Evening Star Newspaper, December 19, 1930, Page 17

MCARL CRITIGIZES AUDITING METHODS| IN3LOCAL OFFICES, Controller General Declares Records Kept of District Finances Inadequate. SHORTAGES REVEALED | IN MUNICIPAL COURT | Report Says Recommended Changes Adopted by Only Two ‘ Departments. 1 | Criticism of accounting methods in the District Auditor's Office, the Dis- bursing Office and Municipal Court are ntained the the annual report of Controller General J. Raymond McCarl The criticism is most severe as to the Municipal Court, as to which the re- port states that “there is an utter im- Ppracticability of effecting necessary checks and balances between the ac-| counts of depositors and cash records maintained by the clerk.” One short- age in the accounts, revealed by an in- vestigation, was made up, McCarl as- serts in his report, but a second mcn-‘ age of $466.35 involving deposits in| more than 1,000 cases, existed at the| time the report was written (June 30 30). | A cther compleint is made that the disbursing office does not function as an independent entity, but as an ad- junct to the auditor's office, and that the auditor's office has basic accounting | records which provide “no means of centralized control over the revenues of | the District government.” Improvements Recommended. | ‘Numerous recommendations have been | made to the District Commissioners, the | report states, covering improvements in | Accounting methods in the assessor’s | office, the auditor's office, the Board of Public Welfare, the collector’s office, the disbursing office, the License Bureau, the Municipal and Police Courts and the Water Department, but the improved systems have been installed only in the Police Court and the per- sonal tax division of the assesscr's office. On the Municipal Court situation the | report sets cut: “Investigation disclosed that the ac- counts of the Municipal Court were | being 5o kept as not to b: susceptible | to balance, and, notwithstanding pe- riodic administratiye audits, an exam ination of the record disclosed many | discrepancies. ! | Unused balances of de- | posits had Rot been covered into the eral fund of the District of Columbia for more than 15 years. Between cash records of the clerk and bank state- ments there existed an unaccounted for difference of more than $1,200. To cor- rect this the General Accounting Of- fice, in_co-operation with the auditor of the District? of Columbia, undertook to install a suitable accounting system, | but recent reports indicate that the ac- | counting record is not being currently | maintained. ‘ Proper System Needed. ! “There is prastical need for a proper | accounting system to record the trans-! actions of the Municipal Court, and this need is evidenced by the discovery of a shortage, the amount of which was re- stored, representing differences noted in 407 cases, and the existence at this time of an additional shortage of $466.35 represented by differences in more than 14 cases. Also there is an utter im- practicability of efecting necessary checks and balances between the ac- counts of depositors and the cash re ords maintained by the clerk. And fur- | ther, the docket record is insufficient as | an aid in depositing promptly to the credit of the general fund of the District of Columbia the amount due to it under the act of February 17, 1909.” | As to the auditor's office the report | | | ‘The basic accounting records of the District of Columbia, viz, those main- tained in the office of the auditor, pro- vide no means of centralized control over the revenues of the District gov- ernment. The present centralized record comprises merely a set of memo- randum accounts that are bullt up in practically all cases from reports of collections by the collector of taxes and therefore do not reflect the true tus of receivables accruing through | the activities of the various depart- ments. While the records of the dif- ferent departments are in somewhat greater detail than those of the audi- tor, the routine for recording and re- porting the various transactions affords | no means for a ematic audit and | the establishment periodically of proper | reconciliations. This is particularly noted in the records compiled on an- nual tax levies, special assessments, water rents, licenses and permits The methods used to check receipts do not | proceed from the source through which the best type of proof would ordi-| narily be expected. | Outlived Usefulness. “Many of the practices that are now | being followed have outlived their use- | fulness and in recommendations sub- | mitted to the Commissioners sugges- | tions have been made for modifications | of systias and procedures with a view | not oni: to improving the general ac- | counting structure, but for effecting | substantial economies as well. “Too much stress cannot be placed upon the imperative need for adequate | accounting systems, economically con- ducted, and it is earnestly hoped that means will be found to require prompt and specific action upon the recom- mendations of this office pursuant of | the duty imposed by the budget and | accounting act. ESCAPES OVER ROOF Proprietor of Raided Establishment Flees and Avoids Arrest. Fleeing over roof tops when members of the police vice squad raided his place last night, the F‘l’nprk‘lm of an alleged gaming establishment at Pennsylvania Avenue near Seventeenth street slipped through the hands of the raiding party and made his escape. The man made his way to the roof ‘when the officers closed in and fled over adjoining buildings. Eighteen men found on the premises were released after police found they had no connec- tion with the actual operation of the Tesort. Slips, money, cards and racing infor- mation were seized as evidence. JANITOR FOUND DEAD Body Discovered in Basement With Gas Flowing From Jet. James Earl Newton, colored, 28 vears old, janitor of an apartment house at 3624 Connecticut enue, was found dead In the basement of the building this mom| with gas escaping from | Buffalo for Manila. WASHINGTON, D. ) CONVIGTED KILLERS AWAIT SENTENCES FOR BUSH MURDER Carnell and Mahoney May Get 20 Years to Life - in January. DEFENDANTS GRATIFIED AT AVOIDING EXECUTION | Virtual Demand for Death Penalty | Made by Prosecutor—Slayer's e | Mother Ordered Released. —Star Staff Photo. their terms must range between 20 years IN U S.6 YEARS PATRICK Convicted of the second degree mur- | der of Louis Bush, bus line owner, Wil liam J. Carnell and Frank Mahoney to- | day awaited sentence. Under the law, | January. The defendants appeared gratified by a verdict returned by a District Su- preme Court jury yesterday. Their at- | torneys, Louis L. Whitestone, F. J. | Donahue, W. R. Lichtenberg and Cedric | Johnson,’ said they were satified with | [ the verdiet. Wounded Struggling With Carnell. Bush was fatally wounded October | 6, last, in a struggle with Carnell in the garage of his home at 3534 Fulton strest. The bus magnate had reslswd‘ a robbery attempt. Less than an hour and three quar- ters was spent by the jury in reaching Uniged States and service with Dewey's 5 verdict on evidence presented during fleet at Manila Bay, Patrick Dougherty | the trial, which started dMondag'. Car- of 111 Second street has just learned he | nell momentarily seemed on_the verge S he | Of acquittal when Bradner W. Holmes, In 1884, “Pat” Dougherty, whose | the foreman, became confused and said young Irish soul was filled with adven- he had been fourd not guilty on both | ture, left his home in County London- | counts on the indictment. —Holmes derry,/and came to the United States. | quickly explained, however, that both| A safior by profession, he enlisted with | the defendants had been found guilty, the American Merchant Marine and ©Of second degree murder. |for many years salled the seas with| A virtual demand for the death { American ships, always returning to his penalty had been made by William H. | home in Philadelphia. In 1897, Dough- Collins, an assistant United States at-| erty realized that, despite his 13%years torney. While he failed to ask fol'i in the country, he was not yet an Am- execution of the men in expressed erican citizen, and so took out his “first Wwords, the pmsccuhr‘in cd that they | papers.” . | be found guilty as indicted. As the | indictment charged first-degree murder, | conviction would have carried with it mandatory electrocution. ‘ Mother Ordered Released. | Before the case went to the jury, Jus- tice Gordon ordered the release of Mr: “After taking, the oath of allegiance Sarah M. Sullivan, mother of Carncl when 1 enlisted,” he said, “I thought | She had been held in jail on the in-| that made me a citizen. structions of a coroner’s jury. | “I got my honorable discharge when | Defense counsel voiced strenuous op- | the war was ended and again went to position to first-degree verdicts in their | sea with the American merchant ma- arguments. They denied the Govern- rine.” ment’s contention that the slaying had His wife and son were living in New | been premeditated. They made no ef-| York, 50 a few months ago he applied | fort, however, to gain outright release | for work in the Government service| for their clients. | zhm,mfle o8, Just about to be eiven f e a position in the New York Customs House, when an official asked him for JOINT MEET PLAN msDcmrilensmp papers. n | ougherty brought forth his honor- able discharge from the United States | Navy. He also displayed numerous tes- FOR TRAFF'C LAws timonials of service well done with ves= n sels of the American merchant marine. | i S None of thefe credentials sufficed: Ee'D' C., Tirginia and Maryland Com- must ve citizenship papers. Dough- . § erty was confused. His treastired -hon- mittees Asked to Uniform orable discharge;’ did not make him an Code Session. Came to Washington. He thought of his first papers, taken out many years before in Philadelphia, and found they had been destroyed. He was advised to come to Washington. A few weeks ago, he applied to the Naturalization Bureau here. He was advised to seek assistance at the Americanization School. “The school has helped him to prepare | © his papers and necessary steps to make him an American, have already been inaugurated by the old Irish sailor. Man Who Fought Under Dewey at Manila Refused Customs Job. BY GRETCHEN SMITH. After a residence of 46 years in the Sailed for Manila. A few months later war was de- clared against Spain, and “Pat” volun- teered among the first. He enlisted in the Navy and sailed on the U. S. S. A joint meeting of representatives | of the District of Columbia, Virginia and Maryland will be arranged, if pos- | sible, next week, to study the ‘changes needed in the traffic rules and regula- tions in the three jurisdictions in order | to bring them as closely as possible into [ uniformity with the uniform vehicle | ode. This was decided at & meeting of Maryland authorities in_the Metro- | politan Club yesterday, when the sub- | | sect was discussed at length | *"The Maryland group agreed on the | | general principle that the traffic_laws of Maryland and of the other States should be brought into conformity as soon as-practicable. The decision to attempt to meet with | representatives of the District of Co- lumbia and Virginia was made in the hope that some specific uniform fea- tures could be selected as desirable and definite recommendations made at the coming session of the General As- An application for executive clemency | sembly, in behalf of John B. Kelleher, serving | ° Those who attended yesterday's ses- five years for conviction on a charge |sion included State Scnator Lansdale of operating a gambling house, was be- | . Sasscer, Col. A, B. Barber and H. fore the pardon attorney at the Justice | M. Lucius, who were appointed by the Department today. Indications were | Governor in accordance with an act that a favorable recommendation would | pssed by the 1929 Assembly to study be forwarded to the White House late | the advisability of revising the State in the. week. : : | traffic_code. Kelleher has been in the District| This committee was assisted by Col Jail since June, 1929, and would be|f Austin Baughman. commissioner of eligible for parole February 14, 1931. | motor vehicles: Herbert Levi of the at- | Extenuating circumstances in his case | orney general's office, and Palmer R. were said by Justice Department officials | Nickerson. counsel for the Maryland to be under consideration, including | Automobile Club. the fact that $7,500 fine imposed upon the prisoner has been paid. This, an unusual procedure in such cases, Was accomplished _ yesterday by Kelleher's | wife, Emma B. Kelleher, who called at the clerk’s office in the District Supreme | Court Building and paid the fine. An effort is being made to hasten action so that President Hoover might have the case before Christmas. “RED” SPEA EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY IS ASKED FOR GAMBLER Hoover May Act on Kelleher Case. Wife’s Payment of $7,500 Fine Bolsters Appeal. WIFE ASKS INJUNCTION IN SUING FOR DIVORCE | Would Have Court Restrain Wil- liam R. Lyman From Harassing i Her, Petition States. KER HELD | m. porothy J. Lyman, a minor, | through her mother, Mrs. Charlotte B. | McDermott, 1320 Fairmont street, to- Colored Communist of New York | gay gsied ‘the District Supreme Court | for & limited divorce from William R. st et e et | Lyman, 1312 Floral street, and for an Arrested while delivering a speech on | injunction to prevent him from har- Communism before nearly 200 listeners | rassing her. The girl tells the court last night in a hall in the 1200 block of ; that her husband attacked her in front U ‘street, Leonard Patterson, colored, 24 | of a restaurant after a chance meeting | years old, of New York, was booked at | and blackened her eye. She also ac- {he eighth precinct station on & charge | cuses him of other cruel and inhuman of disorderly conduct | treatment. Police took Patterson into custody on | They were married September 4, 1928 the complaint of the manager of the and the wife says she was obliged to hall, who explained that the auditorium | leave her husband in October, 1929. had' been rented for a dance and not | She is represented by Attorney John for a “red” ral D. sadler. FEAR FOR SAFETY OF MONUMENT HOLDS UP SUNKEN GARDENS PLAN! Proposal May Be Abandoned to Prevent *Leaning Tower” WHERE HUGE PLANE LANDED SAFELY IN BAS HEATING RATE [P FOR INQURY Furnace Owners Claim Bills Are Higher Than Estimates | Made by Company. The Public Utilities Commission 15| preparing for inquiries into rates affect- | ing two utility commodities—gas and telephone service 1 Several complaints have come to the | commission from those who have in- | stalled gas furnaces in their homes mazi the ‘bills have not been as low as the heating estimates furnished by the Washington Gas Light Co. Taking cognizance of these complaints, the commission today wrote to the company | giving notice that the complaints had | been received. This probably will result | in the holding of & public hearing, al- | though the hearing has not yet been | ordered definitely. “Notice is hereby given,” the con sion’s letter to the company said. “that | the commission has received several | complaints with regard to gas heating | rates and estimates for heating costs | made at time of installation, and with | respect to minimum Lill and maximum | hourly rate of use provisions of your schedule B.” The telephone rate controversy cen- ters around the company's charge of 25 cents per month extra for the use of hand phones, also known as “French” | telephones. The commission wrote to | the company as follows: | “Regarding & conversation had with Van Orsdell and Bliss (R. A. Van Ors- | dell and E. G. Bliss, ~ounsel and com- mercial manager of the company, re- spectively). The question of the rea- | sonableness of further continuance of | the additional charge for the use of hand-set telephones was discussed. The commission is investigating this matter and would appreciate your views at | vour earliest convenience.” | PURSE-SNATCHERS ROB TWO WOMEN OF $22.50 Youth, 15, and Colored Woman Ac- cused of Grabbing Cash—Other | Looting Cases Reported. Two purse snatcher's made a suc- cessful foray in the northwest section of the city last night and escaped with the pocketbooks of two women, contain- ing a total of $22.50 in cash and other articles. Mrs. Katherine V. Young, 1358 Harvard street, told police of the tenth precinct she was walking at Thirteenth and Harvard street, when a youth about | 15 years of age, dashed up, grabbed her purse and fled. It contained $17.50. A colored woman seized the pocket- | book of Mrs. Robert W. Smith, Roose- velt Hotel, three hours later at Twen- tieth and M streets and raced away. The pocketbook contained $5 in cash, two pairs of eyeglasses and other per- sonal effects. A pickpocket stole nearly $25 in money, an operator’s permit and passes from John W. Ginder of Hyattsville, Md., on a Riverdale car at Fifteenth and G streets last night. Lee Day of the 5000 block Ames street northeast, was robbed of $42 while sitting on a bench in Lafayette Park yesterday afternoon, he said. Day told officers a colored youth grabbed the money while he was counting it and PENNSYLVANIAN WINS 6. U. LAW SCHOOL DEBATE Joseph Paul Sheridan Earns Right | to Enter Competition for Championship. Joseph Paul Sheridan of Pennsyl- vania won the second of @ series of prize debates at the Georgetown Uni- versity Law School last night, thereby eamning the right to enter the final| competition for the championship o(y the school. The contest, consisting of the pres- etnation of legal facts on a question of | agency, was held between selected mem- bers of the_ four law clubs of the school. John N. Mayc-of Maine was given sec- ond honors by the judges. Sheridan is a memper of the Butler Law Club, while Mayo belongs to the Gould Club. The other two contestants were Wal- ter Andrew Shelley of Florida, Carroll Club representative, and Willlam J. Rowan of the District of Columbia, who spoke for the White Club. Al Philip Kane of the District of Columbla, chancellor of the Gould Club, presided. SUSPECT IN ROBBERY OF SENATOR BOUND OVER Charged With Taking Suit Belong- | ing to Wagner From Tailor Shop in Hotel. Charged with stealing a $125 suit be- Result From Disturbing Foundations. of the possible effect the required con- cavations necessary for e ml:el;r o;hn ot eardbia ciround)| Mustion work might have on the Mon- the Washington Monument might vesult | UTRtS CIWlbRUm. ' * L - cstarday in another “leaning tower of Pisa” has | went over the data secured by engineers impelled postponement, if nflfinbmdc'f’" | from drilling operations in the vicinity ment, of the beautification program, ;‘ |of the Monument, and ventured the 50 ’Enr as sunkl;n "qur:-‘i hlcfce nfi‘;‘"‘"{ofgm; opu)‘(lon th:l, the es:bl&hme}:}:w of 0 comment was | sunken gardens around the ric from the: National Ogpiiar Park; e landmark is not feasible, dué o o great ing mmi lon ¢ mass of cla; low e lonument’s Dessimistic findings of its Special Ad- | foundation, i b Visory Committee with regard to the | Probably scme compromise between longing to Senator Robert F. Wagner of Rew York and other clothing from a tatlor shop in the Shoreham Hotel, Ed- ward Miller, alias Junius Richardson, | was remanded to the grand jury under $2,000 bond from Police Court today. Herbert M. Cornwell, proprietor of the shop, reported that $645 in clothing had been taken from his shop several days ago. Policeman C. N. Starnge of the sec- ond precinct discovered Miller trying to sell the clothes to a Seventh street sec- ond-hand store. All of the property was | garden plan. the sunken g--dens plan and leaving of The committee yesterday indicated ! the grounds as they are will be reached, ¥ Reacto Badad talled to Tevive the man. that the sunken gardengamay have 10 | but six months or more will be re- hnumndmm:hmm quired to make a definite 1 recovered, according to Michael F.| Keogh, assistant district attorney. e l:lrln‘ was Jaeld before Judg 3 @he Foening Star FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1930. PAGE B-—1 MUD Above: The huge Fokker test plane which landed safely in the mud on the edge of the old Benning race track yes- terday after Stephen A. Forberger jumped and was killed when the motors stal Below: Lieut. Harrison G. Crocker, the pilot, who did not know that Forbe: Crocker is explaining the accident to the piulice. plane landed. led. rger had jumped to his death until the —Star Staff Photos. CAB DRIVER ROBBED. AND BOUND 10 TREE Three Armed Men Duplicate: Heads “13” Club Saturday Night Crime. | Get $9 and Car. Three unidentiftd men robbed Charles E. Turner of 2329 Green street southeast of his taxicab and $9 before tying him to a tree last night near Po- hick Church, Va., and escaping. t Turner was hailed in Gecrgetown and instructed to drive the trio to the Vir- ginia village. Before arriving at the destination, however, the driver was overpowered and his pockets rifled. ‘Washington and Fairfax County au- thorities were notified a few minutes after a passerby discovered Turner's plight and released him. A search failed to produce the cab or the hold-up men. Edwin J. McKeown of 1627 R street was victimized in an almost identical manner in & wooded section near Ken- sington, Md., Saturday night. Three armed men also participated in that robbery. An unidentified colored man snatched $7 from Clarence A. Bevis, another taxi | driver, of the 1400 block of Chapin street, last night as he sought to make change. The man fled with the money. He had ridden from the 400 block of N street to the Union Station. 2 RUM AUTOMOBILES ARE SEIZED BY POLICE Four Men Escape From Car After Chase—Second Found in Garage. Two rum automobiles were seized by | police last night and early today. The first machine was. confiscated after a chase by Harry Cole and Robert Barrett, headquarters detectives. The occupants, four unidentified men, leaped out of the car at First and Randolph streets, soon after discovering they were being pursued. En route to their homes for dinner, the detectives gave chase when they recognized the liquor-laden automobile | as a stolen car for which a lookout had | been broadcast. This was after the ma- | chine almost crashed into their car. | Thirteen gallons of alleged corn liquor had been packed in the rear seat. | ‘The other machine was discovered in garage near Eleventh and Fairmont | LUCIEN H. MERCIER. |LUCIEN MERCIER NAMED TO HEAD THIRTEEN CLUB | Organization Devoted to Public Speaking and Parliamentary Law Training Elects Officers. Lucien H. Mercier, attorney, was chosen president of the Thirteen Club at its annual election of officers last night, at the Arlington Hotel. Others elected included Herbert G. Pillen, secretary to Representative Charles A. Mooney of Ohio, vice presi- dent; Harry V. Schnabel, secretary; Hanson E. Ely, jr., treasurer; J. F. Moulton, director of education for the Chesapeake & Potomac TIelephone Co., parliamentarian, and Col. Joseph C. Letts, U. S. A., marshal. The board of governors chosen at the same time in- cluded Edgar Morris, Charles R. Huff, Dewey Zirkin and Dr. Carl J. Mess. Mr. Mercier, the new president, lives at 4445 Q street, Foxhall Village. He was associated with Judge Jesse C. Ad- Adkins' appointment to the bench of the District of Columbia Supreme Court. (He formerly was secretary to Senator Gerry of Rhode Island and secretary to Judge A. A. Hoehling, jr. ‘The Thirteen Club is an organization of professional and business men and is devoted to public speaking and parlia- mentary law training. kins in the practice of law before Mr. | OFFERS SHOT AT BY TREE N CHASE Policemen Pursuing Speed- ing Car Retrieve Gun and Later Arrest Two Men. | i | | Policemen C. H. Gould and C. A. | Cartmill of the second precinct were | fired upon twice by three colored men |in an automobile near Fourth and V | streets early today while pursuing the | machine to arrest its driver on a speed- | ing_charge. | Howard Hawkins, colored, 23, and Marshall Washington, colored, 22, both |of 214 V street, were arrested a short | time later when the car was abandoned near their home. They are being held for investigation at No. 2 station. Gould and Cartmill were driving along North Capitol street in a police roadster when they saw a touring car flash across the intersection of North Capitol and Florida avenues at a high rate of speed. The officers gave chase and followed their quarry to Fourth and V streets, where the shots were fired. The colored men escaped in a hail of bullets from the policemen’s revolvers after their gun from the car. Gould and Cartmill abandoned the pur | suit when they realized they were hope- lessly outdistanced by the heavier and faster machine. A “lookout” was broad cast for the touring car and its occu- |pants after the discarded gun was | found. Hawkins and Washington, police say, | were riding in the machine with a third | man, whose identity is known. BOY HURT COASTING A possible fracture of the collar bone, cuts and bruises were suffered by John ‘Wells, 12 years old, of 2627 Adams Mill road, when his sled crashed into an automobile while he was coasting at Biltmore and Nineteenth streets yes- terday afternoon. Harold B. Copenhaven, 23 years old, of the 300 block Webster street, who | was driving the machine with which | the sled collided, removed the young- | ster to Garfield Hospital for treatment. |D. C. Boys Named for West Point. David A DeArmond, 1918 N street, and John Lemon, 2121 New York avenue, this city, nave been appointed by the President cadets at large at the West Point Military Academy, subject to qualification at the entrance ex- amination in March next. a streets. It was equipped with smoke- screen apparatus. Police were unable | to trace the owner through the “dead” tags. LATE EVENII\.IG SHOPPING | Seventh Street Merchants to Keep Stores Open at Night. | Tardy buyers and those unable to do their shopping in the afternoon will Le afforded the opportunity of late eve- ning shopping with the announcement by merchants with stores on Seventh sireet, between New York avenue and G street, that their establishments will remain open until 9 o'clock every night until Christmas. Merchants who will participate in this miniature “Great White Way” include Franc Jewelry Co., George & Co., Jacks Department store, Kay Jewelry Co., King’s Palace, Livingstons, Marx Jewelry Co, Marvin's, Peerless B "‘e,:o. Sigmund’s, and Schwartz y YEGG WHO EMBRACED RELIGION AT DEATH GETS CHRISTIAN BURIAL Catholic Charities Society Claims Body of Desperado Who | Called Priest to Administer Last Rites. Because he embraced the church on his death bed, one of two yeggmen who died from police guns Sunday night will be saved from a pauper’s grave. ‘Walter Moran, with slugs in his neck and chest, called for a Catholic priest in the early morning hours of Monday. Father Francis J. Hurney, pastor of the Immaculate Conception Church, re- | sponded. . What passed between the two men in the Emergency Hospita? ward that morning, Father Hurney never can say. Moran did, however, return to the church. To Capt. Edward J. Kelly of h squad, he said: friends or relatives? No, undertaker.” Moran died & few hours later without giving police! any information. Both he and his companion, James Powers, had long criminal records. Moran fell fatally wounded and Powers died on the spot when No. 8 precinct officers surprised them attempting to break into a grocery near Fourteenth and U streets. ‘The District Oatholic Charities claim- ed the body at the Mt last night. It was removed to the fus parlors of W. Warren Taltavull at 3i Four- teenth street for burial in Moung Olivet Cemetery at some undetermined hour tomorrow. As_for Powers, his body remai e . If no one calls for will go to the Potter's Field in a or s0. . at 1t AR BOARD PROBE IS BECUNINFATAL PARACHUTE LEAP Army Officers Hunt Reason for Motor Failure, Caus- ing Forced Landing. PILOT, IN EMERGENCY, SKIDS FUSELAGE IN MUD Passenger on Test Flight Jumps When Too Low and Lands in Tree—Plane Damage Slight. Investigation was begun today by a board of Air Corps officers to determine the cause of the motor failure which resulted late yesterday afternoon in the death of Stephen A. Forberger, project engineer of the Fokker Aircraft Corpo- ration, Hasbrouck Heights, N. J,, in an | attempted parachute jump from an experimental type Army light bom- bardment plane, which later made a successful forced landing at the edge of the old Benning race track. Had Forberger remained in the plane he would have gotten away without & scratch, in the opinion of officers who viewed the scene of the landing. The pilot of the plane, Lieut. Harrison G. Crocker, Air Corps, of Wright PFleld, Dayton, Ohio, not knowing that his passenger had jumped, brought the plane down for a beautiful forced land- ing in a small plowed fleld. Jumps When Too Low. Observers said Forberger left. the plane at too low an altitude to permit his parachute to function. His crashed through the branches of a tree at Sheriff road and Browning street northeast and he was killed instantly. The spot where he fell was about three- fourths of a mile from the field in which Crocker landed the big twin- motored monoplane, Lieut. Crocker, seeing that he would have to land in a small, plowed fleld which was dangerously soft, did not put down the retractable landing wheels of his plane. He feared that if he lowered the wheels they would sink in the mud, throwing the plane over on its nose. With the wheels up, he landed the plane on the bottom of the fuselage, which slid over the soft earth for only about 100 feet before coming to a stop. | Aside from damage to the underside of the fuselage and two bent pro- pellers the plane was comparatively unharmed. 8. A. Wiseman, keeper of a store close to the fleld in which Lieut. Crocker landed, reached the plane a few seconds after the landing. He saw Lieut. Crocker climb out of the cockpit at the leading edge of big monoplane wing and run back to the rear gunner's cockpit behind the wing, where Forberger had been riding. Forberger Found Missing. “Are you hurt?” Lieut. Crocker called through the side of the plane. There Was 1o Tesponse. “Where is my passenger?” Lieut. when Wiseman ap- Crocker sald, | proached. | Wiseman replied that he had seen something fall from the plane some distance away. Lieut. Crocker refused to leave the plane until officers and men arrived from Bolling Field to take charge. He then went to Bolling to report. The g‘lla;xde is being moved by truck to Bolling eld. Lieut. Crocker and Forberger were on their way from Hasbrouck Heights, where the plane was built, to Wright Fleld, where performance tests were to be conducted. They had planned to spend the night at Bolling Field, making the flight across the mountains by way of the Army airway between this city and Dayton. Ceiling Forces Low Flight. Because of low clouds Lieut. Crocker was flying between 500 and 700 feet, with Bolling Field in sight ahead, when his engines to miss. He believes that a clogged gasoline feed line caused the trouble. . Because of his low altitude Lieut. Crocker had no time for any- thing but the landing he was forced to make and could not turn to watch his passenger. Flying with the wind, Lieut. Crocker had to make a full 180-degree turn and head back the way he had been coming to make his landing, the small clearing being the only open place available within gliding distance. Army officers who went to the scene commended Crocker for his skillful landing in the limited and dangerous area available to him. Lieut. Crocker has been in the service since the World War and is re- garded as one of the best pilots attached to the Wright Field material division base, which conducts all performance trials of new Army planes. Forberger's body was taken to Cas- ualty Hospital. There was some uncer- tainty at first as to his identity, since ge carried letters addressed to I. H. wen, an associate engine - Xt Hlans gineer at the Fok: Engineer Known Here, Mr. Forberger was project engineer in charge of the development o!n&e plane from which he jumped. He was known here in aviation circles, having come here several times recently on business in connection with the development of Army planes. He flew here during the Summer in an experimental long-range reconnaissance plane closely resembling in design the light bomber forced down yesterday. The reconnaissance plane now is undergoing tests at Wright Field, The bomber was developed from the reconnaissance type to meet the Army’s demands for a fast plane to be used for low-altitude attack. With its twin en- gines, streamlined into the wings, and retractable landing wheels, which turned up into the backs of the engine cowl- ing, the plane is credited with high speed and good performance. It has three open cockpits, one in the nose for the bomber, one for the pilot and one n the rear for a third mcmber of the crew who acts as radio man, observer and gunner, The investigating board is composed of Lieuts. Stanley M. Ui 3 Merrick i A R Roperisor of Bolling Field. SLAYER IS SENTENCED 10-Year Term Imposed on Man Who Stabbed Another in Brawl. Supreme Court Justice Li in Criminal Division ‘3’ today u%ur Buchanan, colored, to the penitentiary for 10 years. The prisoner was re- cently convicted of manslaughter when he stood trial on an indictment charg- ing murder in the first degree in con- nection with the death of Perry Wil- son, also colored, May 4. During a drunken brawl in Pomeroy Court, the testimony showed, Buchanan flehwbbledmhh victim, who bled to death, e prisoner was represented. At- John D. Sadler. =