Evening Star Newspaper, September 20, 1929, Page 17

he &y WASHINGTON, D. WITE SUNDAY MORNING C., \ ening Staf, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1929. PAGE 17 OFFICIALS DECLINE VANDENBERG CALLSIDISTRICT SCHOOL ' » SWINGLE'S BODY, - T0 REOPEN PROBE OF WOMAN'S DEATH Rover Declares New Evi- dence Insufficient to Con- tinue Investigation. MRS. McPHERSON HELD TO HAVE BEEN SUICIDE Analysis of Bloodstains in Bath- room Proved to Be Unsuccessful. New evidence tending to disprove the suicide verdict in the case of Mrs. Rob- ert A. McPherson, who was found strangled to -death’ in her apartment last Saturday, has been investigated and nothing uncovered which would war- rant reopening of the case at present, United States Attorney Leo A. Rover declared today. The evidence, presented to the United Btates attorney’s office last Tuesday by Officer Robert J. Allen of the third pre- cinct, who made an independent in- vestigation of the case, was also“pre- sented to Senator Overman of North Carolina by Allen yesterday. Later the Senator wrote a letter to Mr. Rover asking him to continue the investiga- tion into the death of Mrs. McPherson, declaring that he understood the United States attorney's office was in pos- session “certain information.” which, if true. “would disprove the suicide ver- dict which had been rendered by the coroner’s jury.” Makes Inspection. Assistant United States Attorney Wil- lism H. Collins, to whom Allen pre- sented his evidence, consisting mainly of information obtained from the apart- ment house manager in relation to the position of the body, and a blood spot on_the bathroom floor adjoining the bedroom in which the body was found, made a personal inspection of the apartment Tuesday afternoon. Later he went over the case Lieut. Edward J. Kelly of the police homicide squad. At the conclusion of his investigation Collins announced that he had discovered nothing of sufficient importance to disprove the suicide theory. At the suggestion of Mr. Col- lins a portion of the tile floor on which the blood stains appeared was chiseled up and taken to the District chemist for analysis. The chemist repuorted that the analysis had been unsuccess- ful. Senator Overman in his letter to Mr. Rover said: “I cannot impress upon you too strongly that I hope vou personally will leave no stone unturned to see that a most thorough investigation is con- | tinued into the death of this un(orvu-‘ nate woman.” “I have been informed.” the Senator | ‘wrote, “that certain information has | been brought to the attention of your | office, which, if true, would disprove the | suicide verdict which has been ren- dered. | Friend of Father. “While I realize the gravity of this | matter, I trust you will take into con- | sideration my interests in this young | woman on account of my friendship for | her father.” 1 The Senator pointed out that at the | request of A. A. Hurley, father of Mrs. | McPherson, of Chester, S. C.. but for- merly of China Grove, N. C., former home of Mrs. McPherson, he had desig- nated his secretary, W. E. McDonald. | to attend -the coroner's inquest. The coroner’s jury decided Mrs. McPherson died by her own hand, wrapping a pa- | jama cord around her neck and knot- | ting it until she strangled to death. | HUSBAND HELD IN TWO CHARGES OF ASSAULT Victim Stabbed by Edmonston Man | Improving—Prisoner's Wife | Swears Out Warrant. Condition of R. Warren Sasnett of 14 Bixth street northeast, who is in Casualty Hospital with wounds inflicted by Ernest Mitchell, Edmonston road, Edmonston, Md., yesterday, today was described at the hospital as fair and the belief was expressed he would re- cover, Mitchell was locked up in the Bladensburg Jail on two charges of as- sault and battery with intent to kill. According to the story Mitchell told police, he came home unexpectedly yes- terday and found Sasnett and his wife together. Becoming incensed, he pro- ceeded to beat his wife with his fists and assaulted Sasnett with a butcher knife, police said. Mitchell was ar- rested by Constable Andrew Gasch of Bladensburg after his wife had sworn out a warrant of assault and battery with intent to kill before Justice of the Peace Hugh O'Neil, Mrs. Mitchell stated that when her husband entered the house she was seated in one chair and Sasnett in an- other, and that the latter was collect- ing an installment due on a radio set. She said that her husband attacked Sasnett without provocation and as- saulted her when she attempted to in- tervene. Sasnett, who was brought to the hose pital in the ambulance of the Prince Georges County rescue squad, of which . L. Leonard is chief, after being given first ald by members of the squad, also has had a warrant sworn out against Mitchell, charging assault and battery with intent to kil A preliminary hearing will be given Mitchell on the charge preferred by his wife tomorrow night at 8 o'clock in ‘the Bladensburg fire house. BOY UNDER $1,000 BOND. R Colored Lad, Accused Housebreak- er, Held for Grand Jury. John Moody, 17-year-old colored boy, was convicted of housebreaking in Po- lice Court yesterday, and Judge Gus A. Schuldt ordered” him held on a $1,000 bond for the action of the grand jury. Moody confessed that he ransacked two concession stands at Suburban Gardens, colored amusement park, and the Deanwood Industrial School. Judge | Schuldt _ dismissed m:lmlllrl‘m chl;"eds against George Wormley, also col , 4606 Jay street, who the other boy said helped him in the housebreaking. Fannie Brice, colored principal ot the Deanwood School, reported glt 40 inl and a n Mt admitted taking these. Keepers o(o‘t,.l‘ie, concession stands reported that g:em trinkets had been missed from thoroughly with | OWEN P. KELLAR. OWEN KELLAR BIES - INCUSTOMS OFFICE Attorney in Bureau Expires at Work—H. E. Sullivan | Also Succumbs. Owen P. Kellar of 1914 Calvert street died suddenly this morning in his of- fice on the fourth floor of the old | Southern Rallway Building at Thir- | teenth and Pennsylvania avenue, where he was employed as attorney in a divi- sion of entry and appraisement of the | Bureau of Customs. He was pronounced dead by Dr. P. A. Stebbin of Casualty | | Hospital, who responded on the call for | an ambulance. The body was removed | 10 the District Morgue and Coroner J. Ramsay Nevitt notified. . | According to J. D. Corridon, an at- | torney employed in the office with Mr. | | Kellar. he came to work this morning apparently in good health. He told Mr. Corridon he had been feeling fine and had walked to work. Shortly after entering his office, however, Mr. Cor- ridon’s attention was attracted by the noise of Mr. Kellar falling to the floor. Death is believed to have been in- stantaneous. Mr. Kellar was a native of Ohio, and a widower. He had been the | Customs Bureau several years. | _ Another man also succumbed sud- | denly this morning. He was Henry Ed- | ward Sullivan, 70, of 2145 K street, who | was taken suddenly ill while visiting | friends at 2145 M street, and died en | route to Emergency Hospital in the | ambulance. Mrs. Robert C. Bonde of 3616 Rock | Creek Church road, his daughter, told police that he was subject to_heart at- | tacks. J. M. Biaber of Emergency Hospital staff responded to a call and pronounced Sullivan dead. PORTER HELD AFTER FAILURE TO APPEAR Tips Policeman in Theft Gase, but Doesn’'t Go to Court Until Arrested. There is nothing in the book of etiquette against Pullman porters giv- ing tips to policemen. Nevertheless, take the case of ‘Monroe Plant, col- ored, 38. It looks as if Monroe’s white eoat and his “tips,” which are usually regarded as assets in the Pullman porter pro- fession, may blast an otherwise promis- ing career. Six months ago some rude person stole Monroe's white coat. The next day when the B. & O. arrived from New York, Monroe could hardly wait to dust_everybody off before making for a police precinct. 3 ‘There Monroe gave his first “tip” to a policeman. It concerned the identify of the supposed thief. After that the | Pullman porter seems to have brushed | the matter from his mind. The police, however, remembered. Some months later they located a sus- pect and got ready to air the matter in Police Court. Then a hitch occurred. The prosecu- tion’s chief witness—who happened to be Monroe—like most , traveling men, was hard to locate. Monroe, as a mat- ter of fact, was nowhere about. Yesterday morning Headquarters De- | tectives C. P. Cox and Bagby \.ing of the clothing squad deprived Idon- roe’s Pullman car of Monroe. ‘They served him with a bench warrant a; a witness at his home, 2116 Flagler. place. Federal Employes Plan Outing. Races of all kinds and dancing will feature an outing to be held at Indian Head, Md., on Saturday by the Fed- eral Employes’ Union No. 2. The boat will leave the Navy Yard at 2 o'clock in_the afternon. ' The Indian Head local chapter will co-operate with the committee on the | siderable extent, and entertainment, which includes a spell- ing bee with suitable prizes for the winners. , SMOKE FROM GARS MENAGE T0 HEALTH Michigan Senator Brings 'Pratt’s Attention to Code Regulating Exhausts. HAZARD TO AUTO TRAFFIC SAID TO EXIST HERE Subcommittee Delays Meeting to Hear Views on Proposal Regarding Parking. Declaring that one of the chief auto- mobile nuisances in Washington is caused by excessive volumes of smoke from exhausts, Senator Vandenberg, Republican, of Michigan today wrote to Supt. of Police Pratt, urging that trafic officers give attehtion to this violation of the rules. Senator Vandenberg, a member of the District committee, told Maj. Pratt he was writing in a desire to be helpful rather than critical. Tells of Nuisance, “Since returning to Washington a few weeks ago,” he wrote, “I have been driving by own automobile to a con- I have been im- pressed with the fact that one of the chief motor nuisances and menaces arises fro mthe lack of enforcement of the thirteenth section of article 11 of the traffic code, paragraph B, reading as follows: “‘No person shall own or operate a motor vehicle which emits from the exhaust or muffier thereof any pro- longed, dense or offensive quantity of smoke, gases or disagreeable odors.” “District motorists constantly find themselves the victims of a violation of this section. I have even seen enough smoke emitted from a moving motor car on Connecticut avenue to obstruct all sights of a corner traffic signal and sign. Aside from the actual hazard to traffic caused by cars which violate this provision, there inevitably is a meas- ure of health hazards to motorists and pedestrians alike in the trail of these cars from which smoke and gas is emit- ted in dense clouds.” Meeting Is Delayed. ‘The traffic subcommittee of the Sen- ate District committee postponed until Tuesday the meeting 1t had scheduled for this morning to hear the views of Maj. Pratt on the proposal of Senator Ke: Republican, of New Jersey, to 1ly abolish unlimited parking on 2 {{It main thoroughfares of the District. | 'POLICE RECEIVE 9 REPORTS OF THEFTS Three Offenses Were Perpetrated in Past Two Months, While Others Were Recent. Nine thefts were reported to police last night, the loot being valued at $999. In three instances the thefts were perpetrated some time during the past two months or more, while others were during the past few days. Hugh MacKenzle, 4514 Conrfecticut. avenue, was the heaviest loser. He said entrance to his basement was gained with a duplicate key some time since June 1 and clothing vaued at $515 taken from & trunk in the locker room. . Mendes J. Mannis, apartment 105, 2331 Cathedral avenue, told police his apartment was entered since June 1 and clothing valued at $355 stolen from the living room. Mrs, Fannie L. Samuel, 1414 Spring road, reported £n intruder having been in evidence in her home the past two months. Numerous articles of solid silverware, valued at $25, were stolen. Miss Jewell Volk, 1938 Fourth street northeast, appealed to police of the second precinct to make an effort to recover & pocketbook stolen from a store on upper Seventh street yester- day. Her pocketbook contained a pair of eyeglasses, fountain pen, keys, cards and papers. She valued the contents of the pocketbook at $32. Others who reported minor thefts were William Davis, 402 O street: Frank Sutton, 431 P street: Nathan Reuben, 56 Channing street; Daniel R. Wall, 920 Pennsylvania avenue, and Frank Williams, 935 Florida avenue. ' SKINK IS CAUGHT. * Rare Animal, Similar to Chameleon, Is Found Near Buffalo. BUFFALO (#)—The first recorded Northern skink to be taken in Western New York has been found by Gardiner Bump, assistant curator of education at the Buffalo Museum of Science. The skink is: & small animal, the length of a hand, resembling the :l‘\fimeleon. and able to change color at will. partment of Commerce today by G. E. expected that the recommendal will division. Miller, who is said to the Virginia Ship Buildin in the Alexandria Hosp Revocation of the license was recom- mended, it is understood, because of the violation by Miller of Dej nt of Commerce rules that student must remain within gliding distance of their training flelds at times. |~ Gardner . interviewed . a number of Alexandrians who witnessed Miller's | stunting, including James M. Duncan, jr., chief of the dria Fire De- partment,~and members of the Alexan- dria Police Force. The witne andling of the plane had endangered ‘}:lsmm'll?e and ?}u lives of the people stands. Charges against Wormley were dis- ) missed as there was no testimony sup- porting the charges against the boy, witnessing the fire. Chief Duncan as- serted that ]chz plane onm“ hwo:- | casions barely missed crasi | ater tank, while he fll_v%dlmuy s RECOMMENDS REVOCATION OF STUDENT PILOT'S LICENSE Inspector Takes Action Following Stunting by Paul R. Miller, Resulting in Plunge Into Potomac. . Revocation of the student pilot’s license of PaulR. Miller, 36 years old, 1325 Eleventh street southeast, Hoover Field student fiyer, who crashed into the mac River off Alexandria at dusk Wednesday, Poto- nded to the De- m:pectalx;. was recomme Gardner, flying school offieials of the be followed by’ have been stunting at a low altitude during a fire at Corporatign plant at Alexandris for possible internal uj a, is under treatment injuries, shock and bruises, . groups of tors & number of times until within old, a member of the crew of the boat Vers, which was passing up the river when the esses declared that Miller’s | ler said that hours of solo &lnuhewu e crash was s Consolidat Fleet, model 2, powered with & Kinner engine, It was valued at $5,500, TERM FOR 1973:30 LAUNCHED TODAY | Officials and Teachersr Ar- ranging Program and Out- lining System Details. SERIES OF CONFEREI\.ICES HELD THROUGHOUT CITY Supt. Ballou Inspecting New Build- ings and Repair Work Recently Completed. The official 1929-30 school year was lauriched at 10:30 o'clock this morning, when the school officers and teaching personnel of the public school system met in a series of conferences through- out the eity in preparation for what probably will be the greatest entry Mon- day morning of puplls to the classrooms which the Washington system has known. While the teachers were meeting with the supervising principals of both the white and colored schools, Dr. Frank ‘W. Ballou, superintendent of schools, was inspecting new construction and school building repair work of major importance since the close of schools last June. Before leaving his office in the Franklin Administration Building Dr. Ballou had dispatched to all officers and teachers a plea for the exercise of every safeguard of the school children against traffic dangers. The appeal was in the form of a circular letter which was read at each of the teacher-and- officers conferences. Out-of-Town Pupils Registering. Meanwhile, the high school board of admissions, under the chairmanship of Dr. W. P. Hay of the McKinley High School faculty, was interviewing and registering the last of the out-of- town boys and girls who propose to enter a Washington senlor high school | this year. By noon today approximately | 440 of these new pupils had been reg- istered and a score had undertaken the examination for admission to the local schools. The board of admissions began its work of recelving the out-of-town prospects Wednesday, oentinuing that duty nmvu{h yesterday to complete its task early this afternoon. Besides reg- istering the newcomers, the board of admissions, which is composed of a teacher from each high school and a secretary from & junior high school, is compiling data on each of the boys and girls so that when the young strangers undertake work in their new schools | these admission board members will be available to counsel, advise and other- wise assist them in acclimating them- selves. Besides Dr. Hay, the admission board ‘this year includes Dr. A. L. Howard of Business High School, Miss Dorothea Sherman of Central, Miss Ella Monk of Eastern, Miss J. B. son of Western and Miss M. C. Hawes of , tz\.e« Powell Junior High School, Ty, Most of the children interviewed carried sufficient credentials to admit them to a senior high school on trial, and less than 20 were required to take the examination. ‘The meetings of. the teachers with their officers today marked the termina- }lcn ll‘l" m: w}:utlo:lm period for the faculties of all District of Columbia Public Schools. ‘The _teachers of the first division met with Henry W. Draper at the Hyde School, Thirty-second and O streets, The third division instructors met with Miss Janet McWilliam at the Raymond School, at Tenth street and Spring road. Selden M. Ely met with the fifth divi- ;:r“::n mfifi';x in his l:ll!elw I:Ifllcc. at the ery , on coln road and D seventt, “diviton e seven! n teachers met with Miss E. A. Hummer at the Wal- lach School, Seventh and D streets southeast, while the teachers of special activities and of the night schools con- fered with W. B. Patterson, supervis- ing principal of the night division, in. the Franklin Administration Buflding. Similar conferences were held in the colored schools, with teachers of the tenth and_eleventh divisions meeting with Miss E. F. G. Merritt in the Cleve- land School, at Eighth and T streets; those of the twelfth division met with L. L. Perry in the Franklin Administra- | tion Building, and the thirteenth divi- IB!::: lm:ru&mll:on{encfl with J. C. ce A e coln School, Second | and C streets southeast. 2 o Trafic Safety Considered. In addition to the routine business incident to the termination of the va- cations of the city’s school children Monday, the teachers and their officers received the advice of Dr, Ballou as to ways and means of continuing last year's record of no child losing his life in the vicinity of any public school bullding through a trafc accident. "Prineipals should give attention at once to the posting of the ‘no parkin signs at the fronts of school buildings, Dr. Ballou wrote. “Instructions will be sent to the principals from time to time by Mr. 3. M. Ely, supervising prin- cipal, who is chairman of the com- mittee on safety. It is especially de- sirable in_those buildings where the patrols have been organized ' t begin their activities as soon as pos- sible after the opening of the schools. A distinct step forward has been taken by Maj. Pratt, superintendent of police, in the t of an officer in each precinct to- co-operate with the schools of that ?rednct in all safety measures ol by the respective principals. of Teachers Invoked. “Teachers may render valuahle help in our safety cam by puplls to observe careful the signal lights, to cross streets only at the intersections, to refrain from nmu:. on_vehicle soliel rides. 'y should be led of the dangers of roller skating and of the street from behind parked automobles.” i of letter, Dr. declared that “all of us should ican Automobile Association was - cially valuable, the superintendent While no estimates of the opening day enroliment have yet been made by any of the public school -officers, it was lained that usually lt.no more 25 & K The garden luncheon committee, which will have a part in the fete at the Army War College, October 1-5. ‘l.elt‘ therine y, Mrs. Donald Armstrong, Miss Frances Simonds to right: Miss Kat Donnellan, Miss Dorothy Grier, Mrs. W. L. Cla and Miss Marjorie Simonds. Mrs. Clay and Mrs. Armstrong are the chairmen. CAPITAL PENALTY ABOLITION ARGUED Chamber of Commerce Goes; on Record as Favoring End of Death Sentence. After a three-hour debate in which proposals ranging from establishment of a penal colony to medical treatment of criminals were advanced as substi- tutes for capital punishment, the Wash- | Ington Chamber of Commerce went on | record last night at a special meeting | in the Mayflower Hotel as favoring | abolition of the death penalty in the District. | The vote indicated that 47 members | believed legal killing is wrong, while 24 | members were opposed to any change in the existing law. ‘The procedure was in the form of action on a report recommending ‘aboli- tion of capital punishment submitted by the committee on law and legisla- tion, headed by of the Municipal 3 Charles W. Darr of the chamber aligned himself with its proponents and spoke for its adoption. ‘The opposition consisted of four speakers headed by Col. Robert N.| arper, president of the District Na- | jonal Bank. ’ | “Relic of Barbarism.” | Col. J. Miller Kertyon, local attorney, | was the first speaker for the afirm: He characterized the death pen- alty as a “relic of barbarism which we haven't the courage to abolish” and suggested in its stead a system found in some of the Latin American coun- tries. He said that there murderers are sent to & lonely penal island. Robert H. McNeill, another attorney, suggested that the life imprisonment laws be made so strong that commuta- tion of sentence would be impossible, while Dr. L. H. Kraskin argued that the criminsl is & sick man and should be treated as such. Says Laws Are Cheapening. Rev. George M. Dow of the copal City Mission, who has acted as spiritual adviser tbnumerous murderers who -subsequently paid the supreme | penalty, based his :')gpollmm to capital punishment on e commandment which says, “Thou shalt not kill.” This applies equally to nationals and indi- viduals, he declared. We are living In &' cheap age, and | our laws are further cheapening it, he | asserted. | Mr. Darr used the time allotted him | in attempting to refute-the arguments of .the negative. ‘The pri clrnl argument of those op- posed to abolition of the death penalty was that it 1s the greatest deterrent to crime known and is the most effica- clous way to protect society. “The -does” not: fear prison, but; he fears the chair,” Col, C. C. Cal- houn, atterney, declared, while William C. Sullivan, another "attorney, called t capital punish- ment “mere sentimentalism.” - Martin A. Leese pointed out that every opportunity is afforded the ac- cused to prove his innocence before he is sentenced to die. Col. Harper quoted the Bible as of- punishment. 8 t it, and sal id he ‘was opposed to any effert “which would m-.k:puu District the dog for another POLICE HOLD D. C. BOYS EXPLORING BALTIMORE Officer Captures Four Youths Aft- er Chase:and Parents Are No- tified of Whereabouts. they had ‘Jeft Four boys, who Mn-l the movement | Policeman 8. F. their homes in We y to see what Balfimore looked like, to- day were held ‘at the northern police station as runaways while. the police notified their parents of the’ youngsters’ whereabouts. - Speeder Released When Court Hears Of Officer’s Loan Motor Cycle Policeman C. C. Johnson of the Trafic Bureau not only befriended his friend, Alvin Long, 812 I street, by loan- ing him $5 to pay a fine in Traffic Court, but this friendly gesture on the part of the police- man so impressed Judge Isaac R. le:n he dhll:.hudt . the charge of g aga e man. Long was arrested by Police- man R. V. Sinclair for speeding on Pennsylvania avenue %this morning. _Arriving in_ Police Court Long was met by Johnson, who gave him™the money. Long pleaded guilty when arraigned, but Judge Hitt had heard about the loan and said that if Long was friendly enough with John- son to be loaned money by him, he would dismiss the charge. AT ANDRUN CASE SUSPECT ARRESTED Police Say J. E. Meadows Ad- mits Driving Auto That Hit Halpin—Accidents. Police yesterday took into custody a man charged with hetn* the hit-a run driver, who on Wednesday ran down and seriously injured William Halpin, 48 years old, of 218 John ‘Marshall- place. Hal) who was run down at Four-and-a-Half street and Pennsylvania avenue, still in Emer- gency Hospital with a fractured skull; several broken rib¢ and internal injuries. The arrested man gave his name as J. E. Meadows, 21-vear-old huckster of 109 Second street. Sixth inct police said he admitted driving the car which struck Halpin. He was held at the station house on charges of operating without & permit. dead tags, bad brakes and reckless driving in two instances. Meadows was taken into custody after Goggins recognized his machine parked in front of the sixth precinct station. The machine was abandoned Wednesday night, police said, at New Jersey avenue and D street, | when the driver fled through an alley while being pursued by a taxicab driver. Aute Victim Treated. Edward Lomax, 60 years old, colored, of 1620 Ninth street, was treated at Emergency Hospital for slight abrasions over the left eye suffered when run down at Eighteenth and L streets by a taxicab operated by Willlam R. Allen of 1460 Irving street. He went home after treatment. Alfred Penn, 9 years old, colored, was treated at Casualty Hospital for minor injuries suffered when he was run down near his home in Bladensburg, Md.. by an automobile, the driver of which police did not identify. ’ Three-Year-Old Injured. Three-year-old McKinley Campbell, colored, suffered lacerations to the face and head when run down in front of his home at 423 First street southwest by -an automobile operated by Dr. Richard g Sewell of 1181 New Hampshire '¥he child was treated at Providence Hospital, where he was taken by Dr. Bewell, and later removed home. e o—— Boy Scouts Taught Sign Language. for men Boy Scouts v Dight at the ¥. dian sign language expert. He will also tell of his experience at the interna- tional jamboree of Boy Scouts held in England during the Summer. IMARRIES SISTER " OF DEAD FANCEE | Norman- Landreau_ and Miss | Caroline Griffin, Who Was in Quantico Fire, Wed. J‘ Norman B. Landreau, Washington at- | torney, was married this morning to | Miss Caroline Hill Griffin, 5709 Thirty- | third street, a sister of +his former 1 | flancee, Miss Eleanor Griffin, who was. BRICK- WEIGHTED, FOUND IN CANAL Dairy Employe Left Note Tell- ing of Intention of End- ing His Life. HINT OF MENTAL TROUBLE IS CONTAINED IN LETTER Police Drain Sectinn- of Waterway to Recover Corpse of Hyatts- ville Man. His shirt stuffed with brick, the body of Raymond Swingle, 48, of Hyattsville, Md.,, who disappeared early yesterday morning, was found at the bottom of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal this morning by harbor police. Policemen C. E. LaDow and C. E. Adams of the harbor precinct found it necessary to drain the water of a sec- tion of the canal between Thirtieth and Jefferson -streets in order to locate the body. It was found near the floodgates, | opposite the spot where Swingle's coat was picked up yesterday by a child. Note Told of Trouble. Swingle, who for 20 years had been employed by the Chestnut Farm Dairy, left behind in the automobile of Conrad L. Staack, who lives with him, a note indicating his intention of committing suicide. The note read: “Dear Little Mother, Ruthie and ey: “I am in awful trouble. Dad’s poor old mind, ecrippled by illness before I knew and loved you, has failed com- pletely. For weeks I have been fight- ing-to gain it, but-it-is no go. For hours at a time I don't know where I am. s0 I have decided the xindest way is to g0 away rather than remain an added burden to you. Oh, please forgive me for this awful blow. Be good and you again: happiness and content- . 1 love you all, so good-by and may God bless you.” The note was signed “Dad.” The body was identified as Swingle's at the morgue by Randolph Witt of |®ark Lane, Va., also an employe of the dairy. Swingle left his wife and two children at their Hyattsville home night before last to go to work. Staack drove him to the dairy in his automobile and then went into the building, thinking Swingle would follow. Instead, he apparently wrote the note, left it in Staack’s car burned to death in a fire at Quantico,! and went to the canal. | Va., early in the morning of February 5, 1027. The girl he married today fire. The two sisters had gone with Lan- ‘Wife Knows No Motive. His coat was found late yesterday on narrowly escaped death in the same (1o canal bank. A pair of glasses was the only article in his pockets when he was taken from the water. His wife, | dreau and another ‘man to .attend a Mrs. Josephine Swingle, could advance | dance in the officers’ quarters at Quan-| no reason why her husband should | tico the night of the fire. | dance the &h Lieut. and the night. Landreau and his returned to the officers’ guarters. | Fire Is Discovered. ! " shortly before dawn the next mom- ing a sentry spied flames shooting | through the roof of the Holderby cot- | tage. He turned in an alarm and the | post fire apfaratus and volunteers hurried to the scene. ‘The fire had .made such headway, however, that it could nof be checked. {Mlfinel braved the smoke and flames to rescue Mrs. Holderby and Miss Caro- | line Griffin, who was so seriously affect- | ed by the smoke that her life was de- unteers brought out the bodies of Lieut. Holderby and his 4-year-old daughter, Clotilde. Miss Ejeanor .Griffin was alive when rescued, but she died en route to the Naval Hospital. Saved by Fall 'Under Bed. ‘The who rescued Caroline Griffin said she had fallen under the bed after succumbing to smoke, and that this probably saved-her life. Landreau, who is 35 years old, lives at 1732 Connecticut avesue. Before the war he was a prominent athlete at town University, leaving Since the war he has been active in veterans’ organizations here. The bride is 25 years old. ‘The marriage took place early today at the Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament Church, Chevy Chase. Rev. Thomas Smyth officiated at the ceremony which was followed by & nuptial mass. The bride groom left after the wed- | ding for a Northern trip. — HEAVY PENALTY IMPOSED. John W. Culbreth, an orerly at Gal- linger Hospital, was convicted in Po- lice Court yesterday of carrying a dangerous weapon, assault and bein; drunk. Judge Gus A. Schuldt senten: him to 240 days in jail on the first charge, $25 or 25 days on the second, while Judge Robert E. Mattingly fined him $10 on the last charge. Policeman H. L. Jacobs of the third precinct saw the man on Pennsylvania avenue waving a pistol over his head, $0d when he attempted o arreet him, the policeman said t Culbreth struck him. In court the defendant stated that he had given the pistol as security for newspapers while working on a train and that he got it back last night just before the T sto) him. He ‘de- nied making an assault on Jacobs. Marriage Lioenses Issued. PAIRPAX, \’A.‘lmumbe'rnzl lfi?:‘; W dre. s fll-, Wi 23, 1832 ashi : James Allen- Smith, 32, 1441 Harvard ashington, and Helen Mae of 1441 Harvard Thumbprint Scar Size of .Pi‘nhead _ Brings Man's Arrest on Burglary Charge hte size of a pinhead ) i bprints of James M. Fred Sandberg, fingerprint expert of the police force, made an inspection of the premises and was able to find only a rather hazy thumb print on the screen of the open porch window. Only one thing was very .apparent, the mark of fixed | & small scar. When he returned to headqudrters, Sandberg A. R. Holdérby to spend | spaired of for several days. Other vol- | After the | take his life. went_to the home of | a mental infirmity of which he | Friends had not noticed wrote. In addition to his wife Swingle is friend | survived by a son, Albert, 16, and a daughter, Ruth, 14. BROOKHART FAVORS CIVIL SERVICE CODE Sponsor of Bills to Improve Em- ployes’ Conditions Approves Plan in Principle. Senator Brookhar(, Republican, of Towa, sponsor of several bills to improve working conditions in the Government service, said today that he favored in principle the plan to codify all civil service laws “provided they are codified in the right direction.” The Senator said it undoubtedly would be desirabie to have all Jaws affecting Government employes brought together in code form rather than scattered in many different statutes, but he indicated that he George! | thought certain changes should be made school in 1918 to enlist in the Army.|in connection with any revision of civil service laws. For more than a year the Towa Sen- ator has been seeking the passage of twn bills, one to correct inequalities in the pay of employes in the lower grades. Wwho received the smallest advances un-. der the Welsh law, and the other to create a civil service board of appeals. before which employes could obtain hearings on complaints relating to their civil service status. The Senator said he would be glad to study any plan of codificaticn that may be worked out before determining ‘what his ‘attitude would be toward spe- cific plans. . ‘The proposal to codify civil service laws was advanced recently by Chair- man Lehlbach of the House civil service committee, when he announced he was having data prepared along that line. TWO TAKEN IN RAID HELD FOR GRAND JURY Two persons, charged with setting up a gaming table, were held for the ac- :Ialn of h?rend n‘n'?e‘l‘ jury,l while seven ers, ! ith permitting gaming, demanded jury Siaks in Boller Co: yesterday. These persons were arrested in the police drive against “numbers” games. Assistant United States Attorney Ernest Davis, in charge of the prosecu- tion of the smaller gaming cases at Po- lice Court, said that there are appro: mately 50 cases of this kind awaiti trial in the PolicesCourt. Lawrence A. Bell, colored, 1800 block of Sixth street, and his brother, Ed- ward Bell, arrested by Sergt. O. J. Let- terman and his squad Tuesday night, were held under $2,500 bonds for the action of the grand jury. ‘Those charged with permitting gaming and who demanded jury trials are: Ceeil D. Alley, ng south- west; Lula Hammond, - 600 block of North Capitol street; Ernest Whisene- ant, 900 block of Floride avenue; James Lewis, 800 block of Rhode Island ave- nue, and Samuel H. Brown, 1100 block of U 't. All are colored and were held under $1,000 bonds. LAUDS SALVATION ARMY. ‘To the high religious quality of its looked up | Work the Salvation Army must add the 's ‘record and found that the most modern type of social endeavor, been fingerprinted when ar- Elwood Street, director of the Com- The left thumb of & small scar w] the bench ! Sand. meeting, the b i y- plln“n&h'a Fall and Winter activities. pictures h & He sald that they werc ident missing from his the munity Chest, said yesterday at a meet- ing of the Temple Corps Council, at 606 E street. More than 100 officers of the Salvation Army were present at the of which was to Mr. Street promised the h-~rtiest co- operation of the Community Chest with Willson reported $1,900 in rty ‘ the Army, which he fcliciiated on. its home, Property e Teputation and fine record.” v