Evening Star Newspaper, August 4, 1930, Page 17

Washington News WASHINGTON, D, ¢ Foening Star | MONDAY, AUGUST 4, Features and Classified 1930. i TWO BANK ROBBER INBURGLARY SERIES Yields Loot From Lyon Village, Police Claim. HUNT FOR THIRD MAN PUSHED BY OFFICIALS Member of Trio Is Identified by Lord Baltimore Filling Station Collector as Bandit. Two of the bandit trio who held up and robbed a bank messenger of $4,000 here Friday, today were definitely linked with a series of robberies which for more than a month have terrorized resi- dents of Lyon Village, Va., when Wash. ington detectives and A ‘ington County Police searched the home of a relative of a suspect in the hold-up and re- covered a quantity of clothing and jewelry taken in the Lyon Village homes. Part of the recovered loot was identi- fled as articles stolen from the residence of Thomas Flynn on Virginia_avenue in Lyon Village, one of the 15 houses entered during the series of rebberic which netted the thieves approximately $9.000. Detective Sergts. Howard Ogle, Steve Brodie and W, C. Bragg. accompanied by Arlington County Policemen H. C Jones and John R. Burke, went to a house on Glebe road, in Arlington Coun- { ty, shortly before moon and found the | clothing and jewelry. The house is oc- cupied by the grandmother of the third suspect being searched for in connection with the bank-runner hold-up. Push Hunt for Third Man. Search for the third man in Friday's hold-up was being carried on with re- newed vigor this afterncon as the Te- sult of today's development and the | Positive identification last night of one | of the men being held in the bank case | as one of two men who robbed the col- Jector for the Lord Baltimore filling stations of $2,200 on July 13 This suspect has $3,500 of the bank oot and also is wanted, police said, for having taken part in the robbery of Benjamin Burch, collector for the 79 Tord Baltimore filling stations in this area, who on July- 13 was robbed of $2,000 in cash. Buys Car in Hyattsville. This assertion was made by police after Burch yesterday identified Davis as being the armed man who held him at bay. Although they are positive in their identification, Davis has not| vet been charged with the robbery. | Beck, police say, was not implicated in | this case, but they say they are posi- tive that the hunted man was a par- ticipant. AL SMITH" ELECTED MEMBER . OF NOTED TAIL WAGGERS' CLUB SUSPECTS ACCUSED mescot o 0. s engine | Company Shows His Appreciation. Ride Beside Driver of Machine. of No. 8 Engine Company, held his nose just a little higher in the air yesterday as his engine made a run to Ivy City to ste what the latest alarm was ail about. For Al had just been notified that he had been elected to honorary membership in the Tail Waggers' Club of America. On doggy stationery the notification had come from David Miller, executive secretary of -this exclusive organization, whose headquarters is at 307 avenue, New York City. Not every dog which can wag his tail is eligible for membership. Th must be something especially distinctive about the candidates. All the White House dogs are memb: of them can high hat Al now So AL in his seat next to the driver's, held hi¢ nose high, and superintehded all the activities of the company with greatly increased dignity. Al is a fireman from the word go. He was reared in No. 8 Engine Hous since he was 6 weeks old. his seventh year of service. master and special friend at the ho is Fred Weismiller. Al accompanies the the first in place as the gong sounds. He was recently given a free dog tag by a special order of the District Cem- missioners. When the papers carried 2 Home of Relative of OneFirst on Hand at Alarm for “Al Smith,” the Boston bull mascot | Fifth | But none | engine on all of its runs, usually being | | | | | | | “AL SMITH.” | story about this it was seen by some- | body in the Tail Waggers' Club, and Al's | election followed. FOUR ARE INJURED IN TRAFFIC MISHAPS Two Victims of Accidents in Nearby Area Are Taken to Hospitals. Four persons were injured in a num- ber of traffic accidents reported to Dis- trict police yesterday afternoon and last night, two of whom, Mr. and Mrs. Reinholt Bodener of 1801 Otis street northeast, suffered severe hurts when a car, driven by the latter, was in a collision with another at Eighteenth and Monroe streets. Bodener, who is 43 years old, and his wife, Eva, 37, were treated at Emer- gency Hospital for possible internal in- The third suspect sought in connec- tion with the Mount Vernon Bank case | and Davis lived for some time in the| house on Glebe road, detectives learn- | ed. Several notes written to each other, | but having no bearing on the robberies, | were found in the house by the officers. The suspect, police reveaied toda: succeeded in purchasing a car Hyattsville, Md., Saturday. He paid} $600 for the machine. The auto sales- man who transacted the sale said the suspect was accompanied by a woman and left Hyattsville for Baltimore im- | mediately after the deal had been ¢closed. Police were notified of the sale and three automobiles from Detective Bu- reau unsuccessfully attempted to ove take the suspect. The filling station robbery was staged by two men, who overpowered & colored taxicab driver at a lonely spot in Ana- | costia, where they took his cab after agging him and tying him to a tree. | hey then drove to Second street and Pennsylvania_avenue, where one held Burch and Walter Tapscott. manager | ©of the station at that address, at the| point of a gun and took the money from the collector. The gunman made his getaway in the cab, which later was abandoned in another section of the eity. " Denies Being Involved. Davis vigorously denied having any connection with the Lord Baltimore Thold-up after being advised of his iden- tificaticn in that case and told police he was with the Marine Reserves in Quantico, Va., on that day. A check- up. however, has revealed that Davis was given permission by Marine au-| thorities to come to Washington on July 13, detectives said. The two youths in custody will brg paraded before victims of recent hold- ups at the 7 o'clock line up at police headquarters tonight for indentification | purposes, Formal charges of highway robbery, policesaid, are to be placed against Davis and Beck as soon as all investi- gations are completed. Davis and Beck were arrested nearly 12 hours after three men forced Hyatt into their machine at Fourteenth and M streets and drove him to Rock Creek Park, where they stole the money he was carrying for the Mount Vernon Bank and then tossed him from their| automebile. Their arrest climaxed nearly 24| hours of continuous work on the case| by Detective Sergeants Howard Ogle, | Steve Brodie, T. C. Bragg, James Kane | and Precinct Detectives Denny Mur- phy and Elmer F. Lewis of No. 13| station. 1 Davis has been identified, police said, as the leader of a gang of youths who Tobbed a number of homes and business | houses here in 1925. He served sev-( eral years at the Industrial Home | School for Boys. Seek Two “Gangs.” Detectives also are searching for two | gangs of hold-up men operating in the | District, one of which robbed Miss | Eleanor Page, cashier at Children’s Hospital, of a $7,000 pay roll Thursda morning, while the second gang i wanted for holding up two taxicab drivers In_Anacosti Inspector Shelby declared today that | valuable leads have been uncovered in | the hospital case and that it soon may be solved. .The identity of the three men sought in connection with the Tobbery is said to be known to police. Miss Page was summoned to police headquarters last night to look at Beck and Davis, but she declared they did not resemble the men who robbed her. A taxi driver was held up last night in a remote part of Anacostia by three men believed to be the same trio that obbed a colored cab driver of $30 and %t him trussed up in his cab Friday fight. The approach of a machine frightened them away before they got anything, howeve The driver, Jack C. Harper, of 419 G street told police he was hailed by the men at Third streei and Pennsyl- vania avenue and ordered to drive them to Congress Heights. ! Pred Juries, contusions of the body and sprained backs. The driver of the sec- ond machine, Lewis Fiora, 36, of 937 Quincy street escaped unhurt, Margaret Fenell, 12 years old, of 2713 North Capitol street, was treated at Sibley Hospital for cuts of the arms and legs after an automobile driven by W. Strobel, 20, of 1105 Florida avenue, hit the child near her home. Mrs. Kate W. Shaw, 49, of Rock- ville, Md., was cut about the left arm when her car collided with a_machine driven by Joseph Williams, colored, 28, of 521 Ninth street, at New Jersey ave- nue and R streets. She was treated at Sibley Hospital. Two victims of accidents in nearby Maryland and Virginia were given treatment for their hospitals yesterday. Nelson Powers of Franklin Park, Va., was taken to Georgetown Hospital with |a broken right leg suffered when he ran from behind a Alcova Heights, Va by an automobile s Mr. Ci parked bus - at and was struck to have been driven by a lington. James Mitchell, colored, 23 years old, of ‘49 I street, received a severe gash of the right leg when an automobile which failed to stop forced his ma- chine off the road near Marlboro, Md. He was treated at Casualty Hospital CONTRACT FOR BUILDING PLASTER MODEL IS LET Department of Agriculture Awards Project to Lombard Co. for $3,235. Another contract for the Department of Agriculture extensible building to be constructed on the block bounded by Thirteenth street, Linworth place, B and C streets southwest, has been let for the making of plaster models. The contract went_to J. C. Lombard Co., Inc., of 1433 Newton street, this city, in the sum of $3235. The work is to be_finished in 60 days. Meanwhile the department is vacat- ing its old buildings in the front of its newly completed administrative building in the Mall, and it is ex- pected that these old buildings will be empty and ready for the wrecking crew within a few days. office of the chief clerk that the old buildings probably would be vacated early this week. All the old structures through from Twelfth to Fourteenth street through the Mall. Lord Dawson Sails. LONDON, August 4 () —Lord Daw- | son of Penn, the King’s physician, sailed with his wife and daughter on the Empress of Australia Saturday for Can- ada. Lord Dawson will attend the meeting of the British Medical Associa- tion which will be held in Winnipeg ate this month. injuries at local | amberlain of Ar- | It was said at the | are to be torn away, the area reland- | scaped and a concrete driveway cut | NAVY RESERVEUNT " HERE RATED 30 'Washington Organization Is | Given 79.4 Percentage in Final Merits. ‘Washington’s regular Naval Reserve | is given a standing of forty-third in a | total of 140 units in the report of Capt. | C. A. Blakely, president of the Naval | Reserve Inspection Board, covering the | fiscal year 1929-30. The percentage of final merits accorded to the Wash- | ington Naval Reserve, which is in the third division, is 79.4. | Capt. Blakely in his report finds con- | tinued improvement in the Naval Re- | serve units, | *“Some divisions have been able to | maintain the interest and support of | the community,” said Capt. Blakely, |“and it has been evident that these | divisions are usually above the average |in efficiency and morale. The board feels that substantial progress is being made in Naval Reserve aviation and that this progress will be continued | during the next year as the result of the acquisition of additional new air- { craft of the service type and the adop- ! tion of a system of consolidated drills. | “Unit commanders should be re- quired to use every effort to train and | drill their organizations as practical | units, placing emphasis on squadron organizations, in order that their com- | mands may be called to active duty in a national emergency with a minimum amount of refresher training. “The board was favorably impressed with the maintenance of aircraft and the material upkeep of the bases in all localities, and was pleased with the evidence of operations, in the way of | ions, space for hangars and so PR i FOURTH CASE OF TYPHUS DEVELOPS IN DISTRICT Health Department Learns 14-Year- 01d Boy Is Suffering From the Disease. The fourth case of typhus in the Dis- trict of Columbia this year was re- ported to the District Health Depart- ment today. William Gaines, 14 years old, of 1223 E street northeast, is the ! victim, He had already been in bed 14 days with the disease before it was reported as typhus, as it was at first diagnosed as typhoid, according to Acting Health Officer Edward J. Schwartz, | " Gaines is expected to recover. He |is quarantined at his home. The | quarantine will last seven more days. | Dr. Schwartz said that Gaines probably *‘l)('(:amr infected by the bite of an in- sect on a camping trip in nearby Vir- glxlma. several days before he was taken i ‘ Only one death -has resulted from ‘Lh!' four typhus cases reported. [RUNNING MOTOR BARES WHISKY IN PARKED CAR 156 Half-Gallon Jars of Liquor Are Discovered by Inquisi- tive Police. Noise of the running of the engine of a parked car near Bladensburg road | and New York avenue before daybreak today attracted the attention of Sergt. J. O. B. Gray and T. F. Heide of the twelfth precinct. Seeing the car was unattended the policemen proceeded to make an_examination, finding it con- tained 156 half-gallon glass jars of | whisky. They seized the car and contents. Climaxing a pursuit of four blocks, Motor Cycle Policeman J. E. Bennett of the Traffic Bureau, leaped from his motor cycle to the ~unning board of an automobile traveling at the rate of 40 miles an hour and brought a colored speeder to a halt last night after the machine leaped the sidewalk. side swiped a_fence and collided with two parked cars. They got out of the cab at the crest of a hill on Nichols avenue extended and told him to hand over his money. Harper was about to comply with their order when the lights of an approach- ing car frightened the men into the woods, Police searched the vicinity, but e hunt availed nothing. The driver of the automobile, Robert F. Stewart, colored, 23 years old, of 83 Myrtle street northeast, is being held for investigation and will not be formally charged until Bennett returns to duty from sick leave. The officer suffered a bruised arm and was sent home after hospital treatment. 5 OFFICER LEAPS TO SPEEDING CAR TO GET DRIVER WHO BROKE LIGHT Auto Crashes Into Fence and Two Parked Machines to Climax Wild Chase. |, The chase started when Stewart ignored a red stop light at North Capi- 1 and I streets, Bennett reported. The policeman drove his motor cycle alongside the car and ordered Stewart to halt, but the latter accelerated the | speed of his machine and attembted to | escape. | Bennett fired one shot'at a tire in | an effort to puncture it and stop the car, but missed. He finally overhauled his quarry at Fourth and I streets northeast, where he leaped to the rum- ning board and switched off the igni- tion. The car jumped - the sidewalk, struck the fence and returned to the street and hit two parked machines before coming to a halt. Bennett's motor cycle was damaged badly. BIRDS' MIGRATION DATE ATTRIBUTED 10 LENGTH OF DA Alberta Scientist Fools Crows, Which Fly North in Winter, in Test. LIGHTS IN PEN HAVE EFFECT, OF SUNSHINE Second Group, Without Artificial Illumination, Turns South on Being Released. BY THOMAS R. HENRY. The biological mystery of the almost infallible instinct whicH makes birds fly North in the Spring and South in the Autumn is near solution through tricking crows into a reverse migration. The results have just been reported to the National Academy of Sciences by Dr. William Rowan of the Univer- sity of Alberta, The supposedly in- variable migratory instinct appears to be due to some hormone, an extremely important chemical substance, released in the blood stream by one of the glands of internal secretion which is activated by the length of the day. Temperature changes, Dr. Rowan be- lieves, have nothing to do with it. This is supported by the fact that birds start South at just about the same date, dif- fering with the species, whether the Autumn is warm or cold. The same is true of the northward flights. So he did not change the temperature for his experimental crows. Seasons Turned About. Two groups of crows were used, con- fined in different aviaries. Fourteen birds were simply confined, with no lighting effects, so that they were sub- Jjected to the same day-length effects | as uncaptured birds. The cage and shed of the other group, with 69 mem- bers, were illuminated by 25 500-watt bulbs, approximately reproducing day- light conditions. Starting on Septem- ber 28 of last year the lights were turned on at sunset. From then until Tranksgiving day the illumination time was regulated so that it neutralized the effect of shortening days in that lati- tude. Allowance was made for both earlier sunsets and later sunrises. Thus, for the birds, the seasons were turned around. Both groups were given the same diet. All continued in good health. On the whole, Dr. Rowan reports, the birds in the lighted aviary stayed awake sat- isfactorily ~ during the artificially lengthened days, although there were some individual sleepy-heads. Groups Released Separately. Crows were used in the xperiment because they are conspicuous, easily identified birds. Besides thelr migra- tion range is short and there is no law, either in Canada or the United Stafes, against killing them. Both groups were kept until two deys be- fore Thanksgiving, when the ~lights were being kept on until 11 p.m. Then they were released, each group sep- argtely, so that the behavior of un in- dividual would not be influenced by that of the opposite group with which it might get mixed. Thanksgiving is a heyday for hunt- ers about Edmonton. Requests were made 1n the local newspapers ani over the radio for every one to shoot a.l | the crows they saw on that day and | send them to the university. All the released birds were banded. The crow’s food habits were adapted to fa- cilitate its survival in the Winter woons if it escaped the owners. Edmonton was many miles north of the ordinary Winter habitat of the birds and, since it was early Winter, all normally would be expected to start South at once. According to Dr. Rowan's theory, how- ever, those subjected to artificial il- lumination either would remain_where they were or range northward over their customary Summer grounds. 78 Per Cent Turn Away. Some of the birds remained in the immediate vicinity and either were killed or recaptured. But 78 per cent turned North or South. Of these, 54 in all, 28 since have been reported killed, either by local hunters or through the United States Biological Survey at Washington, whose address was stamped on the leg bands. Of the contrcl birds whose cage was not illumineted, 50 per cent have been reported irom the South or Southeast. But of the ex- perimental birds eight were killed nosth and northwest of Edmonton. ‘Two were killed more than 100 miles northwest, one four months after re- lease. It had survived through the Winter in a desolate bush and muskeg country. Sight reports have been numerous from the South, but always referred to one or two crows together. From the Northwest the reports have been fewer, but describe flocks of crows num- bering as many as 15, from the Lesser Slav Lake country,” 300 miles from Ed- monton. They first appeared nine days after the experimentals were re- leased at Edmonton, nearly two months after the last crow of the Summer sea- son had been observed there. There seems little doubt but that they wer2 the birds released at Edmonton, which survived the hunters. Several efforts to shoot some of these birds failed be- cause of the wildness of the country and the deep snow which impeded the hunters. “In view of the facts” says Dr. Rowan, “that 50 per cent of the con- trols were recovered in the well set- tled” country south of Edmonton and only 15 per cent of the experimentals, it is difficult to believe that anything but a minority of the latter group could have gone South. One is left to infer that the Lesser Slav Lake crows represent at least some of the missing 48 per cent of our experimental birds. This distinctly suggests that the ex- perimental birds actually did what was anticipated.” TRAFFIC CASE DROPPED AGAINST MRS. MACKALL District Attorney’s Office Decides Damage Too Slight to War- rant Prosecution. Charges of failing to stop after a col- lision, preferred against Mrs. Laidler Mackall of Woodley road near Thirty- fourth street, following a slight accident in which the fenders of the machine she was driving brushed against those of the machine of Policeman J. J. Antone, 5109 Fifth street, have been dropped by the District attorney’s office. It is said the damage was so slight as not to warrant prosecution. No one ‘was hurt in the accident. Mrs. Mackall informed authorities that she thought no damage was done when the fenders of her car brushed against those of the policeman’s machine and that when the officer showed no indication of stopping her, continued on her way. Lingu Escapes Penalty of Court By Shqwing, Ability Judge Suspends Sentence, Although He Knew Only 1 of 7 Tongues. Paul G. Paleux, who said that he is an expert linguist of New York, pleaded with Judge Robert E. Mattingly in seven languages today in Police Court and received personal bond and a sus- pended sentence on a charge of riding a bicycle while drunk as his reward. Policeman G. R. Walbrodt of the first precinct testified that Linguist Paleux was staggering through traffic on his bicycle yesterday on Pennsyl- vania avenue. “I was afraid he would be killed, your honor, so I arrested him,” the officer explained. “I'm quite a prominent man, judge,” said Paleux, “here’s my card. ‘The card said that the defendant was well versed in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Greek. “He had a room in the Woolworth Building and gave excellent transla- tions.” “Prove it, and I'll let you go,” an- nounced the judge, scanning the card. Paleux spoke for 20 minutes, switch- ing from one language to another. “Well, well, well. I expect you are right,” said the judge. “I'll let you go.” Afterward the court admitted that “English was the only one of the seven 1 understood.” CUARDSMEN TAKE - WATER INTO CANP 500-Gallon Tank From Wash- ington to Fort Humphreys. By a Staft Correspondent of The Star. FORT HUMPHRIES, Va. August 4. —Solving the water problem at least temporarily by bringing a 1,500-gallon container with them, the 121st. Regi- ment of Engineers, District National Guard, arrived here yesterday under the command of Col. John L. Oehmann and set up tents for a two week's en- campment. Attacking an area 300 yards by 800 yards near the entrance to the military reservation on the Washington-Rich- mond Highway, the seven companies cleaned up a dense primitive growth to such an extent that company streets were outlined and tents put up before nightfall. The work of clearing away underbrush continued today, one-fourth the regiment’s strength of 469 officers and men being engaged. and Col. Oehmann planned to make his first inspection late this afternoon. Bring Tank Here for Refill. Shortage of water which has been felt at Quantico, Va., where the United States Marines are quartered, and threats of a shortage at Fort Hum- phreys, held Col. Oehmann to bring along a 1,500-gallon tank he borrowed from the District Water Department. The tank is taken to Washington and refilled as soon as it is empty and thus far, Col. Oechmann said today, has proved entirely adequate. Road construction, pontoon work, fortification problems and similar tasks for the engineer mind are to engage the Guardsmen until August 17. The regimental complement is six line com- panies, one headquarters, one medical and the regimental band, which is di- rected by Myer Goldman, the well known Washington orchestra leader. Col. Oehmann and 32 officers under his command are directing the work. Much of the activity thus far has been manual, with the men cleaning away underbrush and improving roads, many of them stripped to the waist. Despite the intense heat, none suffered notice- ably yesterday or ay and Col. Oehmann said nobody had complained of “even a headache.” Bathing facili- ties were said not to be as plentiful as the men might want, but Maj. George W. Allen, chief medical officer, antici- pated no difficulties. Bathing in the nearby river had been dispensed with on account of the danger of typhoid fever, Food Supply Is Pientiful. The camp is located four-tenths of a mile from the Regular Army post, a distance to preserve independence of the regular soldiers, Col. Oehmann said, but near enough for any service that might be desired. Food suplies were said to be plentiful and the temporary field kitchens were among the first equipment_thrown up. . An_original road of 200 yards in length is being constructed by the Guardsmen and at one end the en- gineers will build a bridge across a stream, thus affording ingress and egress to a large parking space for the regiment’s automobiles, of which there are about 35. The men are following the varigus courses of instruction in groups, which assures variety and in- tensive instruction. The work today was being done to the accompaniment of the regimental band, whose members, 36 in number, Capt. Goldman had out under the trees mear the roadway. Goldman said none of the players was a pro- fessional, the band being _recruited from bookkeepers, lawyers, clerks, and the other vocations. Col. Oehmann declared he would put the band up against any “Regular Army outfit.” The bandsmen are working, too. The members put up their own tents. Fireworks Come High. Pvt, J. F. Gates of Company A was the camp'’s first casualty. He chose the first night to set off fireworks and to- day, while his fellow soldiers fought underbrush, rustled stove wood and worked on the road, young Gates strolled around a marked-off area with a large mallet on his shoulder and an armed guard at his heels. He volun- teered his name sheepishly and added that he had “four brothers,” though he didn't explain what that had to do with his carrying the mallet. Tactical problems will be taken up in earnest as soon as the camp is fit- ted out properly. Each tent has elec- tric lights installed by the Engineers themselves and every convenience known to men living under the condi- tions has been provided. Col. Schuitz, commanding Fort Humphreys, planned to inspect the camp informally this afternoon. Later a board of three Regular Army officers will inspect the encampment and make a field inspec- tion report on their findings. Col. Oell".lsmlnn was much pleased with re- sults. Italian-Soviet Treaty Signed. ROME, August 4 (/).—Minister of Finance Mosconi ‘and Minister of Cor- porations Bottal, representing the Italian government, and Commercial Attache Lieubimoff of Soviet Russia yesterday signed a commercial treaty designed to favor the purc] Ttalian groducu ‘The two ministers and dip] tic and commercial re- sentatives of the Soviet Republic later attended a banquet. 121st Engineers Carry 1,-|de NEWMAN RESIENS; JOAN 1. SIRICA 15 - NAMED SUCCESSOR |New Assistant U. S, Attorney | for District Native of Connecticut. IMILTON F. SCHWARTZ “ MADE CHIEF CLERK Rover Also Announces Appoint- ment of John C. Conliff as Private Secretary. ’ United States Attorney Leo A. Rover today announced the resignation of Hobart Newman as an assistant United States attorney Jor the District of Co- lumbia. Newman will be succeeded by John J. Sirica, who has been practicing law here for the past four years. New- man is expected to accept a position in another branch of the Federal Gov- ernment. Mr. Rover also announced the pro- motion of Milford F. Schwartz, his | private secretary, to the position of chief clerk of the office and the desig- nation of John C. Conliff as private i secretary. Schwartz succeeds to the |vacancy left by the resignation of Philip F. Biggins. Newman has been two years in the office of the prosecutor, serving first in Police Court, assisting in prosecu- tions. Later he was promoted to the District Supreme Court, where he han- dled general matters and afterwards d charge of the presentation of cases to the grand jury. He is a native of Washington, being a son of Enos S. Newman, and was educated at the Friends School, Emer- son Institute and George Washington University. He took his law degree from the National University and after | being admitted to the bar was ap- pointed to Rover’s office. He is 27 years old, married and resides at 2308 Ash- mead place. John J. Sirica, the new assistant pros- ecutor, was born at Waterburyg Conn., March 19, 1904. He attended public elementary and secondary schools in Jacksonville, Fla., before coming to ‘Washington. He was luated from Georgetown Law School in 1926 with the degree of LL. B, and was ad- mitted to the bar in October, 1926. He will be assigned to trial work in the District Supreme Court. Sirica is sin- gle and resides with his parents at 6217 Fourteenth street. Schwartz, the new chief clerk, is also a native of Washington and is 23 years old. He was graduated from Staunton Military Academy, George- town University and the Georgetown Law School, where he was given the degree of L.L. B. last June. He has been admitted to the bar a month be- fore his graduation. Schwartz was ap- pointed to the office of Peyton Gordon, when he was United States attorney, and on the promotion of Leo A. Rover was made private secretary, which posi- tion he held for 18 months. He re- sides with his sisters and brother at 1317 Randolph street. BESSLING IS DENIED SERVICE EXTENSION Adverse Action Taken by Commis- sion on Recommendation Made for War Department Clerk. Adverse action has been taken by the Civil Service Commission on the rec- ommendation of the Secretary of War for the extension of the tenure of office of James H. Bessling, a clerk in the of- fice of the surgeon general of the {Army, under the law authorizing such action in cases of employes beyond the age of 74 years, “whose expert knowl- edge and ‘special qualifications made that course advantageous to the public service,” The record shows that Mr. Bessling was born in New York October 11, 1855, and since April, 1883, has served con- tinuously to date in the surgeon gen- eral's office, from the lowest to the | highest clerical grade. { In presenting his case, Surg. Gen. M. W. Ireland said that Mr. Bessling was “a peculiarly valuable employe not- withstanding his age, whose replace- ment will be difficult.” He recom- mended that Mr. Bessling be allowed to complete his third two-year extension, which expires October 11, 1931. The application was submitted to the commission with the approval of the Secretary of War a few days after the commission had authorized a similar ex- tension in the case of Edward Savoy, a messenger in the State Department of the same age and similar record of ex- tensions. The commission, however, de- cided that Mr. Bessling's case did not come within the category of exceptions established by the law. —_— VETERANS’ PENSION ACT IS UNDER DISCUSSION Gen. Hines With Delegation Con- ferring With President Hoover on Service Changes Made Necessary. Revision of the Veterans' Bureau service made necessary by the recently enacted World War veterans’' pension act was discussed with President Hoover today by members of the national ex- eoutive committee of the Disabled Amer- ican Veterans and Gen. Frank T. Hines, head of the new administration of vet- erans’ affairs. The President was told that the ex- ecutive committee is in Washingtan at this time to make the necessary changes in their organization’s liaison service throughout the country to meet the heavy load of applications for benefits under the new pension law. The President was advised that about 154,000 veterans will receive monthly disability allowance during the current year, and to establish eligibilit: there must be reviews of tens of thousands of holders. There also will be tens of thousands of new physical examina- tions. The President was told also that the Disabled Veterans' Association de- sires the Government to build with the greatest speed the authorized hospitals as the existing institutions are crowded. ‘The executive committee of veterans was headed by National Comdr. H. H. ‘Weimer of Chicago. Creager Visits Morrow. MEXICO CITY, August 4 (#)—R. B. Creager, Republican National Commit- teeman of Texas, arrived in Mexico City from Brownsville, Tex., by airplane of fiumy afternoon and was met at the field by an American embassy car. le left soon afterward for Cuer- of Ambassado New Aide to Rover JOHN J. SIRICA. HOBART NEWMAN. E8510 ENPLOYED {Commerce Department Cen- sus Task Produces Larg- est Increase. Uncle Sam had 68510 employes in the District of Columbia at the end of last June, according to a report from the Civil Service Commission made pub- lic today. Net Gain of 1,474, ‘There was a net gain of 1,474 during June, of which the greater number were in the Department of Commerce, which is engaged in tabulating the 1930 census. As a matter of fact, the De- partment of Commerce had a greater net gain than all the Government de- partments put together, but other de- partments sustained a net loss to such an extent as to_pull down the total. The Commerce Department’s gain was 1,543 for June, as compared with 1,474 for the other departments. The total number of additions during the month was 2,909, while the separa- tions during the same period amounted to 1435 The largest department i the Gov- ernment continues to be the Treas- ury, which is far ahead of all the rest, with a total of 13,436 employes. This department during June added 82 peo- ple and had 126 separations, making & net loss of 44. Veterans’ Bureau Is Third. ‘The next iargest department is the Department of Commerce, with 9,418, and the Veterans’ Bureau is in third place, with 4,755, and Government Printing Office fourth, with 4,419. The smallest unit in the Govern- ment continues to be the Commission of Fine Arts, which has only 2 em- ployes. JUSTICE COX.TAKEé uP HIS OFFICIAL DUTIES Recent Appointee to D. C. Bench Presides in Equity Court, Re- lieving Chief Justice Wheat. Sworn in last Friday as an associate justics of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, Joseph W. Cox, former Washington lawyer, today began his judicial duties. He presided in the Equity Division of the court, disposing of preliminary matters and listened to motions in a number of cases. His long experience with local practice made it easy for him to take hold at once. Justice Cox relieved Chief" Justice ‘Wheat, so that the latter was able to devote the entire day to a condemna- tion case on which he was, engaged: Tomorrow the chief justice will hold the monthly hearings in naturalization matters, while Justice Cox will continue in the Equity Division. Justice Oscar R. Luhring, who also was inducted into office Friday, is ex- pected to take up his judicial duties early next month. ITALIANS REACH NAPLES Relatives Rushing Currency to Help Earthquake Victims. NAPLES, August 4 (#).—The steam- ship Roma arrived today from New York, bringing Nobile Giacomo de Mar- tino, Italian Ambassador at Washing- ton, and scores of relatives of uv;:l:n in fl}a e&rthqunn zone, y_ of e passengers United States currency mwhm were preparing to rush to the relief of relatives in the zone. PAGE B—1 Y T0 ENPLOY PXPERTS TOSTUDY FLECTREALNEES Survey to Be Made to Decide on Advisability of Building District’s Own Plant. NAMES OF MANY FIRMS UNDER CONSIDERATION Street Lighting, Schools, Police and Fire Stations and Other Factors to Be Included. .~An engineering expert or firm of ex- perts probably will be retained by the :)Lstrlct government in the near future 0 conduct the survey called fy Congress Into the eleciric power mees of the city with a view to establishing a fl:;:lcxfinolly lc:’pernud service, . nald A. Davison, Assistant Engineer Commissioner, who has super- vision over the Electrical Department, is gathering a list of well known elec- trical engineers in this part of the fi;\;l;};};;ni:g{n ‘('h:;.“h he will recommend of Ry, 13F ihe individual or firm e clause in the current - tion act directing that such dacs by o z.med is brief and does not go into de- tails 8s to_the scope of the survey, but District officlals indicated today it is their belief that it only contemplated a relplorh on the power needs of the mu- nicipality and not of the city as a whole or of the Federal Government. y Will Cover Street Lights. ccording to Maj. Davison, t - vey will cover street lighting, n?: fi;{n and power needs of the public schools police stations, fire engine houses and on;;:’punblki! institutions. . Maj. Davison indicated that whoev is selected to make the sunvsty“\:}fif‘g directed to ascertain a dollar-and-cents comparison of the present cost of sup- plying light and power for these city purposes, with the estimated cost of va municipally owned and operated plant, 1t is not expected that a final report on the survey will be ready for Congress this Fall, but the municipal authorities ope to have the work under way in time to report pr Pl Port progress at the next Clause Is Quoted. The clause in the appropriation act under which the survey is reads as follows: Ve Mg For the purpose of making a study of the powsr needs of the District of Columbia with a view to establishing a municipally owned and operated service therefor, including the employment, by contract or otherwise, of such expert and other personal services as shall be approved by the Commissioners, without reference to the classification act of 1923, as amended, and necessary inci- dental expenses, $25,000.” The names of 2 dezen firms and in- dividual experts rave been compiled by Maj. Davison. From among these he will_select five or six for further con- sideration. Within the next month or six weeks he probebly will make a trip to hold personal interviews with this smaller group before recommending to the Commissioners who should be se- lected. This is the same course that was followed, Maj. Davison said, in connection with the study of incinerator cquipment for the District some time ago. Officials Were Questioned. The item for the proposed survey of power needs was placed 1 the appro- priation bill by the House subcommittee in reporting the measure to the House. The hearings before the subcommittee did not go into a discussion of the survey, but the subcommittee examined local officials at some length on the costs of the different types of street lighting. They also asked some ques- tions about lighting rates generally. The Senate appropriations subcom- mittee eliminated the authorization for the power survey, but when the bill was taken up in the Senate, Senator Norris, Republican, of Nebraska, opposed the cutting out of the item and succeeded én 1l"Aall‘«'irlg it restored by a vote of 30 o0 19. CHANGES ORDERED MADE IN PLANS FOR PARK AREA Treasury Department Invites New Bids for Work Required in Poli's Theater Block. Making a change in its plans for transforming the Poli's Theater block into a park, the Treasury Department today advertised for new bids to be opened August 15. The former bids had been submitted for demolition of all buildings on the area bounded by Fourteenth, Fifteenth, E street and Pennsylvania avenue, and also for filling in the ground and seed- ing to grass. H. Kurfurth was low bid- der for this job under the combination contract. The Treasury Department in explain- ing its advertisement for new bids said it had decided the two different kinds of work of wrecking buildings, on the one hind, and of grading for parks, on the other, were so different that it would be better to split the contract in- stead of letting it to one firm. Specifications for filling the cellars and depressions in the area are exact- ing and require careful grading so that the land will not sink after it is seeded to grass. For the present the area will be turned into a parkway of level grass, but plans are under way for developing the place into a beauty spot in that sec- tion of the city at the northwest corner of a great Federal triangle. MAN HURT IN FALL Sleep Walker Tumbles Out of Sec- ond-Story Window. Falling from a second-story window while sleep walking last night, Deniel Dewey Smith, 30 years old, of 932 K street, suffered a possible fracture of the back and bruises of the elbow. Casualty Hcspital attendants, where he is confined, reported Smith was in an undetermined condition today. Smith fell approximately 20 feet. FIRE BURNS [ DWELLING Overheated Hot-Water Plant Is Blamed for Bangor Street Blaze. An overheated hot-water plant was blamed for a fire in the basement of the two-story frame dwelling of Harry Harris, 3703 Bangor street southeast, not far from Boulevard Heights, abou! noon yesterday. Members of the Boule- vard Heights fire company assisted Dis- t | trict firemen in thel the