Evening Star Newspaper, July 30, 1930, Page 13

FURNITURE BLAZE LOSSES EXPECTED TORBACH 500 Two Firemen Slightly Injured as Fire Destroys Three- Story Warehouse. IN BILLOWS OF SMOKE] Officials of Company Inclined to Blame Spontaneous Combus- tion as Cause. Losses expected to approximate $150,000 were being checked in three quarters today to determine the dam- age wrought by a five-alarm fire, which late yesterday swept the Hub Furniture Co. warehouse, at North Cupitol and M streets, and resulted in slight in- Juries to two firemen. Discovered at 5 o'clock, the flames qQuickly transformed the three-story Tidge-roofed brick structure into a vir- tual volcanic crater, which belched fire, smoke and, gas high above the heads of the crowd of several thousand persons who gathered almost instantly %o witness the spectacle. As the erratic breeze twisted the smoke billows into vaiious courses, Sibley Hospital, located just across North Capitol street from the ware- house, became enveloped in the chok- ing clouds. As some of the smoke seeped into the hospital corridors, nurses went smiling from room to room in the front of the institution assur- ing patients that the danger was well removed from them. In many in- stances, the nurses propped their pa- ts up in bed so that they couid better witness the scene of fire-fighting, while in others the patients actually ‘were wheeled to vantage points, Two Firemen Treated. Meanwhile Sibley Hospital's emergen- ¢y room was held in waiting to receive any injured persons, Isaac Kepler and Elmer F. Stein, both members of En- gine Co. No. 14, were the only two casualties admitted and, after receiv- ing first aid treatment for minor lac- erations suffered when a glass window sash burst from the heat above their heads, they returned to the fire. ‘Two other firemen whose identity ‘was not. established, escaped from the second floor of the warehouse by ladders run up hastily to windows for them aft- er flames apparently had cut off their retreat by the same route over which they entered the building. Residents of the Montgomery Apart- ments, separated from the warehouse by only a narrow alleg, hung in their ‘windows or crowded to the roof of their building to witness the flames. Simi- larly, the personnel of the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. Building, at 1111 North Capitol street and located across Pierce street from the burned structure, watched from their open windows until the shifting billows of smoke forced them to close the portals. ‘This structure, although never in dan- ger from the es, houses the auto- mobile plant of the telephone concern which the special truck bodies are anufactured, and in which are stored all of the telephone equipment used by the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone companies of Maryland, Virginia West Virginia and the District of Co- lJumbia. Blame Internal Combustion. ‘While the cause of the fire may never be known, officials of the com- pany are inclined to blame internal combustion. The warehouse was lit- erally packed with furniture of all sorts | and provided highly flammable fuel for the flames, which, it is feared, de- stroyed virtually every trace of evi- dence which might have indicated the origin. Officials of the Hub Furniture Co., which occupied one half of the block- long structure, and the National Purni- ture Co. and the Julius Lansburgh Fur- niture Co., which jointly occupy the other half of the ware house, were checking their losses today. All of the fire damage was suffered by the Hub concern, while the National Co. received water damage to some of its stock. The Lansburgh Co. announced today that its total loss probably would not exceed $3,000, although this figure had not been definitely determined. When first discovered, the flames were Toaring viciously from a point some- ‘where in the middle of the structure toward the southern end, sweeping vir- tually everything before them in a withering rush. ‘As the heat increased the sheet metal roofing plates curled and the flames pierced through to raise brilliant geysers plumed with smoke billows 100 feet into the air. Within half an hour the roof appeared to wave along its ridge and the next moment it swept softly, life so much tin foll, into the raging flames, which burst anew into the air. Fire Confined to One Wing. While firemen battled doggedly #gainst the flames, employes of the National Furniture Co.’s warehouse and the Julius Lansburgh Co.’s warehouse, in an adjoining wing of the same big structure, labored frantically to haul their stored furniture as far as possible from the brick and cement fire wall which separated their quarters from the raging inferno. Through the efforts of the firefighters the flames which nib- bled at the roof of the adjoining wing were defeated and driven back to the locaust from which they swept, and while no fire damage was suffered by either the National or the Lansburgh concern, their stocks were threatened for a short time by water damage. The fire was discovered at apprn?l- mately the same time from sevefal quarters outside the building. At least three names were taken of persons who “first” saw the fire. F. H. Middledorf of 530 Taylor street, cut his hand slightly when he smashed the fire alarm box glass to turn in an alarm at 5:04 o'clock. W. Petz, an employe of the Western Electric Co., which is quartered in the Chesapeake & Potomac ‘Telephone Co.'s plant warehouse at 1111 North Capitol street, and Luther Bailey, connected with the Texaco fill- ing station adjoining the burned ware- house at North Capitol and Pierce streets, also reported the fire. At 6:15 o'clock, when the flames first appeared to be definitely under control, not & stick of furniture in the Hub the warehouse esuzed serious damage. Most of stock was destroyed, but that which ‘was not burned was soaked with water. fong -after the flames seemed ex- tinguished, firemen continued to play streams into the debris to prevent a new outbreak amid the smouldering mass. Lipton Yacht at Horta. HORTA, Azore Islands, July 30 ().— Sir Thomas Lipton's steam yacht Erin, ch is escorting the Shamrock V the Atlantic for the 'S races, arrived at Horta todsy to coal. - ‘Was reported off FURNITURE WARE 1 WASHINGTON, HOUSE Scene at the Hub Furniture conflagration, which caused damage of approximately $150,000 h_t; FIRE GIVES STUBBORN C, D. WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, BATTLE yesterda tar Staff Photo. i | AUTO DUNIPING BAN 5 URGED BY WEST Ancient Vehicles Adorning Vacant Lots Here Are Called Eyesores. Acting Corporation Counsel Vernon E. West today recommended to the Commissioners that they should seek legislation in Congress giving them power to prevent the dumping of dis- carded and abandoned automobiles on vacant lots. ‘The matter had been referred to him by Commissioner Luther H. Reichelder- fer, who had received many complaints about vacant lots in the city whose burden of ancient and rusty automobile had become an eyesore. Mr. West reported that under the present regulations nothing could be done about this, since an eyesore is not legally “a nuisance.” The recom- mendation he made was that Congress should pass an act declaring the piling of old automobiles .on vacant lots a nuisance and leave it to the Commis- sioners to enforce the law in Police Court. Under the terms of the proposed act, the Commissioners would be required to give to the owner of the lot five days’ notice to get it cleared off. If the owner failed to clear the lot then, on conviction in Police Court, he should be fined $20 for each and every day on which he fails to comply with the no- tice. Should the owner be a non- resident, then the Commissioners would advertise in the newspapers calling upon the owner to abate the nuisance, ‘Then, if it is not abated within one week after the expiration of such notice, the Commissioners would cause the lot to be fenced in and the cost of | the fencing should be assessed as a tax | against the property. NARCOTIC SUSPECTS’ CITIZENSHIP PROBED Deportations May Follow Convic- tions in Cases of 20 Seized in Three-Day Drive. Irwestigation of the citizenship status of the 19 men and 1 woman arrested in the breaking up of five dope rings by the Treasury Department is being made by the Labor Department, it was learned today, with a view to bringing about deportations in cases where there are convictions. The 20 persons, mostly of Ttalian de- scent, were arrested in Washington and three other cities along the Atlantic seaboard, following a three-day drive ending Saturday, which the Treasury hailed as the “clean-up”. of narcotic rings doing millions of dollars in busi- ness annually. H. J. Anslinger, acting chief of the Federal Narcotic Bureau, said today that the arrested persons were charged with violating the acts controlling exports and imports and pointes out that un- der recent legislation <h violations made unnaturalized residents liable to deportation. He said further he under- stood the Labor Department was check- ing up on the citizenship status of those under arrest, TWO FLEE RéFORMATORY Bernard Beasley, 15, of the 6100 block Nole street northeast, and Floyd Lee, 14, of the 1900 block New Hampshire avenue, escaped from the Reformatory for Colored Juveniles at Blue Plains last night. The fugitives, who wore the regula- tion blue demin overalls of the reforma- tory, successfully eluded the guards on {duty and walked off to freedom. Local police have been asked to look out for them. ngissing Police Dog Restored to Owner| Through Star Story Picture of Animal Bearing New York Tag Leads to Happy Reunion. A picture of a lost police dog bearing a New York tag, No. 109820, appearing in The Evening Star yesterday led to a speedy and happy reunion. ‘The dog's master, James Asher of Euffalo, a former Washington resident, returned to town from Richmond from a hurried trip and recovered his pet at the Animal Rescue League, which had been taking care of it since Sunday night. Mr. Asher called up The Star t;fls morning to express his apprecia- tion. ! He explained that he had left the dog inside his automobile Sunday afternoon while in a downtown restaurant and upon returning found the dog had climbed out of a window of the car. He had acquired the animal recently for his little son, Paul Hamilton Asher. A fine breed of police dog, the animal attracted considerable attention at the Rescue League and it was brought over to The Star to be photographed after it had been found wandering about MacMillan Park. Meanwhile Mr. Asher had made inquiries at the dog pound and left to attend to business matters in Richmond. ‘The dog’s picture was seen yesterday by Mr. Asher’s mother. One glim) of it was enough to convince Mr. Asher that it was his missing dog. THREE ARE SEIZED IN'ROBBERY PROBE Confess to 26 Charges of Burglary and_ Joy Riding, Police Claim. Three men, who police charge with the numerous robberies of garages and residences in the northwest colored sec- tion of the city for more than two months, were captured by second pre- cinet police early today ‘They were booked as James Green, 22 years old, of 1109 Fourth street; his brother, Arthur Green, 19 years old, of 33 Myrtle street northeast, and Jerome Jackson, 18 years old, of 438 I street. In Police Court today they were ar- raigned on 12 charges of housebreaking, 13 charges of joyriding, and 1 case of petty larceny and held for grand jury action. ‘The men were arrested by Pvts. Richard E. Williams, Willlam F. Sager and Roy M. Kesselring. An anonymous welephone report that three men were breaking into a garage in Freemans Alley led to their apprehension. ‘The men have confessed to all of the cases charged against them, police declare. . sy WILL ENTER ANNAPOLIS Irving 8. Presler Appointed From Naval Reserve. Irving Stahl Presler, 4311 Hayes street northeast, is one of 13 members of the United States Naval Reserve who have successfully the examinations for entrance to the Naval Academy, it was announced at the Navy Department to- day. These men have been selected in ac- cordance with the law which authorizes 25 appointments annually to Annapolis from the Naval Reserve to be selected as a result of a competitive examination. C.M.T.C. HOLD T AMATEUR NIGHT AT FORT MYER HEATRICAL Everything From Tap Dancing to “The Shooting of Dan McGrew” Gives Audience Chance to “Ride.” at Fort Myer last night found the en- tertainers doing their stuff in the rid- ing arena before an audience which was largely composed of horsemen, who en- Joyed themselves hugely “riding” the performers. Jack Mehler’s impassioned recital of “The Shooting of Dan McGrew” was one of several sure-fire hits, while a tap dance by Pvt. Mills, who was com- lled to do more tapping than dancing use of the'uneve?nnua N«;l the plat- form, also went over in a big way. gaincd its own After the audience had ebm‘fl:n;omok the ufig“nl vm‘% e . aiog was h.unh-PA-hmbnm made it hum, "J.‘; ‘The All-C. M. T. O. Amateur night The actors, no less than the audience, threw themselves into the spirit of the occasion, under the tactful guidance of Lieut. Franklin, master of ceremonies. The climax was Colomon Cutler's sketch of Pvt. Ginsburg’s tribulations on the drill field. Ginsburg, it seemed, was quite a rookle, and though most of the audience had long since grad- uated from that class, there were some present who could, by a stretch of their memories, recall experiences somewhat similar to Ginsburg’s. It was all in fun, as Lieut. Franklin and only one actor had his ROVER PUTS BAN ON 17 MAGAZINES Notifies Maj. Pratt to Order Dealers to Remove Publi- cations From Stands. Continuing his crusade to kefp off news stands cerlflgg‘llfllzmes which he regards as and obscene,” United States Attorney Leo A. Rover has notified Maj. Henry G. Pratt, superintendent of police, that he has ca to be purchased copies of a num- ber of magazines openly offered for sale and on perusal has disapproved of 17 ot the number bought and condemns their sale as in violation of law. Pratt is asked to have the captains of the several precincts notify ail places of business in their respective precincts wherein any of the “condemned” maga- zines are sold that if they do not im- mediately destroy them prosecution will follow. “If any of the members of your de- partm:nt,” Rover wrote, “ascertains the names amd addresses of any persons selling or- offering for sale these con- demned publications, after they have been notified to get rid of them, upon the reporting of such instances to my office prosecution will immediately fol- low.” . RELEASED FROM PRISON AND AGAIN FACES COURT Edward A. Posselt, Brought Here From Trenton, N. J., Is Charged With Grand Larceny. Edward A. Posselt, 25 years old, re- cently brought to Washington from Trenton, N. J, by Detective Howard Ogle upon his release from the State penitentiary there, was bound over to the grand jury in Police Court today un- der $1,000 bond on charges of grand larceny. Posselt is charged with having taken $300 in laboratory equipment from the home of Ernest L. Crandall, 6611 Har- lan place, in January, 1929. Crandall is a chemist with the Agriculture Depart- ment., Crandall, police said, befriended Pos- selt by taking the young man into his home, giving him a complete outfit of clothing when the boy was destitute. A few days later, while the family was out, Posselt made away with his host's laboratory supplies. Police later recov- ered the stolen property and Posselt is sald to Ifwve admitted the thefts, e TOMORROW FINAL DAY FOR PERSONAL TAXES 51,000 Returns Still Due, but Post- mark on Mailed Copies Will Be Recognized. ‘Tomorrow is the last day for filing personal tax returns and there still re- mains about 51,000 taxpayers who have made no return, according to Deputy Assessor Charles M. Russell, in charge of the personal tax service. In the case of all taxpayers, who do not make a return during July, 20 per cent of their assessment will be added as a penalty. The taxpayers are liable to be taken into District Supreme Court and compelled to make a return by mandamus proceedings, for which they will have to pay the costs. return sent by mail, which bears a postmark before midnight tomorrow night, will be accepted without penalty The assessor’s office, on the first floor of the District Building, will be open from 8:30 am. to 5 p.m. and anybody who is in line at 5 p.m. will be allowed to file a return without pegalty. AUTO OWNERS SUED Indiana Resident Asks $50,000 of Two Capital Residents. Suit to recover $50,000 damages has been filed in the District Supreme Court Edbom'.hn ',1’ Orlsbel of P&;t len;: ., against John J. Haggerty, 2206 street, and Dennie Lee Healy, 1012 Fifth street northeast, for alleged personal injuries. The plaintiff says she sus- tained serious injury as the result of a collision between an automobile in which she was a passenger and a ma- chine, owned by Haggerty and operated by Healy, near Abington, Md., July 31, 1927. Attorneys Albert E. Steinem and Milion D. Korman appear for the plain- U. S. DELEGATES NAMED s The President has appointed Dr. Leonhard Stejneger, head curator of biology at the National Museum, city, and Dr. Charles W. Stiles, chief of zoology, Public Health Service, as ites on the part of the United Btates ltwfll:' H!V!m'-:! International Congress held st Padova, September 4 to 11, Ve Tl this | petition. He also was POLIGE RADIBIS TOBE SOUGHT HEE WTHI TEN DAYS Plant of WPDW to Be Oper- ating by October 1 on 2,410 Kilocycles. NEARBY TOWNS TO GET SETS IN NEW SYSTEM 18 Cars, 14 Stations and 6 Neigh-' boring Communities Will Be Linked in Service. Bids for the Police Department's new the next 10 days, Maj. Henry G. Pratt, superintendent of police said today. The Federal Radio Commission has | granted the Police Department a per- mit to set up Station WPDW. It will have an operating power of 300 watts and a maximum power of 400 watts. It will operate at 75 meters and 2,410 kilocycles. This is far below the wave band on the ordinary home receiving set_and in order to pick up the in- formatino broadcast, special low wave receiving sets must be used. The plan is to put up a broadcasting set at the tenth precinct station. Re- ceiving sets will be installed in 16 police automobiles, 14 in the various precincts and two in automobiles operating from police headquarters. When any emer- gency arises, a hold-up, riot or the like, an operator statidhed at police head- quarters, in the District Building, will broadcast to the police automobiles near the scene instructions to report to the scene. Sets in Nearby Towns. In addition to the receiving sets in the machines, six receiving sets will be installed in the police headquarters of Maryland and Virginia communities guarding all avenues of escape from the District. These sets will be at Annapolis, Laurel, Marlboro and Rockville, Md., and in Fredericksburg and Arling- | ton, Va. The District will pay for these sets and for their upkeep and the police de- partments of the various towns will { assign operators to them. In exchange for this the local police will broadcast over the system any zmerfiency infor- mation desired by ‘the police depart- ments of the towns in question. ‘The present plans are to have the system in its entirely working by Octo- ber 1. The appropriation for the work is $18,500, contained in the second de- ficlency bill. Of this about $6,000 will 8o for building the transmitter and the balance for the receiving sets and for maintenance and operating expenses. Will Run 24 Hours Daily. ‘The service will be in operation 24 hours a day. The personnel required to operate it will be drawn entirely from the ranks of the Police Depart- ment, which has numerous radio mechanics on the force. The installa- tll:m will be done by the District repair shop. James L. Kelley, a private attached to police headquarters, will have charge of the mechanical detalls of installation and operation. He drew up the specifi- cations which have been approved by the department. He is a radio expert, having operated a radio store for many years. The receiving sets will be locked at the wave length on which the sending set is broadcasting so that it will be impossible for the policemen in the cars to while away their idle hours by tun- ing in on music or other radio enter- tainment. The only control they will have over the set will be to make it | speak louder or softer. Special sup- | pressors will be attached to the spark plugs of the machines so that the op- | eration of the engines will not inter- ! fere with the radio reception. COLORED BOY DIES DUE TO ACCIDENT Six-Year-01d Lad Fatally Hurt Un- der Wheels of Ice Truck—Other Traffic Mishaps. f Fatal injuries were suffered by Law- rence Chisley, colored, 6 years old, of 1215 C street southeast when he fell beneath the wheels of an ice truck on C street near Twelfth southeast yester- day. The boy died from internal in- Jjuries shortly afterward at Casualty Hospital. The_driver of the vehicle, James Ar- thur Young, colored, of the 400 block of Thirteenth street southeast, was held by fifth precinct police when his truck, was found to have defective brakes. Another 6-year-old boy, Joseph Rixen, 643 F strect southwest, was injured when he fell from an ice truck oper- ated by Norman E. Humphries, 28, of 608 I street southwest. The accident occurred on Seventh street near F street. The boy was treated at home. ‘The unidentifiec driver of an auto- mobile which was wrecked in an acei- dent last night on Woodley road at the entrance to the Preachers’ College in the grounds of the Washington Cathe- dral escaped injury. ‘The car hit the curb, struck a tele- phone pole and overturned. The driver climbed from the wrecked car and dis- appeared. SIS SR POLICEMAN’S PISTOL IS STOLEN FROM CAR Baltimore Officer Loses Gun While ‘Watching Animals at-Zoo Park Here. Policeman Edward F. Howard of Bal- timore was the victim of some District thief this morning. e at Whs TolRa! of i pallseres volver at the Zoo when he left the weapon in his parked machine while he toured the animal cages. ‘Howard came to the capl:.'} :::‘ 1 tsee~ l'rnl:.m bt trip after being victimized at his first stopping point. AWARDED ESSAY MEDAL Jad Demonet Gets Prize for Work on Citizenship at Camps. Sergt. Jad D2monet of Washington, a student at the C. M. T. C. Camp at Fort Fustis, Va.,, was awarded a medal for the best essay on “American Citizen- ship” submitted during a recent com- the winner of the silver cup l'lr:l? for the highest ef- in machine gunnery. nclency' Demonet is attached to Com- pany D. As & Blue student he will com- his ecourse of training 1930. > it S e ¥ y £ n’-'._#,h.,? .a}}"fi, ALl S er Lol B Bufld s Hotins oon o g+ o oot > 7 foornr Lt ox Byee radio system will be advertised within | ¢4 : N Q:. fete 25D, ';.. Coep it e P peecrin >,,,',,¢.../£.. LoVl KD fesrera ity fore i‘n .‘.n?.‘)’ -).')'/4/./_ ’ o (Au\u' F LD D) encrred ta 30K \ sor MoV WED 60 fo PAGE B—1 GAMBLING ‘RACKET IN HOSPITAL HELD BROKEN BY ARREST Man Taken at Walter Reed Accused of Operating Numbers Game. BOOKS SHOW $200 DAILY BUSINESS, POLICE SAY Others Taking Money From Crip- pled Veterans to Be Arrested Soon, Officials Declare. Police of the thirteenth precinct and officials at Walter Reed Hospital de- clared today that they have struck a heavy blow at the numbers game “racket” at the hospital with the arrest of Fred D. Payne, colored, 1600 block of Swan street. Payne, arrested last night by Detec- tive D. J. Murphy, with co-operation of officials of the institution, demanded jury trial when brought before Judge Robert E. Mattingly at Police Court charged with “accepting -number bets.” He was released under $1,000 bond. Detective Murphy, who reported mak- ing extensive and careful investigation vof the reputed “widespread gambling ac- tivities” of the disabled soldiers, trapped Payne with the aid of a ward chief, who placed a 10-cent wager with Payne. Upper: A photostat copy of, the true and original marriage license of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, issued in and by Washington County, Ky., on June 10, 1806. The marriage ceremony was performed two days later, June 12, by Rev. Jesse Head of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Lower: A photostat copy of the record kept by Rev. Mr. Head of all mar- performed by him from April 28, 1806, to April 22, 1807, showing that riages Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks were joined in matrimony on June 12, 1806. PHOTOSTATS PROVE LINCOLN'S PARENTS WERE WED JUNE 12, 1806 Marriage Certificate, Pastor’s Reco Bond and Methodist rds Are Found in Kentucky. Photostatic copies of documents es- tablishing” June 12, 1806, as the exact date of the marriage of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, parents of President Lincoln, have just been placed on ex- hipition in the Lincoln Museum, at 516 Tenth street, it was disclosed today. ‘The photostatic records are those preserved in the archives of Washington County, Ky, and were made available by Joseph Polin, prosecuting attorney of that county. The records are regarded with particular interest in view of the canard concerning the doubt that Lin- coln’s parents ever were married, and because of the Civil War President's own inability to locate the original documents. The document copies now on view here include records of the fact that ‘Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks ob- tained a marriage certificate and bond as required then on June 10, 1806. The photostats include the personal records of Rev. Jesse Hed, pastor of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, covering the period from April 6, 1806, to April 22, 1807, and show clearly that Lincoln's parents were married by him on June 12, 1806. Typed copies of these records have been printed in Dr, Barton's book, “The Paternity of Abraham Lincoln,” but the copies here now are the first camera copies of the actual records as they are preserved in Washington County. ' LEO ROVER TO TEACH LAW AT GEORGETOWN United States Attorney Accepts Ap- pointment on Faculty of His Alma Mater. United States Attorney Leo A. Rover has accepted an appointment as pro- fessor of criminal law in the George- town University Law School, it was an- nounced today. He will his duties at the school when the Fall term opens. the school were well Offici at leased to learn that Mr. Rover would | th! assoclated with the faculty. Mr. Rover obtained his law degree from Georgetown with the class of 1910 and made a fine record as a student. His earlier education was acquired at St. John'’s College of this ecity, from wrk:jch he holds a degree of master of arts. Mr. Rover will teach criminal law in the morning s2ction of the school which ‘was established some years ago. PUPILS GIVE PAGEANT DEPICTING FLAG'S ORIGIN Georgetown Community Vacation Church School Presents “How We Got Our Flag.” A pageant, entitled “How We Got Our Flag,” depicting the origin of the Stars and’Stripes, and including in its cast characterizations of Betsy , George Washington and school teach- ers of the Revolutionary period, was presented by the children of the Com- munity Vacation Church School at the Georgetown Presbyterian Church Mon- day night. The Community Vacation Church School represents all the churches of Georgetown. Theswryflxmnoflmw oluz’h.e%c was ly presen chil- drenmre Irilled for eant under the suj Mrs., Israel, princ] exercises the ac] ipervision of k of the school. Closin be held at booT b GLADIOLUS EXHIBIT OPENS AT WOODRIDGE 200 Exhibits Are Listed Under Auspices of Garden Club—Prize Awards Are Announced. About 200 exhibits were entered by 20 exhibitors in the Fourth Annual Gladiolus Show of the Woodridge Gar- den Club last night. W. H. Gannaway won the sweepstake, with Mrs. A. H. Engelbrecht second and R. H. Burtner ird. Prizes for the best three baskets of gladiolus entered in the show, given by John Poole, president of the Fed- eral-American National Bank, were won by L. M. Clarke, first, while the Good Hope Super-Glad Gardens of Anacostia and Mrs. S. A. Graminger ‘of Falls Church, Va., won second and third awards, respectively. GIVEN 60 DAYS IN JAIL FOR ASSAULTING WIFE Edmond Ellston Convicted of Beat- ing His Mate While He Was Intoxieated. Edmond Elston, 4000 block of East Capitol street, was convicted and sen- tenced to serve 60 days in jail in Police Court today, on a charge of as- saulting_his wife. Mrs. Fthel Elston told Judge Isaac R. Hitt that the husband had beaten her on the face Monday night while he was in a drunken condition. Elston admitted drinking, but de- clared he did not remember striking his wife. “I would not touch her when lnmmy right senses, your or,” he 84l “You might Eave killed your wife,” reprimanded Judge Hitt; “you will have to choose bet Murphy approached immediately after- ward and arrested the man, it was re- ported. Murphy declared that five account books found in the arrested man's pocket showed that he carried on a business estimated at $200 per day. Upon his arrest, police said that Payne told them that he had “been operating” in the hospital for about seven or eight months. “He had a pocket full of money at the time we got him,” said Murphy. Police reported other “numbers” game operators working emong the veterans and said there would be other arrests ot the hospital within a short time. Sergt. R. S. Kirby, Corp. Harry Chase and Pvt. Lenwood Hayman, of the in- stitution officials, assisted police. ACCUSED OF FRAUD IN BUYING SHOES Capital Man Charged With Obtain- ing Shipments by False Pretens Sidney Glaser, 27 years old, of the 4800 block, Wisconsin avenue, was ar- . rested by headquarters detectives today on three charges of false pretenses in connection with the alleged operation of “Brown's Department Store,” a mythical congern. Glaser is ‘accused of ordering $250 worth of shoes from Chicago, Boston and New York firms with directions to charge and ship them to his “depart- ment store” at a fictitious address here. Express agents on each occasion were unable to find the address given on the order and returned them to the express office, where they were called for a short while later by a colored messenger. Consequently it was as difficult for factory representatives to find “Brown’s Department Store” to collect the money owing them as it was for the freight agents to deliver the shoes at the given address. Detective Sergts. D. W. Thompson, Clement P. Cox and Thomas Sullivan traced the alleged fraudulent operations to Glaser, they said, and arrested him at home today. Two colored men, who told detectives that Glaser hired them to call for the shoes at the rairoad station and. deliver them to his home identified the man, police say. |PHONES INCREASE 16,578 IN D. C. AREA This Represents 9.5 Per Cent More Than Corresponding Six-Month Period Last Year. There were 16,578 more telephones in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia on June 30 than there were at the beginning of the year. This represented 9.5 per cent more for the six months than for the i same period last year. Officials of the four telephone com- panies reported 635,447 in operation June 30, 1930, as compared with 600, 256 in operation at the same period last year. | Telephone calls also increased great- ly as there were $23,975,000 originating calls during the first six months ¢f 1929, with 538,898,000 during the first six months this year. Increase in telephone construction was also l;:xorent. with" six months, 1930, expenditures totaling $2,013,000, as compared with $1,871,000 last year in the District. Construction expendi- tures in Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia, as well as Washington, in- volved $9,803,000, or an increase of more than $3,000,000 over last year. D. C. BOY AWAITS TESTS Frederick R. Roop Competitor for Edison Scholarship. Frederick C. Roop, Central High School graduate who was appointed to represent the District of Columbia in the Thomas Edison scholarship compe- tition, is in West Orange, N. J., today awaiting the tests he will take tomor- row with the student representatives of the 48 States. ‘The board of examiners which Roop and his fellow contestants will face to- ‘morrow will be b incl William Lowe B: of the University of Charles A. Lindbergh declined Mr. son’s invitation to serve. REPAVING PROTESTED Owners Declare Street Was Sur- faced by Builders in 1927, Property owners on Fifth street be- tween Longfellow and Peabody streecis today protested to the District Commis- Edi- your wife and |this stree you 60 days in