastrous re here Wednesday night. Seminol is Oklahoma's newest oil boom town and is located in the heart of the Seminole ol pool. their efforts to gét Republican votes|§. ‘WASHINGTON, District of Columbia—Rain tonight and probably tomorrow mOrNing; colder tomorrow: minimum tempera- ture about 32 degrees. Maryland—Rain tonight and proh- ably tomorrow morning: warmer in extreme east portion and colder in extreme west portion tonight; colder tomorrow. West Virginia—Rain, changing to snow, tonight and probably tomerrow morning; colder tonight, much colder in west portion; colder tomorrow. Virginia—Probably rain tonight and tomorrow; warmer in southeast por- tion tonight; colder tomorrow. Records for 24 Hours. Thermometer—4 p.m.. 34: 32; 12 midnight, 31; 4 a.m., 32; 34; noon, 40. Barometer—4 p.m., 30.45; 8 p. 30.46; 12 mldnight, 30.43; 4 a.m., 3! 8 a.m., 30.30; noon, 30.21. Highest temperature, 40. occurred at noon today. Lowest temperature, 31, occurred at midnight. Temperature same date Highest, 41; lowest, 31. Tide Tables. (Furnished by United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.) Today—Low tide, £:07 a.m. and 6:29 p.m.; high tide, 11:52 a.m. Tomorrow—Low tide, 6:54 a.m. and 7:19 p.m.; high tide, 12:06 a.m. and 12:39 p.m. The Sun and Moon. Today—Sun rose 7:25 a.m.; sun sets 4:50 pm. ‘Tomorro sets 4:51 p.m. Moon rises 10:09 p.m.; sets 11:16 a.m. Automobile lamps to be lighted one half hour after sunset. ‘Weather in Various Cities. '] 8 Sun rises 7:25 a.m.; sun Weather. Ratning loudy AN .,...-‘H. Shae sy S G 2EB235328358E <ataions onacs 10 O33003POSBE S0 £ =1 POtetten e RER sma s - IS S B D e L 25 -y 3= 32E; 3. 55038 S8555535555055555555555: e D23 2 Do oD PRI RS SRO BRI DR RR S 5 00 20 N3 3 e RS e ees Qo n 2 clonay'® 10.30 . Cloudy FOREIG (8 am.. Greenwich time, today.) Temperature. Weather. 3 Toudy Tear Cl e b loar Cloudy BIRDS FLIT LIGHTED TREE. Special Dispateh to The Star. RICHMOND, Va., December 24.— Thousands of ¥nglish sparrows are roostiess in this city, due to the elec- trificaon of two big magnolia trees in the Capitol S8quare for a Christmas pageant tonight. The electric lights were turned on last night, and in an instant there was a flutter of wings and a myriad of sparrows disappeared in mearch of quarters for the night. Caroling Put Undex; "(-!urb. LONDON, December 24 (#).-—No carols will be sung in the streets of Leighton Buzzard, a market town in Bedfordshire until seven days before Christmas. The police ohtained an order from the courts to ban all carol parties hefore that date, owing to complaints last year from residents who asserted that they suffered from the continuous “caroling” four weeks befors Christmas. = PRSI One silk company in this country uses up 3,000,000 cocoons in a day. D. 0, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24 1926. SURVEY SCIENTIST CLAIMED BY DEATH Capt. Philip A. Welker, Re- tired, Expires at Age of 69 at Home. Capt. Philip A. Welker, prominent retired Washington scientist, who for 42 years was on the staff of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, died early today at his residence at Somerset House, on Sixteenth street. Funeral services have not vet heen arranged. He has been retired since 1921. Capt. Welker was in his seventieth vear, being born in Toledo, Ohlo, on June 1, 1857. He is survived by his widow, who was formerly Miss Ger- trude M. Lanahan of Baltimore and their son, Philip Lanahan Welker. His daughter, Mrs. Howard R Lews. resides in Cleveland. Capt. Welker was graduated from Cornell University as civil engineer in 1878. He was appointed to the United States Coast and Geodetic Sur- vey in 1879, and was engaged in the work of the survey throughout nearly every section of the United States, Alaska, Uorto Rica, the Isthmus of Panama. and the Philippine Islands. This service included all branches of activity of the bureau from triangula- tion and astronomical observdtions in his earlier days through the arduous duties of hydrographer in the ocean depths to responsible administrative positions in Washington. Skipper of Bache. Ax early as 1880 he was engaged on a_ hydrographic survey in Baltimore Harbor and at varfous times on sur- veys in Chesapeake Bay. From 1898 to 1910, as commanding officer of the Coast and Geodetic Survey ship Bache, he executed surveys along the coasts of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico and in the Caribhean Sea. His surveys of the coasts of Porto Rico and off the Isthmus of Panama formed the basis for some of the first com- plete navigating charts of these wa ters prepared by the United States Government. His other surveys of the coastal waters were also necessary additions to the charts required by navigators. His work in astronomy included ob- servations for the transit of Venus over the sun in California in 1882 and observations of the annular eclipse of the sun at San Francisco in 1836. In triangulation his field work was per- formed in the Territory of Washington, in British Columbia, California and other Western States. He represented the aurvey in the field observations connected with the survey of the boun- dary between: Alaska and Canada and a8 a member of geodetic conferences held at Washington. Duty in Philippines. - Tn 1911 he was assigned-to duty in the Philippine Islands and served as director of the coast surveye thers un- til 1914. In this position he had direct charge of the execution of original surveys carrfed out by the Federal Government for the purpose of map ping and charting the islands. He also served as a. member and sécretary of the Philippine Committee on Geogmphical Names and as a member of the Harbor Lines Commis. sion of the Philippine Islands. ‘Upon his return to the United States he was appointed assistant in charge of the survey office at Washington, D. C. He was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Washing- ton Society of Engineers, Beta Theta Pi, Cosmos and Federal Clube of Washington, University Club (Ma- nila) and Philippine Club (New York). He was a prominent member of St. John's Epiecopal Church, a thirty- second degree Mason and a Knight Templar. INVESTMENT BUILDING GARAGE 1 tme A 15th & K e NW. o Franklln 7601 Open Evenings and Sundays OULL BE GLAD Y YOU SAVED YOUR MONEY! When Vacation™ Time Comes FEDERAL-AMERICAN EFFICIENCY RATING IS NO LONGER SOLE RETIREMENT BASIS _(Continued_from First Page) subject, which the Interior Depart- ment head believed would be sure to arise in connection with the retire- ment of other employes, Mr. Work asked the following questions: ““Whether the efficiency ratings of an employe are controlling in determining his efficiency under the present re- tirement act or whether the head of a department would be warranted in accepting the opinion of the employe's immediate superior as the most recent measure of his efficiency.” “It the efficiency ratings are con- trolling, whether the head of a de- partment would be warranted in certl- fying that an employe is efficient and competent if he has an efficlency rat- ing of 65 or slightly higher, or whether the act of July 3, 1926, the present re- tirement law, contemplates that an employe who applies thereunder for continuation in the civil service shall have maintained an efficiency rating of from 80 to 84 at least. Reply Defines Discretion. In reply thw Attacney General said he is of tha opinion that“tke present retirement law does not require that the efciency of an employve of re- tirement age be determingd by the efficiency rating system established by the classification act, #fut that it pro- vides for the ds‘8rmination of effi- ciency from the employe's efficiency ratings; all other information on file respecting the character of his work and his immediate superior’s opinion respecting the efMiciency of his work. “In reaching a conclusion as to the efficiency of a given employe, de- partment, branch and independent office heads must take all of the statu- tory factors into consideration, but they may give such weight to each of them as they deem proper under the circumstances. It seems unnecessary to add that the evidence of an em- ploye's efficleney or lack of it which his eficlency ratings furnish, may be ignored only¥ for very sound reasons. Evidence of Efficiency. “T am further of the opinion that the act of July 3, 1926, does not pre- scribe the degres of efficiency which an employe of retirement age must possess as a condition of his continu- ation in the civil service, That, too, is left in each case to the sound discre- tlon of department, branch and inde- pendent office heads. “It follows that the answer to your first question is, that in determining efficiency under the act of July 3, 1926, an employe's efficiency ratings are not controlling and that the head of a department may be warranted in a glven case in giving greater welght to the opinifon of an employe’s immediate superfor not ‘as the most recent measure,’ but as the best evi- dence of his efficienc:; FIREMEN SAVE Fli\IES. Chief Watson Cancels Unpaid Bal- ances and Reduces Others. Moved by the spirit of Christmas, George £ Watson, chief. engineer of the District Fire Department, today canceled the unpald balance of fines imposed on six firemen during the year and reduced, the balance on un. pald fines imposed on three others. The firemen who benefited by the fire chief's generosity were: R. F. Fink, C. J. Pfeil, J. R. Bush, R. J. :h.meé. (lr I:V. Mitchell, M. T. Cole- an, G. C. Brow L. Mof and A. H. Crosley s ALEXANDRIA. ALEXANDRIA, Va., December 24 (Special).--Santa Claus arrived ahead of time today at the lunchroom known as the Royal, 107 North Royal street, condutced by Gus Brivolos. Inatead of leaving presents he carried off $34. A skylight kept open for ventilation was the means of entrance. The rob- bery was discovered at 5 o'clock, when the place was opened. Buck_ Grady, colored, living on North Royal street extended. reports that thleves visited his hennery early today and carried off 18 chickens and two roosters. Police Court will not be in session tomorrow and all persons arrested, un less they have collateral, will be com pelled_to remain behind prison bars until Monday. All city departments closed at noon today for the holidays and will not reopen until Monday morning. Mail Workers Swamped. Post officea employes today were lit- erally swamped with the heavy rush of incoming mail. Most of it, how- ever, was sent out today and, it is ex- pected, ‘will be delivered before the close of the day. There will be one delivery by the carriers tomorrow morning and a col- lection throughout the city will be made at -2 o'clock fn the afternoon. However, the delivery windows at the post office will be closed all day to- morrow. Autofsts may park bstween 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. only one hour on King strest between Fairfax and Patrick streets. Signs have been placed by the police department and the en- forcement of the law just hegan to- day. Fortyd4wo metallio signs have been placed in_ position on the iron poles of the trolley line, six being for each square, in order that motorists may not miss them. Commandery to ©bserve. ©1d4 Dominion Commandery, Knigh Templar, at noon tomorrow will hold its annual Christmas observance at the Masonio Temple. Robert 8. Bar- rett will deliver an address on “Rethls- hem."” Special music programs will be given in all of the churches that will hold Christmas services tomorrow. Most of the churches will have the music repeated Sunday. An_unoccupled frame dwelling in the 800 block South Falirfax street s | MILLIONS IN BONDS APPROVED IN TEXAS ' Supreme Court Vllidlnfic Issues for Road Purposes by Formal Writ of Mandamus. By the Aum.E Prose. AUSTIN, Tex., December 24—The Texas Supreme Court yesterday in ef- fact validated many millions of dollars worth of road bonds by granting & writ of mandamus to Tem Green County directing Attorney General Dan Moody to approve the county's road bond iasue of $500,000. Moody has declined to approve the issue because of the United States Su. preme Court decision in the Archer County case, in which the county's district bonds were held unconstitu- tonal. Yesterday's decision validates a 6,000,000 Harris County ‘bond ssue and many other similar issues, ‘Which the Attornsy General declin to approve until a test could be made, Many of these bonds are held by in- vestors throughoyt the United States. The Legislature recently passed.leg- islation validating the bonds disap- proved in the Archer County case. — Mayor Pickpocket's Vietim. Special Dispateh to The Star. RICHMOND, Va., December Mayor Bright was given a jost he was leaving a theater last ni and discovered later his pocket had been picked of his pocketbook, con- taining $70. T ketbook, minus the money, was led to him. 24— as ht ‘was gutted by fire at 4:30 o'cleck yes terday afterncon. The origin is un- detarmined. A. F. Skillman, driver of Motor Truck No. 1 of the Fire Department, reports that he saved Mrs. Mary Thompson, 81, from beln: burned when her apron took fire at her home, by throwing blankets over her Wed nesday night. HOTEL ROOSEVELT SixteenthStreet at V and W Special Christmas Dinner 12:30 to 8:30 PM. $2.00 per Person Music—12:30 to 2:00; 6:00 to 8:30 Please Make Reservations as Farly as Possible Phone North 9080 The Adjustment Bureau will be open Christmas Eve till 12 o’clock, and on Christ- mas Day until noon. ) Our delivery department promises to have every package delivered by 12 o’clock tonight. If you find that your package has gone astray, or that in delivery, the article has been broken or the incorrect merchandise sent you, give us the chance to right it for you. We have done every- thing humanly possible to assure your transac- tions being entirely satisfactory, but if your gift should prove otherwise, in any respect, call Main 5100 and we will do all we can to correctit. 'We hope that everything will meet with your entire satisfaction, and that your Hecht Co. purchases will domuch toward making yours— ' A Very Merry Christmas! XY, 0 TS ~ RSN ZIN o