Evening Star Newspaper, February 18, 1930, Page 17

Washington News The Toening Staf WASHINGTON, D. C., NWUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1930. PAGE B-1 LANEDON O FACE [ ssesns v MRS, WILEBRANDT POLIE COURTESY | == v e =vor ] RPORT SPONSORS POLICE TRIAL BODY DESPITE ACQUITTAL Charges Against Suspended Precinct Detective Not Yet Determined. THREE SPECIFICATIONS NOW ON OFFICER’S RECORD Hearing Is Set for February 26. Freed on Liquor Counts in Criminal Court. Robert P. Langdon, suspended pre- cinct detective, who was acquitted yes- in Criminal Court on charge of | dllegal transportation and possession of liquor, will be brought before the Police “Trial Board Wednesday, PFebruary 26, on charges as yet undetermined, Maj. Henry G. Pratt, superintendent of po- lice, announced before different nature. ‘The jury returned its verdict in favor of the defendant after deliberating a Jittle more than an hour. Relies on “Frame-up” Defense. Langdon, thro his attorney, Harry, T. Whelan, re‘;i‘:l entirely on th *frame-up” dug’:enn. ‘When 2 the wg; | E-STORY BUILDING and Benton gave the format their mu to him at his office Whelan was assisted in the defense by Attorney William B. O'Connell. As- sistant District Attornevs Walter M. Bh:‘ and James R. Kirkland prose- cuted. NATIONAL MUSIC SCHOOL PROPOSED $5,000,000 to Be Raised by Dona- tions Before Federal Money Is Used. Establishment of a national conserv- atory of music in Wi , for the education of pupils in music in all its is provided for in a bill in- the House to manage the ‘The bill provides that when $5,000,000 or more shall be in the custody of the United States Treasurer, or & special | ‘eommittee, appointed by the board from donations received for the purpose of national conservatory, shall appropriate a sufficient amount for a conservatory building. - “BACKWARD STATES” PRAISED BY CAPPER | & XKansan Points Out Pioneering in Recognizing Equality for Women in Radio Address. A defense of the so-called “backward States” of the Middle West, by pointing out that they were among the pioneers in recognizing equality for women, was made today by Senator Capper, Repub- lican, of Kansas, in a coast-to-coast ad- dress, made over the Columbia Broad- casting System’s chain, and heard in Wi m'hkem:nkf: Wu?!}.‘. Senator Capper spol morn! from 11:15 to 11:30 to the National Radio Homemakers' Club, pointing out that for the first time the Census Bu- m: this year is recognizing the home- makers. “Personally, T beileve the Census Bu- BIDS ASKED BY L. 5. Contract to Be Let for Cen- tral Part of Extensible in Agriculture Project. Another Government bullding in the Federal construction program now under way in this city was put on the market today when the Treasury De- partment advertised for bids to be opened March 31 for the central part of the six-story Department of Agri- . | culture extensible building, to occupy the site bounded by B and C streets, Thirteenth street and Linworth place southwest. Construction is to be done in 450 days. ‘This structure will be roughly a third of what eventually will be & huge ex- tensible bullding to cover the three squares between B and C streets, stretching from Twelfth to Fourteenth. This means the closing finally of Thir- teenth and Thirteen-and-a-half street, the latter also known as Linworth place. Limit Put at $5,750,000. Congress has authorized a total limit of cost for the agricultural extensible building of $5,750,000, to include also the price of the land. At the present time, the Government is acquiring only the western two squares, between Thir- teenth and Fourteenth streets. The western square, however, will not be built upon at this time, but is being by the Government for future building. The central portion, which is to be ! bullt beginning this Spring on the mid- dle block of the three, will be in the | form of a rectangle running north and | south, with an interior court. This| central portion will face on B street, across from the south front of the new | administration building of the Depart- | ment of Agriculture, which now vir- | tually is completed. The new ex-| tensible will contain the prin- cipal front for the whole extensible structure—e. colonnade effect. Will Be First Unit. ‘The building, will be constructed as the first unit of the whole, 50 the other parts eventually can be connected. The plans for the whole extensible building show that great wings will branch off n, four extending four to the west. The new building is to have a base of two storiss of “rusticated” construc- tion, above which will be superimposed three stories of columnar treatment in the Corinthien order. Above this will be the cornice, attic and pitched roof. ‘The materials be of brick and terra cotts, but an alternate bid of mn:lau in p'ace of terra cotta also is The cornice lines of the new ex- tensible building will be on the same lines as those of the Administration Bulilding across B street. Connecting Links Are Features. One of the features of the whole agricultural group will be the connect- ing links, by which the administration buildings on the north side of B street will be tied to the extensible building on the south side of the street. These features in present plans are bridges which are to arch over B street, carry- ing a colcnnade passageway over the street, for intercommunication without passing out of doors and across street. ‘These bridges, however, are to extend from the ends of the old marble structures, which were built in the ad- ministration of President Roosevelt, and will connect with the east and west buildings of the extensible group, which are to follow later. ‘The central portion of the extensible building is to be 242 feet on the B street reau might have gone one step further : front and will run southward to C street and listed homemakers under the head- ing of ‘occupations,’ ” sald the Senator, “but at least the Federal Government 484 feet. BOBBY WHITEFORD AND NIMROD, Who falled to bag the “panther” of the Northeast on an early morning hunt. —Star Staff Photo. Another Panther Tracker Returns Minus the Bacon NothingDaunted, Boy and Fox Terrier Await Next Snow. Just reconstruct the chagrin of this hunting expedition, whicia tramped home through the snow early today with plenty of chattering teeth, with six cold feet, four cold ears and two chilly noses, but without hide nor hair of the panther. Not that Nimrod for his part was anxious to come to grips with the panther so early in the morning, par- ticularly since it was panther had not had his breakfast. Stayed by Master. Like all good fox terriers, however, Nimrod felt his place was by his mas- ter’s side, panther or no panther. When Bobby, with all the wisdom of his four years, tied a leash on Nimrod, Nimrod pretended Bobby was trying to hold him off the panther. The small dog went in front most of the way, barking like a couple of aire- dales. If he lagged in the likely look- ing thickets of Kendall Green Farm, which adjoins Gallaudet College, it was to give Bobby free play with his gun. Bobby, on his part, was intent on bagging the panther. He had heard all about the beast, which feeds on pigs and, sometimes, on fox terriers, Michael W. Whiteford, the super- intendent of Kendall Green Farm, had made Bobby a pretty good gun out of a pine stick, little suspecting Bobby would go out after big game with the weapon. Awaits Next Snow. Bobby, otherwise known as Robert Archer Whiteford, was somewhat down~ cast by the fallure of his initial ven- ture, but said this morning he and Nimrod would go forth again after the next good tracking snow. Nimrod, however, shivered a couple of times and then dived into his warm box under the kitchen stove. DAVISON TO STUDY REMOVAL OF SNOW Assistant Engineer Commissioner to View New York’s Machinery. . ald A. Davison is leaving today for New York to see what that city has in the way of snow-removing equipment. His trip will include short visits to Detroit and Cleveland on a similar errand. He Wlll"be Mcgml:lnl:dmby John Murray, master mechanic of e Street Cleaning Department. Maj. Davison is considering a recom- mendation to the Commissioners for the purchase of from $15,000 to $25,000 wortk. of snow-removal equipment out of the general funds of the Street Clean- ing Department. The removal of this Winter’s snows has already cost the Dis- trict approximately $29,000, and it is believed that purchase of additional | up-to-date equipment for loading and | removing the snow from the city streets would mean a saving. Maj. Davison is also working on a plan to keep the streets clear of parked vehicles until the worst cf the snow has the | been removed from near the curbs. ADDED ESTIMATES MADE. President Hoover has transmitted to Congress supplemental estimates of $3.500 for repairs to the new National Museum, including the construction of comfort stations, and $2,378 for the installation, maintenance and operation of traffic lights in the Capitol grounds. ““pointed out, lynfl asserted that no one today of dechn:, that is in the home with the that the home is the only woman if God help country nhead of political will continue to et ygrounds, - the Boy Scouts ts, and similar worth- mzul‘::n come into our 1|75-YEAR-OLD “PLAY BOY” IS JAILED FOR “HAVING FUN WITH THE BOYS” Bunch That Sang “Sweet Adeline” on L Street Haled Before Judge on Disorderly Charge. Edward Chapman, 75-year-old play- boy, who sald that he loves ‘“good times,” was sent to jail for 10 days when brought into Police Court today after holding a public party. ‘The defendant and his friends did not mean to be disorderly before the policeman arrested them on L street near Nlnu:hlut “.:uhl‘ mother, who also | broke c to the status of any man or woman in our national Ufe.” Good i Get Together,” but it was all in fun, told Judge Cgs A. Schuldt. few of us boys ether and decided to have & little fun, We N weren’t harming anybody and I love a good time. No dates were handy 8o we thought we would sing a bit.” “Boys,” scoffed Judge Schuldt, “when were vou born?” “October 24, 1865.” “Well, you had better have fun indoors next time. Midnight is too late for boys to be on the street. Ten or ten days,” sald the magis- trate. Policeman O. H. Gould sald thet he had a hard time making the arrest. The others forfeited collateral at the second “rr:clnc!. but ! spent of ks money, SPEEDING CHARGE PAPERS DISAPPEAR Judge Given Says He Has Heard Nothing of Former Official’s Case. GIVEN TICKET FRIDAY NIGHT BY POLICEMAN Officer Reports He Clocked Her Machine at 38 Miles an Hour for Five Blocks. ‘The information papers in the speed- ing case against Mrs. Mabel Walker Willebrandt, former Assistant Attorney General, which was supposed to have been continued yesterday, could not be located this morning at Police Court. h‘gers ‘were made out by W. H. Mc- Grath, clerk in the office of the corpor- ation counsel, yesterday and signed by Assistant Corporation Counsel Chester Gray The latter reported he sent the information to the clerk’s office to be sent into court and so far as he knew the case had been tried. Attaches of the clerk's office said yesterday that the case had been continued until Pri- day by Judge Ralph Given. This morning Judge Given said that he had heard nothing about the case. Several of the clerks were unable to d the papers, and Frank A. Sebring, chief clerk, declared so far as he knew the papers had not come into his offices. No record of the case was on the traffic locket. Mrs. Willebrandt was arrested Friday night by Policeman William B. Hopkins of the third precinct, who reported that he paced her machine for five blocks at a speed of 38 miles an hour before halting it, at Nineteenth and K streets. She was given a ticket and told to ap- pear in Traffic Court yesterday, but was nnul;le to do 50 because of an engage- ment. Since resigning from her Federal post Mrs, Willebrandt has been practicing law in Washington. She had another “pressing” engagement this morning when efforts were made to get into communication with her. 8o far as the records are known, this is the first time Mrs. Willebrandt has been arrested on a trafic violation charge, and there was speculation as to whether she would try her own case in Police Court. * WOMEN LOSE PLEA FOR DIVORCE WRIT Injunction Petitions of Two Capital Women Denied by Justice Wheat. Two Washington women were denied injunctions to prevent their husbands from instituting suit for divorce against them in Virginia by Justice Alfred A. Wheat of the District Supreme Court today on the ground that no unusual circumstances were contained in the applications. The women are Irene M. Humphries of 215 E street southeast, whose hus- band, Walter Humphries lives in Cher- rydale, and Rose M. Frazier of 120 Car- roll street southeast, wife of Harry Assistant Engineer Commissioner Don- | Presses Chapman had Frazier, a Treasury clerk, also said to have a Virginia residence. Justice Wheat ruled that such in- Junctions should be granted, if at all, only in a case presenting “unusual cir- cumstances,” but gave no intimation in the opinions as to what would con- stitute such circumstances. In the course of his memorandum opinions, Justice Wheat said: “In the lew which I take of this question, it is not necessary to determine the ex- tent of the power of a court of equity to enjoin a party from proceeding in the courts of another jurisdiction or the circumstances under which that power may properly be exercised. Neither is it necessary to decide whether section 265 of the judicial code applies to this court, sitting in matrimonial actions. Whether it does or does not, that section ex- the salutary rule for the preven- tion of unseemiy conflict between courts. In my opinion, an injunction restraining a defendant from prosecut- ing & divorce action in another jurisdic- tion should be granted, if at all, only in & case presenting unusual circum- stances. These do not seem to me to be such cases.” Y.W.C.A. TO JOIN IN WORLD- WIDE DINNER TONIGHT Capacity Crowd of Business and Professional Women Expected by D. C. Group. A capacity crowd is promised for the dinner of "business and professional ‘women to be held tonight at 6:30 o'clock in the Y. W. C. A, simultaneously with similar gatherings in more than 300 cities of the world. Rev. Moses R. Lovell, pastor of Mount. Pleasant Congregational Church, will deliver the address, “The New Day;” a message will be read from the National president of the Business and Professional Women of the Young Women's Christian Assoclation, Miss l!’lallie VVéfl n’( st\;]mml!. N.J. Music will pal o e program, Schubert’s “Ave Maria,” played by Miss Katherine Mortlz, and songs by Miss Mary Apple, contralto. The program will close with the singing of the world- wide Y. W. C. A. song, “Follow | MEET AT OYSTER ROAST. 200 Guests of Trade Board Com- mittee Entertained. An oyster roast, staged by the public order committee of the Wi b Board of Trade last night, at the Capl- tal Yacht Club, was attended by more than 200 members and their gues! The occasion was marked by fun-mak- ing and hilarity which failed to be dampened by the presence of a num- Doy the gk o1 o the of honor were three Soul:nminlnnm. the three Assistant Engineer Commissioners, Ma). mi E. J. Murphy, lent of the board, and George Plitt, vice president, including | Was SOUGHT BY PRATT INLAUNCHING DRIVE politan Force Politest in Existence. TERRITORIES ASSIGNED TO SHELBY AND BROWN Each Is Instructed to Visit Pre- cincts at Least Three Times for Lectures. Ma)j. Henry G. Pratt, whose predeces- sor gained nation-wide fame for his po- lice slogan, “If you must hit a man, hit him courteously,” has launched a new drive to make the Washington po- lice force the politest in existence. Hereafter, if Supt. Pratt has his way, {1t will be a genuine pleasure to be a rested by any of his men. Their pol ished manner, apologetic speech and kindly methods of law enforcement will put even the most hardened crim- inal at ease, according to plans adopted by the chief. Himself a master of drawing room etiquette, Chief Pratt has been not a little mortified of late to learn of nu- merous complaints about allegedly boorish actions of certain thoughtless policemen. Wants Etiquette Observed. He has heard that some of his traffic officers do not bother to get introduc- tions before reproaching strange mo- torists for faux pas on the boulevards. While introductions are not always nec- essary, it were best, Maj. Pratt thinks, that officers be models of courtesy in exercising the embarrassing preroga- tives of their profession. A smile as the officer invites the drivedto draw over to the curb ofttimes may cause repentance where a_dozen bawlings out would cause naught but 11l feelings, it is pointed out. Yesterday Maj. Pratt divided up the territory of the District into two halves and assigned that lying east of Seventh street to Inspector Willlam S. Shelby and the western half to Inspector E. Brown. Each is to visit each pre- cinct no less than three times, so to be sure that no policeman will cape any of the lecturing on the sub- Ject of courtesy. Areas Will Be Exchanged. As a further precaution, when each inspector has completed his visits in get at least two official views on the subject. “As a general thing,” Maj. Pratt sald Ms&;r“’ regulations are more easily enf by a polite caution from a policeman than by haling an offender inte & precinct and compelling him to put up $2 collateral. There is no quarrel between the fundamental rights of the people of Wi and the Police Department, which is made up of public servants, We must try not to embarrass decent citizens who violate minor regulations through carelessness. by treating them Ilke hardened criminal suIT SETTLEMENT ACT AMENDMENT OFFERED Zihlman Proposal Protects District in All Rights to Defense in Law or Equity. Chairman Zihlman of the House Dis- trict committee at the request of Cor- poration Counsel Bride today introduced a bill amending the act which author- izes the District Commissioners to settle claims and suits against the District. ‘The amendment provides for settle- ment of claims arising out of the negli- gence or wrongful act of any officer or employe of the District for whose negli- gence the District, if an individual, would be liable prima face for damages, tive of whether the negligence occurred in the performance of a mu- nicipal or a governmental function of the District. This bill protects the District in all its rights to a defense in any suit either in law or equity. PVT. NALLS f)ROPPED FROM POLICE ROLLS Trial Board’s Recommendation of Dismissal for Insubordination Approved by Commissioners. ‘The District Commissioners today or- dered Private R. F. Nalls of the tenth precinct dismissed from the police force. They upheld the finding of the Trial Board that Nalls was guilty of intoxica- tion and insubordination. ‘The case was tried January 15. ‘The evidence was to the effect that Nalls dropped his service pistol in a taxicab and that it was turned over to police by a passenger who later found it in the cab. Police inspectors who went to Nalls’ home to question him about the loss of the gun said that he was under the influence of liquor and re- to answer their questions. o PARKED CAR IS LOOTED. $200 in Apparel, Contained in Suit- case, Disappears. A suitcase containing wearing ap- parel and other articles, valued at $200, ‘was stolen from the automobile of Ed- ward F. De Venx of New Rochelle, N. Y., yesterday afternoon while the car pe rked in front of the Congressian- rary. Forty dollars in currency was stolen from the apartment of Ethel Wrestin, at 1448 Girard street, yesterday by a the | burglar who used a duplicate key to E:h entrance to the apartment, accord- g to a report made to police of the tenth precinct. HEAT VICTIM RECOVERS. Samuel Settle Had Been Overcome ‘Working on Top of Boiler. Completely recovered from the ef- fects of being overcor by heat in the boiler room of the National Press Club Building yesterday _afternoon, BSamuel Settle, 46 years old, of 94 Preston avenue, Cherrydale, Va., was glfilmm from the Emergency Hos- y. Settle was working on top of a 25- foot boller when he suddenly became prostrated. He was removed by Fred Orist of 2847 Brentwood road and re- vived by members of fire rescue squad :!I’o. 1, ft:e‘r w:lc;:uh: 'w-:h taken at‘o e hospital and placed in the care Dr. Baber, Takes Steps to Make Metro-‘ his territory, the territories will be | exchanged, so that each policeman can | from top to bottom: Hazel Davis, Olive | Elizabeth Williams, Louise McCloskey, The 15-mile swim came to an end at the Y. W. C. Iswlmmer- covered the distance in laps of a mile or so Constance Smith and Annabel Whaler, A. pool last night. The | each evening. Reading O'Hern, Mary Chadwick, Helen Petrie, —Star Staff Photo. UTILITIES HEARING SCHEDULED TODAY ' Companies to Tell Committee Objections to Board’s Law Change Plan. | | | | Local utility companies will outline to the Senate District committee late today their objections to the changes | advocated by the Public Utilities Com- | mission in the law governing the power of the courts in passing on uttlity cases. The Senate committee also is expect- ed to act this afternoon on the ap- pointment of Assistant Corporation Counsel Richmond B. Keech to be mle" counsel before the Public ities Commission. It is understood no opposition to the nomination has been filed with the committee. { , With regard to the changes in the utility law, the commission contends | that the existing law enables the court to function as an additional utilities commission by passing on the facts as well as the law when appeals are taken from decislons of the commission. The proposed amendment would confine the courts to questions of law, except in cases involving constitutional questions. When court procedure was consider- ed at the street rallway merger hear- ing several weeks ago, counsel for one of the companies indicated that utilities were pot objecting to a new court pro- cedure, but felt that the language used by the commission in drafting the amendments would be more far- reaching than was intended. Following that hearing an effort was made without success to have the com- mission and the companies agree on the wording of the amendment. These changes in court procedure would relate to all utilities and for that reason the Senate committee has decided to handle them as a separate proposition from the street rallway merger resolution. SENATE 0.K.’S G.A.R. FUND Approves Appropriation of $2,500 for Decorating Graves. ‘The Senate late yesterday passed and sent to the House the bill authorizing an appropriation of $2,500 to assist the Grand Army of the Republic in dec- orating graves in the cemeteries in and around the District on Memorial day, May 30. Senator Robinson, Republican, of In- diana, sponsor of the measure, told the Senate there are about 38,000 graves and the appropriation is to aid in plac- ing flags and flowers on them. McCRORY BLAST SUIT. $10,000 Damages Asked by Sister of One of Victims. A sult for damages growing out of the explosion at the McCrory Stores Corporation’s store on Seventh street November 21 last ,has been filed in the District Supreme Court. Catherine J. Perry, 337 Maryland avenue northeast, sued for $10,000 damages as administratrix of the estate of her sister, Ellzabeth D. Dawson, one of the victims. She is represented by Attorrieys Wilton J. Lambert, Rudolph H. Yeatman and George D. Horning, jr. SIGNALS CHANGED ON THOMAS CIRCLE Traffic Speeded by 80-Sec- ond Intervals Allowed for Vehicles. Like a fleld marshal on his vantage point above a battle, Traffic Director W. H. Harland took his stand on Th?‘n;u Circle nl;fl-l mo;nlnl ’l.;ng di- rected & corps of second preci licemen, a wave of the hand hm?o; nod there, & curt suggestion somewhere else, and there was no snarl in the traf- P R our m installed at the circle. went through smoothly as the hundreds of autos and scores of | Wi street cars their burdens of man- power fresh for the day’s labor into the business section through the busiest hud of early morning c. The circle lights were working on the new timing, tried out with success for the first time last night, with an 80- second interval for ‘motorists and & 23-second interval for pedestrians. Everything Smoother, The lengthened time proved the cure for the ills that have caused the shut- ting off of the lights at previous rush hours. This morning there was not a serious traffic tangle to be unraveled, the street-car motormen seemed to be better acquainted with the lights, the motorists were keeping right up to the pedestrian cross walks at the *stop” period, as they should, and the pedes- trians, regardless of the fact that there are no signs on the streets instructing them as to when they can cross the street, seemed to know a little more about’ what was going on than they have at previous rush periods, en 9 o'clock came, and the big rush was over, Harland and his co- workers, _including Inspector E. W. Brown of the Traffic Bureau, officials of the Capital Traction Co., Washing- ton Rallway & Electric Co. bus in- tors and the corps of police from second precinct, left the scene. All were satisfled with the way things were running. Timing Held Solution. Harland declared the new timing to be the answer to all the troubles the lights have met since they were turned on Saturday. He mplm to keep the timing on until trafic has become fully used to the circle’s light system, and then he will start tuning faster and faster until he has them working on the same timing that is used at Dupont Circle, a 50-second interval for vehicle traffic and a_20-second interval for pedestrian traffic. Harland admitted that this morn- ing’s traffic at the circle was lighter than it has been in previous rush-hour periods when the traffic has been so that it was necessary to turn ights. He belleves, however, that the lights can handle without trouble a much heavier flow of trafic than was handled this morning with- out unnecessary delay. Bandit Flees With $1 Loot. A masked robber entered the Arizona Hotel, at 310 C street, early today and held up Walter Laidlow, the night clerk. The hold-up man, armed with a pistol, | obtained only $1 for his trouble. He escaped. | BANDITS’ VICTIM,STRIPPED BY TRIO, | RACES 5 BLOCKS IN SCANTY UNDIES It Was a Case of Either Run or Freeze, He Tells Police | stead of CALL MEETINGS 10 ANSWER BINGHAM “Drastic Action” Forecast by Aviation Committee of Board of Trade. SENATOR SAYS GROUP BLOCKED COMMISSION Chamber of Commerce Backs Gravelly Point Site for Munic- ipal Field. Forecasting “drastic action,” the avi- ation committee of the Washington Board of Trade will meet Thursday to consider steps to meet the legislative delay in providing a municipal airport for the National Capital. ‘The same day the aviation committee of the Chamber of Commerce will con- fer for the purpose of reiterating its stand squarely in support of the Board of Trade in its advocacy of the Gravelly Point site for the flying field. The Board of Trade recently was the subject of criticism by Senator Hiram Bingham, chairman of the Joint Con- gressional Airport Commission, who de- clared that the ‘trade body had done much block constructive airport legislation by its uncompromising posi- tion in favor of one particular site, in- giving the congressional com- mittee free rein in its selection. “Members of the Airport Commis. slon,” Senator Bingham declared, “are discouraged by reason of the activities of the Board of Trade. The commis- has sought to give the District odel ail but it finds its first* step blocl by the efforts of this or‘_-hnlnunn, e meetings Thursday were called to give the District'’s answer to the Senator’s indictment as well as to further action provid for an airport. The Board of e will take the form of a luncheon at 12:30 'clock the City Club, while the chamber’s session will be at 4:30 o'clock fices in in the mrnluuon‘a of the Homer Buildin, COLD SPELL BROKEN, SAYS WEATHER MAN Thermometer Registers 20 Today After Reaching 7 Above Zero Sunday. With the weather man's prediction that the mercury will rise to a mini- mum of 34 degrees above zero today, with continued fair and warmer Wweather for at least the next 48 mmmefldnnmthflhd n fast for the past three or four days seems broken. The frigid spell that sent the temperature down to 7 degrees above zero on Sunday and to & minimum of 15 yesterday, per- mitted the thermometer to register 29 degrees this morning. The severe weather, characterized as the most acute that has swept the Atlantic Seaboard and the Eastern States l.h\\esdlg l-h:l Wlnwr,&:l been accompani gales at sea t have re.chedm e hpl:,rrr'l‘une mmm. accord- re| coming from coastal po!nu to the North. While the Capital City has had one such cold wave before this Winter, statistics showing that on January 31, the mercury dropped to 6 above gero, New York and other Northern cities report a record low temperature for the season. The metropolis 8 thermometer reading of 7 Luumy. while the entire North At- ntic Coast lay under many inches of snow. ke HENRY J. M. HOWARD, 76, MANUFACTURER, DIES Fire Protection Apparatus Firm President Succumbs to Pro- longed Illness. ' Henry J. M. Howard, 76 years old, dent of the H. J. M. Howard Co., manufacturers of fire-protection apparatus, died yesterday at the home of his son, Robert H. Howard, 87 V street, after a prolonged illness. Mr. Howard, & native of East Lyme, n., came to Washington 46 years ago, organizing the Howard company. He was the inventor of several fire- protection appliances, selling this appa- ratus through his local fim. During Tecent years he had been in partnership TR les Mr. Howard, he is survived :}' m ll::eu, hdfla'u‘mry AllcecHo'lrd city and Mrs. Emma C. Jones of Niantic, Conn. b Funeral services will be held at the residence tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. Interment will be Creek Cemetery. TWO SAVED FROM FIRE_ IN COLORED PLAYHOUSE Movie Operator and Hélper Are In- Jjured by Explosion at Blue Mouse Theater. A moving picture operator and his helper were rescued by firemen from the burning grojecunn booth of the Blue Mouse _Theater, colored phmnu.se. at 1209 Twenty-sixth street t night after several reels of film exploded. The theater was not open at the time, After Robbery in Alley. It was & case of run or freeze with Ernest Mui , colored, early this morning, and Ernest chose to run. A shirt and underwear do not consti- tute conventional attire for & barefoot jaunt over city streets at 1 o'clock in the morning, but when one has been robbed of one's clothing and one’s home is mdgra than a mile away, what is one to, ? It's five blocks to the eighth precinct police station from the alley which opens onto the 600 block of S street, and it's more than a mile to the 1700 block of Fourth street, so figure it out for Murphy is good at figures, so good, in fact, that he chose to race the five blocks to the eighth precinct after a colored trio held him up in the alley shortly before 1 o'clock and relieved him of $37, his suit, shoes, sox, over- coat and it It all staTted when Murphy chose to over bounded into of astonished police on duty there and home State, and reported the hold-up. make his way home by way of S street. He came upon three colored men stand- ing at the mouth of the alley and he entered the alley, not by choice, but Bof because ordered him wmen with leveled A search, of Mu thing brought to the surface the $37. “Strip!™ the leader commanded, casting his eyes Murphy's dapper attire. Overcoat, sult, socks, shoes and hat came off. “Now stay there and freeze,” the bandit leader barked as he backed out of the alley and ran down S street with his two companions. ads Swespin through his uncers sweeping under- wear as long as he dared and then set out for the em&h precinct, where he room before the eyes hy's clof Murphy obtained an overcoat and was taken to his home after he had unwound his story of woe. Joseph Overton, 40 years old, of 1115 Twenty-third street, ‘and his helper, Rowland Fletcher, 16, of 1150 Twenty- fifth street, both colored, were preparing for the first performance when the explosion occurred. Overton was badly burned about the face and hands when he attempted to hurl the films through the doorway, while Fletcher was overcome by smoke. 1":; were taken to Emergency Hospital. JOHN L. 0. BRIAN HONORED John Lord O'Brian, Assistan ney General, has been elected New York ture as one the 12 regents of State of New York, to supervise all ed: 'k in the universities and schools of the State The honor is one of the highest of its kind in the I:' Mr‘ m"Brhn'i receiving many tulations _from friends and ac- Sake him from his : e t at the lent of Justice, 55 t Attor- the qu will De)