Evening Star Newspaper, November 21, 1928, Page 4

OEATH PENALTY " BANIS DEFEATED Resolution Is Tabled by Chamber of Commerce by Close Vote. The movement for abolition of capi- fal punishment in the District suffered @ reverse last night when the Chamber of Commerce by a close vote tabled a resolution submitted by its law and leg- islation committee urging an end to the death penalty. The report of the committee, sub- mitted by its chairman, Judge Mary O'Toole of Municipal Court, was sup- ported by a paper on the subject read by Mrs. Caroline B. Stevens, chairman of a subcommittee which made a study of the proposal. Vigorous opposi- tion developed, however, when Robert N. Harper, past president of the cham- ber, launched an attack on the move- ment and urged postponement of final decision. The chamber also heard a repert on the Nation-wide movement for grant- ss and the right to vote in presidential elections to citizens of the District from Thomas P. Littlepage of the committee on na- - tional representation, who declared the growing number of supporters of the movement would continue the fight un- til victory was attained. Wage Appeal Indorsed. The appeal of machinists of the Navy +vard here for upward revision of per diem wages to place them on a com- parable scale with similar employes in other Government depariments, was indorsed by the chamber in approving a report by John Eckert, chairman of the committee on manufactures. The organization also was addressed by Dr. Cloyd H. Marvin, president of George Weshington University; Elwood Street, director of the Community Chest of Washington, and Gen. John A. Johnson, director of the roll call of the local chapter of the American Red Cress. After reviewing study made by her committee of capital punishment Judge O'Tcole turned presentation of the case over to Mrs. Stevens, who as- serted that imposition of th'e den?.l:} penalty was tantamount to “murder’ y_the state. - i Listing several States and -foreign countries which have abolished capital punishment, Mrs. Stevens declared that in those jurisdictions the percentage of murders was less than in sections where the death penalty is imposed. Mr. Harper countered by warning of pardoning of convicted murderers after public wrath over their deeds has passed and asserted, that persons convicted of premeditated murder should be removed rom society. 5 Dr. Mnrvx}n. who last night made his first appearance before the chamber, discussed the purpose of education and described opportunities for higher edu- cation ‘Washi n, due to library facilities, and avsil;ablmy of research ta and expert advice. daDr. Ma“‘;;le pointed out that 14,000 students, registered here in four uni- versities having liberal arts courses, spend on an average of $2,000 each annually, or a total of about $28,000,000, which is directed into local business channels. Chest Plan Praised. Director Street of the Community Chest declared the co-operative plan for financing local charities would prove a boon to the city and to or- ganizations included in the chest. Seated on the platform were officials of the Community Chest, including Charles J. Bell, Rudolph Jose, Dr. George C. Havenner, president of the Federation of Citizens’ Associations; E. ©. Graham, president of the Board of Trade; Mrs. John J. O'Connor and Ivan C. Weld, chamber president. Maj. William O. Tufts, chairman of the committee on universities, colleges and private schools, told of progress in the movement for age of *diploma mill” bill which is designed to prevent operation here of schools fraudulently awarding degrees. The bill has passed the Senate and has been favorably reported to the House. G. Manson Foote of the membership committee reported that 109 new mem- bers had been admitted since June. A House Member Il REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAM W, GRIEST, Dean of Pennsylvania Representatives, who has represented the tenth district in Congress since 1909, is seriously ill in his home in Lancaster, Pa. He was a member of the committee on post offices and post roads for many years and wrote practically all legislation dealing with the postal service. He was re-elected November 6. —Associated Press Photo. to answer repeated calls from its sister ship, the Voltatre?” “No. answer, and told the Voltaire it had nothing to communicate. Why did he not tell the Voltaire of his very serious situation?” “Well, I don't know.” “Did the captain ever tell you why he waited as long as he did in reporting thel\condltiun of his ship?” “No.” Eighty-Mile Gale Blowing. “What time did the gale begin to die down?” Capt. Jessup asked John- son. “I should say it was moderate from 4 o'clock Monday morning on. “What was greatest strength of the gale at any time?” “I should say 75 or 80 miles an hour.” “Was sea at any time bad enough to endanger any vessel the size of 'your Vesit‘zl that was sound?” “No* ~ ‘Tuttle then took up the questioning. “When did it first occur to you to send out an S O S?” he asked. “At 10 o'clock Monday, when I asked the captain.” Supports Captain on S O S. “If you had been the captain wouldn’t Evl?:’h“e sent out an S O S before o “I don’t think so.” “What would you have relied upon to save the ship up to that time?” “T'd have relied on the pumps to get the water out.” “But from 4 o'clock Monday morn- Ing on you knew the pumps were not sun;cienb, didn't you?” “Then why wouldn’t you have sent an S O S sooner?” “Well, the gale was moderating all the time.” “The gale was moderating, but the list was increasing, and the danger was in the list, wasn’t it?” “If the gale moderated, the danger ‘wasn't so great.” “Then, with the list increasing and water coming in from an unknown source, you would not have sent out an S O S _before 10 o'clock Monday morn- ing? That's your position, is it?” “I suppose,” Johnson replied. Engineer Again Called. James Adams, the chief engineer, again took the stand. Capt. Jessup started to question him. Adams con- tradicted yesterday’s testimony from Ford, the negro chief fireman, that the the | cover of the ash hopper could not be fastened down tightly. “The screws were a little tight, that was all,” he said. “What did you think caused the Vestris to list?"” Capt. Jessup asked Adams. “The wind” “But after you found there was water report on retail trade was submitted by Isaac Gans, committee chairman. el VESTRIS RESCUE ORDERS IGNORED, OFFICER TESTIFIES {Continued From First Page.) danger until the list was stopped?” “Then did it not occur to you, s chief officer, that it was your first duty to find out.what was causing that list?’ “T tried to_find out.” Johnson told Jessup he reported to Capt. Carey at 4 o'clock Monday morn- ing, the day the Vestris sank, that there was water in the :aunkcrs, and an in- westigation was made. "xii‘é you find out where the water was coming from?” Jessup asked. “No, we couldn’t find out.” “was there an officer assigned to each lifeboat?” "en" “There is testimony that several boats had no officers in them. Why?” “They didn’t get in.” “Had you no authority over your sub- ordinates?” Says Officer Walked Away. “I told one officer to get into a life- boat and he walked away. What could 1 do?” .. “There has been testimony that some boats didn’t get away; that no one tried to put them off. Were no members of the crew assigned to them?” “Yes, but they weren’t there.” “Weren't you, as chief officer, in con- trol of the whole crew?” “Yes, but I couldn't go hunting over the ship for them.” “Most of the women and children, it has been testified, were put in boats on the port side. Was not that the side most difficult to launch boats from?” - “Well, yes, it most certainly was.” “Why were they put there?” “It was the high side of the ship and most of the passengers were gathered up there” “What were your relations with Capt, Carey? Were you friendly?” “Yes.” . Questioned About S O . “When did you first ask him whether he had sent an S. O. §?” “About 10 o'clock Monday morning.” “With the list of the chip increasing steadily, what steps did you take to get the waier cus of her?” “I concentrated attention on a leak- ing half door in the ride.” “Did the bailing with buckets help any?” “It seemed to for a while.” “Do_you know why the Vestris failed Sturtevant Blowers For Burning Buckwheat Coal FRIES, BEALL & SHARP 734 10th St. NW. Skin Blemishes “ Don't think they’re hopeless! “Thousands of others have se- cured quick results with Resinol A in the coal bunkers?” “I thought it was the wind.” “But water in the bunkers cause a list?” “Xx?d‘"th list increased Sun. o e steadil, - dflyynlgh!?” . “Yes.” “Your chief fireman has testified the }{“lo:’:sfxrm . mmv sho ‘lnf s en a coal into the boilers.” il fi:mh‘?ughed. chief engineer then lained in detail the water and mpefi systems D. on the shi ship increase could “Did the list of the gradually all day Sunday?” No. It was the same all day.” Admits List Increased. “But I see you testified the last time you were on the stand that it was much Wl T Hink et oty £ m; Aoy 4 y b tes y is .“ghnt it increased all day?” “Did you have any conversati i thm’?;n on sugdny?" e & pm., I told him the he :&sglmmg} s'r;: tgwx; was, w“ero?upxe: o unkers, w‘slcan. th{e pumps.” T ‘I see from your earlier testi that as late as 11 o'clock Mmrg morning (the Vestris sank at 2 p.m.) you told the captain you thought you could keep her afloat. Did you speak with him before that on Monday?” “About 4 in the morning I told him how the water was and said it was pretty bad. He gave instructions about puglpiéigi:"cco key, th ‘apt. nkey, the British adviscr, then asked how the water in the bilge zotA &l:era . ms showed he & h’-"w*;xbo“g.h'em- Was very uncer: “When ship was listing about 30 degrees,” Capt. McConkey sald, “the ::léxl:loor abou'é w‘l;:‘l.ch there has been stimony must ve been - uouis{]y under water?” iy “You did not investigate” Capt. Jessup_interrogated, “to find if the wnlfgr was coming in that way?” o Adams was then excused ane shle’s ;Arpevr}teh:; w;: called. d, e ustave Wohl, the carpenter, said had been on the Vestris as ship's cll!]‘? penter for four months. He had had 30 years experience as a ship’s carpenter, Tuttle asked him to describe how he Everything Ironed 19— SAVES YOUR TIME SAVES YOUR DIME 1101-1109 Raum St. N.E. Lincoln 8386-8387-8388 We Also Call in Neardy Virginia “Monday morning the (Vestris did | THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D ¢, WEDNESD closed the coal ports and half doors be- fore the ship sailed, this being the carpenter’s responsibility. ‘Wohl said he caulked the half door ‘with spun yarn and white lead, to make it watertight. He said he personally supervised the closing of the half door. “Did that half door leals on previous oy e “I had not heard that, but chief officer told me Sunday evening that the port half door leaked and I went up and fixed it.” “How much “Not much.” “Did you try to fix the half door on the starboard side?” “Yes. I caulked it up Sunday after dinner.” “That stop the leak?” Caulking Washed Out. “For a little while, but water coming in washed the caulking out. I caulked it again at 9 o'clock Sunday night.” Because Wohl obviously could not understand Tuttle’s questions, Capt. Jessup took up the questioning, using the more technical terms of the sea- man. ‘Wohl said he worked on the star- | board half door from 7:30 p.m. to 1 am. Sunday night. He said that he then had to fix several port holes that had been broken in by the From then on' he made soundings in the ship's bilge tanks, reporting to the captain every half hour. At 5 am. Monday, he said, there was not more than 2 feet of water in any of the ship's tanks. He sald he took no later soundings. Questioned by Jessup, Wohl said he personally shut the three starboard coal ports before the ship sailed, work- ing on a staging and caulking them with spun yarn and white lead. “They held,” he said. “Where do you think the water came in?” Capt. McConkey asked him. “We couldn't find out,” Wohl replied: Adjournment was then taken until tomorrow. J. B: Dovalle, associated with the Brazilian consulate in New York and a survivor of the Vestris disaster, testi- fled at the Department of Commerce inquiry today that the porthole of his third-class cabin had leaked con- tinuously after the liner ran into bad weather on Sunday, November 11, the day before she went down with a loss of more than 100 lives. Dovalle, who sald he occupied the cabin with two other men, declared that sufficient water had entered his quarters to require the attention of a steward with a mop. He sald the plate glass window was cracked. although the leaking occurred around the edge of the port, which he said was not properly fitted with a gasket or washer. Attempting to Find Negligence. Dovalle was the second witness today before Supervising Inspector Dickerson N. Hoover of the steamboat inspection service of the Department of Commerce. Hoover is attempting to learn whether inspettors of the service who examined and passd the Vestris as seaworthy were guilty of negligence. Before Dovalle took the stand, James E. Duffy, ship news reporter for a New ‘York newspaper, testified to his part in the handling of the story of Frederick Sorenson, & Vestris survivor, who was first credited by some newspapers as blaming Capt. William Carey and his officers of the Vestris for the disaster, and who later repudiated the accounts as having been “twisted around.” Duffy’s newspaper story was read into the record of the hearing, as was testi- mony yesterday by John McClain, an- other reporter, who submitted notes tending to prove Sorenson had been quoted Bomcnfl, Testimony that the lost steamship Vestris needed repairs for two years ‘was given by members of the crew yes- terday afternoon. United States in- spectors reported that the British liner was seaworthy before she left on her last voyage, yet members of the crew told Federal Commissioner O'Neill that various ports through which the sink- ing ship took water had been out of repair, The testimony was given by Gilbert Ford, chief fireman; Isaac James Scoty, a saloon waiter, and Thomas Connor, head walter in the first cabin. Ford testified that the ash efector valve in the stokehold shipped wator and always had during rough weatner. He said he tried to tighten the screws on the valve, but they were rusty and had been that way throughout his two years’ service on the ship. He said he had never made a formal report be- cause “everybody knew about it.” Officers of the Vestris previously had testified that water coming in through this pipe and other places in the coal bunkers contributed to the foundering of the vessel. Tell of Defective Door. Scott and Connor told of a half door on the starboard side of the vessel, about 10 feet above the water line, through which the water poured in such & stream after the ship started to list on Sunday night, 20 hours before she sank, that the bailing efforts of several men could not keep up with it. They testified that on previous trips when the weather was rough seas had been shipped through this door. Scott said the water which came in through the door poured down into the coal bunkers through hatches which ‘were not covered until Monday morn- ing. The water was so de in their quarters Sunday ' night, he said, that they could not use the lower berths. He also told of being assigned to No. 4 lifeboat, which he testified was loaded with women and left suspended five feet above the water. He said it was carried down with the ship. He himself jumped overboard and was rescued by another leboat. . Connor told of saloon portholes which needed re-rubbering and which he had reported as out of repair the last two trips without any action being taken. Both _he and Scott said they had not ’ol a leak was it?” HOMES!! Hundreds of them will be sold for TAXES Do not lose your life long sav- ings by permitting your home to be sold for the want of a few hundreds of dollars with which to pay your taxes. Under our Easy-Payment Plan, we may be able to help you in this or some other equally worthy object, THE «_MORRI; PLA Easy to Pay Monthly $540 $1,200 $100.00 $6,000 $500.00 It is not necessary to have had an Ac- count at this Bank to Borrow. ‘THE MORRIS PLAN BANK Under Supervision U. S. Treasury 1408 H STREET, N. W. t I Honored by Associates | WEBER. tar Stafl Photo. VETERAN FOREMAN ATG.P.0.RETIRED William H. Weber of Press Section Receives Parting Gifts From Associates. William H. Weber, veteran foreman of a press section at the Government Printing Office, who had the distinction of never being late for work during 42 years' continuous service and who was absent only once due to illness, was re- tired yesterday and presented ith gifts by his fellow employes. He was congratu'ated on his long service by George H. Carter, public printer. ‘The presents given Mr. Weber inclide a radio set and traveling bag, presented in behalf of his fellow employes by Frederick Cawson, head préssman. His wife, Mrs. Ruth V, Weber, was present- ed with flowers. ‘Today Mr. Weber is celebrating his sixty-fifth birthday and looking forward to a_cherished ambition of retiring to his farm, at Warrenton, Va. He has made his home in this city at 703 Ham- ilton street. Besides his wife he has two daughters, Miss Mary V. Weber and Mrs. Ruth E. Murphy, and two sons, William Howard Weber and Edward Halley Weber. Mr. Weber is a member of the Leba- non Lodge of Masons Slayer Given Five Years. Special Dispatch to The Star. FAIRFAX, Va., November 21.— Daniel Simms, colored, was given a sentence of five years in the peni- tentiary on conviction in Circuit Court here yesterday for the killing August 4 of Garfield Simms, a brother, near Dranesville, Va. st im0 . ST S officially reported the leaking half door, but that the crew, whose quarters were near, often cursed about it when the water came into the passageway to their rooms during rough weather, Counnor also testified that many of the “dead light” port hole covers, iron covers hung on hinges which are dropped down over sthe glass ports, were so stiff that the weight of several persons hanging on them was not sufficient to close them. Connor was in lifeboat No. 8, which was overturned in launching. He was picked up by another lifeboat. Frederick Sorenson, a passenger on the Vestris, who himself holds master's papers, repeated the denials he had made before the steamboat inspection inquiry of published stories which quoted him as criticizing she handling of the boat and the actions of the offi- cers and crew. He characterized the re- ports as “absolute, rankest lies.” REDEEM MONEY ORDERS. Postal money orders lost with Ameri- can mail on the foundered steamship Vestris may be made good by certified applications to the division of money orders for duplicates. Assistant Postmaster General R. S. SKYLIGHT DEATH 1S INVESTIGATED Police Probe Is Started Into Fatal Fall of John J. Grady. The death of John J. Grady, 35-year- old raflroad worker, of 35 T street northeast, at Emergency Hospital early this morning from injuries sustained, friends say, when he fell through a skylight at 1614 Fourteenth street, started an investigation by police. The result of the probe will be presented to a coroner’s jury at an inquest tomor- Tow. While police were on the roof view- | ing the scene of the accident, they | found a cache of 68 quarts of liquor and 20 quarts of alcohol, Ownership was not established. | According to police, Grady fell through a skylight in the apartment of Mrs, Vera Berry on the third floor of the Fourteenth street address, land- ing in the apartment of Mrs. Margaret | Harwood directly beneath. He was taken to Emergency Hospital by two men, who left without making themselves known, but were later identi- fled as William Kappel and Albert Green, both of 93¢ New York avenue, who were in Mrs. Berry's apartment when the mishap occurred. Grady was pronounced dead at 2:30 this morning, h!vtc ’mmuLes after he reached the hos- pital. Headquarters Detective Thomas Nally immediately started an investigation and later he turned the case over to Detectives T. J. Sweeney and G. E. Darnell of the homicide squad. Police learned that the sky-light through which Grady fell is in the center of Mrs. Berry's apartment. It was formerly a stairway and consists of a plate of glass surrounded by mesh wire, with a low wooden railing around the edge. Green and Kappel had arrived in the apartment a short time before Grady fell, and were in another room when they heard the crash. They say they had no idea of the seriousness of Grady’s injuries, explaining that they left the hospital hurriedly only be- cause the ambulance was coming in and they did not want to block its access to the emergency entrance. Grady is survived by his widow, Mrs. Bertha Grady, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. David Grady of 2035 North Capi- tol street. TRUST CHAIRMAN DIES. ST. LOUIS, November 21 (#)— Breckinridge Jones, 72, chairman of the board of the Mississippi Valley Trust Co., died here at 1:45 a.m. today of a throat infection. . -Well known in Middle Western bank- ing circles, Jones was generally recog- nized as the “father of the trust com-,| pany section” of the American Bank- ers’ Association. As early as 1896 he inaugurated a movement to form a na- tional organization of the trust com- panies of the United States, which later resulted in the trust company division of the association. A Word About Don’t wait until the last-minute rush to have the Furniture re- upholstered. Our prices are most reasonable at this time, and selection of Fabrics the best. Our Estimator will gladly call with samples. DRAPERIES ‘We will be pleased to have our Representative call to go over your Drapery problems with you; no obligation, of course. SLIP COVERS Pretty Slip Covers can be made very attractively for all- year 'round service at little cost. 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Coombs, District superintendent of licenses, seeking renewal of the permits for the operation of their establish- ments. The pol have been ordered to see that all those concerns requiring licenses obtain them without delay, the old permits having expired October 31. Gen. Neville Under Knife. C. Neville, commandes of the Marine base at Quantico, Va., was operated on last night after an attack of acute ap- Marine Corps headquarters was ad- | pendicitis. His condition was reported vised today that Maj. Gen. Wendell |as satisfactory. SAYS VISITORS WAN CAPITAL DEVELOPED Senator Sackett Reports Less Op- position to Appropriations by Congress. ‘The increasing number of Americans visiting Washington in recent years is stimulating - interest throughout the country in the proper development of the Capital, in the opinion of Senator Sackett of Kentucky, & member of the Senate District committee, who has re- turned for the opening of Congress, Senator Sackett said that some ycars ago, many persons in the States were not enthusiastic over the voting of money by Congress for the improve- ment_of Washington, but that the growth of automobile touring has led thousands of citizens to wvisit their Capital. 4 As to work of the District commit- tee for the coming session, Senalor Sackett said the local bills of which he was in charge at the last session were disposed of. The committee has had no meetings yet in prefration for the coming session and Senator Sackett was not prepared to say what I tion he thought would be completed this Win- ter. With Chairman Capper expected to arrive the end of this week, it is possible that membsr of the commit- tee will resume study of the street rail- way merger proposal a few days in ad- vance of the opening of the session, De- cember 3. Following recent student disturb- ances in Greenock, Scotland, city of- ficials have placed a ban on all street meetings and processions. § HUMAN_HANDS custom tailor . .. in the tailors price. R REPOUSSE The actual in Stieff repousse is s! It does not show Ask to Do, o2 REG. U. S. PAT. OFFs HARD TO FIT? — not in a FRUHAUF Many men can not be fitted in ordinary ready-to-wear clothing. Realizing this, Fruhauf makes it possible to meet the needs of men who are hard to fit, as well as those who are easy to fit. 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