Evening Star Newspaper, December 20, 1930, Page 14

A—14 =* TWO MEN INJURED WHEN SEDAN HITS STREET DIRT PILE| Samuel Everham and William Thornton Are Thrown Into Windshields. BOTH VICTIMS UNABLE TO EXPLAIN ACCIDENT Police Report Declares Red Lights | * and Street Illumination Marked Six-Foot Obstruction. Two men were seriously injured when i their light sedan plowed into dirt from & street excavation on Rhode Island |y avenue at Twenty-eighth street north- east in the early morning hours today. The men—Samuel Everham, 45 years old, attached to the Spring Grove Hos- | at Catonsville, Md., and Willlam ghamton 25 years old, believed to be of the same address—had spent last | nlsht in Washington and were en route | ore. Machine Hits Dirt Pile. Going east on Rhode Island avenue, their machine hurtled into a pile of dirt | rhaps six feet high. The dirt had| Een thrown up yesterday by the Water | Department and, according to the po- | Hce report, was under street lights and | was further marked n-nm the approach | side by two red lights. Both men were rendered unconscious by the shock, which demolished the front end of their cars and threw them nto the windshield. A passing motor- ist notified police and the injured men were removed to hospitals, Everham to Sibley and his_companion to Casualty. At Sibley Hospital Everham was treated for a possible fracture of the skull and coll.lr bone and for deep cuts mbout the head, tongue and knees. He later was transferred to Gallinger Hospi- tal, where his condition was called un- determined. Unable to Explain Crash. ‘Thornton sustained a fractured skull end cuts about the head. Both men ‘were semi-conscious at a late hcur today and unable to give an account of the accident. Police were unable to locate any witnesses. Policemen I. H. Umbaugh and L. W. Kelley of No. 12 precinct investigated the accident. ‘The accident occurred at 6 o'clock, shortly before daylight. Police, who could not learn Thornton’s address, notified relatives of Everham. Run Down by Truck. Dragged nearly 40 feet when run by a truck at Thirteenth street and Pennsylvania avenue last night, Dr. Harry Dunbar, 87 years old, of 4424 Greenwich parkway, today was in Emergency Hospital. Ernest Philll]n colored, 42 years old, 0{ Silver Spring, Md., the truck driver, is being held by first precinct police ding the outcome of the physician's Three persons received minor injuries: in two other traffic accidents yesterday George J.nn lfi“a:"h%u ld, of osep! ur, 38 years old, of 511 Sheridan street, and Robert Blair Shaw, 24 years old, of 716 Somerset place, were treated at Walter Reed Hos- after their automobiles collided at th and Rittenhouse streets. Both machines overturn Thomas H. Downes, 57 years old, of the 300 block I street southeast, was cut slightly when a machine driven by Wil- liam ©. Kloman of the 1400 block Gal- latin street, struck him at Twentieth street and New Hampshire avenue. Downes was treated at Emergency Hos- pital. SUAVE MAN OBTAINS $2,100 BY SWINDLE Presents Checks Totaling $682 and Cashes Four Others. Search Is Futile. irters detectives today were in what appeared to be a search for some clue that Inlfht lead to the apprehension of the identified man who yesterday swin- dled the Riggs Bank at 1503 Pennsyl- ‘vania avenue of $2,100. It was reported by officials of the nstitution yesterday afternoon that a suave and prosperous looking man de- posited four checks, totaling $682, all drawn on Washington banks and trust companies, in the name of “Arthur H. pson.” He went to another teller’s window, and presented six checks for uul amount, the police were told. nk cashed the checks, accord- m the police report, and the swin- dle was not discovered until nearly an hml;‘ehm ‘when the checks were found o Police were unmedlltely notified, and man’s escape from the city, but he was i oftcials Riggs’ of refused to discuss any particulars of the swindle today. PAYS $1,500 TO LEARN OLD POCKETBOOK GAG | Two Women Offer to Share H(mayl Found and Victim Puts Up Cash Pending Division. The aged “found pocketbook” gag | stall its victims. Lillle Carter, colored, of 2131 New- told police yesterday that it ©cost_her just 1,500 for the knowledge. sald she was accosted by two Sopartment store yest By ey e ent store yesterday. ey sai they had found the pocketbook which | they showed her, she sald. It con- ! iPoliceman for Fifth 'Time Using Smoke Automobile Escapes Screen Allows Bootlegger to Cut Back and Elude His Pursuer. A bootlegger whose automobile was equipped with smoke screen and siren, eluded Policeman H. M. Smith of the Trafic Burcau for the fifth time late last night after an extended chase through_the northwest section during which Smith fired three shots from his revolver in an effort to puncture the tires of the leading machine. His life twice placed in danger by swirling smoke, which enabled the bootlegger to cut back and disappear in an alley, Smith called at the eighth precinct station to post a lookout, only own automobile had been reported by a pedestrian. Smith, who lives at 2514 Fourteenth street, 1 he observed a familiar ai mobile at {he cnfrance to Scaton st W and eets, near Florida cmrmng to his 2s driven alons V. street to Chample'n street and the driver let on me. I shot at his tires and a moment later I noticed he had pulled to the side of the street, under cover of the smoke, and before I could stop he had turned and was beating back. I was blowing my whistle and he jwas using a siren, with a result that traffic opened up to him “He turned in a short street run- {ning off Columbia road after giving {me the smoke a second time and ran in | an alley hen T lost trace of h.m and was unable to e the car.” Smith, who rmerly was a plain clothes man the eighth precinct, said he ed the car at once as cne he ased four times. The combination of smoke screen and siren proved too much for him each time, he sald, adding that the man was “a great driver.” e MILK RACKETEERS ENTER GUILTY PLEA lustice Gordon Defers Sen- tence of Rayford and Conte for Inquiry. at to learn that the license number of his | | set Tuesday, December 30, as the date 1HdE EVENING DECEMBER 30 SET | FOR HEARING PEPCO RATE ARGUMENTS Order Broadly Drawn to Per- mit Full Electricity Cost Discussion. i i | KEECH WILL POINT OUT INCREASED EARNINGS Clayton to Base Argument on| Growing Consumer Costs Despite Regular “Reductions.” The Public Utiliti>s Commission today of the public hearing for consideration | of the electric rates for 1931 and other | related matters. The hearing wiil be called at 9:30 a.m. in room 104, District Building. According to the notice issued today, the purpose of the hearing is to consider “the reasonableness, justice and equity of all rates and charges of the Potomac Electric Power Co. for service within the District of Columbia, the consent decree by the District of Columbia Supreme Court, the rates and charges for such service in the future and the rate of return under existing and pro- Bride Rules Hearing Necessary. ‘The hearing was called after r:peated requests by Pecple's Council Richmond B. Keech and by Willlam McK. Clay- ton, representing the Federation of Citizens’ Associations. Corporation Counsel Willlam W. Bride ruled that the public hearing must be held before changing the rates for next year, al- thoggh this had never been done in the past. Mr. Keech said he intends to argue that in fixing the rates for 1931 the commiesion should take into account the fact that for several years past there has been an average increase in the company’s n-t earnings of some 13 per cent in spite of the annual rate reduc- tion. He said this prospective increase should be taken into account in cal- culating the new rates scheduled for next year, something which never has been done in the past. If this gannot be done under the terms of the consent decree, whereby the rates are annually established, then the decree itself is Two of three men under indictment for destroying two wagonloads of milk with a disinfectant pleaded gullty in District Supreme Court yesterday. Jus- tice Peyton Gordon deferred sentence until Probation Officer Steel could in- vestigate, as had been done when the third member of the trio pleaded guilty several days ago. The ‘men who pleaded yesterday v\ere Elmer C. Rayford, business agent i the Taxi Cab Drivers’ Union, and Richa"d Conte, a_former taxi driver. Previously Harry M. Rothgeb, record- ing secretary of the Milk Drivers and Dairy Employes’ Union, had entered a guilty plea. The court instructed the probation officer to go into each case and make a report. The men gave police signed con- fessions in which they told how a strong disinfectant was poured over the “totally inconscionable and should be abrogated,” he ciared. The decree provides that the com- pany shall earn each year 7'4 per cent on an agreed valuation, plus weighted additions in the way of net capital out- lay. If the company makes more in any cne year, then, although the com- pany keeps the entire balance, one- half of it is used as a_reduction fund and the rates for the following year are adjusted o as to use up this amount. Since the decree was entered in 1924, the practical result of every reduction has been that, instead of reducing the company’s earnings, they have been substantially increased, Clayton con- tends. Will Argue Excess Profits. ‘Taking this as a starting point, Mr. Clayton said he intends to argue that the thorough thing to do would be to milk in two delivery wagons at Ca- thedral and Connecticut avenues early on the morning of November 16 while the drivers were distributing milk in an apartment building. They said the act was prompted by a deslre to intimidate “scab” drivers and force them to become members of the union. The milk belonged to the Chestnut Farms and Thompson Dairies, Rothgeb was scheduled to be sen- tenced yesterday, but this was deferred until Tuesday, when Attorney James J. O'Shea entered guilty pleas for the co-defendants. CHRISTMAS OBSERVANCE WILL OPEN TOMORROW Friendship House to Present Pro- gram of Carols and Stories in Afternoon. A program of carols and stories will launch Christmas festivities tomorrow alternoon at Friendship House, 326 Virginia avenue southeast. The pro- gram will start at 4:30 o'clock and will feature solos by Doris H. Tucker and selections by the Girls' Glee Club. Harry and Elsie Reaper will sing a duEL and Cathesine Evans will sing ’s Manger Song.” A Christmas lullaby will be sung by Aileen Martin, Margarct Watts and Florence Dean. Two Christmas stories will be told by Miss Ellen De Shields. Miss Esther Linkins is director of the Sing Song Club, and Miss Doris H. Tucker will lead the Boys’ and Girls' Glee Clubs in the carol singing. A tree celebration for pre-school classes will be held Tuesday, December 23, at 10 am.. The dinner and tree celebration for the children of the day home e place Wednesday, De- cember 24, beginning at 1 pm. From 6 to 8 pm. Christmas eve the groups will sing carols. A party for the boys and girls of early teen age will be given Friday evening, followed later by the Young People’s Social Dance Club party. HIGH SCHOOL GIRL HELD ON CHARGE OF MURDER Armstrong Student Tells Police She Didn’t Know Man Was Hurt by Knife. Sarah Edna Carter, 16 years old, colored, Armstrong High School student, residing at 44 Fenton street northeast, was held at the House of Detention today on a charge of murder, following the fatal stabbing of James M. States- man, colored, 42 years old, of 54 L street, during a row at 45 O street, shortly after midnight last night. ‘The girl declared she did not know she had stabbed Statesman, c&(’plalnlng tained $1,300 which they were willing |that she was merely try to_share with her. But the money was in such denomi- nations that to effect a fair division Lillle would have to produce $1,500, hc friends explained. She drew out W u.wo !eavlng $400 to her ‘The $1,500 then was explained tha to hnr employer who would divide it. she departed, Lillle was left with woman. Time passed, and betore she knev it the second woman disappeared. The woman then reported her loss to police. HUSBAND ASKS DECREE Misconduct Gharged by Glarence E. Smith, Wed in 1923. possession of the knife at tl wound was infiicted and also to get him away from another girl. ‘The knife blade passed between two riM penetrating the heart. Statesmpan as dead when he reached HO‘DIB] ‘The girl left the House, not knowing, she said, Statesman had been wounded and went home. CHEST PUBLICITY MAPPED Address» on Methods Discussed by 8t. Louis Worker. Publicity plans for the 1931 Com- Clarence E. Smith, 1601 G street m&h:mtormuhnlumm- his wife, Helen M. Smith, with mis- apply three-quarters of the excess profits, instead of one-half, to the an- nual rate reductions. He will argue that the company has actually been making a rate bordering upon 11 per cent per annum. since the decree went into effect, and that such a return is much too high. Two pmposed schedules have been before the commission for the 1931 rates, both of them offering a reduction in the primary rate from 4.7 to 4.2 cents per kilowatt hour, with various reductions in secondary and subsequent, rates, designed to take up about $830,- 000 of the company’s profits, represent- ing one half of their excess earnings over 7% per cent on their evaluation during 1930, with the last two months’ figures estimated. Chairman Mason M. Patrick of the commission, today said that the order had been drawn in broad terms so that all questions bearing upon the electric| ;o rates could be gone into and that any- body could place before the commission any pertinent information without being shut off on account of going beyond the scope of the hearing. SCHOOL PLAN APPROVED BY D. C. COMMISSIONERS Four-Room Addition to Congress Heights Institution Expected to Cost $123,750. ‘The District Commissioners yesterday approved plans drawn by Municipal Architect Albert L. Harris for a four- room addition to the Congress Heights School at Fifth street and Nichols ave- nue southeast. Bids will be asked soon for the job, which is estimated to cost $123,750. The Commissioners authorized pur- chase of two properties for the Municipal Center development, between Judiciary Square, Sixth street, Pennsyl- vania avenue and Third street. Lots 808 and 809 in reservation 10 are to be purchased from Henrietta Evans and Emilie Bucy for $84,000. Lot 806 in square 491 is to be bought from Henry :5‘8‘035?]‘,‘ representing the owners, for “HANGING OF GREENS” CEREMONIES ARRANGED Play Also Scheduled at Christmas Celebration of ¥. W. C. A, Tomorrow Afternoon. Presentation of a play and the tradi- tional “hanging of the greens” will mark the all-association Christmas celebration of the Young Women'’s Christian Asso- clation at 3:30 o'clock tomorrow after- noon in the administration building, at Seventeenth and K streets. ‘The Girl Reserves of the elementary and funior high schools will stage the play, “Why the Chimes Rang,” under direction of Miss Mary M. Burnett, and Alice Bl(worth Freedmen’s | ti,, . The performance will be augmented by the elementary school and the junior high school choirs, GROUP STAGES PLAY Burleith Citizens Entertained by Presentation of “Toy Shop.” Featured a let, hop,” the C‘g'i.l phynmhlnm lon relude to “The Toy Shop” in- piano solos by Miss Eleanor Col- J. u.damou, an |HALF OF ADULT CHARGE STAR, SENATE BODY 0KS 'SCHOOL FARES CUT WITH COMPROMISE Modifies House 2-Cent Pro- posal to Give Utilities Body More Power. WASHINGTON, | IS FIXED AS MAXIMUM Copeland Feels Substitute Bill Fair. Traction Companies Accept Reduction in Principle. ‘The bill to establish a reduced fare for ol children on cars and busses, which passed the House at the last | session, moved a step nearer enact- ment late yesterday when the Senate District Committee authorized Chair- man Capper to make a favorable report on a rewritten measure. Senator Capper filed the report be- fore the Sencte adjourned last night, 50 the bill is on the calendar and may be considered the next time the Sennu takes up the calendar. Half Fares Made Maximum. As reported from committee, the bill empowers and directs the Public Utili- ties Cominission to determine what the school far: should be, provided it shall not exceed half the adult fare. The House bill sought to have Congress fix 2 cents as the school fare. ‘The Senate substitute was drafted by | the Utilities Commission in conformity with the suggestion outlined by Senator Copeland of New York last week after the transportation companies had taken the view that Congress should not go into rate making, but should let the commission determine the rate after considering all the factors. Senator King of Utah, while favoring a reduced fare for school children, was disinclined to approve limitations in the bill on the rate-making authority of the commission. e He contented him- self with stating his position, and sug- gested that Senator Capper rcport the bill after ascertaining the opinion of the other committee members by taking a poll. The chairman found & majority in favor of making the report. Senator Gould of Maine agried with Senator King, but said a half-fare for school children had worked satisfactorily in his State. Claims Fair Compromise. Senator Copeland described the sub- stitute bill as a fair compromise, in view of the fact that the House voted for a d:finite rate of 2 cents. Senator Capper urged the committee to act on the bill, which has been discussed at & number of meetings. The position of the Capital Traction Co. was made known in a letter Thurs- | day, in which President John H. Hanna | said object was made to the phrnse\ “and directed” after the language which | | empowered the ccmmission to fix a re- duced school rate. Mr. Hanna said his | company di2 e object to the half-farc ! limitation in the bill At yesterday's hearing C. Melvin Sharpe of the Washington Railway & ! Electric Co. said the position of that| company was not an objection to a re- duced rate, “but_an insistence on the regulatory body fixing the rate on the facts as they find them, with no prohi- bitions or inhibitions.” John Noonan made another appeal at yesterday's meeting for enactment of a bill for a reduced school rate. FIREMEN TO CHECK PRIVATE SCHOOLS Small Blaze Reveals Lack of Re- quired Exits in One Institution. Fire Chief George S. Watson said to- day that the Fire Department was mak- | g a check of all private schools in the District to see that they are prop- erly équipped with fire escapes, lighted exits and the like, required by law. The check is the result of a small fire earlier in the week at the Landon School, 2131 Massachusetts avenue, where firemen discovered there were no fire escapes. Chief Watson said that the law requires all schools to be equipped with fire escapes and other| safeguards to the pupils. These laws ! are strictly enforced as to public schools. The fire marshal’s reports on schools with any deficlencies will go to me building inspector, who has charge of enforcing fire regulations. HORSE RACE GAMBLIXG DEFENDANT SENTENCED 60-Day Jail Term and $250 Fine Imposed on Harry Conn-——Judge Cites Leniency. Hi Conn, 33 years old, recently convicted of accepting a bet on the re- sult of a horse race, was sentenced to- day by Justice Peyton Gordon in Crim- inal Division 1 to serve 60 days in jail and to pay a fine of $250. He noted an appeal. In response to a plea of Attorney Harry Whelan for clemency, Justice Gordon declared that the jury had ex- tended all possible leniency when it convicted Conn only of a misdemeano® When he had been tried for a felony chuge of setting up a gaming table on e third floor of 1210 G street last .mne The jury had acquitted Edward Kil- leen, xuk Callenberger, Henry Tucker and Bennie Lewis, who had been joint- ly indicted with Conn. Assistant United Sh'c! Attorney Wil- fl;m H. Collins conducted the prosecu- MAYFLOWER TO BECOME FLAGSHIP OF ADMIRAL Former Presidential Yacht to Be Placed in Service as Gunboat in Central America. The Navy Department has announced that '.bcv'yJ‘ S. 8. Mayflower, former presidential yacht and now bef n- commissioned at PhMelphh placed in service aboul !bhnur{l as a gunboat and wu.l relieve the U. 8. Rnehuur in Central waters. After 27 yem of service, the May- flower left Washington to be placed out ol commission in Philadelphia, and & of unsuccessful af were mnde by the Navy it to dis- will D. C, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1930. The above picture was taken at Thirteenth and U streets yesterday shortly after parts of a sidewalk had been hurled into the air as the result of a gas explosion. 'TAXI DRIVERS FOLLOW LIGHTS TO AVOID HOLD-UP ATTACKS Chauffeur Drives Out of Way to Keep Off Dark Streets| After Nightfall. ‘Washington taxicab drivers have the “jumps” as a rcsult of a series of hold- ups of men of their ilk recently. This was demonstrated last night when one of the “35 cents s jerk” drivers insisted on following & circuitous route in taking two passengers home. “Aren’t you going out, of your way?” one of the passengers inquired, “Yes, sir,” the cab driver responded. “I'm staying on lighted streets as much to be held u Another cab driver was walking into his home with his smalt child his amaurewdlysuowhena hoyin'.he thborhood shouted, ‘em uj e youngster was warning a friend he in- tended to throw a snow ball at him, the cab driver nearly dropped his child to throw his arms into the air. OPPOSITION DEMED 10 MARKET RAZING District Heads Make Report Against Christopherson’s Postponement Bill. The District Commissioners yesterday declined to take part in the movement | to postpone the date set for the rezing of Center Market from January 1, as now planned, until July 1, 1931, They adopted a report to this effect on a Joint resolution introduced by Representative Christopherson of South Dakota, which seeks to postpone the date. “Center Market,” they wrote, “is an old-established institution in the District of Columbia, and its abandonment in connection with the operations of the Federal Government in constructing public buildings in the triangle south |loans of Pennsylvania avenue has been a mat- ter of public interest. There are many people who regret to see this old institution disappear, but the Federal building program m::&annmuymtmmumu ra “The market is placed by law under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture. The construction of thc Federal buildings in the triangle under the supervision of the Becu- tary of the Treasury. If it were pos- sible to retain the market without interfering with the plans for Federal buildings in this ty, the Commis- sioners could see mo objection to the passage of this resolution, but they understand that a contract has already been let for the building l!ld that the appropriations of the Depart- ment of Agriculture do not provide available funds to operate it after January 1, 1931 RAILROADS DECLARED TO BE FACING CRISIS Shippers’ Board Speaker Protests “Unregulated Competition” in Transportation. A crisis has been reached in the af- ’M{l! u:; O.he‘ railroads, duewthemm 7 i ted forms of '.nnspcmt!on > Thom, general counsel of Railway Executives, said yesterday in addressing the seventh annual mecting of the Atlantic States Ehl%l' Ad- Board at the Willard 1. "Al one time it was eonndznd railroads 8 mnnnpoly g:muon," Mr. Thom said. “Naw they vetod!vlflenvlmmaumnuh usses, trucks, wa ‘wish possible, increased rates which mo% ecessary through com- &:‘A“”‘i;"u.u of higher Fatcs, e ity he suggested that enuroldsbe ven thA same grtunll:mh‘w'm vice presi- denz d tlu Hydraulic Pe:efi; Brick Oo was re-elected general chairman of Afihnfiu States Bolrfi HOSPITAL GIVEN $150.50 Coast and Geodetic Survey Em- ployes Contribute for Children. Exercises marked by the presentation of a gift of $150.50 to Children’s Hos- pital were held today at the Coast and Bmeymuo{mmmn mmt of Commerce. The raised through voluntary eoummflom by, employes. M. Gibson, :uperintenflntol mmmmum bye;pt.n s, htum. bureau director, in the presence of the donors. The money will be spent in be | furnishing hospital beds. lvom. if Miss | the police, but one husband. DISBARMENT CASE ARGUMENTS MADE Five Justices Hear Counsel in Bar Association Move Against R. G. Donaldson. Five District Supreme Court Justices | | who failed to reach an agreement last { June on the application of the Grievance Committee o( the bar for the disbarment of R. Golden Donaldson heard argu- ments today of counsel for the accused lawyer and for the committee. Mr. Donaldson, former president of the Commercial National Bank and for many years a member of the District bar, was accused of obtaining from the Boyle-Robertson Construction Co. fees Mllln. unoooo for securing contracts for ’u‘ = ipany to erect bufldmgs on e F. which H. Smith Co. had piaced and could control the le of contracts. Donaldson was said to have been attorney for the Smith com- Dlny at the time. general term will be held by Chief .huuos Wheat and Justices Siddons, Hitz, Balley and Gordon, but no wit- nesses will be reheard. Testimony of witnesses occupled two days, June 16 and 17 last, and on June 30 the court announced that a rehearing would be granted in October. It was taken to mean at that time that with the ap- pointment of the additional justices to the bench and the return of Justice Stafford, who was ill, that a lar number of justices would be av: to rehear the case When the un.tmvny was concluded Dol sidés ‘Without arguments and now les argument, and now it has been decided that the same five Justices shall hear arguments of counsel on the record as concluded last June. Attorney Willlam E. Leahy will repre- sent Mr. Donaldson and Attorneys J. Wilmer Latimer and G. Bowdoin Craig- hill will appear for the Grievance Committee. The contracts, said to have been ob- tained h the aid of Donaldson, were for the building of Cathedral Mansions and the ments in Pittsburgh and for the Boule. vard psrtmenu in Wuh\nxw CAROLINA FIRM BIDS LOW ON NURSE HOME Local Contractors Object to Award of Work, Claiming Labor Is Underpaid. le ‘The W. P. Rose Construction Co. of Goldsboro, N. C., was low bidder for the contract to construct the Gallin, H ital Nurses’ Home yesterda; wfg of $315,000. The bid was s om0 o o B n_concerns. bids in all were submitted. as possible th?;e nights. I don’t want | T | said to have been smashed by —~&tar Staff Photo. YOUTHS SENTENCED 10 5YEAR TERMS {Two Plead Guilty to Rob- beries—Third Is Given Sus- pended Penalty. Two youths known as the “boy ban- di‘s” received five-year prison sentences from Justice Peyton Gordon yesterday afternoon when they pleaded guilty in District Supreme Court on three counts each of robbery. They were Clyde Fisher, 20 years old, and Vincent Del hc{, 18 years old, both of Rochester, Accused as a third member of the band, Joseph A. Cross, 18 years old, of wuhlnflnn, recelved a four-year sus- pended sentence and was placed on pro- bation for that time. It was said that Cross took part in only one hold-up, at that time cutting telephone wires. He entered a guilty plea. Fisher and Delcher admitted they fol- lowed Robert Croce from his grocery at Pifteenth street and Massachusetts avenue to his home at 1726 B street southeast, robbing him of $125 on the night of November 22. Six nights later they held up a filling station at Fifteenth and D streets southeast, where they obtained $63. On the same night the pair robbed the op- erator of a filling mmcn at 2715 Penn- | sylvania avenue of $100. Sadie Brooks, colored, who recunfly pleaded guilty to manslaughter in nection with the death of wu.um Edmonston, ealso colored, July 23, was sentenced today by Justice Gordon to serve seven years in the penitentiary. She had been indicted for murder in the second degree but was allowed to plead to the lesser offense. She stabbed Edmonston at 251 Warren street north- east when she claimed he had attempted to dominate her life. Others Go to Prison. Roland Dorsay was given a term of four years in '.he penitentiary for rob- bery.” He is said to have struck Charles S. Dracos over the head with a bottle and to have robbed him. Peter D'Agistino and Joe Anzolone, both of Passaic, N. J., were sent to the penitentiary for three years each by Justice Gordon for violating the Har- rison narcotic law. The men were a] prehended in a Federal dragnet at Union Station July 26. Five large dope rings along the Atlantic s"bo?,lrlfl e a thoritles as a result of the arrest of the men. They were indicted October 6 and menfly pleaded guilty. Dr. William Ferris, 204 F street, pn\ctlcing physician, charged in an in- dictment containing seven counts with sale of narcotics without using Gov- ernment blanks and with possession of narcotics, was given a sentence of 15 months on each count, to run concur- rently. He was arrested October 16. DEPICTS POMPEII OF FROZEN NORTH Arctic Explorer Tells of Flourish- ing Eskimo Village That Disappeared. A sort of Pompeii of the frozen North, where the population of a flourishing village of Eskimos disappeared during the last century, leaving no clues of what became of them, was described last night before members of the Na- tional Geocrl hic Soclety by Caj Robert A, Battiett, Arotlo explorer. ntthsment was on Shannon Island, off the northeast coast of Greenland, 700 miles above the Arctic circle, which Capt. Bartlett visited last Summer in his veteran ship, eight ruins of stone houses were found on the island in reasonably good con-| %% dition and in them were the sewing im- plements of women, the toys of chil- dren and household and hunting uten- slls left, apparently, as if their owners had walked out of dwellings for ‘the only a brief absence. an if lineston !hemflhlembidonbyflu concern. pruenc bid is expected to be on by the Commissioners next Eféi%’ iigf COUPLE ROBBED'OF $50 Four colored men, rdn g at 3 )n.ulchuutu %mdhhn:l & apons, Witlszn 5 ey disp] no weapons, E lfie:’“d&‘:&dwm Husband and wife were rob- bedoltwwchemthzylnl%‘rme': able police, and Logan was lunut the probable identity of & mem- the quartet. é 5|DISCOVERY OF MYSTERY GRAVE ter | was first visited by First Visited in 1823. ‘The settlement on Shannon Island ans in 1823. When the next recorded visit was made, in 1870, the village had been deserted. Only a few parties of white men have been to the island since 1870. The rea=- son why this coast of Greenland has been so seldom wuched by ships, Capt. Bartlett said, is that it is usually ef- fectually fenced off by an netrable field of heavy ice 150 miles thick that extends north of Iceland and along the Greenland coast. Conditions wm un- usually favorable last Summer, Capt. Bartlett found, and to this he ascribes the success of his expedition in getting through. Probably not more than once in 50 years, on the average, can such mmmmbeeounudm.hade- Motion pictures exhibited by Capt. Bartlett last evening showed the heavy | fllm. ice through which the Morrissey pushed its way, the work of exclvntlnn and wild tmmxl life on Shannon Island and at Musk Ox Fiord on the mainland and the trip down the coast toward home, l!yrhdl of Birds Found. on Shannon Island and the ALARMS CAMP PAROLE PEOPLE Woman Investigating Pit in Woods Is Engaged in Scuffle minlund the party found birds—barnacle gsese, gray geese, ot.bzr wnurlowl and numerous . song birds rom Europe. In addition to muzk oxen '.hay found Arctic hares, foxes and bears. On the trip home they en- countered off lower Gnehnd a large narwhal and obtained one of the ,{ew motion of that animal. GAS BLAST INJURES FOUR IN STREET AT RUSH-HOUR PERIOD Woman Hurled in Air With Blocks of Concrete at Thirteenth and U. FIRE CHIEF, AT SCENE, HELPS IN RESCUE WORK ‘Why Explosion Occurred Is Ques- tion Asked in Several Investi- gations Under Way. ‘Weight of concrete pressing cown on 2 gas main untll the iron pipe broke, was believed by investigators today to have caused the explosion at Thir- teenth and U streets, which late yes- terday hurled concrete and passersby high into the air, injuring two women and two men. The concrete had been used in build- ing a manhole under the sidewalk on the southwest corner of the intersection, according to D. D. Ransdell, superin- tendent for the Washington Gas Light Co. The gas main passed along the side of the manhole, and some of the concrete was evidently poured on on top of the main. This pressure, added to the pressure from the fill on top of it, and the sidewalk above, Mr. Ransdell believes, caused the gas main to break and releasc gas, In some manner the gas was ignited, and shortly after 4:30 o'clock, when there were many people on the streets, it cut loose with a de: ening blast, hurling amm peop] and fragments through Fire Chief r--n. Fire Chief George 8. Watson was on his way home and had & at_the intersection for the traffic t. Sud- denly the lights went out. He said there was a big explosion and the and people went into the air. the tops of electric Jght peles slong the e tops of electric light strée Chief Waua:x }g-umnud. ne woman, enderson, colored, 37 years old, of 1330 U street, who evi~ dently had been walking almost over the manhole, was blown into the air and came down almost the same plaoce, hmng 80 her body was hole, which by that time was a blazing infern partly down in the 0. Fireman D. H. Statz, aide to Chief Watson, rushed By to the aid of the woman, away from the hole and the flames from hsr r.loflul ‘The woman fracture of \‘.he rl ht und spine. elped pull her out sald that a maplnceo(eummum Both women Garneld ‘Hospital by Chief Watson. Two Men Injured. Clarence Sweetney, colored, 24 years, of 621 W street was also injured. One freak incident of the explosion involved Frank Clark, 21 years old, of 2208 King street, Alexandris, Va. He was sitting in his automobile across street from the accident when the ex- plosion occurred. A g;h ‘was zhmn into street, broke :luwmnbfle ‘lnd strucl '.ly e was only hm The accident put out of commission the electric lights in the whole vicinity. Crowds gathered and were roped off the scene of explosion. Gas, which caused the blast, still blazed from opening in the sidewalk. Police fire equipment arrived, and the ington Gas Light Co, and Potomac Electric Power Co. sent cars and offi- cials to the scene. Several investigations were under way today to determine the exact cause and how the gas d to become ignited. Various conjectures were forth, including a short circuit in some o‘(dm:l;vlreu in the :unholo under the sidew: or a ll*l’ from a passing street car. Located on the corner where m blast cut loose are the nnnhou of the electric company, & traffic And the control box for the traffic FIRE CHIEF ISSUES CHRISTMAS WARNING Watson Uses Slogan, “A House oi Merriment Is Better Than a House of Mourning,” With Danger List. Taking as his slogan “A house of merriment is better than a hnun of mourning,” Fire Chief George S. Watson yesterday issued a series of “don’ts” for those about to celebrate the hnudly fi; t son in ways that might lead hazards. “Christmas trees should a0t be deeo- rated with paper, cotton or other inflam- mable material. Metallic the Morrissey. Thirty- |2 rning. "anet.betzeeup will not be tipped over and do not: erect it too close to the fireplace or any . cther open flame. “Do not permit the use of candles on - Christmas trees or in any of the tmas or illu- - tions. All open flames are s e ] . “Do not .leave matches within the reach of children. “The Christmas uuon. ‘with its nu- merous packages and means the accumulation nl a large amount of discarded excelsior and other 3 an“lm these are kept far rems ey o "removed ‘rom you ‘n“n?.;““‘ ey are remo as mptly as b!c. o PrBS not main inside bufldll’ln the holida) neuu:muwmumummyw"' its needles have become dry and }“nunol’ number of fires durin, Jlnul.ry occur from this cause. ' plcturu machines using “Be sure that wiring for M hy. and decorations is properly installed in good condition.’ uaaunermo uuutnn.lp.-.m g, Alpha Ohl Sigma Fraternt! Homiton not'ell:.l 8 pm. . B