Evening Star Newspaper, May 17, 1930, Page 1

“ WEATHER. (U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.) Increasing cloudiness followed by rain ' and cooler tonight a; nd tomprrow. ‘Temperatures—Highest, 79, at 11 am. today: lowest, 58, at 2 am. today. Full report on page 3. Closing N.Y. Markets, Pages11,12&13 ¢ Foening Sfar. ‘WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION “From Press to Home Within the Hour” The Star’s carrier system covers every city block and the regular edi- tion is delivered to Washington homes as fast as the papers are printed. Yesterday’s Circulation, 116,968 No. 31,427. post office, Entered as second class matter ‘Washington, ] - D, C. WASHINGTON, D €, SOLDIER RETRACTS BAKER CONFESSION AFTER BEING TAKEN T0 MURDER SCENE Brewster’s Palm Prints Fail to Match Those on Slain| Girl’s Auto, Police Chief Announces. AGENTS NOW CENTERING EFFORTS ON FINDING GUN, Private Says He Admitted Crime Because He Was Excited and Did Not Realize Seriousness of Act.| Had Followed Story -of Slaying in Newspapers. | _ | The confession of Harold L. Brewster, Army private, to the slaying of Mary Baker, whose body | was found just outside the walls! of Arlington Cemetery on April 12, | was repudiated early this morn-| ing, following a tour of Brewster with police and Department of Justice agents over the entire route believed to have been taken by the murderer on the night of the slaying. News of the repudiation was followed by the announcement by Maj. Henry G. Pratt, superintend- ent of police, that shoe prints found on the murder car did not match those of Brewster. The sol- dier was still in the custody of the military authorities today, while the Justice agents concentrated their efforts on,locating the gun used in the crime. They obtained permission from Arlington County property owners to clear the un- derbrush from the area where the murder is believed to have taken place. Brewster, after they had reached Rice Pond on the Government ex- perimental farm, where he had at first claimed to have washed the blood from his hands, turned to Commonwealth’s Attorney Wil- liam C. Gloth of:Arlington County and stated that he desired to get away from the “crowd” and talk with the prosecutor and Lieut. Ed- ward J. Kelly, chief of the Wash- ington homicide squad. Humoring him, Gloth said, the three stepped aside and Brewster then declared that “the whole thing is a lie.” Followed Case in Papers. ‘When questioned as to his reasons for confessing to the murder, Brewster is said- to have told Gloth that he had followed the case very carefully in the newspapers, had been over the ground a number of times and then, when his superiors started questioning him, he became excited and confessed before he realized the seriousness of this act. After the confession, he became con- vinced that a repudiation would not be believed, and he stuck to his original story until it appeared that the thing had gone a little too far and then decided to tell the truth about it. ‘Throughout the tour of the murder route Gloth claims that Brewster stuck to his original story, but seemed in an irresponsible mood and was laughing part of the time. At one point Gloth sald that he asked Brewster if he had any remorse, and the latter laughed and replied that he had not. “What do you think is going to hap- Jen to you?” Gloth asked him another time, and Brewster replied, “Oh, either they will hang me or put me in the electric chair.” He said this also in & joking way, Gloth said. Believes Soldier’s Denial. Accompanying Gloth and Kelly last night were Maj. Henry G. Pratt, super- intendent of the Washington police; Inspector William S. Shelby, chief of the Detective Bureau; Detective John Fowler of the homicide squad; Sheriff Howard B. Fields of Arlington County and five Department of Justice agents. Gloth claims that Brewster appears to him to be unbalanced, and he be- lieves the soldier told the truth when he finally denied committing the crime. The man’s superlors, however, are said 10 have told Gloth that Brewster never acted this way until recently. Gloth was also told thai Brewster made a practice of hanging around & miniature golf course in Potomac Park " (Continued on Page 2, Column 7.) | - TEXAS JURY GIVEN GIRL SLAYING CASE/ Former Judge Is on Trial for Sec- | ond Time in Death of Stenographer. By the Assoclated Pre: | 17.—A jury to-| DALLAS, Tex., Mi day deliberated the fate of John W. Brady, 60, former Appeals Court judge, on trial for the second time for the al- leged “jealousy” slaying of Miss Lehlia Highsmith, 26-year-old stenographer. ‘The jurors were sent to their room Iate last night. District Attorney James McGraw, who closed the argument with an ap- peal for the death penalty, denied con- tentions of the defense that the ex- fimee was unsound mentally because of eavy drinking. He deciared Brady was rational when he stabbed Miss Highsmith to death at Austin, Tex., last November. Maury Hughes, of defense counsel, leaded that the former jurist be re- leased to “his wife, who has stood him.” Mrs. Brady, a defense witness, hy | by Mexican officials there, showed a Howard L. Brewster, on left, wearing the gray cap, snapped as he was taken to the Wright-Hurley Building today for further questioning by police and Department of Justice agents, who are investigating the murder of Mary Baker. | HOUSE RETIREMENT BILL IS ACCEPTED Conferees Accord Probably| Means Enactment at This Session. Civil service retirement legislation at | the present session of Congress was vir- tually assured this morning when the| conferees reached an agreement on the | bill as it passed the House with a few amendments. The conferees will have another meeting at 10:30 o'clock Wednesday, but this will be merely for the purpose of working out the details of language of the changes agreed upon today. “The conference has agreed to repon’ the House bill with certain amendments | perfecting the text, but not going to the ! ‘tive Lehlbach following the meeting. ‘The report of the conferees will have to be ratified by the House and Senate, but with those in charge of the legisla- tion in agreement there is not expected to be much dificulty in having that| done. Record of Employe. Probably the most important amend- ment is that under which the record of each employe will be kept in his own office, instead of having all rec- ords assembled at one central place, as originally intended under the House lll. This amendment removes one of the objections Senate conferees had to the House bill, because they said it would increase the cost of administer- ing the retirement fund. Another amendment will give depart- ment heads discretionary power to rec- >mmend extensions of time with the ap- proval of the Civil Service Commission, in special cases of employes whose serv- ices are regarded as exceptionally val- uable when retirement age is reached. Another amendment would take care of employes who have gone out of the service in the past because of disability, but who failed to apply for their re- tirement benefit within the period of six months required by existing law. Under the amendment they could have their retirement status restored by ap- plying within three months after the passage of this bill. Age Limits Changed. One other minor amendment was made relating to navy yard workers to piace certain men in the 62-year class and to exclude certain others from that | age limit. The conferees are: For the Senate—Senators Dale of Vermont, Couzens of Michigan and | McKellar of Tennessee. For the House —Representatives Lelhbach of New | Jersey, Smith of Idaho and Jeffers of | Alabama. The House bill sets up a new system of retirement, and is regarded as bei satisfactory to the President. It woul operate as follows: Each employe would receive a basic annuity of $30 a year for each year of service, not exceeded 30 years, making a maximum basic annuity of $000. In addition to this he would receive what- ever additional annuity could be pur- chased with his own contribution to the | retirement fund. Thus, under this sys- | tem the total annuity of employes would | bear some relation to the contributions | they make. The agreement contains a provision, however, that in no case will an employe receive less than he would have recelved under the Dale bill passed by_the Senate. It will be a number of years before | the higher-paid Government employes will have accumulated sufficient money | in their own account to get the benefit | of the highest annuities possible under this bill, but in the meantime they will | receive the annuity they would have obtained under the Senate bill. It was estimated that the Senate bill would have increased the cost of the present retirement law by approxi- | mately $10,000,000, and the House bill | was estimated at a cost approximately | $6,000,000 more than the Senate plan, | or about $16,000,000 more than at | present. THUANA SHOWS GAIN Mexican Census Reveals Tenfold Increase in Population. SAN DIEGO, May 17 (#).—The City of Tijuana, Lower California, which thirsty and venturesome Americans visit in great numbers, has grown nearly tenfold in the last 10 years. ‘That became known today when the result of the census, which was taken pggulluan of 8,321, as against 850 in testified her husband changed after meeting Miss Highsmith, and that until that time her married life had been 0. Radio Pro‘mn; [ gje B-5; | Graf Zeppelin, giant dirigible, which | Seville Monday. The Zeppelin will be | substance of the bill,” said Representa- | in; GRAF STARTS LONG FLIGHT TOMORROW Seville to Be First Stop in Trip to Rio de Janeiro and Lakehurst. By the Assoclated Press. FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany, May 17.—Tomorrow, weather permitting, the | has crossed the Atlantic five times and flown around the world once, will begin its first trip to the south of the Equa- tor. Dr. Hugo Bekener expects to get his vessel into air between 10 am. and 3 p.m. (eastern standard time), and point it immediately toward Seville, Spain, by way of Marseilles and Lyon, on the first lap of a tour of 17,750 miles. An overnight stop will be made at attached to a newly constructed moor- mast there and Tuesday morning will take off on its sixth Atlantic cross- ;nrg.,mw Pernambuco, and Rio Janeiro, Temporary Stop at Rio. Only a temporary stop will be made at Rio Janeiro before the dirigible will head northwestward, flying up Northeast Coast of South America and across the Caribbean Sea to Havana, and up the American coast to Lake- hurst, where it will be moored again preparatory to the flight back to Ger- any. ‘Time of arrival over New Yorw is un- certain, but between four and five da probably will be consumed between Se- ville and Rio Janeiro and as many more between Rio Janeiro and Lakehurst. The ship will return here around the first of June. ‘Twenty-two passengers will make the trip from Friedrichshafen to Seville. Six of these will leave the ship there and four others will come aboard, giv- ing a total passenger list of 20 for the transequatorial _trip. Nineteen will make the trip from Brazil to Havana and Lakehurst. There are 42 officers and crew. Passenger List Secret. The Zeppelin company has kept the names of passengers secret to eliminate possibility of objections by relatives such as developed on the eve of a previous transatlantic flight, when even the American Ambassador's aid was sought to keep Mrs, Mary Plerce of New York from making the trip. The Zeppelin has been insured for 3,200,000 marks (about $768,000) for the f€rip, with lifé insurance on _the crew totaling 1,500,000 marks (about $360,000). The Zeppelin will increase its fuel supply of blau gas at Seville, Dr. Eckener said, because that city lles nearer sea level than Priedrichshafen. With a greater fuel load the ship will be able to carry 5 tons of water bal- last which Dr. Eckener believes he may need in the event cloudbursts in the equatorial rain zone should weigh his craft down too heavily. AT THREE YOUTHS FACE LONG PRISON TERMS Convicted of Second-Degree Mur- der, Colored Trio May Get 20 Years Each. Three colored youths face minimum sentences of 20 years each in the peni- tentiary today as the .result of their conviction of murder in the second de- gree by a jury in Criminal Division 1 before Justice Peyton Gordon. Willlam Charles Butler, 17; Lloyd Nevitt, 16, and Eddie Stewart, 15, were indicted for murder in the first degree in connection with the killing of Edward 8. Sinclair, who was slain during an attempted hold-up at_his store, on Howard road southeast, September 11, ‘The jury re- duced the charge to second degree. Mo- tions for a new trial will be filed. Assistant United States _Attorneys Irvin Goldstein and James F. Hughes conducted the prosecution, while the defendants were represented by Attor- neys E. Russel Kelly, Octave Bigoness, Goldie Paregol and Hyman Waldman. The prisoners were remanded to await the disposition of the motions for a new trial. FAIR AND COOL FORECAST Frequent showers the fir: &mn;‘; week were tor&c:!l eather Bureau for lumbia and other sections of the North and Middle Atlantic States. The tem- CRUSH VARE IS AIM OF GRUNDY-PINCHOT BALLOT ALLIANGE Senator, With Mellon Back- ing, Faces Bitter Fight for Supremacy. ELIMINATION OF DAVIS IS HELD POSSIBILITY inute Switch to Save Situa- tion May Find Secretary Thrown Overboard. Last: BY G. GOULD LINCOLN, Staff Correspondent of The Star. PHILADELPHIA, Pa, May 17.—Re- publican leadership in the Keystone State hangs in the balance, with the primary election for United States Sen- ator, governor and other State offices scheduled for Tuesday. “Old Joe” Grundy, the sitting Sen- ator, former president of the Pennsyl- vania Manufacturers’ Association, with Mellon backing, is locked in a desperate struggle for supremacy with the Vare organization in Philadelphia and with the Allegheny County organization. If Grundy can get himself nominated for the Senate on the Republican ficket and prevent the nomination of the Vare organization's candidate, #rancis Shunk Brown, former attorney general of the State, he will be the outstanding Re- publican leader of the State. If Grundy can win the senatorial nomination and has to concede the gubernatorial nomination to the Phila- delphia and Allegheny County orgaaiza- tions, the “division of power still con- tinues, with the Vare organization in a strategic position in the State, for it will have the vast power of State patronage. Davis Teamed With Brown. Running on the ticket with Francis Shunk Brown is Secretary James J. Davis of the Department of Labor as candidate for the senatorial nomina- tion. Grundy has no official running mate. He yanked his candidate for governor, Samuel Lewis, out of the race some time ago. Former Gov. G ford Pinchot is running for the gube natorial nomination as a dry and on & reform ticket. But that is not all. The wringing wet Republicans of Pennsylvania have put forward a ticket, with Prof. Francis H. Bohlen of the faculty of the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania as candidate for the Senate and former Representative Phillips as candidate for governor. ‘The line-up has tended to force the Grundy and Pinchot outfits into an alliance. It is an alliance on which the Pinchot people are counting to a con- siderable degree, although Gov. Pinchot and Mr. Grundy have so far made no statements of support one for the other. Grundy is not enamoured of Gov. Pinchot, but he prefers him to Brown. Pinchot, out to win, is perfectly willing to win with Grundy support if it has to come that way, although Grundy, a con- servattve, has opposed many of the the | {hings for which Pinchot has stood in the past. Would Oust Pinchot. There are rumors, however, that Grundy will not hesitate to throw Gov. Pinchot overboard if it is necessary to save himself, and deal with the Vare organization. That also would mean the elimination of Secretary Davis for the Senate and victory for Grundy and for Brown. It also would mean that the Vare organization had no compunc- tion about throwing Mr. Davis into the discard in order to save the guberna- torial nomination. ‘The Grundy management has sought in every way to show that the Vare or- ganization is going to do just that thing in order to save its candidate for governor, Mr. Brown. Grundy sup- porters say openly thta this is what is going to happen on election day. So openly have they made the charge that the Philadelphia organization leaders have made repeated statements that they are going down the line for the Brown-Davis ticket and that Mr. Davis will get their undivided support. In a measure they have been put on the defensive in this matter by the tactics of the Grundyites, who clearly have sought to undermine the morale of the Brown-Davis cohorts throughout the State as well as in Philadelphia. It_seems a ridiculous situation when the Brown-Davis leaders are forced into public announcements that they intend to give 100 per cent support to one of their principal candidates. But that is what has happened. Yesterday, under the arangement of Former Mayor J. Hampton Moore, six Republican organi- zation ward leaders stood i " (Continued on Page TRAIN DASHES BY FIRE Burning Bridge Crossed Safely in Foiling Supposed Hold-up. MIAMI, Ariz., May 17 (#).—A South- ern Pacific Rallway passenger train dashed over a burning trestle east of Globe, Ariz., yesterday to defeat sup- posed plans of three unidentified men to hold it up. The men, who are being sought by a sherifl’s posse, ran from the bridge just before the train arrived. The en- gineer, seeing the fire had not made much headway, opened the throttle of his locomotive and the train dashed across the bridge. Repair crews from Globe and Miami put out the fire, and traffic will be resumed today. The train \;u ln local running between Miami and owle, SATURDAY, MAY 17, 1930 —THIRTY PAGES. * () Means Assotiated TWO CENTS. Pr WAIL WHERE. OF THE i CAPITAL STUDENT DIES IN GAR CRASH Donald Blish, 1650 Harvard Street, and One Other Killed at Wawa, Pa. By the Associated Press. MEDIA, Pa., May 17.—Two students of the University of Pennsylvania freshman lacrosse team lost their lives and three others were seriously injured in an automobile accident at Wawa,| near here, today. The dead are Morris Wolk, 5434 Aylesboro avenue, Pittsburgh, and Don- ald Blish, 1650 Harvard street, Wash- ington, D. C. ‘The injured are: Ralph il. “urnstine, 6226 Rosebury drive, St. Louis, Mo., condition critical; Robert E. Davis, Schenectady, N. Y., and Alexander B. Lyon, Montclair, N. J. All were substitutes on the team and were on their way to Severn School, at Annapolis, Md., for a game this afternoon. The regular freshman team had gone by train. Young Blish is the 18-year-old son of Nrs. Ida G. Blish of the Harvard Hall Apartments, 1650 Harvard street. He was graduated from Central High School last year. He was a leader in school _activities. His father, Comdr. John Blish of the Navy, died several years ago. He is survived by his mother, a sister, Miss Sally Blish, and a younger brother, John Blish, jr. OIL PRICE THREAT MADE BY STANDARD Drastic Cut May Enforce Califor- nia Production Curtail- ment Plan. By the Associated Press. SAN FRANCISCO, May 17.—The Standard Ofl Co. of California placed in effect today a threatened drastic cut in crude oil prices at Santa Fe Springs field, where operators have falled to agree on a curtailment pro- gram to reduce California’s oil produc- tion to 595,000 barrels daily. The prices offered for light crude oils at Santa Fe Springs were reduced 75 to 90 cents per barrel following the company's announcement last night that present conditions in the field do not justify the offering of a price which will “encourage overproduction.” The Santa Fe Springs field, largest producer in the State, is at present pro- ducing 115,193 barrels daily, against an allowable production under- the State- wide plan of 104,716. ALLEGED BEéR RUNNER SHOT BY CUSTOMS MEN Border Patrol Inspector Seriously Wounds Man and Claims Illicit Boat Cargo. T the Associated Press. DETROIT, Mich, May 17.—John J. Ruffino, 21, was shot and seriously wounded last night when he encoun- tered customs border patrol inspectors at the upper end of Belle Isle in_the Detroit River. The officers claimed he had just beached a beer-laden lugger. The inspectors reported that they cut across Ruffino’s course as he crossed the international line and forced him to run his craft aground. As he attempted to escape, Inspector V. E. Hendrickson brought him down with a bullet. The lugger, the inspector sald, was loaded with 200 cases of beer. By the Associated Press. e CHICAGO, May 17.—The Michael Moroneys, who sought relief from straightened circumstances by appeal- st half of the | ‘N8 to the “help for the needy” column today by the |of a newspaper, have received a note District of Co- | signed by the young woman who ab- ducted their 2-year-old baby, Mary perature during the expected wet period Agnes, Thursday. will be cool. Fair and warm weather middle of the week note said. “I am ’&z’fi"fiifli‘x’.’n‘“&«nu for' the latter fornia. You can ggare her for two months. Il take z& care of her, and park “Don’t worry about the baby,” the taking her to Cali- PARENTS GET $5 AND SOLACE FROM KIDNAPER OF BABY Chicago Police Believe Mother Hunger Prompted Abduc- tion of 2-Year-Old. will help you, too, with money while we are away.” = The note, wrapped around a $5 bank- note, was mailed to the Moroneys last night. It was signed by “Julia Otis," which was the name given by the 22- year-old woman who carried the baby away Thursday. “Julia Otis” visited the Moroneys home following the notice in the news- paper. ‘Thursday she left with the baby, explaining she was going to buy her a new outfit. That was the last seen of them. The police believe mother hunger prompted the abduction. D | Evicted Woman Sits Patiently on Steps Awaiting New Home Plays With Dog While Landlady Searches for Another Residence. With her little dog “Spotty” tugging fretfully at his leash, which was wrapped about her wrist, and the noon-day sun beating down upon her, Miss Alice Gale, 63 years old, sat upon the front steps at 1411 K street this morning and kept reassuring a traffic policeman that “we’ll be moving soon.” : The traffic officer was concerned over an array of furniture occupying most of the sidewalk for 50 feet or so in front of No. 1411. Miss Gale was concerned over the return of her sister-in-law, Mrs, Nannie Stevens, who had gone to a real estate office to negotiate for another residence after a court order had evicted the tenants of the house. Miss Gale was weak from her long vigl. With Mrs. Stevens, an elderly boarding housekeeper, she occupied the concrete steps throughout last night after the door at No. 1411 was locked behind them by a deputy marshal yes- terday afternoon. Miss Gale was compelled to watch the furniture, $he explained to charity work- ers and an officer from the Women's Bureau of the Police Department, be- cause she did nef want any one else “to be bothered ‘with it.” “In a Little While.” “We'll be moving on in a little while,” | she kept telling them. “Mrs. Stevens may b: having some difficulty getting | the new house, but she’ll get it. And | I'm going to have a room with her—she | told me so. Maybe there’s plumbing to be fixed §1 the new house; maybe they can't agree on the rent.” ‘This, in effect. was what the two " (Continued on Page 2, Column 5.) HOOVER AND PARTY FISHING IN RAPIDAN Group Gets Early Start for Mountain Retreat, Leav- ing at 6:30. President Hoover with a party of friends, among them Col. Theodore | Roosevelt,- Governor of Porto Rico, are today whipping the streams forming the headquarters of the Rapidan River, in quest of brook and rainbow trout. In order to gain more time for fish- ing, Mr. Hoover and his party left the ‘White House at 6:30 o'clock this morn- ing and were at the picturesque moun- tain camp by 10 o'clock. When the President left he said it was his in- tention to return to Washington tomor- row night. Others in Party. , Others in the party are Secretary of State Stimson, Atlorney General Mitch- 2ll, Undersecretary of the Treasury Mills, Senator Capper of Kansas and Fess of Ohlo, Representatives Ramseyer of Iowa, Free of California and Blackburn of Kentucky: J. Henry Roraback, Repub- lican national committeeman for Con- necticut; Richard V. Oulahan, chief of the Washington Bureau of the New York Times; Lawrence Richey, one of the President’s secretaries, and Capt. Jloel T. Boone, the President’s physi- clan. ‘The President had splendid luck fish- ing at the camp last Saturday and he was hoping that fortune would be with him today. Fishing at thc President's camp is not countenanced on the Sab-~ bath, therefore there will be none of that form of sport for the week end party tomorrow. The Sabbath will be spent in walking over the trails and sitting and otherwise idling about the camp. ‘Will Discuss Porto Rico. Gov. Roosevelt, who has had ad- ministration of the affairs of Porto Rico during the less than a year he has been there, is known to have been especially pleasing to President Hoover. The White House is said to recognize that Col. Roosevelt has accomplished a great deal in a short time. It is ex- pected that the President will confer with him at some length over the week end regarding the affairs of Porto Rico. Col. Roosevelt arrived in Wash- ington a week for the purpose of urging Congress to appropriate $3,000,~ 000, which has been recommended by the President to continue the rehabili- tation work in the island neces- TEMPERANCE RIFT AT DALLAS LIKELY Bishop Cannon and Daniels Believed to Differ on Prohibition. By the Assoclated Press. DALLAS, Tex., May 17.—A reported rift in the rapks of the temperance committee of the quadrennial conven- tion of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, headed by Josephus Daniels, former Secretary of the Navy, today promised new problems for the dele~ gates. Exact differences between members of the committee have not been an- nounced. It was learned, however, that disagreement is current over the body’s report, which, when submitted, will be a pronouncement on the liquor question, written by Daniels, plus a large part of the report of Bishop James Cannon, jr., secretary of the temperance board of the church. ‘The Cannon report was added, it was said, on motion of A. C. Millar, former Governor of Arkansas, despite Daniels’ objections. Some members of the committee today expressed belief that Daniels himself might not concur in the majority report and would support a minority report, which George S. Jones of Georgia said he planned to offer. It was voted to submit the commit- tee's report at today’s session, but Chair- man Daniels late last night said tI it would not be brought before the con- ference until Monday. Committee members could not explain why it had been delayed. The matter of Cannon’s probable trial for stock market speculation was held in abeyance today pending another me%tlnz of the episcopacy committee to- night. Two special orders were set for today —the first dealing with the report of the committee on finance, and the sec- ond with the spiritual state of the church. If the subject can be wedged in, woman delegates planned to bring up their memorial asking for equal rights as ministers with men. If unconsid- ered today, the feminine delegation planned to force action on this me- morial Monday. FISHER'S WARNING FAILS TO SAVE BOY Russell Benson Falls From Seawall and Drowns in Deep Ana- costia Waters. Apparently ignoring the warning from a fisherman, he and his play- mates had been watching, 9-year-old Russell Benson, 1322 D street southeast, slipped from the seawall on the south end of the Anacostia Bridge and drowned shortly after 10:30 o'elock today. Members of the Fire Department rescue squad and harbor precinct recovered the body, but attempts to re- vive the boy were futile. Russell, with his 7-ydar-old brother, William Benson, jr. and Eugene Long, 9 years old, 1622 Q street southeast, had spent last night with his aunt, Mrs, C. 8. Long. Early this morning the two brothers, with their cousin, walking along the sea wall near the bridge, when their attention was attracted to a man fish- ing in the stream. As they paused to watch him, the man called to them to get back. A moment later Russell slipped from the wall. Adolph Veith of Ballston, Va., a workman on the bridge, heard dhe cries of Russell's playmates and ran to them. He dived into the water several times, but could not locate the body. The water at that point is approximately nine feet deep. Russell was the son of Mr. and Airs. Willlam Benson. He was a student of the Holy Comforter School, Fifteenth and East Capitol streets. His brother and his cousin said that Russell could not swim and that he did not come to the surface after falling in. pla iy BLACK LEAVES FOR D. C. Baltimore Publisher and Flying sary by the damage caused by the hur- ricane of two years ago. Mrs. Hoover will not be able to join her husband’s week end parties to the camp for several weeks. She has not fully recovered from the effects of the fall in her month ago. d room more than a ipal airport here Pl Crew on Way to Washington. DAYTON, Ohio, May 17 (®).—With Washington as his destination, Van Lear Black, aerial globe trotter and publisher of the Baltimore Sun, and his crew of five, om the munic. in their tri-motored lane at 10:15 a.m., today. DARK SKIES MAKE FAIR WEATHER FOR DERBY DOUBTFUL Gallant Fox, With Sande Up, Is Favored in Field of 16 Starters. TANNERY SECOND CHOICE, GALLANT KNIGHT THIRD Race Fans at Louisville Await Fifty-Sixth Renewal of Classic. Post Time Around 6:15. LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 17 (#).— Overcast skies, with the sun trying to break through, made chances about even today for fair weather or showers for the fifty-sixth run- ning of the Kentucky Derby. Bar- ring a hcavy shower, a fast track is in prospect. BY ALLAN GOULD, Associated Press Sports Writer. LOUISVILLE, Ky, May 17.—High tariff or low, big Navy or small, wet or dry—today was Derby day. Times may have changed, more ex- | citing scenes may have ushered in pre- vious Kentucky classics of the turf, higher fevers of wagering may have been manifest in more prosperous times, | but today at least the thoroughbred once again was king in the Bluegrass region, and Louisville, as of old, seethed with the turbulent spirit, the thrill and hub- | bub of the most spectacular of American horse races. It takes more than the weightly af- fairs of Wall Street and Washington to keep them away, and so today found the captains of industry, the steersmen of state and the Earl of Derby himself, here from England for the first time, mingling with the proverbial beauty and chivalry of the oid South, the “boys” from the big cities of East and West, and the hardboots from OI' Kaintuck. Fifty-sixth Running. They came to see the fifty-sixth run- ning of the Kentucky Derby, at one mile and a quarter, with $50,000 added, & gold trophy to the winning owner and a horseshoe of roses to toe thoroughbred crowned monarch of his class. They came to see whether Earl Sande would fulfill popular expectations and ride the Eastern favorite, Gallant Fox, to victory over such hopss of the West as Tannery, Gallant Knight ‘and Buck:ye Poet. In short, these thousands from East and West, North and th, came to to rub elbows, wager, cheer and feel the throbbing thrill in a climatic whirl of spirited horseflesh around the fiitur- esque oval of Churchill Downs, ting scarcely more than two minutes. It is only a flash of color, a mad dash and a full-throated roar, this Kentucky | Derby, but in its tradition and glamour- ous setting it has become one of the greatest classics of American sport. As Derbies have come and gone, this one has furnished a comparatively calm and peaceful prelude to the excitement that even hard times and a small field could not diminish, as today brought in the final rush and jostling jam of turf followers. Taxi drivers, and even hotel- keepers, selling lodging at $20 a day, have complained that business is not up to the level of former years. At the Downs the $2 mutuel “iron men” have bzen getting the ‘“play” from bettors who formerly marched up prosperously to the $50 windows. Fewer special trains have brought their throngs of the faithful. Many familiar face$ are miss- ing. Even the Earl of Derby has been indisposed for two days, unable to ful- fill many of his engagements because of a severe cold, but his lordship, due here today from Lexington, fully ex- pected to watch his first American Derby and present the famous trophy to the proud owner of the victorious thoroughbred. Sixteen Horses Due to Start. Sixteen horses, the smallest array in three years, were named yesterday to start, but not more than 15 and pos- sibly no more than 12, may actually g0 to the post this afternoon when the bugle sounds around 5:15 o'clock (Central standard time) for the fifth race of the program. From the outset of Derby speculation the field has been so dominated by Earl Sande and Gallant Fox as to make the prerace dope monotonous. In fact, the prospects in favor of the East- ern colt, enhanced yesterday by the drawing of an ideal position in the middle of the field, No. 7, have been such that horsemen have adopted the attitude they are “too good to be true.” When the signs all read one way the veterans wag their heads and look for an upset. For Kentuckians, perhaps, the hope was father to the thought. They have backed Edward F. Prichard's big chestnut, colt, Tannery, as the horse to beat Gallant Fox, but today they also turned to the chances of either Gallant_Knight or Buckeye Poet, one of the E. R. Bradley ,)alr. to repulse the Eastern invasion of the Bluegrass. If Sandy and Gallant Fox win it will be the third triumph in seven years for the jockey, equalling the derby rid- ing record and the first time since 1939 that a thoroughbred has captured the rich Preakness, Pimlico classic, as well as the derby. Gallant Fox won the Preakness a week ago yesterday, with Sande up, and entered the race today unbeaten as a three-year-old. The derby appeared likely to escape the cloudbursts that have drenched the last two races, but showers were a possibility. The effect on the track of anything like a heavy rain would boost the stock of the mud colt, Tannery, and correspondingly lower the chances of Gallant Fox, but this appeared an out- side prospect. ‘The doubtful starters, especially if conditions are unfavorable, included Busy, Dick O'Hara and Alicibiades, the only filly in the list. CHAUTAUOUA. LEFT GIFT Mrs. Wilkes Leaves Institute $100,000 in Cash and Rare Objects. CHAUTAUQUA. N. Y., May 17 (#).—A bequest of $100,000 to Chautauqua In- stitute in the will of Mrs. C. M. Wilkes of Chicago, who died at Barcelona, sptl.n';’.l l,n:I De“mwi'. B'e:' announced yesterday by ur tor, e pro 't $65, e bequest is to be used to erect a ry building on the plaza at Chautauqua. The nucleus of the collection to be housed in the library building will be composed.of a rare collection books and objects dPart.