Evening Star Newspaper, April 18, 1930, Page 15

Washington News WASHINGTON, D. C, @he Foening Star FRIDAY, APRIL Society and General 18, 1930. PAGE B-1 LACK OF JUDGES FOR D. C. COURTS TOLD AT HEARING House Subcommittee Urged to Recommend Appointments to Relieve Congestion. CASES ON THE DOCKETS PENDING THREE YEARS Relief Asked for Appellate Tri- bunal as Well as for Lower Cosrts. Additional judges both for the Dis- trict Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals in the District were assured during a hearing today before a sub- committee of the House judiciary com- mittee on four bills to relieve court con- gestion. Two of these bills were introduced by Representative Gibson, Republican, of Vermont as a result of the investigation made by the Gibson subcommittee of the House District committee, of which he was chairman. Representative Gib- son’s bills provided for two additional judges for both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. Another bill, by Chairman Graham of the judiciary committee, authorized the appointment of one additional justice for the Su- preme Court, and a bill by Representa- tive Guyer of Missouri, a member of the judiciary committee, provided for appointment of two additional judges. Jesse C. Atkins Gives Views. Jesse C. Atkins, representing the Dis- trict Bar Association, argued in favor of the bill for increasing the District Supreme Court bench to two additional justices. He pointed ot that the Su- preme Court is almost three years be- hind in its trial work. J. S. Flannery, also representing the District Bar Association, spoke in favor of an increase in the number of judges for the Court of Appeals. Representative Gibson spoke in favor of two additional judges for both the District Court and the Court of Appeals, as did Thomas Littlepage, prominent ‘Washington lawyer. Gibson Outlines Condition. Representative Gibson told the sub- committee that a tabulation shows 335 cases on the docket of the Court of Appeals as of February 1, 1930, and that there are 2,816 cases of all kinds on the docket of the Supreme Court. The ent in favor of two additional ‘m to the Court of Appeals, was on ground that while patent and customs cases have been removed from this court, by the addition of radio cases, the congestion has not been Telieved. Representative Gibson brought out the fact that in addition to the work of actually holding court last year, the Justices of the Supreme Court passed on 8,719 probate documents submitted to the court by the register of wills and 456 appraisements of _estates involving property valued at $17,636,820. He emphasized that the District Bu- preme Court justices are called upon to do much work aside from actually hearing cases from the bench. Docket Increase Stressed. Comparing the work of the District Bupreme Court in 1879, when the court was established with six justices, and with the work in 1929, when the court had seven justices, Representative Gib- son pointed out that the law cases have increased from 1,103 to 1,337; lunacy cases from 482 to 1,431; equity cases from 4 to 437; District cases from 10 to 49; criminal cases from 475 to 1,242, | and naturalization cases from 82 to 471. | Rover Unable to Testify. District Attorney Leo A. Rover was resent during the hearing, but the earing was closed before he was called upon to testify. Lieut. Col. J. Miller Kenyon, president of the District Bar Association, was the concluding wit- mess. Attorneys Atkins and Flannery devoted their testimony to statistical records showing the sesious congestion In both courts. Attorneys Littlepage ind Kenyon devoted their testimony to the practical side of court procedure And practice and to answering ques- tions asked by the members of the sub- tommittee. Col. Kenyon spent most of his time In answering & criticism that the Justices in the District Supreme Court do not spend much time on the bench He pointed out that an opinion given grficumlly offhand by'a justice when e is tired at the end of long day on the bench would not be valued very highly. In order for a justice to give a proper decision he should have time to carefully consider the testimony and the law when his mind is fresh rather than when it is fatigued by long hours on the bench. Col. Kenyon also called to the at- tention of the subcommittee that it is now very difficult to get substantial men and women to serve as jurors and that it would be increasingly difficult if the court was in session for longer haurs. MAJ. H. D. OFFUTT GOING TO HOSPITAL IN DENVER Other Army Officers Shifted Among Posts in This Country and Dependencies. Maj. Harry D. Offutt, Medical Corps, at Walter Reed General Hospital, this city, has been assigned to duty at Fitz- simmons General Hospital, Denver, Colo.; Maj. T. R. McCarron, Infantry, has been transferred from Tacoma, Wash., to Fort Lincoln Maj. ¥. C. Phelps, Infant rom Fort B ning. Ga., to Tacoma, Wash.; Capt.-T. C. Thorson, Infantry, from Fort Ben- ning, Ga., td th. North Carolina State College of Agriculture at Raleigh; Maj. Don G. Moore, Dental Corps, from the General Dispensary, this city, to the Philippines. Capt. H. A. Tribolet, Infantry, from Fort Adams, R. I, to Fort Benning, Ga.; Capt. J. M. Hamilton, Field Artillery, from the University of Missouri to Fort ‘Warren, Wyo.; Capt. C. G. Holmes, Fleld Artillery, from the Ohio State University at Columbus to Fort Warren, ‘Wyo.; Capt. A. M. Post, Field Artillery, from Fort Bliss, Tex., to Fort Warren, Wyo.; and the following-named officers are ordered to the General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kans.. Maj. M. B. Navas, Infantry, at Fort Snelling, “Minn.; Maj. Harold Thompson, Cavalry, at Fort Bliss, Tex.; Maj. F. T. McCabe, at Boston; Maj. C. A. Stokes, Infantry, Charleston, W. Va., and Maj. T. L Thurber, Field Artillery, New York Oity. —_—— The municipal bank of Birmingham, England, has just reported that it has more than 300,000 depositors and $55,- 000,000 in deposits, two new records for the institution, [Mother in Florida “Good people, good people. A man guess.” Earl Walker wiped his face with a blue handkerchief and his big hand strayed uneasily to the breast pocket where two railway tickets were tucked away. “She could've thanked them right for me and for my boy.” Walker blinked toward a baggage truck where a small coffin lay beneath the span of Union Station sheds. “She could've, but she’s dead, and now our boy's going back to Florida to be buried beside her.” Walker touched the tickets again— tickets provided by the generosity of Washingtonians, one for himself and one for 15-year-old Howard Walker, who had died at Emergency Hospital yester- day morning. Bids City Farewell. A moment later a Florida train was switched into its berth. Walker watched the baggagemen unload a truck, and then waved farewell to the city which had befriended him. That was last night. Late yesterday Walker's two other children, Edna, 14, and Ear], jr., just turned 3, were sent by new-found friends here to Warren, Ohio, to live with their aunt. ‘The tickets will enable the father to finds them any place he gets to, I| MAN TAKES TRAIN WITH DEAD SON, GRATEFUL FOR D. C. AID Grave Would Have Thanked Good People Here, Says Earl Walker, Bidding Good-by. fuliil a steadfast wish that Howard be ‘buricd beside his mother at Center Hill, Fla. They were provided by a member of the woman's board at Emergency Hos- pital, who expressed a wish to remain anonymous. The mother of the little family died two months ago, and the Walkers, aban- doning hope of making a go of it on a small truck farm, converted their car into a rolling house and set out to make a new home in the East. Howard became ill on the way and was taken to Emergency Hospital after the Walkers arrived at the tourists’ camp. When death came to the youth his father was unable to defray the ex- pense of the two nurses who had at- tended him or those incident to travel and to the funeral Social Service in Action. Social service workers at the hospital arranged matters for the board member and the children were put on the train for Ohio, under the wing of the Trav- elers’ Aid Society, after it had been learned by telegraph that their aunt would provide a home for them there. Numerous others offered to help the father, telephoning their wish to The Star and to Emergency Hospital. Several sent in cash contributions, and these will either be turned over to the father when he returns to get his automobile at the tourist camp or re- turned to the donors. “Thank them for me, if you can” Walker said before he stepped aboard the train. PRATT MAKES PLEA FOR POLIGE SCHOOL 25 Additional Officers Asked to Permit Training of Recruits for Force. A plea for 25 additional policemen in order to establish a school for the train- ing of the younger men on the force without reducing the number now on patrol duty was made to the Senate subcommittee on District appropria- tions by Maj. Henry G. Pratt, super- intendent, it is disclosed in the hear- ing made public yesterday. This was an original recommendation of the Commissioners, but was not allowed by the budget. After Maj. Pratt had outlined what other large cities are doing in the training of new policemen, Senator Bingham expressed the hope “that you will be able to give all of your new officers at least two months’ training before you put them on the street and give them a badge of authority.” Mem- bers of the subcommittee did not in- dicate during the hearings, however, whether the additlonal men would be allowed. “What is the practice in Washing- ton now?” Senator Bingham inquired. Practice Is Described. “The majority of our men,” said Maj. Pratt, “are sworn in and given a baton and badge and told to go out and en- force the iaw, and they know nothing in the world about it. We attempted for years to maintain a school of six months during the year. In running| this school there was a 30-day period | for each class. We tried to train the men who had not ha dtraining, and the result is the we have had men five years on the force who had mot been in the school until last year, and we have wound that up now; and in the present class we have put in men who have been appointed and have had no service on the streets. That is the first time in the history of the department.” Senator Bingham also _questioned Maj. Pratt regarding the House pro- vision that hereafter all appointees to the force must have an eighth grade education. The major favored raising the educational qualifications, but sug- gested it be made to read “eighth grade, or its equivalent.” Senator Bingham asked what were the educational attainments of the men most_recently appointed to the force, {and Maj. Pratt. after inquiry in the de- partment, reported to the Senators that of the 64 men appointed during the past year 5 had been to college or uni- versity, 2 to normal school, 37 to high school 'and 20 to graded school. Of the last group 11 had gone to the eighth grade, 6 to the seventh grade, 2 to the sixth grade and 1 had attended the fourth grade. Lieut. Joseph Morgan, liaison officer, reported on April 1 there were seven vacancies on the force, with no eligible list except two, who declined {appointment until a later date. Difficulties Are Shown. “Is it any more difficult to obtain| first-class men in_the police service | than it was, say 25 or 30 years ago?” Senator Capper asked, Maj. Pratt—I think I could best an- swer that question by stating the fact that we had comparatively little trouble with the men who were appointed years ago. It is a fact that the men who are | coming into the department now cause in since the war, I will say. “I mean,” Maj. Pratt continued, “they come to us, and apparently they are desirable material, but it is more diffi- cult to make them behave after coming to us.” Asked by Senator Jones, Republican, of Washington, what he meant by “the equivalent” of an eighth-grade educa- tion, Maj. Pratt said a man may have served in the Army or Navy and by his own efforts have acquired a greater ed- ucation than he might have received in the eighth grade of school, but the House bill would keep him off the force if he could not show he had been through the eighth grade. Senator Kendrick, Democrat, Wyo- ming, agreed with Maj. Pratt when the police chief voiced the belief that in many cases of violation of minor of- fenses a word of warning is better than taking a man to court. EE APPOINTED JUDGE Jobn E. Nottingham Named by Gov. Pollard. Snecial Dispatch to The St RICHMOND, Va., April 18—John E, Nottingham, prominent attorney of Nassawadox, in Northampton County, was yesterday appointed judge of the Thirty-first Virginia Judicial Circuit by Gov. John Garland Pollard, Mr. Nottingham was the choice of the bar of the counties of Northampton and Accomac, which comprise the | thirty-first circuit, our trouble; the men who have come | Veteran Wins Suit To Compel Bureau To Pay Him $7,500 Harvey W. Woltman, overseas veteran, has won his 11-year fight against the Veterans’ Bureau by a verdict of & jury in Circuit Di- vision 2 before Justice Jennings Bailey, which awarded him $7,500 in benefits already accrued and directed that he receive $57.50 monthly during the continuance of his disability. He was represented by Attor- neys Robert H. McNeill and War- ren E Miller, while Attorney Annabel Hinderliter appeared for the bureau. JURY CHALLENGE FILED BY DAYTON Action Contests Right of Body to Hear Witnesses in Strangling Case. Dexter Churchill Dayton, 25-year-old salesman, charged with strangling to death Miss Marjorie O'Donnell, 24- year-old stenographer, at the Roosevelt Hotel October 7 last, today filed in the District Supreme Court a challenge to the array of the present grand jury be- fore whom witnesses were to be heard in an effort to reindict him on a first- degree murder charge. Dayton was in- dicted shortly after the tragedy, but through Attorneys Ring & Cobb filed a plea in abatement. United States Attorney Rover recently announced that he would re-present the witnesses to the present grand jury be- cause the jury which indicted Dayton contained in its membership a woman pensioner of the United States. Fearing that some of the points relied on might be considered too late after an indictment has been returned, Day- ton questioned the legality of the grand jury in what is called in law, a chal- lenge to the array. He claims that the drawing of the grand jury was im- properly conducted; that the names were selected by the clerk to the jury commission and not by the members of the commission; that the act of Congress permitting women to accept or decline jury service is unconstitu- tional as discriminatory and class legis- lation. He also attacks the right of women to serve on a grand jury even if service as petit jurors should be allowed. DEATH CLAIMS WIFE OF JUDGE ROBINSON Was Native of Grafton, W. Va., and Member of Charleston Chapter, D. A. R. Mrs, Ada Sinsel Robinson, wife of Judge Ira E. Robinson, members of the Federal Radio Commission, died at her residence, in the Burlington Hotel, early today after a long illness. Mrs. Robinson was a native of Graf- ton, W. Va. She came to this city with her husband some years ago. Judge Robinson formerly was chairman of the Federal Radio Commission, was at one time judge of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, had served as special assistant to the Attorney General and had represented the United States Government in condemnation of land cases in the District. He also was Republican nominee for Governor of West Virginia in 1916. Mrs. Robinson was a member of the Charleston, W. Va., chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution |and was a life member of the Pirst Baptist Church there. She was the daughter of the late Arth and Hannah Sinsel. She is survived by, her husband, a daughter, Miss Ada May Robinson, and three sisters, Mrs. Frank J. Sellers of Mans- fleld, Ohio; Miss Abbie T. Sinsel and Miss Mary H. Sinsel of Grafton, The body will be taken to Grafton tonight at 11:40 o'clock. Puneral serv- ices will be conducted there Sunday. —_— TAKES POISON IN CELL Dr. Bullock Reconsiders and Is Re- moved to Hospital by Police. Reconsidering a_decision to end his life, Dr. Douglas Bullock, 35 years old, of the Arlington Building, Fifteenth and H streets, called Pvt. Roy P. Kelly to his cell door at No. 1 police station last night and informed him he had taken poison. He told police he had recently come here from Rowland, N. C. Dr. Bullock was treated at Emergency Hospital and later removed to Gallinger Hospital, where attendants said today his ‘condition was undetermined. He had been arrested on & chnr‘e of intox- ication. His wife and mother, both of whom reside in Rowland, were notified of Dr. Bullock’s condition by police at Dr. | following their arrest by two members | SURVEY UNDER WAY OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR LARGER FUNDS Facilities and Equipment Be- ing Checked to Show Con- gress Present Needs. WASHBASINS ARE CITED AS INADEQUATE SUPPLY Conditions Should Be as Good as in Home, Says Official Manag- ing Business Affairs. An exhaustive survey of every pub- lic school building in the District is being made quietly on the orders of Jere J. Crane, first assistant superin- tendent in charge of business affairs, to determine the actual condition of heating plants, totlet facilities, wash- basins and drinking fountains. This information, Mr. Crane revealed today, is being sought with a view to showing Congress the concrete need of a repair fund sufficient not only to re- place worn or damaged equipment, but which, in effect, would provide a needed virtual reconstruction of the schoois in this direction. Two Weeks for Survey. The survey being made by two em- ployes of Mr. Crane's office, probably will be completed within the next two weeks. Meanwhile reports are being made daily to Mr. Crane so that the data will be in hand for compilation as soon as the survey is ended. The inspection, in common with the survey which The Evening Star made of school buildings during the past Winter, ¢ ready has shown a ridiculously inadequate number of wash for the number of pupils accommodated in & given building. Similarly, it is being shown that there are toilet facilities of & kind that clash with modern stand- ards of sanitation. “As many of these things are being brought out it seems almost impossible that we can undertake to teach char- acter education, good taste or anything else having to' do with decent home standards,” Mr. Crane said. Wash Basin Situation. “We should attempt to provide chil- dren with s good conditions in schcol as they had at home, if not better, and when Wwe have an enroliment of 200 to 300 children provided with a single wash basin for the boys and another one for the girls, we certainly aren't encouraging the niceties of personal cleanliness. “Estimating that it takes from three to five minutes for a child to wash his hands, it is certainly apparent that the school children are not performing that | duty necessary to character training in the time and with the facilities given | them,” he added. —— TWO PERSONS HELD ON DRY LAW CHARGE Wife of Army Corporal Arrested in Alleged Sale and Possession of Liquor. Two persons, one the wife of an enlisted man at Bolling Field, were to | be arraigned in Police Court today | of the vice squad in a raid on the | home of Corp. Walter Bobbitt, at 629 | G street, yesterday afternoon. i Mrs. 'Bertha Bobbitt, 36-year-old wife of Corp. Bobbitt, who is attached to Bolling Field, was charged with sale and possession’ of three quarts of whisky, while a roomer, Kermit Schell, 26 years old, was taken into custody on a possession charge. orking on information that the soldiers at the aviation field were being supplied liquor, the vice squad sent an undercover agent to the G street ad- dress and he succeeded in making a purchase, police say. Detectives Richard Cox and James Mostyn obtained a search warrant yes- terday. Schell admitted the officers, but shouted a warning, it was said, when he caught the glint of a badge beneath Mostyn's coat & few moments ater. Rushing into the basement, Cox and Mostyn reported finding Mrs. Bobbitt emptying the last of the contents of a large container. A subsequent search reputedly disclosed three quarts of whisky, however, and Schell and Mrs. Bobbitt were arrested. A large supply of bottles, corks, labels and other bot- tling paraphernalia also was reported seized. Mostyn said this morning that he did not believe Corp. Bobbitt, who was away at the time of the raid, played any part in the alleged sale of the whisky. FIVE WOMEN'S PURSES TAKEN FROM OFFICES Thieves Rob Feminine Workers in Four Downtown Business Buildings. The pocketbooks of five women were stolen from downtown buildings yester- day afternoon. ‘The heaviest loser was Irene Kushner of 4319 Fifteenth street, whose purse containing $35 was taken from her desk in the Investment Building, at Fifteenth and K streets. At the Williard Building, Nellie Blosser reported the theft of her pocketbook containing $7 and Elizabeth Wall the robbery of a purse from her desk, in which she had #25. An_undetermined amount of money, valuable papers and key were taken with a pocketbook belonging to Doris Reidel at the Albee Bullding, while Miss Ida Packer had stolen from her office, at 1406 G street, a purse containing $10. BOY IN HOSPITAL AFTER ATTACK BY RABIED DOG Attacked by a dog while playing near his home yesterday afternoon, Theodore M. Decator, 10 years old, of 5128 Fulton street, was taken to Emergency Hos- pital and treated by a staff physician for wounds of the right side. His condition is reported to be undeter- mined. The dog was sent to the District Pound and found to have rables after an investigation by police of No. 7 precinct disclosed that the animal had attacked its owner, Brady D. Lodge of 5116 Conduit road, on Saturday and that Lodge had to be treated at Mount : Brown, deputy chief of staff of the Army. The Red Cross class of 1930 of staff assistants, to whom di RED CROSS iplomas were awarded yesterday by Msa!_ CERTIFICATES DETENTION HOUSE 'FOOD CAUSES TILT IN SENATE HEARING Senator Bingham Asks Rea- son for Grapes in October and Tender Chickens. RETENTION OF QUARTERS IS URGED DURING QUIZ Mrs. Van Winkle Would Have Gen. Preston tar Staff Photo. HEADS ARE NANED INTRAFFE SURVEY | Col. Grant to Be Chairman of | Group Seeking Permanent Congestion Solution. Officers of the city-wide committee di- recting the trafic survey recently pro- posed by the National Capital Park and Planning Commission were announced today. They include Lieut. Col. U. 8. Grant, 3d, chairman; Charles W. Eliot, 2d, vice chairman; Frank R. Jelleff, treasurer, and Edward D. Shaw, sec- retary. The major trade and civic organiza- tion of the city have lent their support | to the project, and the Washington | Board of Trade, the Washington Cham- | ber of Commerce and the Merchants & Manufacturers’ Association have pledged their financial aid. Today, the last ;‘mrged assoclation began soiicitation of unds. The idea of the survey originated at a conference called by Col. Grant, execu- tive officer of the planning commission, to consider Washington's traffic prob- lems. Besides the organizatinos named. | representatives of the Federation of Citizens’ Associations attended. Plan Permanent Relief. It was decided that a comprehensive survey would be necessary to formulate a scientific plan of Tmanent relief and that the study should be under- taken at once, so as to take care of the situation which is sure to arise with the completion of the triangle develop- ment project. The National Capital Park and Plan- ning Commission has secured as techni- cal _director of the survey Dr. Miller | McClintock, chief of the Erskine Bureau for Street Traffic Research of Harvard University, for his studies of parking problems in other cities. Primary attention will be given in the survey to the central congested dis- trict and special consideration devoted to the problems of business and govern- mental areas and their interrelation. ‘The purpose of the study is to col- lect and analyze facts which will serve as'a basis for a comprehensive automo- blle storage plan for the District, em- bodying the following factors: Factors Considered. The design of immediate parking reg- ulations in such a manner that avail- able curb parking areas may be of maximum service to business and gov- ernmental activities. ‘The organization of enforcement machinery with respect to personnel and function in such a manner as to obtain a firm, consistent and equitable enforcement of such parking regula- tions as may be found necessary. ‘The development of a policy and plan with respect to off-street automo- bile storage facilities in both the gov- ernmental and business areas in such a manner that the street system may be used to its fullest capacity in the future, and that there may be a re- moval of the present handicaps upon convenient and economical automobile use of the central district. In view of the pressing character of the problem, and especially in view of the building programs under way at the present time, it was decided that it was highly desirable that the resuits of the study be made available at an early date and that the field studies be con- ducted not later than May 15 in order that the completed plan may be avail- able within the following 30 days. PLAN GIVEN COMMITTEE. ‘The major thorougfare development plan, embodied in a report prepared by the streets and avenues committee of the Washington Board of Trade, in co- operation with other authorities, was referred to a special committee today when the National Capital Park and Planning Commission met for its April meeting. George V. Graham is chair- man of the Board of Trade committee and has co-operated with Lieut. Col. U. 8. Grant, 3d., vice chairman and executive officer of the commission; with Capt. E. N. Chisolm, jr, its engineer, and Charles W. Eliot, 2d, its city planner, ‘The personnel of the commission’s committee expected to be named during the day by Frederic A. Delano, chairman. Capt. Chisolm explained that this committee will likely be in session with the District Commissioners, the Board of Architectural Consultants and the Board of Trade representatives. The question of keeping Thirteenth street open southward from Pennsylvania ave- nue will again come to the fore, when this matter is threshed out, in conjunc- tion with the major thoroughfare plan The commission prepared to consider the proposed neWw Brookland recreation center at South Dakota avenue, Otis street, Queen's Chapel road and Eigh- teenth street, plans for which were assembled by C. L. Wirth, landscape architect of the commission. On the agenda also is the question of the future development of the National Zoological Park and its relation to the who is nationally known | | g THOMAS FRANCIS MACDEVITT. \THOMAS MACDEVITT DIES AT HOME HERE Leading Construction Engineer, 43 Years 0ld, Had Been 111 for Week. ‘Thomas Francis MacDevitt, 43 years old, chief superintendent of the George Hyman Co. of Washington and one of the foyemost construction engineers of | the East, died yesterday at his residence, 4422 Military road, after an illness of a week. Mr. MacDevitt, was taken {ll last Friday with a slight cold, which de- veloped into pneumonia. A native of Philadelphia, Mr. Mac- Devitt was technically trained at the Franklin Institute of that city. He entered the employ of Cramp & Co. of Philadelphia as a carpenter ap- prentice in 1907, and later was with Warren Moore & Co. of Philadelphia and the Fleishmann Construction Co. of New York City, and joined Hymann five vears ago. During his association with the Hy- man Construction Co., he had super- vised the building of McKinley Tech High School and several smaller pub- lic schools. The Visitation Monastery | at Bethesda, Md., was also constructed | under his supervision. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Genevieve MacDevitt, and five children. Thre brothers and two sisters, all of Philadelphia, also survive. Brief funeral services will be held Monday morning at the residence, fol- lowed by requiem mass at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament. Interment will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery. CIVICS TO BE TOPIC By a Stall Correspondent of The Star. UPPER MARLBORO, Md., April 18.— The Mellwood Women's Club will spe- cialize in civics during the coming year under the leadership of Mrs. F. E. Mc- Manus, it was announced following a special meeting of the club at the home of Mrs. Frank Scrivener yesterday. Mrs. C. Frank Maguire was elected delegate to the State Federation of Women's Clubs convention next month. Chairmen of departments and commit- tees were named. DISTRGTWORKERS HOLDAY 1 RGED Commissioners Would In- clude Municipal Employes in Lehlbach Bill. ‘The District Commissioners yesterday took the initiative in seeking year-round Saturday half holidays for District gov- ernment employes by a request to Rep- resentative Frederick R. Lehlbach, Re- publican, of New Jersey, to include Dis- trict employes in the bill now before the House civil service committee granting these holidays to Federal workers. Usually the Commissioners wait until legislation is sent to them for comment before making any reports to Capitol Hill, but the new Commissioners decided to act first. the bill as written does not affect District workers, it is probable that it would never have been sent to them for report. “The Commissioners have the honor to Tequest,” they wrote, “that there be included within the terms of the bill the employes of the government of the Dis- trict of Columbia. This could be ac- complished by inserting after the words ‘Federal Government’ the words ‘and of the municipal government of the District of Columbia.” “It has been usual for the Congress to include in beneficial legislation of this character employes of the government of the District of Columbia on the same basis as employes of the Federal Gov- ernment. Examples of such actions are to be found in the reclassification act and the retirement act.” ‘The bill before the House committee includes not only employes on the regu- Jar annual salary rolls, but also all per diem, piecework and hourly employes. TWO END LIVES BY INHALING GAS of Several Months Street Car Motorman of Virginia Victims. Bride and A bride of several months and a middle-aged street car motorman com- mitted suicide at their homes yester- day by inhaling illuminating gas. The woman, Mrs. Grace Virginia Chapel Weeks, 23, wife of James Weeks, an insurance agent, was found lying dead on the floor of her residence, at 1211 Nineteenth place northeast, when her sister, Isabelle Moore, 8-year-old schoolgirl, returned home from her studies. No reason could be assigned for the young woman’s act. Dr. J. Ramsay Nevitt, District coroner, issued a cer- tificate of suicide. ‘The motorman, Milton Campbell, an employe of the Capital Traction Co., ended his life at his home, in Park ‘a., after leaving a note, which Nothing wrong with what was done today. I leave everything I own to my wife, Mrs. E. V. Campbell.” Campbell was 45 years old. and leaves a wife and four children. ‘The man’s lifeless body was discov- ered by a neighbor, Mrs. C. I. Ward, when she went to pay a call on the Campbell family. Campbell was slump- ed over in a chair in the kitchen and a strong odor of escaping gas was de- tected by Mrs. Ward. She forced open a window and summoned the Washing- ton Pire Rescue Squad and Arlington County police. Mrs. Campbell was away at the time. ‘The necessity for having criers in the District Supreme Court was questioned by members of the Senate subcommittee In the hearings on the District appro- priation bill, with indications that thought was given to doing away with these attaches and increasing the number of deputy marshals. There are seven court criers. Senator Bratton of New Mexico ques- tioned Deputy Marshal Callahan as to the possibility of having the deputy marshals assigned to each court room act also as criers, and Callahan testi- fied it could be done. Testimony was given that the large number of processes to be served require the deputy marshals to work long hours. Justice Frederick L. Siddons told the subcommittee it is a mistake to assume that the only functions of the crier is to open court and announce ment. Justice Siddons explain the deputy marshal that each court room | course. v journ- | SENATE COMMITTEE DOUBTS NEED OF CRIERS IN D. C. SUPREME COURT Members Indicate Purpose of Abolishing Office and Increasing Number of Deputy Marshals. stays outside the bar, while the crier's position is within the bar, near the wit- ness chair and the jury. In the criminal court rooms, he said, it is frequently necessary to assign several deputy marshals. Justice Siddons said that if the mem- bers of the committee “could see the size of the court rooms, they would see how dangerous it would be to leave any one of them, even the civil jury divi- sions, with only a marshal—one deputy marshal.” Senator Bratton suggested that if the marshal were furnished additional deputies, “would not that serve the court just as well, and also aid marshal in his other duties?” “I think s0,” Judge Siddons replied, “if an additional deputy marshal could be instructed to do those things that the crier has been accustomed to do. There "ll no question about that of Two Departments Placed Under Single Rule. A request that the Senate restore to the District bill the appropriation for rent to enable the Woman'’s Bureau and House of Detention to remain in their present quarters, instead of having to move into a District-owned building in the municipal center area, and a re- newal of the tilt that occurred before the House committee over the cost and variety of meals at the detention house marked the appearance of Lieut. Mina C. Van Winkle before the Senate sub- committee on District appropriations. The Senate hearings, just made public, show that Chairman Bingham asked further questions about “tender chickens for roasting” and the ordering of grapes in_October. Mrs. Van Winkle vigorously defended the operation of the detention house and its employes, both as to the economical handling of the foodstuffs and as to the necessity for leaving the institution in its present quarters. Mrs. Van Winkle told the Senators that one of the heaviest charges against the item of $5453.77 for food and groceries in the fiscal year 1928-9 discussed by Representative Simmons while preparing the bill, was the cost of keeping boys and girls at the House of Detention for several months of that fiscal year, although Congress had ordered them transferred to a separate receiving home to be set up by the Board of Public Welfare on July 1, 1928. Mrs, Van Winkle said the welfare de- partment was not ready to take the children on July 1, and that the boys were left at the detention house four months and the girls for five months. She said the food and grocery item for that year was compared with the cost of maintaining the children in the re- cetving home as against the cost of maintaining the women in the deten- tion home. Mrs. Van Winkle's Statement. “When the children were finally turn- ed over to the recelving home,” read the statement filed with the Senate subcommittee, “it was on our initiative because we realized that unfair com- parisons could be made if we were to continue spending our money on the wards of the receiving home.” In further defense of her tion, Mrs. Van Winkle's statement said: “The Woman's Bureau is a depart- ment within the Police Department, and it should function on appropriations especially set aside for its purposes. All office supplies, salaries of policewomen, rent, telephone, furniture, etc., should be charged to the Police Department, but heretofore only salaries have been charged to the police appropriations. With but few exceptions everything else has been charged to the cost of administering the detention home. These charges are likewise made against the per capita cost of maintaining the in- mates to whom this cost bears no rela- tion because at this writing these two police units are distinctly separate. Since there are thos who deliberately and per- sistently cause confusion in the taxpay- ers’ mind and misunderstandings in | Congress, the detention home and the Women's Bureau should function as one {unit and be known hereafter as the ‘Woman'’s Bureau; that that part of the appropriation used for the maintenance of inmates shall hereafter be itemized clearly as such and that no other items of expenditure for rent for the Woman's Bureau, etc., which bear no relation to detention home subsistence, be per- mitted to obscure these facts.” Before Mrs. Van Winkle appeared be- fore the subcommittee Senator Bing- ham questioned Maj. Pratt about the diet at the House of Detention. Senator Bingham—Apart from any possible misinterpreting of figures, what have you to say in regard to this testi- mony that came out in regard to the kinds of things that were purchased; & large amount of fruits and vegetabl and fish and oysters, and tender chick- ens for roasting, and so on? Maj. Pratt—I explained to the House committee at that time that that was all stuff that was necessary in order to keep the balanced diet that we were trying to give these prisoners. Average Three Days. Senator Bingham asked for the aver- age length of time persons stayed at the detention house, and was told nearly three days, with exceptions that lasted for longer periods. The Senator said that when a person is kept there only two or three days he did not see the necessity “for the wide variation in diet.” Maj. Pratt suggested the subcommit- tee ask Mrs. Van Winkle about that. He said she told him the diet was set out by the Agriculture Department. | When the chairman read a requisition showing various quantities of fruits, meats and seafood, Maj. Pratt explain- ed it was based on a requisition Mrs. Van Winkle is compelled, under the purchasing system, to make out for a month. It did not mean, the major said, that those articles were ordered at any one time or any one day. Senator Bingham—Do you not think it is unusual in the month of October, in the House of Detention, to have watermelon and grapes and grapefruit and pears? Ma). Pratt—I do not have them on my own table. ‘When Mrs. Van Winkle went before the subcommittee she told them that in October the grapes were four pounds for a quarter, adding “that as a matter of fact there is nothing cheaper as & desse}l;t, t{hsn to gl‘fi .snm(;rbody a little bunch of pes. requires no s oF Cream of anything. - There is nothing cheaper than a small bunch of grapes. ‘With regard to location of the de- tention house, the subcommittee was told none of the properties the District has bought thus far in the municipal center area is suitable to accommodate the institution. STUDENTS HURT IN CRASH Five From Rosselle, N. J., in Car as It Skids in Park. Five students of the Rosselle, N. J., High School were slightly hurt it night when the automobile in which they were riding skidded and over- turned in Potomac Park. Those injured were W. Ebbetts, 17, of Kenilworth, driver of the automo- bile; Hazel George, 17, and Marian Brittain, 17, both of Garwood; E. J. Pragley, 17, and Joseph Bartholomell, 18, both of Rosselle. They were treated at Emergency Hospital for minor cuts ¢