Evening Star Newspaper, June 19, 1931, Page 17

DR, LEIVA UNABLE 70 IDENTIFY MAN HELD IN ROBBERY Says Suspect Is About Same Height and Weight, but Is Not Positive. All Is Forgiven BOYHOOD MARKSMAN CLEARS CONSCIENCE FOR §l1. BLOOD AND DARKNESS MADE SIGHT UNCERTAIN Widow of Jack H. Cunningham Also Will Be Asked to Soru- | tinize Prisoner. , counselor and ©harge d'affaires of the legation of El Balvador, today failed to positively ddentify John J. Simmons, 29, arrested last night after *a couple of fellows’ gioning in connection Wwith the recent Biquor robbery at the diplomatic man- sion. Simmons was taken to the legation this mor fellowing his appearance #n the morning line-up at police head- guarters. Although Dr. Leiva granted Bimmons was of about the same height and weight as the thief who attacked him on the night of the robbery, he $aid he was unable to positively identify him. The diplomat declared the only means of positive identification that he knows ©of is an injured finger and bruised eve. icted d ng his hand-to-hand strug- gle with the robber. | Unable to Distinguish Features. “It was so dark in here when I sur- rised the fellow standing on the stair- Dr. Leiva explained, “that I was| unable to distinguish his features, not only because of the darkness, but also because blood from a wound on my head was pouring down my face, mak- | ing it almost impossible for me to see| st all. “During the fight, however, I man- sged to get my opponent's finger info my mouth, and I bit it just as hard @s I could. I also jammed my thumb into his eye with such force that I am sure it must have left an ugly mar Despite the diplemat’s failure identify Simmons, the latter being held for investigaticn. 3 pected that the widow of Jack H. Cun- ningham, slain police informer, also will be asked to scrutiniz i Quizzed in Cunningham Case. Simmons, who said he lived on Oak street near Fourteenth, already has been questioned in connection with the Cunningham killing, which occurred six days after the liquor theft. Capt. Edward J. Kelly, who quizzed Simmons, little information has | been obtained from him thus far.| Nevertheless, Capt. Kelly added, he will| be grilled again 1n connection with both the liquor robbery and the Cunningham | murder. Cunningham w: the rear of his I man who fired a fu an automobile and sped aw time of the sl Cuni on his way home from the first pre- cinct police station, where he had taken | the revolver used in a shooting which occurred in a Twelfth strect speakeasy previously. It was at first killing had some_conn treet affair, but was abandoned %) i said shot in an alley in rect home by a gun- thought ti tion with the Twelith this theory eventual by police. Spent Three Weeks in Hospital. Dr. Leiva was attacfed when he re- urned to the legation after having spent the evening playing cards with friends, and surprised & band of| thieves looting the wine cellar of the | llegation. As a result of the beating administered by the robber with whom he grappled, the diplomat was forced o spend three weeks in Emergenc: i tal, where he was treated for a actured skull. | While police have been unable defi- jtely to connect the liquor theft with he Cunningham murder, they are frorking on the theory the crimes were | inked. Simmons was interrogated | nent the the slaying by police, who | dded they “failed to find out any- thing. Simmons “Out of Town.” simmons, according to Capt. Kelly, | as been “out of town” since the search for “a couple of fellows” was begun. he other man wanted for questioning | hn connection with the liquor theft also | s believed to be out of the city. The quest for the “couple of fellows” csulted in several warrantless raids on | downtown bootlegging and gambling es- | ablishments. Although the raiders ar- ested many men, the “couple of fel- | flows” were not among them. The theory that the liquor robbery land the killing were connected was dopted after Lieut. John H. Fowler, fPolice Department ballistics expert, an- fhounced that a bullet fired by the man | ho attacked Dr. Leiva apparently was discharged from the same pistol as the Jone used in the shooting of Cunning [ham. enlio f oL b POLICEMAN FINED $100 \ Policeman T. R. Woodson, first pre- cinct, was fined $100 by the District ommissioners today, following his con- viction on a charge of intoxic2tion. Under the regulati: the -trial | board, in finding Woodson guilty, was bound to recommend a sentence of dis- Imissal. Tre board, however, also re fonmended clemency so the Commis. joners reduced the scntence to a fine. Firemen P. C. Bateman, No. 12 En- gine Co., who was found guilty of in- toxication by the Fire Department trial | ture the fall of that street light. FORREST S. HAYDEN, Forrest S. Hayden, a voung fellow trying to get along in the Commerce tment, now has a clear conscience. all for the sum of a dollar. The plot—if any—of the story goes back a half dozen years or so. Forrest and some other _roistering of the early ‘teen age from Ne J, were on a hike through the ton. Forrest ingshot, and Irvington light. He took aim— was deliberate—but the result g. for Forrest didn't know C blades ark. N neighbe! hau a loaced admits was surpr his own skill Anyway, the remnants of the light clattered fo the ground, and the New- arkites clattered away. Then Forrest began to do some of the thinking that he realizes he could well have done before he got so active with the slingshot. His conscience began to haunt him, and as a haunter it was no slouch. Even when he was deeply involved with the files in the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce he could pic- night in his home, 23 Denwood avenue. Takoma Pagk, Md., he still could hear the crash of glass Along about the dawn of the presen! year the haunting got so pronounced that Forrest wrote to the mayor of Irvington and asked what price recom- pense. The mayor was 'way behind with his correspondence—or something, however—for the letter was never ane swered. But he reckoned without Forrest's conscience, which by this time was showing wear constant gnawing. Three days ago Forrest sent a dollar and hoped that it ‘would square things. The Associated Press announces t s | day that Mayor John F. Lovell is wri ing to tell Forrest that all is forgiven.! Forrest says that the fact his father a minister has no bearing on the atter. PRIVATE 200 SITE PURCHASED BY U.5. Property of Victor J. Evans Estate to Be Used in Fort Drive Project. The site of the famous zoo of the at attorney, at Cathedral avenus and Forty-sixth street, was acquized by the National Capital Park and Planning Commission today as part of the Fort drive project that will link the group | of Civil War forts encircling Wash- ington. H. Tudor Morsell, the commission’s | land purchasing cfficer, made the an nouncement, explaining that the Gov- ernment’s purchase totals 13 acres on which the zoo stands and is but part of the Evans estate. The purchase price was not made public. A number of the animals on the zoo property were donated in Mr. Evans’ will to the Na- tional Zoological Park, and it is un- derstood some of the animals still are on the property. The land adjoins Fort Kemble, one of the famous Civil War batteries, and fronts on Chain Bridge road along Maddox Branch. Although the prop: erty was purchased from the Evans estate, Mr. Evans had contracted to sell it before his death and had signed the papers. Mr. Evans, who permitted children of the neighborhood to play on the zoo grounds, ad made the collection of animals a hobby. Friends said it cost him about $20,000 annually to con- duct his private zoo. 5 ‘The Park and Planning Commission has tentative plans for utilizing the old 200 house, built, as a recreation club for persons in that vicinity. Tennis courts will be constructed and athletic facilities in- stalled to take the place of those taken from the residents of Wesley Heights and that vicinity. There are no im. mediate plans for developing the area, but Mr. Morsell proposes to preserve the wooded region on the heights of Maddox Branch as part of Washing- ton's park system. Discuss Playgrounds. Proposed playground and park sites were discussed by the commission today. ‘The members later inspected the new Mount Vérnon Memorial Highway. Officials were instructed to prepare estimates on the cost of suggested changes at the approaches 1o the Highway Bridge. One proposal would involve extension of Fifteenth street and construction of a new bridge across the Tidal Basin, POLICE DISPLAY FOREIGN COINS ALLEGEDLY USED TO ROB PHONES [Money Worthless in U. S. Exchange Through Slot for Good Nickels, Accusers Charge. A rare collection of foreign coins was on exhibition today at the first precinct police station. . According to the records, David Ster- who told police he lived on fFour-and-One-Half street near E, is he owner of the exhibit. The Chesa- breake & Potomac Telephone Co. is ex- pected to take charge of the collection fter Sterman’s case is disposed of in ourt. Sterman is charged with having vorked for three months the ancient pay telephone and vending machine racket. According to police, his system "5 to drop part of his collection, cspe- Chinese coins, in pay nes, call a number which he knew would ister and when the automatic ma- chine would return the coin he would receive a nickel in United States money. Gordon B. Macke, owner and operator of several vending machines, is the complainant. Macke claims Sterman worked the same game on his machine, causing heavy losses. Sterman is being held at the first precinct station awaif the next move by the profixg.lt!on. tgfic! said he ad- mitted the coins were his property and that he used them in his scheme to de- fraud the Macke. here, % Victor J. Evans, prominent patent | which was substantially | telephone "company and | Carolina. He also sald he purchased the | these guests for a rwn foreign coins from an antique store ! the rear grounds of the r he Foening Staf W IPOLICE TRY TO LINK CAPTURED. BANDITS 70 OTHER HOLD-UPS Vasilion and Sala Deny Part in All Except Five Robberies. INVESTIGATORS FOLLOW HATLESS TRIO'S TRAIL Two Men Arrested in Alexandri After Car Wreck Due for Additional Quizzing. Two men who are said to have con- fossed perpetration of five hold-ups {here will be questioned today in con- nection with other recent robberies. The pair—Nicholas Vasilion, 22, and | Peter Sala. 23, both of Newark, N. J.— lalready have been quizzed by Capt. Edward J. Kelly, but thus far efforts -!to link them with crimes other than have admitted have failed. Revolver Is Found. Vasilion and Sala, who were turned {over to Washington police by Alex- |andria authorities, after their auto- {mobile overturned on Hunting Creek road, just south of Hunting Creek I Bridge,” will be grilled in connection with the robberies staged by the “hat- less trio.” A 32-caliber revolver was {found near the wreck. Vasilion ad- mitted it belonged to him. | The trio, according to police, has | perpetrated a number of hold-ups here irecem] victimizing druggists, grocers |and proprietors of various other busi- |ness ~ establishments. According to ‘ICapt, Kelly, both Vasilion and Sala admitted ing fled the Capital for |Richmond Tuesday night, after having iheld up Leon Goodwin, owner of a | delicatessen at 1039 Bladensburg road northeast. Chased by Policeman. ‘The storekeeper's wife, who heard {him el {Jammed a revolver into his ribs, set her dog upon the two. The robbers were {chased by a motor cycle policeman but | had little difficulty in eluding him. | They were in the same car in which | they escaped from the officer when thz i those they round the edges from | accident which resulted in their capture | | occurred. 'The machine, police reported, |is the property of Charles B. Miller, 421 Cummings lane, Chevy Chase, Md. It was stolen from Fifteenth and I streets a short time before the hold-up. Vasilion and Sala, police said, were returning from Richmond at the time | of the mishap. Their automobile rolled over several times, but they escaped in- jury. “They were arrested by an Alex- andria policeman, who decided to hold m;:m for investigation. xamination “of their baggage by Washington _ detectives discloged. twy money bags, which, police declared, | were associated with the robbery cf a| drug store on Wisconsin avenue less | than two weeks ago. The particular; hold-up, it was added, was staged by | the “hatless trio. Dr. Edwin Cockey, proprietor of the Wisconsin avenue pharmacy, went to headquarters last night and, according | to police, identified Vasilion and Sala as two of the three robbers who visited his_establishment. | The other hold-ups which the pair | are said to have admitted are: Robbery | of a store conducted by Leon Bauman | at 1452 D street northeast, on the night | of May 30; a drug store cperated by | Dr. James Clark, 3146 Mount Pleasant street, June 2, and a pharmacy owned by Dr. Ray H. Beheler, 3936 Georgia avenue, June 15. Deny Taxi Hold-up. However, they denied having_partici- pated in the hold-up of Jesse F. Ship- ley, a taxicab driver, who was robbed of $3 by two hatless bandits who slugged him the same night that Dr. Clarks drug store was held up. It was these two robberles, which oc- i jcurred within a few minutes of each | other, that caused police to begin a | scarch for the “hatless trio.” Asked what his motive was for stag- | | ing the hold-ups, Vasilion, who said he | | formerly was in the Army and was sta- | | tioned at Walter Reed Hospital about a year ago, replied, “I must have been crazy.” He added he left the service March 22 and went to Newark, return- ing to the Capital a little more than two weeks ago to meet Sala. Vasilion and Sala are said to be wanted by the chief of police of Newark for participation in eight hold-ups there. The pair are said to have given police | the name of %nother man who aided them in the robberies there. This man, they said, is now in hiding in Virginia. U S. BACKS SEIZURE OF PITTS’ RECORDS Objections to Motion Seeking Writ Against Revenue Men Are Filed. | Objections by the Government to the recent motion of G. Bryan Pitts, former head of th: F. H. Smith Co., seek to enjoin prosecuting authorities from using against him records seized in his Florida home by -Internal Revenue agents last February, were filed'in Dis- trict Supreme Court yesterday. ‘The objections were filed on behalf of Assistant’ Attorney General Nugent Dodds, United States Attorney Leo A. Rover, Marshal Edgar C. Snyder and Frank Cunningham, clerk of the court, by Assistant United States Attorney William A. Gallagher. Gallagher contended the Government was within its rights in invading a i private vault conumi:g Pitts’ personal records because an additional income tax assessment had been filed against Pitts and his wife. 3 Pitts claimed the prosecutors were using the papers to secure an indict- ment against him and that they were seized without due process of law by the revenue agents seeking property upon which to levy for the alleged tax arrears. ' The District Court of Aprnl.s yes- terday denied a second application by AT R ail pending appeal o - viction cn‘ %aplruy—embe-lement | charges. l EDITORS SEE HOOVER South Carolinians Received at ‘White House by President. President Hoover today recelved 70 members of the South Carolina Press Assoclation, who have been sight seeing in Washington for the past two days. ‘They were House AR Senator B s o > Phe President h execu when one of the bandits' ASHINGTON, D. €, FRIDAY, JUNE 19, | OF PERPETUATING | BUREAU OPPOSED Croshy Says Policewomen Will Not Be Abolished and Lauds Efficiency. LAW STATUS LACKING FOR OTHER BRANCHES Rank and Pay Justified by Size of Personnel—Comparisons Pointed Out. Plans of Lieut. Mina C. Van Winkle, director of the Woman's Bureau of the Police Department, to have her bureau | established by law and the members. | given the rank and pay similar to those in other police bureaus, are destined to be blocked at the District Building, it | was indicated today by Commissioner Herbert, B. Crosby. The Woman's Bureau exists by order of the District Commissioners, and Mrs. Van Winkle thinks it should be given a | permanent status by Congress. She | | also believes the director should have | |the rank and pay of an_inspector. But Commissioner Crosby thinks otherwise. He said he could see no need or justification to give the bureau | & permanent siatus in law, since other iburnus of the Police Department were not established in law, but also are creatures of the Commissioners. Morc- over, he believes the rank of lieutenant is high enough for the director of the Woman'’s Bureau because of the com- paratively small personnel it carries. Reassurance of Crosby. Commissioner Crosby, however, de- | clared Mrs. Van Winkle need have no Il’enr that the present Board of Co | missioners will take any steps to have the Woman's Bureau abolished. H i sald - he considered this bureau an im- | portant adjunct to the Police Depart- i ment, serving a useful and worthwhile { purpose. Incidentally, this is the first time Gen. Crosby has expressed his views on the Woman’'s Bureau since he became police commissioner more tha a year ago. “I am in hearty sympathy with the Woman's Bureau and its work,” de- clared Gen. Crosby, “and Mrs. Van Winkle has nothing to worry about | T haven't yet discussed with her the proposal to give the bureau a perma- nent status and the members a rank ! equal to those in other police bureaus. ! The Detective Bureau and the Traffic Bureau, both larger than the Woman's Bureau, are not established in law, PETER SALA. NICHOLAS VASILIAN. 800 G0 ON OUTING TO MARSHALL HALL P.-T. A. and Citizens’ Fed- eration Group Inaugurate Annual Excursion. e e Marshall Hall, Md, amusement re-| sort, became a playground for more | 1931. ing | Howard, Helen Hagler and Virginia than 800 men, women and children yes- | terday, as a group formed by the Fed- eration of Citizens’ Associations and the District of Columbia Congress ent-Teacher Associations ir an annual excursion down the Potomac aboard the S. S. Charles Macalester. Games and various forms of athletic diversiop were conducted at the park. interspersed with community _singing. Basket luncheon was served at 2 o'clock. The outing_arrangements were in the | hands of Thomas J. Llewellyn and and can be abolished by order of the Commissioners. The Traffic Bureau and the Detec- tive Bureau are commanded by inspec- tors, It was pointed out, however, that | Inspector E. W. Brown, in charge of the Traffic Bureau, has 180 men under his supervision, while the Detective Bu- | reau carries a roster of approximately 100. The Woman's Bureau, it was said, has an authorized personnel of 33, including the director. Harbor Precinct Size. * SHAPIRO PLANNING T0 RESUME WORK 'Medical Building at Nine- teenth and | Is Among Projects Included. | Washington realty and medical circles today gave an attentive ear to Jacob B Shapiro’s announcement that his con- struction company was expected to re- sume operations soon. Shapiro told a jury of eight men and four women in District Supreme Court clude the erection of a medical building at Nineteenth and I streets. The realty and building operator is on trial on a charge of mail fraud. Court stobd at recess today until Tuesday when Shapiro will resume the stand to conclude testimony in his own behalf. Yesterday he made a frank recital of his business activities here during the last 10 years, rising from a penniless youth to a millionaire in seven Mrs. Giles Scott Rafter, assisted by Geotge E. Sullivan, chairman of the Invitation and Reception Committee; | Mrs. E. C. Rittue, chaitman of the En tertainment and Program Committee; Thomas E. Lodge. Publicity Commit- e, and H. C. Phillips, Ticket Commit- tee. Mrs. Rittue conducted the afternoon meeting, at which speakers were Mrs. C. M. Johnson, Mrs. T. E. Griffith, Mrs. Susanna Rauscher, Mr/ Llewellyn, Mrs. Rafter and Mrs. R. W. Rawlings. Mr. Sullivan presided over the eve ning program aboard the steamer re- turning to Washington. Musical en- tertainment was furnished by the Mc- Kinley High School Band, under the| direction of Capt. L. E. Manoly: the Edmonds-Maury Glee Ciub, under the direction of Mrs. Cecile E. Clark, and by H. Phelps Clark, Edith Martin, Ina | Holtzcheiter, Lillian _Liewellyn, 'Miss | Margery Leagus and Francis H. Grea- | ory. William R. Schmucker conducted | the group singing, and led the assembly in “America” as the boat passed Mount Vernon. A special _bicentennial program, at which Dr. George C. Havenner, presi- dent of the Federation of Citizens’ As- sociations, presided, was a part of the evening schedule. = Representative Sol Bloom, who was unable to attend be- John M. Gibbs, member of the National Bicentennial Committee, the principal speaker of this session. Honor guests of the occasion were Maj. Gen. Herbert B. Crosby, Judge and Mrs. Gus A. Schuldt, Maj. and Mrs. H. L. Robb, Mr. and Mrs. William A. Roberts and Col. A. B. Barber. The guests were intro- duced by Dr. Havenner and each re- sponded with a brief talk. The following young people were win- ners in athletics games: ‘William Gorham, Richard Barse, John Kaiser, Charles Hughes, Thomas Grif- fith, Maston Rhodes, William Rollins, Henry Club, James Richards, Robert Bartlet, Robert Shay, Martin Hery, Jeanette Griffith, Margaret Anthony, Mary Ann Brown, Dorothy Parker, Mary Parker, Doris Shay, Margaret Reece, Jean Parker, Violet Dawson, Emma Ives. —— DEAN DENIES CHARGE HE EVER TOOK POISON| Replies to Bride's Parents by In- sisting He Is Ready to Pro- vide for Her. William Harper Dean, who recently asked the District Supreme Court to compel his wife's parents to return her to him, yesterday. filed an affidavit de- nying he had ever taken an overdose of poison, or that he was ever charged or convicted of driving an automobile while intoxicated. The -drunken driving and drunk charge were made against him in the answer filed by his wife's parents to his tton. petitton. Dean's affidavit admits that he was convicted of colliding as the result of an automobile accident. 'He asserts he is willing and ready to_provide a home for his wife, Elizabeth Love Dean, who, according to the patents, is a pa- tient at the Laurel Sanitarium. ‘The affidavit was filed through At- torney Aubrey St. Clair, Wardwell. s Firemen Are Promoted. ‘The District Commissioners today pro- moted Sergt. T. D. Lyon, Fire Depart- ment, to be a lieutenant and Pvt. C. R. Bassette to be a sergeant, both 'POLICE URGED TO AID cause of illness, was represented byf The harbor precinct, police officials declared, is comparable in size with' the Woman's Bureau, and its com- mander has the rank of licutenant. Therefore, they contend, it would be | unfair to give the director of the Wom- | an's Bureau the rank of inspector until | the personnel and responsibilities in- | crease to a comparable basis with the Traffic or Detective Burea: Mrs. Van Winkle's recent lament over the failure of any member of her bu- reau to get a promotion in 10 years is no fault of the Police Department, ac- cording to Maj. Henry G. Pratt, supe intendent. He sald promotions are made as the result of competitive e: aminations conducted by the Civil Se jce Commission, and no members of the Woman's Bureau had taken the tests to certify for advancement. CHILDREN IN TRAFFIC Maj. Pratt Issues Message to De- partment to Protect Them at. Play. Maj. Henry G. Pratt, chief of police, yesterday issued a message to the department urging officers to co-operate in the effort to prevent injury to school children during the Summer vacation. Pointing out that many more youngsters will be apt to play in the streets during the coming months, Maj. Pratt recom- mends increased vigilance on the part of policemen in guarding against traffic accidents. His messagé to the force reads: “With the advent of the school vaca- tion season it is anticipated that a larger use will be made of the streets by the children for purposes of play, which practice, if indulged in to any great extent, will almost certainly mean an increase in accidents to the children with the probable loss of life and limb. “This is a condition which must be met and corrected as far as possible by the individual officers on the beat, and you will, therefore, whenever children are observed at play in the streets on your beat, warn them against such prac- tice and of the dangers attending the use of the public highways as play- grounds and at the same time direct them to the nearest playground. “The individual officer on the beat can accomplish great results for the personal safety of the children in a missionary way. He should make it a point always to have the children look upon him as their best friend. He can by his mere interest in them bring them to believe that he is their protector rather than their enemy, and he should strive at all times to secure their confi- dence and assist them whenever possi- ble in their personal safety and asso- ciations.” Gt gliodedis POLICE OPERATORS ASK HIGHER CLASSIFICATION < Basing their request on the training required for the work, civilian employes of the Police Department operating telephone and teletype machines in the Central Bureau and recording to all messages, have asked the Classification Board for higher ratings. ‘The r:&wr. states that the must be skilled in telephone i before years, in an effort to break down evi- dence adduced from Government wit- nesses that he induced them to buy real estate encumbered by a so-called hidden trust. Company Inactive Since 1928, ‘The defendan! construction com- pany has been inactive since 1928 be- cause, he said, of a deflation in the realty market here which caused him to lose his fortune. As to his future activities, the following are Shapiro's own words in answer to a question pro- pounded by Alvin L. Newmyer of de- fense counsel: “Yes, I am building again. In 1929, it was not wise to build, but in the last four or five months I have interested some of the biggest business men of the | city as partners. They are putting up the money and I am doing the build- | ing. and we will split the profit. 1 am planning a medical building at Nineteenth and I streets, where 50 prominent docters are going to put up the money and I am going to sell it to them on the same co-operative basis I sold the apartments. They are going to put up $250,000 or $300,000 and I will do the building, and they will pay me for it.” The co-operative apartments Shapiro referred to are the Hampshire Gardens, near New Hampshire avenue and Emerson street. These apartments were subjected to court litigations after being | erected. At present there are threc‘ medical buildings in the vicinity of Shapiro’s project. ‘Will Be Cross Examined. Shapiro will be crossed-examined by Assistant United States Attorney John W. Fihelly. The prosecutor today was | silent as to his plans. Before court recessed yesterday | Shapiro told of his rise and fall in the | real estate business here, starting fresh from college in 1919 at the age of 19. His firm grew from a one-clerk affair to an organization of approximately 600 employes. He built more than houses, apartments and ‘commercial buildings in seven years and accumulat- ed a fortune in excess of $2,000,000. In getting his start he borfowed money to buy land and borrowed money to pay off the original transaction, giving a blanket mortgage on a group of houses and paying this off when the hquses were sold. When his fortune began to slip from him in 1927 he made an effort to recuperate by unloading his realty ) ¢ great many prop- erties,” he testified, “because I had to sell securities at discount of 30 to 40 per cent. For instance, if I sold $100.- 000 worth of securities, I could only get from $50,000 to $60,000 in cash. If a plece of ground cost me $100,000 I would sell it for $75,000 to $60,000 in order to get cash to operate.” Down to $800,000 in 1929. In October, 1929, the defendant said he was down to $800,000 and with a number of blanket mortgages out, in- cluding those on the 24 homes involved in case. Then the stock market crashed, making it impossible, he said, to borrow money. from the banks. He said conditions were so bad at that time that to borrow $40,000, he would have to put up $1,000,000 in securities. Then the mortgagee called on the property owners to pay off the ground trust, of which they had no knowledge. This resultedsin a Senate District Com- mittee investigation and his indict- ment by a grand jury. i “Was there any time, until after this crash occurred, when any of these financial houses you were dealing ‘rlth ipon to pay ever notified or made any demands homes u'.hnle ground trusts?” Mr, Newmyer the purchasers of these ked. “No,” the defendant replied, “because they knew it was my obligation and BUSINESS late yesterday of his plans, which in-| VAN WINKLE PI.AN ‘ In Columbia Heights Parade MISSES IMOGENE McELROY AND DOROTHY HOLLAND { Were.among those who formed the procession inaugurating the twelfth annual | reunion of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Columbia Heights last nigh —Star Staff Photo. V£ W, OF DISTRICT OPEN CONVENTION 1931 Reunion to Continue Through Today and Tomorrow. The streets of Columbia Heights were bedecked in colorful array last night as uptewn residents turned out to view the pageantry incident to the twelfth annual encampment of the District of Columbia Department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The 1931 military re- union will continue today and tomorrow. | Behind & motor cycle police escort the | parade marking the initiation of the | three-day encampment fell into line at | Shepherd street, marching southward | on Fourtcenth street to Fairmont street. Led by Veterans of Forelgn Wars and joined by delegations of uniformed vet- erans from other organizations, wom- en’s auxiliaries. Boy Scouts, groups from fraternal bodies and representatives of the Columbia Heights Business Men's Association, the march continued east- ward on Fairmont to Eleventh stree! thence north to Wilson Teachers' Col- lege, at Eleventh and Harvard streets, | where the conventicn was called to or- der. Past Comdr. Joseph F. Beattic, parade marshal, headed the procession. Addreised by Rodman. The march along the brilliantly il- By luminated route was punctuated by the blare of military ands and of William L. Thomas, department com- mander of the local chapter, presided at the convention, which was addressed by a group of prominent guests, includ- ing Admiral Hugh L. Rodman. retired former commander of Battleship Divi sion No. 9 of the Atlantic Fieet, during the World War. In the course of a plea for prepar:d- ness in naval strength, Admiral Rod- man quoted the story of the middie who wrote in an examination that the Bat- tle of Trafalgar was lost by the con- | tinental allies because of the need of three ships—"“leadership, seamanship and marks manship.” He added that another well be needed from Capitol Hill in | strengthening defense. Other Speakers. Other speakers at the convention opening included Rear Admiral F. C. Billard, commandant of the United States Coast Guard; R. B. Lawrence of the George Washington Bicentennial Commission, Barney Levinson, presi- dent of the Columbia Heights Business Men’s Association: Lee Turner, depart- ment commander of the Disabled Amer- ican Veterans; Bernard C. McNeill, de- partment commander of the Ame) n | Legion; Charles A. McWilliams, depart- S ment commander of the Uni pan- ish War Veterans: Representative John C. Cochran of Missouri, Maj. O. W. Clark of the Veterans’ Bureau, Judge Robert E. Mattingly of Municipal Court and Isaac Gans, local business man. Election of officers tonight will be the high point of the second day of the encampment. Among the outstand- ing candidates for department com- mander is Senior Vice Comdr. Oscar W._Hollingsworth. Cups and cash prizes were awarded to best marching units last night by a group of judges cofposed of Maj. Frank Lockhead, U. S. A.; Maj. Charles Demonet, U. S. A. Reserve, and Barney Levinson. Campbell Murray headed a committee designated by the Advertis- ing Club of Washington to award prizes for the best dressed show windows along the route of march. | announcement the | | bugle, fife and drum corps of the city. | g, ship—statesmanship — might | PAGE B—1 AIRPORT LOGATION APPEARS SETTLED - BYWEATHER MOVE IStation, Key of Coastal Routes, to Be Moved From Bolling to Hoover Field. | TRANSFER BY JULY 1 OFFICIAL RECOGNITION Senator Bingham Expresses Satis- faction at Commercial Phase Gains. | Definite indication that a govern mental airport for the National Capital will be developed at Washington- Hoover Pield was seen today in the that the Weather Bu- reau is planning to move its airways weather station, key station on coastal airwa: om Bol ‘Washington-Hoover Airpo: The proposed transfer, understood is to 1, gives official re ‘Transfer of expected to be 1o the transfer of from Bolling P consolidating all tions out of the Na! y. schadul arrivals and departures daiiy | Word that the Weather Bureau has reached a decision to transfer the s tion, providing suitable facilities a: made availabl the civil field, was received tod Senator Hiram Bing- {ham of Connecticut, president of the | National Aeronautical Association and {advocate of the creation of the Cap- | tal's municipal airport on the site of ‘Lhe present commercial airport. Matter Under Discussion. The matter now is under discussion between Dr. Charles F. Marvin, chief of the Weather Bureay, and officials of Washington-Hoover Airpart. It is be- |lieved that the arrangen-1is will be | made satisfactoril, Senator Bingham | said. | " Notification of the intention to trans- fer the station was given Senator Bing- ham as a result of a letter written by |him to Dr. Marvin this week urging that the transfer be made. | “We are all of us glad to see that the local commercial airport, which is slowly coming into national prominence, is being used more and more,” Senator Bingham said in his letter to Dr. Mar- vin. “On my visits to various airports I have been struck by the value of weather service Teceived at such fre- quent_intervals. “I hope that it may be possible for | you to change the present location of | the sirways weather station from Boll- ling Field to_Washington-Hoover Air- | port, where the information will be at all fimes immediately available to the various passenger lines that are now us- ing that important port. Information for Navy. “The Army can readily sccure infor- mation from their milifary fields and ought not to object to being obliged to telephone to the Washington Airport for other information. The number of |planes and passengers now arriving | daily at the Washington Airport is s h greater than those arriving at Bolling Field that I feel sure this is a reasonable request.” Location of the weather station at olling Ficld was a result of the inabil- |ity of Congress, District officials and | aeronautical authorities to reach an agreement on a permanent municipal | airport site for the Capital. It was the original plan_to_establish the weather station at the field which loomed as th> center of future civil air develooment. Establishment 2t Bolling was decided upon because of the need of rapid. 2c- curate weather information service for the night airmail which was being oper- ated from the Army field under tem- porary permit from the War Depart- hent. The decision to locate the station at ‘Washington-Hoover Airport is expected to stifle any efforts which may be made during the coming session of Con- gress to create an airport at Gravelly Point or any site other than Washing- | ton-Hoover Airport and is expected to be a powerful aid in the effort to en- large the landing area at the commer- cial field by closing the section of Mili- tary road between the two halves of the present airport area and possibly by opening of a portion of the Department of Agriculture experimental farm for airport purposes. R PAIR FOUND NOT GUILTY Jury Acquits Two Charged With Mann Act Conspiracy. | A jury in District Supreme Court yes. terday found Latimer Townsend and Bertha Melson not guilty of a conspiracy to violate the Mann act. Justice Peyton Gordon, before whom the case was tried. however, had pre- viously held ah indictment valid which charged a “willing victim” with com- plicity in the conspiracy. Heretofore it had been the practice to try only the man, holding the woman as a material witness. Attorney Paul J. Sedgewick represent- ed the defendants, while the Govern- ment's case was presented by Assistant }Ynlged States Attorney James R. Kirk- and. CANADIAN WAR NURSE APPEALS FROM DENIAL OF CITIZENSHIP Miss Bland Holds Supreme Court Decision Limits Religious Liberty and Violates American Civilization Traditions. By the Associated Press. Marie Averil Bland, a . Canadian nurse residing in New York City, 'who was refused naturalization by the Su- preme Court following its decision in the MaclIntosh case, today filed a peti- tion for rehearing. ' Miss Bland nursed érican soldiers wing wofltg T Wi Yar wd xprsa'edmhl: 'ar and e go intc front line trenches to nurse in case of another war, but she was denied citizenship promise to bear arms. In her petition for rehearing, Miss urged the grounds advan Prof. Douglas tosh of Yale Uni- versity in his for a review as for the decision in her case. She added that she was re- the decision to consent to arms to acquire citizenship by | come of the right of the determine for himself when the “men of this country will never allow women to do their fighting for them.” The reading into the naturalization act of a congressional direction that women must promise to bear arms to become citizens, she argued, was run- w coptrary to every instinct and tion ‘'of American civilization. Referring to parts of the court’s de- ciston which suggested that obedience to the laws of the land is not incon- hmuelhem’uudnu" individual to his relations to his Creator?” ‘The decision of the court, she de- clared, had a limitation upon religious liberty in advance of congres- sional action.