Evening Star Newspaper, October 22, 1930, Page 17

WASHINGTON, B, « 0., WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 99 = The Foening Star 1930. PAGE B-—1 CHAMBER SWELLS - PROTESTS AGAINST ADDED AUTO TAXES Joins Manuiacturers’ Group in Opposing Proposal of Traffic Council. BRAKE-TI::;TING SCHEME IS ALSO DISAPPROVED Bafety Regulation Suggestion As- sailed as Putting Government Into; Competition With Business Men. The Washington Chamber of Com- merce today joined with the Merchants | and Manufacturers’ Association in vig- orously oposing the recommendations of the Traffic Advisory Council to in- crease both the tax rate on gasoline and the registration fess for automo- biles in this city. At same time, it was announced by Theodore P. Noyes chairman of the Traffic Committee of | the Washington Bcard of Trade, that ! he would call & meeting of his com- | mittee within the next few days to consider the reccmmendations of the | council. The Executive Committee and board of directors of the Board of Trade, Mr. | Noyes said, have already gone on rec- | ord as opposed to any increase in the | tax rate at this time. | “Our committee will consider this proposal,” Mr. Noyes said, ““which comes | at a time when there has been shown no need for increased revenues. This is the time to be working for reduced taxation, instead of coming forward with propositions for increasing it.” Reiterates Opposition. The Chamber of Commerce, in its statement, reiterated a stend previously taken in opposition to the gas tax in- crease. The group, it was explained by chamber officials today, never had spe cifically opposed an increase in registra tion fees for the reason that the ques- tion never had previously becn brought to its attention. The chamber also an- nounced its opposition to the proposal to put the Government in busin which, it declares, the council propos:s in connection with its headlight and brake-testing regulation. ‘The statement follows: “The Washington Chamber of Com- merce is firmly on record in opposition to any increase in the gas tax such as is proposed in the recent report of tae traffic advisory council. It i5 equally opposed, through past official action, to any attempt to pass on to District citi- zens the whole cost of services the benefits of which accrue to both Federal and District governments. “The chamber at its June 1929, meeting, indofsed a ‘save-a-life’ cam- ign for Wasnington, which would in- clude the testing of brakes and head- lights, as proposed by Assistant Traffic Director M. O. Eidridge, and would strongly disapprove any ceviation from this plan caleulated to put the District | government in business in competiticn with our local eervice stations and garages Lansburga Writes Croshy. In a letter addrecied to Maj. Gen. Herbert B. Crosby of the Board of Com- missioners, Mark Lansbursh, nresident of the Merchants and Manufacturers’ Association, requested the District Com- missioners to disapprove any increase in the gasoline tax in the District. “The board of governors of the Merchants and Manufacturers’ Associa- tion.” the letter read, “recently made a | study of the question of taxes upon automobiles and gasoline, and unan! mously went on record as b2ing unalt ably opposed to eny increase n tax on gasol it bing ih- brrd belief that such an Increas would amount to a tax of over 9 per cent on this essential commodity, would be prohibitory, absolutely unreasonable and entirely unnecessary. Delivery Costs Mounting. “with the rapidly increasing traffic congestion on the streets of Washing- ton, brought about by the constantly enlarging number of automobiles, the cost of delivering merchandise is mounting at an alarming rate, because of the delays which such congestion cause, Washington business firms hase found that the larger commercial tricks have been using much Jarger quantities of gasoline since the installation of traf- fic lights, because of the fact that the engines contirue o run while such ve- hiclcs are held up at street int tions, and that instead of Increesing the dally mileage of their trucks, there has been actually a decrease in such use. To further increase the tax under these conditions, we feel, is absoiutely | unfair and unjust, and entails an added burden when relief. especially at this time, is greatly needed.” CARBON MONOXI GAS CLAIMS YOUTH| Sister Finds Body on Floor of Closed Garage—Rescuc Efforts Fall. carbon monoxide gas claimed an- other victin vesterday afternoon when Daniel T. Busrler, 16 years old, of 645 | I street was nvercome by the deathly fumes from tl: y:haust of his father's automobile in the Burrier garage at the rear of the 700 block Seventh street. The youth's was discovered hours afterward by his sister Beatrice. who instituted & search for the boy when she became alarmed at lis pro- Jonged absence from home. Staff physi- cfans from the Emergency Hospital and members of the Fire Rescue Squad were summoned to the scene, but thoir ef- forts to revive the boy proved futile. ‘The doors of the onc-car garzge were closed when Miss Burrier appeared and found the garage filled with fumes and her brother's body on the floor. The motor, still warm frcm having run sev- eral hours, wis quiet, the gasoline sup- ply having bren exhausted. Plan Law Enforcement Convention. The United Democratic Law Enforce- ment Clubs of Maryland will hold their semi-annual convention at the Southern Hotel, Baltimore, Md., October 28. The ident, Mrs. Jesse W. Nicholson, will jde and make the keynotc address. Other speakers will bz Gen. Everard E. Hatch and Senator Robert P. Carzon. ‘Among the committee in charge of arrangements are Mrs. E. Allen Craig, Mrs. A. Morris_Carey, Mrs. Wil J. Grim, Mrs. F. Conrad Stoll, Miss Jsobel Perr, Mrs. Tora Sherwin, Miss Belt, Mrs. Edward J. Croker, Mrs. Haslup and Mrs. L. M. Cleveland. An invitation is extended to the public attend the convention. | A. G. Wood, second vice president. {Harry King Is Chosen Vice% m | urer, Mrs. | ' Upper left: Rudolph Jose, elected president of the Chamber of Commerce | last night. Upper right: Harry King, first vice president. Lower lef(: George JOSE IS ELECTED 0, OF G PRESIDENT President at Annual Elec- tion Meeting. Rudolph Jose, president and treasurer | of the Washington Cadillac Co. and | incumbent vice president of the Wash- ington Chamber of Commerce, last night | was eleval to-the presidency of the chamb-r at the annual election of offi- cers held in the large ball room of the Mayflower Hotel. Mr. Jose's name was placed in nomination by the retiring | president, Charles W. Darr, and since he was the only nomins= for tae post, y was directed to cast a unan‘meus ballot upon vote of the| group. The election of Harry King of King's Palac2 as first vice president upon the nomination by Mr. Darr also was vos unanimously. Mr. King was previously second vice prasident of the body. George Wood Lauded. George A. Wood, president of the | Washington Gas Light Co. and a com- perative newcomer to Washington, | was elected to th: post of second vice | president on the nomination of Thomas | P, Littiepege. The nomination was | reconded by Mr. King. Bota indorsers uded the work of Mr. Wood during the ort ti) he has been in Washington, it n ccnnection witih the mem- hip drive of the Chamber of Commeree. | Ten directors out of sixteen nominated | { were elected to serve until 1933. Those | | “lected were Col. Edward Goring Bliss, | general commercial supervisor of the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. John A. Eckert, president of the Colum. bia Planograph Co.; George B, Fraser, | vice president of the Washington Gas Light Co.: Lieut. Walter Hinton, presi dent of the Aviatia Institute; George | E. Kenelpp, business manager, Call Car), | Inc.: Miss M. Pearl McCall, assistant United States District attorney; W. C. { Miller, presid'nt, W. C. & A. N. Miller, | (bulld'r!: Maurice Otterback, president | of the Anacostia Bank; Alfred L. Stern, | director and pubicist of the Sixth An- | { nua! Industriz] Exposition, and Nichola | L. Whelan, publisher of the Washington | | Times ard Washington Herald, { | Judge Mary O'Toole, in announcing | the results of the balioting, reported that Mr. Wood received sufficient votes for director, but in view of the fact that he had been elected second vice president, the next in line on the ballot list was selected. | | | Contest Awards Presented. Presentation of awards to winners in the contest for most memberships se- cured during the receni drive of the amber was a feature of the meeting Tie_captains of the two winning teams, 1A Ewaldsen of the Washington Gas Light Co. and Mrs. Ada M. Payne, were presented witn engraved cups by Presi- dent Darr. These two teams acquired 78 and 30 new members, respectively Individual prizes were awarded to George B. Fraser, who secured 27 new members, and Harry T. Peters, who ob- | tained 21. Souvenirs were presented to several o'her active team workers, The reading of the annual report of the president of the chamber by Mr. Darr opencd the meeting. This report was made public in the form of a radio address on September 27 over Station | WMAL by Mr, Darr, coincident with the announcement of the five-year ex- pansion program adopted by the cham- ber. The new president of the chamber is chairman of the five-year expansion program, to which post he was appoint- ed by Mr. Darr during his torm in of- fice, and has bean active in the launch- ing of the promram. Mr. Jose is also | mi te | Committee. REBEKAHS ELECT Lynchburg Woman Named Presi- dent at Danville Meeting. Special Dispatch 1o The Star. DANVILLE, Va,, October 22.—Officers elected at the sixth annual meeting of District No. 4 Rebckahs, held here on Monday afternoon, follow: President, Miss Hannah St. John of Lynchburg; Vi president, Miss Ruby Woolridg Madison Heights; recording secreta Miss Viola Bateman, Hill City; trea: Fred Farley, Danville; war- den, Mrs. R. N. Shepherd, Danville; conductress, Mrs. Bertha Deahl noke; chaplain, Miss Elizabeth Payne, Gladstone; inside guard, Ma Janie Cash, Monroe; outside guard, M#s. Sal- Ford, Lynchburg. chairman of the Fiscal Relations Com- | and of the Industrial Exposition BOOK CLERK FOUND DEAD N HERROOM Miss Draper Gill. Discovered by Maid in Gas-Filled Apartment. Miss Draper Gill, 26 years old, re- garded as one of the best informed book clerks in Weshington, an emplcye of Woodward & Lothrop's department store, was found cead in a fourth floor attic room at the student rooming house of Mrs. R. A. Coglan, at 1625 K street, this morning, gas flowing from a jet in the rcom. Coroner Nevitt certified that death was from suicide. A maid in the rooming house, tracing the smell of escaping gas, found Miss Gill in _the gas-filled room. The win- dows of the room were closed, but the door was unlocked. Reom Nearly Bare. A veritable “bookworm,” according to Khel' associates in the department store, Miss Draper died with little other than books beside her. Her room was almost bare, conteining only a bed, a dresser and chairs, and some of her treasured | books. The fire rescue squad was called as soon es Miss Gill's body was found, and efforts were made to resuscitate her, but life had been extinct for some time. "he bedy was removed to the District | Morgue to await claim by relatives. Miss Gill, employed by the depart- ment store some months ago, had left | the position and had just returned last Thursday. She worked Friday and Saturday; buts had not appeared at the store this week. Monday she sent a telegram to the store saying she would bs unable to come to work because of n injured ankle. Informed of Miss Gill's_death this momix\gbxs Catherine 8. Ward, buyer in . the department. of the store, tained Mis§ Gill's re-employ- | ment last week, exclaimed: | “Oh, T knew I should have gone to sce Draper last night!” Had Noticed Girl Was Moody. Mrs, Werd, a close fricnd of Miss Gill, said she had noticed some time| ago that the girl was moody. “When I found her that way I was afraid she mignt do something to her-, self, so I'd invite her to dinner and try to boost up her spirits. I'm so sorry I didn't get to see her last night,” she declared. Officials of the store have notified Miss Gill's only relative in Washington, an uncle, William H. Gill, an engineer, with offices in the Mills Building. Miss Gill's parents are dead. She had a brother, who is in the Coast Guard Service. TEXTILE STRIKERS ARE GIVEN WARNING Danville Reports Violence Abated ‘When Court Proposes Jail Sen- tences for Lawbreakers. Epecial Dispatch to The Star. DANVILLE, Va, October 22.—The see-saw aspect of the textile strike situ- ation was peaceful once more today following_acts of violence y-sterday. No disorders were reported over night following Magistrate C. K. Carter's warning, in fining tarce men for creat- ing an unlawful asembly and inciting to violence by alleged intimidation of a worker, that all such future offenders | would b= sent to jail. The court served | this notice after Commonwealth's At- |torney John W. Carter had held, in | issuing a statement of rights in the | local strike, that Intimidation consti- tut-d an zct of violence and that it was not necessary that physical violence be resorted to to constitute a breach of | “peaceful persuasion” permitted under the 1 | “Verbal abuse and criticism, as brought out in the evidence against the men, whizh operates on the mind and fear of the individual, is the worst form of | violence, Carter declared. The defend- | ants, among a_group of 15 who pre- vented Miss Sallie Hudgins from going to work by such alleged methods, were fined $50 and costs each. They were Sam Cardwell, Harvey Boyters and | Ernest Moore. Pickets continued on | duty today, but mass demonstrations | appeared to have becn abandoned, tem- | porarily at least, in favor of “mission: ary work.” State Labor Commissioner John Hop- kins Hall and T. McCall Frazier, State motor vehicle commissioner, were in the | city yesterday in connection with the strike and conferred with union offic | but no statement in this respect given out. \COLORED GROUP HOLDS | ITS ANNUAL ELECTION | Association held its annual election of cfficers last night at the Afri Meth- odict Eptscopal Metropolitan Church, with the following results: Edward L. | Scott, president; James E. Monroe, first vice president; Julia West Hamiltor second vice president; Alice W. , T cording secretary: Anna S. Payne, cor- responding secretary; Joseph Ruffl treasurer; Jchn Simms, lNbraria George Rose, marshal, and Marie Jumper, chorister. Discussions by this forum have for | nearly half a century aided in shaping the political and_educatfonal opinion of the colored people in this city. An Executive Committee, consisting {of the following members, was also elected: J. Lankford, E. G. Evans, Maude Smothers, Rosetta Robinson, H. Brown, M. Shelby, John_ Porter, Harry Parker, Marje S Jefferson Coage, W. Hueston, uel Hardy and i The Bothel Literary and Historical .C.CONSTRUGTION WORK I 129 T T S Preliminary Report Is Made by Dr. Morehouse of U. S. Census Bureau. SURVEY SHOWS ITEMIZED VALUES OF 227 FIRMS Outside Concerns Also Build Here, While Capital Companies Do Work Elsewhere. The 227 District firms engaged in construction work here last vear per- formed services valued at $60.850,000, according to a preliminary report today by Dr. Alznson D. Morehouse, chief, construction section, Census of Distri- bution of the United States Bureau of the Census. The preliminary report shows that the total value of work done direct for owners by general contractors and operative builders was $45.497.000, while work done by subcontractors for own- ers amounted to $15,353,000. “It should be remembered in this connection,” the report states, “that work done by District firms includes all their construction during the vear and is not limited to that done within the District, and also that all construc- ticn work in the District last year was not done by local contracto The figures show that of the $57.000.000! worth of construction done in the Dis- | trict last year, $37,000,000 was done by District contractors. The total District construction includes Federal Govern- ment projects amounting to about $15 000,000, of which 2 little more than | $6,000,000 was done by local firms. Subcontracting Outlined. “The amount of construction work | which was done under general contract | and work performed by either general | or subcontraciors directly for owners | should be considered as representing | the actual total value of construction | work, since all work reported as having been done under subcontract is pre- sumed to be included in the schadules of the general contracting firms for which such work was done. This gen- eral -rule may not be found to apply in each individual case, because of the fact that reports have boen received only from those firms which did at least a $25,000 business during 1929. Thus, the part of the work sublet by reporting _general contractors which | was done by subcontractors falling be- | low this minimum classification will not be included in the total value of sub-| contract work performed; or, on the other hand, a complete report may be included in tne tabulation for a large subcontracting firm whose work may consist of & great number of compara- tively small jobs performed in part for general contractors who did less than $25,000 worth of business. “The figures show that of the $16, | tive builders during 1929 more was done untier subcontract. This results pri- marily from the fact that operative build>rs are themselves owners acting contractors. For g-neral building con- tractors the amcunt of work done un- der subcontract giso appears negligible in comparison with the total volume of their year's business, but the subcon- tract work of general highway and street contractors amounts to about 3 per cent of their total construction work. Figures Vary by Class, “The greater part of construction done by contractors engaged in spe- clalized trades was handled under sub- contract. Out of 123 firms cf this class, from whom complete schedules were ceived, only about 16 per cent of thes business was reported as being done di- recily for the owncrs. There is con siderable variation among the different classes of subcontractors, however, in the proportion of work done under sub- contractors or directly for owners; plumbing contractors, for example, re- port botween 20 and 25 per cent of their work directly for owners, whereas contractors engaged in electrical and elevator installation did about 97 per cent of their work under subcontract. “In the long run, it is estimated that a balance will be established between the total value of specialized work per- formed by subcontractors and the total value of such work let by general con- tractors. ‘This. however, will not alway: be found to be the case in reports of individual cities, or possibly even of States or larger areas, owing to the fact that subcontract work let in a given lo- cality may be performed by and re- ported on the schedules of firms located in other cities or States. In the pre- liminary summary of comstruction sta- tistics for the District of Columbia, however, there is a suggestion of this relationship in the fairly close connec- tion between the value of subcontract work let by general building contractors, $16,287,000. and the total amount of work reported by locel construction firms as having been done by them under subcontract, $15,175,000. Subcontracting Ttemized. “In addition to the $16,000,000 worth of subcontract work let by building contractors, however, $7,000,000 worth was reported as having been sublet by operative builders, and $500,006 worth of work was also reported as again sub- let by subcontractors themselves, This latter item is possibly duplicated to 2 considerable extent in the total value «f subcontract work reported and may therefore, be disrcgarded. As a partial ! of $7,000.000 worth of subcontract work let by operative builders, work valued at about $2500,000 was reported on schedules of a few of the principal firms outside the Distriet of Columbia as having been done under subcontract within the District during 1929. This leaves about $5.000,000 worth. of sub- contract work let for which no definite statistics are at present available, but which may be more fully acccunted for when compiete returns have been re- ceived. “The total value of subcontract work performed by local subcontractors dur- ing 1929 was $15,175,000, distributcd am the various trade groups as Per Cent. Plumbing . 214 Masonry and stcne work. . . Concreting and concrete form Marble and tiling . Painting, decorating ai ing .. Sheet metal and Excavating . | Heating and pipin; Labor Gets 15 Per Cent. “Of $16,256,000 total value of con- . 11 ! nd plaster- Toofing . per cen ployed directly by theaoperative bui'd- ers themselves, 22 per cent was paid out 256,000 worth of work done by opera- | in the additional capacity of gencral | | i | balance against the additional amount | The Secretary of the Navy, Charles Francis Adams, yesterday rcceived the recommendation of the Commission of Fine Arts for the design of a medal to be presented to the officers and men of the Byrd Antarctic expedition. the acceptznce of the design will be made within the next few days. ant whose design is finally approved by the Secretary. the design selected by the Fine Arts Commission. Decision of Cne thousand dollars will be paid to the contest- Ernest Lee Jahncke, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, is shown with —Wide World Photo. TAXI COMPANIES SUED FOR $30 Public Utilities Commission Asks Penalty for Three Withheld Reports. The Public Utilities Commission to- day made another effort to compel 35 cent cab fleets to obey its orders by bringing suit in Municipal Court to col- lect penalties aggregating 33,000 from three of the flat-rate concerns. The companies which are sued, cach for $1,000, are the City Cab Co., the Bell Ceb Co. and H. C. Mockabee, jr., and others trading as the Astor Cab Co. The declarations against the com- panies, which are similar excent for the names, all state that the Public Utilities Commission directed the de- fendants to file monthly detailed operat. ing reports of the fifteenth day of th month following, that the defendan | had notice of the order, but nevertheless did not file their September reports by October 15. The suit set out that demands had been made on the companies October 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 without results. The penalty is $200 per day for each refusal, and consequently the sum saed for is 1,000 for each concern. The actions are brought in the name of the District of Columbia as provided by the public utilities act. William A. plaintiff. He isva special assistant cor- poration counsel handling public util- fy matters for the District HAGERMAN, JR., LEAVES ESTATE WORTH $130,107 Personal Property Valued at $120,- 045 Is Left by Dean E. Erown, According to Widow's Petition. James Hagerman, jr, who died Oc- tober 11, left an estate valued at $130,- 107.04, according to the petition of Frank S. Bright, his executor, for the probate of his will. He owned real es- tate assessed at $83,500 and had per- sonal property estimated at $46,607.04. He is survived by three*daughters, Mr: Annalee Siddons, 2116 Kalorama roa Mrs. Margaret Conner, 1359 en- ouse street, and Jamie Hagerman, 3317 Newark street. Attorneys H. S. Hein- ichs Frank S. Bright represent the cstate. b Dean E. Brown. who died in Balti- more September 25, owned no real e: tate, but had personal property esti- mated at $120,045.97, according to_the petltion of his widow, Mrs. Bertha Bliss Brown, for the probate of his will. As no executor is named in the document, the widow requested that she be grant- ed letters of administration with the will annexed. Under the terms of the will 10 shares each of the stock of the Globe & Rut- gers Co. is given to his children, Kath- erine A Brown, Dean E. Brown, and Clarence G. Brown. The widow s to have the remaining estate. Attor- ney W. C. Sullivan represents her. JURY IS PUZZLED Alleged Be;i’rh!fi. énuses Vain Deliberation 15 1-2 Hours. MINDEN, Nebr., October 22 (A).— After delibcrating 1572 hours a District Court jury ennounced y:sterday it was unab'e to decide whether Orville Moon, 23, had stolen two cases of beer or Whether he was guilty of burgiary. The jurcrs were dismissed and Moon continued fr-e under bond. County Attorney J. L. McPheely sald the case would be tried again soon. The complaint against Moon was made by John W. Conyers, 2 farmer. Argentine Vice President Il BUENOS AIRES, October 22 (P).— Enrique Santa Marina, Vice President of Argentina, is ill and for the past few days has not appeared at his office. Doctors having recommended absolute rest, the Vice President will leave today for his country residence. by them for materials and 46 per cent of the value of the work was sublet. The distribution of costs of general building contractors varies considerably from these proportions, 70 per cent of their total work, valued at $23,446.000, having been let to subcontractors, while about 10 per cent of the total value of their work was paid out directly for labor and 8 per cent for materials fus nished by the original contractor. Al- though the number of gencral highway and street contractors reporting is com- paratively small, the total volume of susiness amounted to more than $3,000,- 000 and the distribution of costs on this amount of work may be taken at least as indicative of the general situ- ation in that field. Of the total work reported by such firms during 1929, slightly more than 2 per cent was sub- let, 38 per cent was paid out for labor and another 38 per cent for materials used in construction work. “As would naturally be expected, the distribution of costs involved in the work reported by subcontractors differs materially from that shown for the gen- eral contracting group. A summary of data of 123 subcontracting firms shows that approximately 36 per cent of the $18,008,000 worth of work performed was paid out es wages, 43 per cent was the cost of building materials or equipment installed by them, while only 38 per cent of their work was reported as again sublet.” JOHN MORELAND DIES; ‘ WAS D. C. GROCERYMAN | S ‘Funernl Services to Be Conducted at Residence Friday—Interment | in Glenwood Cemetery. | John Edwin Moreland, 46 years old, | member of the firm of Moreland Bros., | which conducts a grocery business at | 1113 Fifteenth street, died at his home, | 3623 Ordway street, last night after a | short illness. Death was ascribed to cerebral hemorrhage. | 'Mr. Moreland is survived by his widow, Mrs. Elsle M. Moreland; a young daughter, Elsie Moreland, and three brothers,” William S. and Arthur H.| | Moreland, with whom he was in busi- | ness and Paul H. Moreland. |~ Funeral services will be conducted | at the residence Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Interment will be in Glenwood | Cemetery. \ UTLERHAY ENER * HARD FORINSHNE Officials Start Action to Send | Hub Fire Suspect to St. | Elizabeth’s. | Steps to commit Lingan A. Butler to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital were taken to- { Roberts appears as counsel for the day by District officials following his indictment by the grand jury yesterday |on two charges of arson in connection with fires in warehouses of the Hub Furniture Co Butler was adjudged to be of unsound Wednesday by Dr. Henry E. Austin psrchiatrist at Gallinger Hospital, wko had had him under observition since October 3. Immediately after his in- | dictracnt by the grand jury Butler was released to the sanitary officer of the Disrict, who made preparations to in- stitute lunacy proceedings to have him committed to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. Dr. Edgar A. Bocock, superintendent of Gallinger Hoepital, where Butler is still confined, expressed some surprise over the indictment in view of Dr. Austin's report. At the United States attorney's office, however, it was said, the procedure was | not eunusual, and the indictment wes returned so that in the event Butler's mental condition is restored to normal under treatment he could be prosecuted on the arson charge, after his rclease | | from St. Eiizabcth's Hospital. Butler is alleged to have sct fire to two warehouses of the Hub Furniture Co., where he was employed, which re- sulted in a total fire loss of nearly $200,000. Police said he admitted he started a fire at the warehouse at 19 M street July 29, and the fire at the | warehouse at 80 L street northeast September 24. SIR JOHN FAGGE WEDS RICH WIDOW IN ENGLAND i Wikl | Massachusetts Day Laborer, Who| Inherited Baronetcy, Chooses Mrs. | Murdock of Boston as Bride. | By the Assoctated Press. | LONDON, October 22.—The marri- | age of Sir John Fagge, Massachusetts | | auctioneer and day laborer, who last | January inherited a baronetcy, to Mrs. | | Murdock of Boston, widow of the wealthy patent'food manufacturer, was revealed here yesterday by a relative, | Noel Goss. | The wedding of the American widow | and the 61-year-old baronet, who found when he reached England that his title | brought no funds with it, took place se- cretly, he said, at a church in Stafford October 15. There were neither rela- tives nor friends present, and after a brief visit to Stoke-on-Trent to see relatives and announce their marriage the bride and bridegroom salled for America aboard the Scythia. sir John first met Mrs. Murdock on a liver en route to Europe. Before her marriage to Murdock she was Flor- | ence Goss, daughter of the late W. H. Goss, founder of the Goss China Works. Opera Singer Wins Divorce. CHICAGO, October 22 (#).—Mrs. Elizabeth Kerr Harvey, member of the Chicago Civic Opera cas!, yesterday won a divorce from Dr. James Fred- erick Harvey, prominent physician and | psychiatrist, on grounds of crueity. mind and not responsible for his acts last | BAR GROUP ACTS ON HALF-HOLIDAY Congressional Poll to Learn Views on Saturday Res- pite Is Proposqd. _The effort of the Federal Bar Asso- ciation to estzblish the Saturday half- holiday in Government departments | was cutlined last night at the associa- | | tion’s first mesting of the season at the | United States Chamber of Commerce. William Roy Vallance of the State De- partment presided as president of the association. ‘The association is interestcd in three lines of endeavor, it was pointed out. The attention of President Hoover has b2en directed to the wording of the negotiable instruments law, which specifics Saturday as a legal holiday. To Take Congressional Poll. George Warren is head of a commit- tee which is dealing directly with Con- gress. The meeting was told that a poll of memb:rs of Congress probably would be taken to.learn their position with reference to obtaning early action | on pending Saturday half-holiday legis- lation. J. B. Tate, assistant solicitor of the State Department, and Elton L. Mar- shall, newly appeinted solicitor of the Agriculture Department, delivered ad- dresses. Mr. Tate, who visited in Geneva last Summer, described his impressions international relations. Mr. Mar- | shall, who recently left private practice Missouri to enter Government serv- . spoke of the contribution of lawyers to the progress of the Nation and of the | obligations impos2d by their work. Reports Are Heard. william E. Monty of the Shipping Board, the treasurcr, reported that the asso~iation’s finances are in good con- diticn. Rowland S. H. Dyer delivered a report on the association’s entcrtain- ment of British and French lawyers whio visited Washington in August. Reports also were mad2 by William A. Roberts of the corporation counsel's office, chairman of the association’s Constitutional Committee, who proposed certain changes in the by-laws, and | George A. Bache, chairman of the | Membership Committee, who said that |an increasc of 15 per cent had been | noted in the last year. 'DENIES SEWAGE DANGER "IN D. C. WATER SUPPLY Supt. -Curtis Says No Rain Could Wash Refuse From Willetts Creek Into System. J. E. Curtis, superintendent of the | reservoir and filtration plant at Dale- carlia, D. C., said today that there was no basis to publish reports that sewage from Willett'’s Creek would flow into the District’s water supply system. in case of heavy rains. There has always been sewage in “his creek, he said, but the-creek empties into a large tunnel at the mouth, which carries the contents of the stream to a point in the Potomac River far from he intake of the District conduit, which draws water out of the Potomac into the Dalecarlia Reservoir. Even if we had 40-day rain, such as confronted Noa! Mr, Curtis said, “it would still be impossible for the Willett Creek sewage to get into the conduit.” MARRIAGE PROPOSAL IS DENIED BY WOMAN Norma L. Chetham, Suing Edward E. Brown for Damages, Denies She Introduced Boy, 16, as Son. Denying that she had proposed mar- riage to Edward E. Brown, 1134 Twelfth street, whom she is suing for $10,000 damages for alleged breach of promise to marry her, Norma L. Chetham, 519 Third street, has filed in the District Supreme Court a replication to the plea interpcsed by counsel for Brown. She also denies that she had introduced | a 16-year-old boy to him as her son after she had told him she had never been married. Brown said he broke off the engag ment when the boy o{iuf‘_»d him. He s girese ™ g foc “while i "PHardison represents annd, C Altorney Robert the plaintiff. FEAR OF OLD AGE Fearing blindness, which he believed approaching, Abraham Poms, 59-year- old painter, hanged himself in the stair- way of his home at 1204 Irving street some time between 5 and 7:30 o'clock this morning. Poms woke early today and at 5 o'clock complained to his son, Samuel, who lives with him, that “everything is turn- ing black” and that he was afraid he was going blind. Two and a half hours tached to the hai from & rope atl his feet dangling nging second-floor ban! later the son found his father's body |had IN BLINDNESS DRIVES PAINTER TO HANG SELF = Abraham Poms, 59, Leaves Note—Tells of Preference for Death to Dreary Future. ".,l;ed first floor. The son cut down the y. Emergency Hospital was summoned and the man was pronounced dead by Dr. R. W. Cozby of the hospital staff. A note, written in Yiddish, was left by Poms. Acgarding to headquarters detectives whio Investi the tragedy, it bore the#plaintive fea gld age in blindness and the determinatiog to die rather than face such dreary futuge. police were told that Poms had stiffered eye trouble for some time and th operated upon recently preserve his sight. fes the son who found him, effort, in space above steps lcading from ‘s sutvived by his wife, Mrs. Libby Po BARRAGE OF GUNS 10 MARK OPENING OF VETS' REUNION 5,000 Soldiers Attached to First Division to Convene Here Tomorrow. DELEGATES TO NAME OFFICERS SATURDAY Pilgrimage to Tcmb of Unknown Soldier and Parade Sched- uled Friday. ‘Tomorrow morning at 6:05 o'clock— the exact time of the mcrning on which the first shot was fired by American troops in the World War, October .23, 1917—Bett C of the 6th Field Ar- tillery, the outfit that fired the shot, will fire a tbree-round salvo at Fort Myer, marking the beginning of the twelfth annual reunion of the 1st Di- vision opening in this city. The 6th Field Artillery was a unit of the ist Division. The present Battery C 1is coming from Fort Hoyle, Md., to fire the salvo in the morning. Battery C of the old 1st Division was in the Somerville sec- ter cn the Lotraine front on that morn- ing in 1917 when it was given firing dalavand trained its guns on its target sending shells crashing over into the German lines. Some 5,000 members of the 1st Divi- sion are expected to register here to- morrow for the reunion. Their head- quarters will be in the Willard Hotel, The reunion will be under auspices of the District Chapter of the 1st Division Society, the local chapter being com- posed of troops living in Maryland, Vir- ginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. To Honor Unknown Soldier. ‘Tomorrow will be devoted principally to registration, to be followed by regi- mental get-together meetings in the Willard Hotel tomorrow night. The former buddies in the various regiments are to gather in groups at times to be arranged by each separate regimental group.- Gen. Charles P. Summerall, chief of staff of the Army, is president of the 1st Division Society. Friday morning delegates will make a pilgrimage to the Tomb of the Un- known Soldier in Arlin; Cemetery. ‘This will be followed by lunch at Fort Myer at noon, to be succccded by a special cxhibition of troops and a pa- rade of the veterans at Fort Myer Pri- day afterncon. A feature of the lat'er will be the gathering of regimental colors and passing in review before Gen. Summerall. Saturday morning a trip will be made to Mount Vernon and Saturday after- noon, at 2:30 o'clock, a special cere- mony will be held at the 1st Division Monument, just south of the State, War and Navy Building. At the latter addresses are to be de- livered by former Chief Justice Walter McCoy and Gen. Summerall, former commander of the division and presi- dent of the division's society. The pro- gram will include a grouping of colors around the menument. Elect Officers Saturday. The only business session of the re- union will b2 Leld foll g a banquet of the veierans in the Willard Hotel Saturday n.ght ai 7 o'clock. Officers will be elected and other business con- ducted at this meeting. Addresses are to be delivered at the banquet by various former commanders of the division able to attend the re- union. It was not known definitely today just which of these will be here. Besides Gen. Summerall, the other division commanders at different stages of the war were Maj. Gen. William L Sibert, Lieut n. Robert Lee Bullard, Maj. Gen. E. F. McBlachlin and Maj. Gen Frank Parker. All except Gen. Summerall have been retired. There are about 87,000 former mem- bers of the 1st Division, including the various replacements and the units that served with it at various times. Besides Gen. Summerall, other officers of the 1st Division Society are: Maj. A. M. Patch of Fort Washing- ton, Md., and Sergt. David L. Prisel of Washington, vice presidents; Capt. Henry C. Evans, jr. Baltimore, treas- urer; Maj. Redmond Stewart, Baltimore, and Master Sergt. Stephen Flaherty of Wuhlr&t;m Barracks, directors, and Capt. George J. Forester, Infantry, Tor* Myer, Va., secretar: EAST ROOM PAGEANT SLATED FRIDAY NIGHT Eleven Episodes to Reveal History of White House From 1799 to 1865. Mrs. William Wayne Wirgman's pageant, “The East Room.” depicting events of historical importance which took place in the east room of the White House from December, 1799, to March, 1865, will be held Friday night at 8:30 o'clock in the Willard Hotel under auspices of St. Margaret's Epis- copal Church. Eleven episodes” will be shown, be- ginning with President Washington's inspection of the unfinished rocm and ending with Mrs. Lincoln's passing through the room on her way to the administration ball. The Production Committee includes Mrs. Wirgman, Mrs. Fulton Lewis, Mrs. Willoughby Chesley, Prof. A. 1. Cran- dall, Percy Van Ness, Mrs. Joseph Wall, Mrs. Owen Albright, Mrs. © Grimes and Mrs. Ed~ [0 = Ke'cgle at <a the Willard newsstand: i g ATTACKS ON MEDICAL ASSOCIATION CHARGED hysician Tells Radio Commission KTNT Owner Was Abusive in His Broadcasting. | By the Assoclated Press. Testimony that he heard Norman Ba- ker broadcast over Station KTNT at- tacks on physicians in Muscatine, Iow: and call &9 American Medical Associ: tion the “American Meat Cutters Asso- ciation,” was given today before the Radio Commission by Dr. Thomas F. Beveridge of Muscatine. Baker is owner of Mtation KTNT, at Muscatine. The station has been or- dered by the commission to show why it should remain on the air. Its proba- tionary license was renewed yesterday for 30 days from November 1. Dr. Beveridge. a member of the Mus~ catine County Medical Society, sald Baker, who founded the Baker Institute for the Treatment of Cancer at Musca- tine, had told his radio audiences he going 'fin ust the American Medi