Evening Star Newspaper, November 3, 1931, Page 17

CThe Zn ening Star WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION and General WASHINGTON, B, C TUE SDAY, NOVEMBER 3 1931. CONTEMPT HEARING | ! | BY JUSTICE LETTS R | Court Probes Charges That| Defense Used Fraudulent Evidence. F. H. SMITH COWiOFFICIAL TO SHOW CAUSE MONDAY Two Grand Juries Have Invest gated Alleged Bogus Requisitions. District Supreme Court Justice F. D Letts today ordered an open investig: tion of charges by the Government that G. Bryan Pitts, former head of the ¥. H. Smith Co., and persons associated with him at his recent trial here in- troduced in evidence a number of fraudulent documents in an effort to obtain an acquittal The way for the investigation was ved when Justice Letts ordered Pitts nto court next Monday to show cause why he should not be held in con- tampt for bringing’ the' alleged fraudu- Jent_documents into court as evidence. The significant feature of the investi- gation, however, is the fact the Gov- ernment, In its motion for the con- tempt citation, asked Justice Letts to hold in contempt any other persons who might appear to have been con- nected with preparation of the docu- ments Names of Others Withheld. The names of the “other persons” the Government believes to have béen in- volved have not been disclosed. Pitts was convicted on the charge of conspiring to embezzle $5,000,000 of the company'’s funds and destroy in- criminating records. His defense to the embezzlement charges was based on certain requisitions which claimed justified him in recelving money the prosecution sald was em- bezzled. ‘The story of these requisitions, which the Government says were an outright fraud, has been unfolded be- fore two grand juries, the last of which returned perjury indictments against Pitts, John H. Edwards, jr., & vice president of the Smith Co.; Henry ©O. Hart, an_accountant; Miss Helen L. Schneider, Pitts' secretary, and Emory L. Coblentz, Prederick, Md. banker, who admitted on the witness stand he had signed some of the requisitions. Indictments Attacked. The validity of this indictment has been attacked and the question is still pending in the courts. At a hearing before United States Commissioner Needham O©. Tumage several months ago, Edwards, who was convicted with Pitts, testified the requi- sitions were spurious and he had treat- ed them with acid so they would ap- pear to be aged. He said all the papers ‘were prepared at Pitts' home in Flor- ida shortly before the trial opened. Pitts was defended at the trial oy ‘Wilton J. Lambert, Rudolph Yeatman and George D. Horning, jr., Washing- ton attorneys, and Frank G. Raicl of New York, & law partner of Wiliam former Assistant Attorney The prosecution was conducted by Nugent Dodds, Assistant Attorney Gen- eral, and Nell Burkinshaw, a Special Assistant Attorney General. STRICT TAXI CURBS URGED BY C. OF C. Transportation Committee Recom- mends for Greater Control. Measures Recommendation that more stringent rules governing taxicab operation in the District be made was voted by the ‘Transportation Committee of the Wash. ington Chamber of Commerce, . meeting yesterday in the Hamiiton Hotel. The committee advocated that “cruis- ing” taxis be restricted on major busi- ness streets; that a method of fare pro- portionate to service rendered be adopted: enactment of compulsory in- demnity insurance law; periodic tests of both drivers and machines to insure efficiency of drivers and proper condi- tion of cabs: equipment of all taxicabs with non-shatterable glass to reduce accident hasards, and that the Public Utilities Commission be authorized to issue at its discretion certificates of convenience and necessity covering taxicab operation. The committee further recommended | that Congress increase the the commission if its present authority | he | | | powers of | ORHAN AND BY GRETCHEN SMITH. WO excited Jittle boys moving ex- uberantly about the living room in the home of their distin- guished grandfather, Ahmet Muhtar, Turkish Ambassador, discussed loudly, one in English, the other in French, the merits of foot ball, croquet, mechanics, moving pictures and all the other pleasures delightful to boy- ish hearts of 7 and 11. “Foot ball, of course” promptly re- sponded 11-year-old Orhan, in PFrench, in reply to the question as to what sport he_liked best. His sturdy legs and strong, well built form augmented no good to future grid- iron rivals of his native land, Turkey. “We don't play exactly as you do here,” he explained. “We kick the ball more than American players do. See, I will show you how we play.” Excitement flashed from black eyes #s he took up a plece of paper and hastily drew a well-defined diagram of a foot ball field, with goals and numbers indicating the players. Orhan Nebil, oldest son of the newly appointed Minister from Turkey Japan, I. Nebil, and Mme. Feriha Nebil, daughter of the Turkish Ambas- L real boy of 11 years. Courteous, well informed, and interesting, he discusses intelligently in four languages, subjects of a depth far beyond his years. “I want to be an engineer,” he said. “I like to make things with machinery, and mechanical toys.” light of his 7-year-old brother, Omer, Gourguenoff, the kind Russian gov- boys for the past 10 years “Orhan likes foot ball” said the younger boy, “but I like croquet and moving pictures.” “No, I didn't like the trip en the boat,” WIFE OF BEDELL Waitress Questioned About Cunningham Killing and Legation Robbery. Questioning of Mrs. “Billie” Bedell 27-year-old waitress, and wife of Wil- liam E. Bedell, who is being held in New York City in connection with the murder of Jack Cunningham and the El Salvadorean legation liquor robbery, was to be continued by members of the homicide squad today. Mrs. Bedell, who lives at 497 Penn- sylvania_avenue, was taken into cus- is insufficlent to control the taxicab | tady by Detective Sergts. Floyd Truscott situation in Washington recommendations were made by | ernoon the whole committee following the | and Dennis Murphy late yesterday aft- when it was learned that she had been in communication with her reading of a report by & special sub- | nhysband since his arrest in New York ittee headed by Allen V. DeFord. 1 had held a series of conferences affected transportation groups d data from Boston, New Pittsburgh, Philadelphia representative cities he meeting was presided over by | o¢ Guests | oy e E. Keneipp. chairman d Commissioner Herbert rosby, Willlam A. Van Duszer. ct f vehicles and traffic. and In- s E. W. Brown of the Traffic Bur HOLDS SPECIAL INTERESTS ¢ CONTROL U. S. POLITICS| Addre the Palaver Club at its monthly dinner at 1536 New Hampshire avenue last night, William Atherton Du Puy. executive assistant to Secre- tary Wilbur of the Interior, declared this generation in “has fathere: of government the usefulness of government and |yt the United States ‘more constructive policies policies that increased | to the people, than any other generation that as_gone before.” “It has been responsible for vaster undertakings of government and their execution than any other.” speaker sues to & successful termination. said the “It has fought more moral s;— t has done all this in spite of the charge that exercise of franchise, that only mediocre mem to office, that poli tics is controlled by special serving incompetents.” Such sccomplishments, Mr #ald, were “the answer to democratic government in tieth century.” The club met with Gen. John Mc- Auley Palmer as host and with the! president, Dr. Rufus W. Weaver of explai American University, presiding. the citizen is indifferent to the he elects interests, that public service is filled with time- Du Puy critics of the twen- | on_a forgery charge two weeks ago. Capt. Edward J. Kelly and other de- tectives questioned the woman for three hours last night, following her arrest, learned nothing. The woman said, declared she knew nothing I's _alleged connection with the slaying of Cunningham or | police Be s prov were shown her States Commissioner in New York in two weeks for a hearirg on a fugitive warrant sworn for his arrest by Detec- tive Sergt. Larry O'Dea. Yule Trade Likely to Get Twenty to Washington poultry market today one of the effects of the economic pressions, and dealers are where they wi'l find sume turkeys which they and even 40 pounds In weight Christmas time. ned. This year more grain than they can dispose of Two Young Diplomats | . - | TURKISH ENVOY'S GRANDSONS HAVE U. §. BOYS | FOR PITTS ORDERED sador, is all that could be desired in the | As he spoke, he started constructing | a bridge of matches, much to the de- | and to the dismay of Mlle. Eugenie | erness, who has been with the little | | GRILLEDBY POLICE 30 pound turkeys hit the as e- wondering customers to con- estimated might reach 30 pounds by Thanksgiving ¥ It happened in this way. the dealers farmers have TASTES. OMER NEBIL. —Star Staff Photo. | he continued. “I didn't want to leave | Turkey. I think Washington is very | pretty,” added the little diplomat. Omer picked up two of the long | matches, and simulating a violin and | bow commenced Humming a song. | The utter lack of self-consciousness |on the part of the two little Turkish | boys, loudly arguing one minute as to | which had broken the ping pong set, and | then turning courteously toward their | visitor to answer a question, was a de- light to see. “We both like to swim,” said Orhan, “and I Tow & lot when I'm home, on the | Bosporus. But it's really very dan- gerous,” he explained, “as there's a | very strong tide, and many people are | drowned_yearly” “Yes, I like to ride, too, but haven't ridden much since we left Afghanistan, where I used to have my pony. Mille. Gourguerioff, who brought the boys and their little 4-year-old sister | Aysel from Turkey to join their par- | ents already in the United States, smiled | at her small charges as they conversed to | Tapidly, one in English, the other in | French. Frequently they appealed to | her in their native tongue. “Orhan speaks German, French, | Russian and Turkish,” she explained. “He learned his languages in school.” Little Omer, who speaks English- so | fluently, has not yet gone to school, | and learned to speak his language from the governess. am sorry you cannot meet Aysel’” she added. “But she has been ill, and we are keeping her quiet so that we can leave soon for our new home in Tokio. Little Aysel is a typical little girl who loves her dolls, and her tea sets, and bosses her brothers.” With the wish that they might see a real foot ball game before they leave the United States, the two boys bowed low over the hand of their visitor and wished her 00d-b CRANT 1S OPPOSED 10 PART-TIME WORK Gifford Proposal Would Not Function in His Depart- ment, He Declares. Lieut. Col. U. S. Grant, 3d, director of Public Buildings and Parks, does not see his way clear, he said today, to put into effect the suggestion of Walter S. | Gifford, chairman of President Hoover's Committee on Unemployment Relief, that Government employes be put on a part time basis as a means of pro- viding employment for more persons. Col. Grant said he was entirely will- ing to co-operate with the relief plan, but that he did not think it feasible for the particular conditions existing in his department. ‘The Winter employes of his office are trained men, he declared, and work with little or no supervision. To take on untrained men, he pointed out, would make it necessary to train them and to provide foremen and supervisors. As a second argument against put- ting his regular employes on & part- time basis, Col. Grant called attention to their low salarfes and said it would WOOD SALARY CUT PLAN MEETS MORE FOES IN CONGRESS| Members of Both Houses Voice Opposition to Lower U. S. Pay Rates. BATTLE IS PROMISED IF PROPOSAL IS MADE Appropriations Committeemen Are Against Move, but Decline to Make Public Statements. BY WILL P. KE! DY. More members of Congress today registered their intention to oppose the ! proposal of Representative Will R. Wood of Indiana, chatrman of the| House Appropriations Committee, to re- | duce Government salaries. Even mem- | bers of Mr. Wood's own committee, which under the Holman rule might | reduce Government salaries by pro- visos in the appropration bills are antagonistic to the Wood program even though they do not care at this time to be quoted as quarreling with their prospective chajrman. Not a single member of the Appropriations Commit- tee thus far interviewed is willing to support Mr, Wood in the salary reduc- tion effort. Members of the Civil Service and of | the House District Committees, who come into closest contact with the Gov- ernment workers and their conditions of employment, gre most emphatic in their declarationf that they will stub- bornly fight the proposed reduction in salaries. Clancy Against Pay Cut. Representative Robert H. Clancy of Michigan, Republican member of the Civil Service Committee, believes that he would be stultifying his record of many years if he supported this wage cut. “As a member of the House Civil Service Committee,” he pointed out, “I have always been in favor of having the Federal Government set a high stand- ard for employes as to wages, hours, retirement funds, etc.” Representative John W. McCormack of Massachusetts, Democratic member of the Civil Service Committee, an- nounces his vigorous opposition to any effort to reduce salaries. “Any attempt on the part of Congress to reduce the wage levels of Federal employes will be met with serious opposition and cannot be successful.” he emphasized. “Any such policy, if pursued by the Govern- ment will do more to aggravate exist- ing conditions than that of any other agency. The early policy and principle of President Hoover—that there shall be no leveling of the wage scale—he has reiterated whenever large companies have used the present temporary de- pression as an excuse for making wage reductions. I do not believe that the President will stand for any leveling of wages of employes of the Federal Government. Personally, I will vigor- ously oppose such action and I know that T am speakirig for many of my col- leagues, both Republican and Demo- cratic. It is the duty of every citizen and every member of Congress to re- solve in the President’s favor and exert every effort to help him in maintaining wage standards.” Will Fight Reductions. Representative Clarence J. McLeod of Michigan, prospective chairman of the House District Committee if the Republicans organize the House, as- sures all Government workers that they can “depend upon me to be on the alert to object and oppose any reduc- tion in salaries for Federal or District employes that may be suggested in the coming session of Congress. I am in thorough accord with the arguments of the National Federation of Federal Employes and there must be no reduc- tions, especially in the groups which are already receiving less than a decent living wage.” Representative Frank W. Bowman, Republican, of West Virginia, said he was ready to “go to the mat with Chairman Wood or any one else who seeks to decimate the salaries of the Government workers.” “After President Hoover's appeal to outside business not to cut salaries it would be a breach of faith on the part of the United States Government to make any reduction, not to mind a 10 per cent slash in pay checks,” said Mr. Bowman today. “Just when the Gov- ernment should be setting an exam- ple of confidence in the turning of the | tide of prosperity and better times it is most fitting to suggest whittling down on the Federal pay roll. We cer- tainly have had a hard enough job get- ting the Government salaries built up to a living wage, and have not yet suc- ceeded in getting full justice and equity for the veteran workers and those we wish to have continue in the service until they, in turn, are veterans. It is preposterous in temporary emergency to break down the structure that it has taken years of persistent effort to build up. 1 | | Sees Failure of Effort. | “Besides, we hired these workers at a regulated salary, with grades of pro- | motion and increases fixed by law and supposed to be scientifically and suto- matically operative. It would be rank injustice ruthlessly to reduce these salaries. If a great army of workers cannot have confidence in the stability of their rate of pay from their Gov= ernment. what hope is there for: them? “The Government employes can count be unfair to cut their pay, even under present conditions. The Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks gradually is laying off force of per diem employes hired for the seasonal work of Fall, but this, Col Grent declared, is the usual procedure ; suc! : | | Representative Phil D. Swing of Cali- | loyes | fornia has again will be hired. These men will|large groups of Government workers | followed every year In the Spring extra seasonal emp be on a per diem basis, but Col. Grant said he does not see, at this time, how he can give them only part-time work, since it would necessitate the training of two groups. |30-POUND TURKEYS ON MARKET FOR THANKSGIVING PURCHASERS Birds Weighing 40 Cheap. Dealers Wonder if They’ll Sell. They have fed and fed their turkeys, hoping to reap some of the harvest from the Thanksgiving and Christmas markets. Consequently the dealers to- dav were displaying turkeys weighing 20 and 30 pounds. Turkeys are likely 10 be cheap, the dealers said. Recent prices have ranged from 20 to 25 cents a pound en foot. with about 8 cents | 8dded for dressing. “But what private customer wants & -1 30-pound turkeg?” they asked. s | the C | | | fight that is coming if Chairman Wood | on me to take an active part in the | or any one I am heartily | There is no | it. I predict that| will not succeed.” against ar reason or justi h an effort hastened to assure various | and the national organization, the| National Federation of Federal Employes that he will oppose the proposed reduc- tion in salaries Senator Hiram W. Johnson of Cali- fornia, chairman of the Senate Com- ttee, has assured the Fed- " organization that their salary question will have his most earnest consideration Vandenberg Cautious. Senator A. H. Vandenberg, Repub- lican, of Michigan, a member of the Commerce and District of Co- lumbia Committees, expresses general sympathy with the efforts of the Na- tional Federation of Federal Employes in behalf of the workers threatened salary cuts “No one can foresee,” he said, “all the difficultids which the coontry may yet confront and therefore it would be unwise to speak too conclusively about the future. "But I hope and expect to proceed in entire concurrence” with the plans of the National Federation of Pederal Employes to protect the sal- ary structure of the Federal service. | Senator Samuel W. Shortridge of Galifornia 4 member of the Senste nce and Public Buildings snd Grounds Committees, was emphatie in Proposed Central Heating Plant PAGE B—1 PLANS FOR NEW FEDERAL BUILDING APPROVED. The Pine Arts Commission yesterday approved this architect’s drawing of ernment buildings in the triangle area. at a cost of $5,749,000. It will be erected between Twelfth and the new central heating plant for Gov- Thirteenth, C and D streets, southwest, —Star Staff Photo. FINE ARTS GROUP VISITS WAKEFIELD Goes to Washington’s Birth- | place to Inspect Progress of Restoration. The Fine Arts Commission today Jjourneyed to Wakefleld Manor, Va., the birthplace of George Washington, to in- spect the progress of the restoration. Location of a rest house is to be con- sidered, and the commission will give further attention to plans submitted | for this structure by Edward W. Donn, | Jr., Washington architect. Wakefleld Manor is to be dedicated on February 11, 1932, the birthday of ‘Washington, according to the old-style calendar, H. P. Caemmerer, secretary of the commission, said this morning. Approve Heat Plant. The commission placed its stamp of approval ‘on plans for the new central heating plant, to be located between Twelth &nd Thirteenth streets, C and D streets southwest. This structure, for which $5,749.000 has been authorized, has been designed by the United Engi neers & Constructors, Inc., of Phila. delphia. Paul T. Cret, consulting archi- tect, has taken a prominent part in submitting the design to the commis- sion. The Supervising Architects's Of- fice of the Treasury Department and Secretary Mellon placed the completed plans before the commission. Decision on the type of ornamenta- tion to be erected in the Columbia Is- land plaza, in lieu of the stately col- umns to which aviation interests ob- jected as a hazard to flying, was put over by the commission for about a week. Its members will study the plans presented as a proposed modification of the original scheme. Officials of Mc- Kim, Mead & White of New York, de- signers of the Arlington Memorial Bridge, conferred yesterday with the Fine Arts Commission and suggested numerous modifications, on Columbia Island, to meet the objections lodged against the original plan. 25-Cent Piece Approved. The commission conferred with rep- resentatives of the committee for the Fine Arts Exhibition of the George ‘Washington Bicentennial going to the National Museum and the Corcoran Gallery of Art, where it is proposed to house the exhibition. Co-operating in this enterprise are the Mural Painters’ Soclety, the National Sculpture Society, the American Institute of Architects, the American Soclety of Landscape Ar- chitects and the American Academy in Rome. Approval was given the design for the George Washington Bicentennial 25-cent piece, submitted by Secretary Mellon and the director of the mint. TWO TRANSFUSIONS FAIL TO SAVE TOURIST’S LIFE | Homer C. Hugill Dies at Hospital, While Son Remains in Critical Condition. Despite blood transfusions from two of the 100 Washingtonians who offered to assist in efforts to save his life, Homer C. Huglll of Asheville, N. C., a motorist who was found unconscious from car- bon monoxide poisoning in a cabin at a tourists’ camp here Saturday, died late yesterday at Emergency Hospital. His son, Homer, jr., Who was found in the same cabin with his father, remains | unconscious and in a criticel condition at the hospital. He is conceded a slight chance to survive. Decision to hold an inquest into the death of the elder Hugill was withheld today by Coroner Joseoh D. Roge: pending an investigation being condu ed into the circumstances of the trag- y. The Hugills are understood to have in search of work. No relatives have been located despite extensive inquiry there. —————— IRAQ FOR PEACE PACT Belated Acceptance of Treaty Re- ported to State Department. Renunciation of War is favored by| ¥ Country, it was indicated yes- v.enxgdl:; n a Yiclayed Kellogg-Briand y ly. e far-of Bagdad to the State Department came the word that King Falal of Iraq had approved acceptance of an invitation extended by the United States. If his Parllament approves, vt will 'become the sixtieth country to sign the pact. his defense of the Government workers' salaries T do not think that the Federal employes who Tender faithful and ef- cient service to the Government are Overpaid.” he said. “I Know of no rea- on "why their salaries should be re- duced, in this connection agreeing with the views of Pede! Union.” come here from the North Carolina city | Employes’ ‘ hogu. |Glassford Rejected Gotham Bank Post of Crooks for 1932 Celebration. Brig. Gen. Pelham D. Glassford, re- tired Army officer, who turned down a ! iob as vice president of one of New | York’s large banks to become chief of | police here, thinks the Washington police are going to have their hands full handling erooks he believes will | come to the city for the Bicentennial celebration. He has already given considerable thought to this matter and he wil gin making active preparations to han- dle the situation as soon as he assumes active command of the police force. Gen. Glassford is not planning shake- ups or drastic changes when he goes into office. By way of illustrating his unfamiliarity with the local police sit- uation, he pointed out that he does not know what the district system is nor | how many precincts there are in the city. He believes he should go into his new job without any preconceived notions of how should be run, and thinks he will have enough to do at the outset handling the immedia affairs of his own office. ‘When the question of the banking job | first came up, Gen. Glassford went to | New York to see the president of the | institution. “Mr. President,” he said, “I can't imagine whv you are offering me this job. I don't know the first thing about banking.” “If you did,” the presids “you couldn't have the job. He thinks, perhaps, he may have been selected as chief of police on the same theory. Gen. Glassford, who takes office No- vember 16, visited police headquarters today for the second time since his ap- | pointment, and conferred with Inspec- i'.urt‘ Ernest Brown, acting superintend- | ent ent replied, | WASHINGTON MEN BUY CHARLESTOWN LIGHT CO. | John H. Libby, Frederick Esch and L. T. Cranford Are Gas Firm Purchasers. ‘Three Washington men, John H. Libby, Frederick Esch and L. F. Cran- ford, have purchased the Charlestown Heat & Light Co., which supplies to Winchester, Va. according to dis- patches today from Winchester. The sale price was not disclosed. The new owners took over manage- ment of the company immediately after the purchase. Libby, an engineer, is president; Esch, an attorney, is treas- urer, and Cranford, an engineer, is secretary. All employes of the company have been retained by the new management, including Roy S. Baker, manager. THREE HURT, 4 ESCAPE Three persons received minor cuts and bruises while four others escaped unhurt, wken an automobile in which they were riding overturned on New Hampshire avenue near Farragut street last night. Miss Rose Solomon, 19 years old, of 5116 Ninth street; Miss Virginia Rob- erts, 20, of 40 B street southwest, and Miss Sadie Bargani, 19, of 2795 North | | | fleld Hospital and given first aid treat- {ment for their injuries. Mrs. Lorraine Elkins, 19 years old, of 3145 Mount Pleasant street, who was driving the machine, told police the steering gear broke and caused the accident. BURGLARS FEAR TROUBLE T TO ROB COLORED ELKS—FIND IT | Treasurer Secrets $1,000 in Two colored burglars, having removed | their overcoats, evidently expected to | find trouble when they tried to rob the treasurer of the Morning Star Lodge of Colored Elks of $1,000 early today. Sure enough, they found it. Henry Washington, the treasurer, saw to that. It was 3 am., or thereabouts, when the Morning Star Lodge voted ment, rather late, it occurred to Wash- ington, to be abroad with the lodges’ benefit fund. | _And the treasurer, who also is an un- | dertaker, decided on cauticn. Instead | of driving up to his front door, at 467 N street, he parked nearby, entered a side approach and secretcd the 81, in his parlor. Then Washington, returning to his car, drove o a nearby garage. left\the | automobile and walked boldly baek To Head D.C.Police| New Chief Fears Invasion | Capitol street, were removed to Gar- | They Climb Into Window. #iinger Hospital. RED CROSS DRIVE WILL OPENNOV. 11 Employes of 21,000 Business Concerns Here Will Be Enrolled. | Employes of nearly 21,000 corpora- tions and business concerns in the Dis- trict of Columbia will be enrolled in the annual roll call of the American Red Cross through organizations set up within' the establishments in which they work. ‘The establishments will receive enroll- ment blanks and complete information for roll call workers, along with mem- bership buttons, receipt cards and all other necessary supplies. In each firm an executive, or an employe acting for an executive, will be rfiuefihd to secure contributions of subscribers within the Will Open November 11. ‘The number of corporations and busi- ness houses which will be asked to enroll their complete personnel is some- what larger than last vear, it was sald today by David A. Skinner, of the Chaml United States, and cha! Business Commif charge of the The roll call itself will open on Armistice day and continue to Thanks: giving, November 26. Low Cost of Collection. Mr. Skinner pointed out the method which has been set up for enrolling the entire personnel of business houses is the most €conomical that could have been devised. Thr buisnmul house contributes in two ways within the means of every empl and in the actual organization work well. This means, he added, that the cost of collection to the Red Cross is kept at absolute minimum, so that all funds collected may be used only for the relief of suffering and distress. No radical changes in methods of solicitation are anticipated for the pres- ent year, it was pointed out. A mini- mum quota of 50,000 memberships is sought by the Business Committee, CLUE IN BAKER CASE PROVES WORTHLESS Detective Questions Colored Man in Lancaster, Pa., After Receipt of Letter. Information contained in an anony- mous letter from Lancaster, Pa., rela- tive to the Mary Baker murder mystery proved worthless, aceording to & report John C. Dalglish, member of the homi- cide squad, submitted to Inspector mhsu ; Bur‘ke. ch{‘l‘:( of detectives, return from the P town last night. R Daiglish saw Elvin Trotman, colored, 26, who was referred to by the writer of the letter. He is a native of Nor- folk, Va., and left there more than two years ago and went to Pennsylvania. He was employed in Reading until April of last year when he went to Lancaster and found employment in a ctgAlr Mfr!, colored woman, believed b Lancaster police to have WT",'H:I g:: letter, was questioned by Dalglish and Lancaster police, but she denied writ- ing the letter. Other “poison pen” let- ters have been sent to residents of Lan- | caster the past few months, it is re- | ported, but the woman questioned de- nied having written any of them. RYING Home, Attacks Men When strange overcoats draped over his front fance. When he saw that his parlor ;vh;xldow was open, he opened his pocket | knife, Thus armed, Washington reached a | place under the window just as a stranger jumped from it, landing fairly upon the treasurer. The scuffie which followed aroused neighbors and when the police arrived they found Washington in charge of the situation and one Charles Burke, 30, who said he lived at 1243 Six-and-a- halt street. /Burke was under arrest today in Gal- He had to be taken | to Freedman’s Hospital first for treat- | ment of knife wounds more numerous an serious. ‘While both burglars lost their over- CAR COMPANIES | | BLAMED FORNOT WINNING PUBLIC Utilities Experts Feel Service Should Be Developed to Defeat Cut-Rate Cabs. CHANGE TO HIGHER FARE SEEN AS MISTAKE Pass System and 5-Cent Zone Rate for Short Hauls Regarded Helpful. h a_series of arti- oblems contron compantes of Wai article will ay This is # cles discussing ing the st car ington. The mext tomorrow. ird of the ‘pr While definite steps are to be taken by the Public Utilitles Commission to control the motley multitude of out- rate taxicabs which are taking about $100,000 & month away from Washing- ton's street rallway companies, mem- bers of the commission do not believe the car companies ought to walt for this step before seeking to improve service and win back lost customers. ‘Whatever rellef might come to the car companies through greater control over taxicab operations, there is a feeling at the commission that the street rallway executives are making a mistake by not taking a definite move to win back some of the riding public lost to the taxicabs and the motor vehicle. 1In fact, utility experts are inclined to blame the inaction of the car companies for the existing chaotic taxicab situation, on the theory that had the railway officials made car rid- ing more attractive, there would not have been a fleld for development of & cheap rate tax! service. In the first place, ex) at the com- mission take the ition that had the car companies the commission’s advice and not insisted on a higher many of the lost passengers might yet be riding on street cars. Moreover, the opinion prevails that, despite the taxi- cab competition, there are steps the gflnpmm can take to stimulate car 8. Comfort and Speed Better equipment and speedier service are held to be the two major improve- ments the companies can make to re- gain lost patronage. Street cars should be made more attractive and more com- h it, he said, the g support, which is well | . fortable, it was sald, and operating schedules should be revised to facilitate travel. This can be done, it was pointed out, by eliminating many of the exist- ing stops, ‘or returning to the skip-stop system used during the period of the Instead of doing this, it was ex- plained, the companies, on the contrary, are continuously adding new stops, put- ting them at nearly every intersectis thereby increasing the running time the cars on every trip. cities and also on busses of the Wash- ington Rapld Transit Co. or putting in a 5-cent zone fare for short hauls. " | Either of these plans, it was pointed out, likely would increase non-rush-hour riding and add to the rapidly dwindling revenues of the car companies. as the' better weapon gl TRk cAumbnt r.hlen taxicabs than 20 . Action in Week Likely. Within a week the commission is ex- pected to act on the taxicab question. With utmost secrecy it is guarding its plans, but there are rather pronounced indications that the contemplated course of action will have a twofold effect— reduce the number of cabs more nearly tc meet the requirements of public con-~ venience and necessity and establish a uniform rate of fare. An order requiring eabs to 3 meter basis instead of a flat or zone rate, it was pointed out, probably will accomplish both objects. How many cabs would be driven from the streets by such an order is purely a matter for conjecture, but there is a strong opin- ion among utility experts that quite number of cab owners cannot afford the expense of a meter. Adoption of a uniform fare, which can be brought about by fixing a minimum meter rate, alse would have the effect, 1t was said, of driving some of the taxi- cabs out of business, because it would put an end to existing throat-cutting competition. The amount of the min- imum rate that should be fixed, how- ever, is understood to be one of the questions puzzling the commission. The rate finally decided on, however, prob- ably will not differ materially from the existing flat scale, although it will be based on a mileage formula rather than a zoned area. Regulation and Control, Strict regulation and control of the taxicab is looked upon by the traction |ccmpany officials as one method of throttling the existing competition. Fallure of the commission in- the past to exert what little authority it has in law to regulate the cabs already has left an unhealed sore at both the Wash- ington Railway & Electric and @apital Traction Cos., where plans for improv- ing street car service have been held in abeyance pending an official move to :he;:sk the ever-increasing number of axis. In promulgating new rules and regu- lations to govern taxi operations, the commission, it is believed, will not go as far as it would like to at this time, sim~ ply because the authority is lacking. The commission would like to compel the cabs to carry liability and indem- nity insurance, but it has been told by the courts that there is nothing in the public utilities act givi authority is Congress rate on thority to do so. But sucl to be asked just as soon as “One ot th laints me o e com of companies against tgn taxi DDGI'?WI“; that they are not required to show financial responsibility, while the street raflway lines have to pay oud las sums every year for damage claims. rfi fact, William F. Ham, president of the Wash. Tebent taxican, nearing belors he som Xicab hea: - mh;éon, declared st “It seems to me that th no question of the dulrtbflel?y o s cperator of a gubltc vehicle to have such responsibility that the public will n‘(‘:ir. x;.lfler financially in case of an ac- cident.” Quinn, Slayer, Denied Retrial. NEWKIRK, Okla., November 3 (#) —Earl Quinn, ex-convict, condemned to die for the roadside killing of two Blackwell school teachers, Jesste and coats, as well as the $1,000, one of them till suspicious, he noticed a paiziof saved his freedom by departing via & back door. Zexin (L:r‘u:ng“;:. denied a new_trial y Distric John Burger today and his execution was set }Iv‘} Januar 10. The defense gave notice of om{