Evening Star Newspaper, January 23, 1933, Page 17

COMMITTEE ASKS POWERS 10 CHECK “EVILS" OF TAXICAB] Increase in Deaths, Injuries and Property Damage Cited in Report. SEEK AUTHORITY TO END CHAOTIC CONDITIONS Ban on Rental System Evaded by Companies, Citizens’ Group Charges. The charge the public safety and welfare are threatened by the “chaotic condition of public transportation” in the District was made by the Citizens’ Joint Transportation Committee in a statement submitted today to the Dis- trict Subcommittee of the House Ap- propriations Committee, proposing a solution to Washington's complex taxi- cab situation. The committee, which is composed of representatives of leading trade and civic organizations of the Capital, in laying bare the many “evils” of taxicab transportation, requested that Congress give local authorities sufficient power to adequately deal with the problem. The civic group, according to Thomas P. Littlepage, president of the Wash- ington Chamber of Commerce, and chairman of the committee, has studied the problem from the standpoint of (1) the increase in deaths, injuries and property damage in automobile acci- dents; (2) financial responsibility of taxicab owners; (3) relationship to the unemployment situation, and (4) serv- ice to the public. Record One of Worst. Citing figures of the National Safety Council, the committee’s statement showed that Washington is rated among the four worst cities in the country of more than 250,000 population, with its automobile fatality rate. on the basis of statistics for the first 11 months of last year. “In the 11 months of 1932,” the state- ment said, “there were 115 motor fatali- ties in Washington, as compared with 72 for the corresponding months of 1931. In other words, 43 more lives were lost, an increase of 60 per cent. For 1932 Washington’s fatality rate amounted to 25.4 per 100,000 populi- tion, whereas 31 cities with a popula- tion of over 250,000 showed an average rate of little less than 17 per 100,000.” While accidents involving all other ‘vehicles have shown some decrease each year since 1930, the committee said, taxicab mishaps have grown from 1,205 in 1930 to 1,750 in 1931 and 2,024 in 1932, not including December. The ratio of taxicab accidents to all other .acci- dents, the committee asserted, was 13.6 per cent in 1930, 20.1 per cent in 1931 and 274 per cent in 1932. Outlines Four Reasons. ‘The transportation group outlined four reasons for the “growing menace of the taxicab to life, limb and prop- " They are: To make any net earnings at all most of the drivers regularly exceed speed limits, drive on the left side of the street %o pa$h other traffic, disregard signs, signals and right of way rules and violate many other essential traffic regulations. “2. Despite the orders of the Public Utilities Commission_prohibiting it, the system of renting cabs to the drivers is well known to be the most generally prevailing arrangement. Various sub- terfuges have been adopted by the rent- ing companies to evade the commis- sion’s orders. “3. To eke out a living drivers fre- quently work 12, 14 and 16 hours with- out rest and as a result many of them are constantly operating on Washington streets in a state of fatigue bound to result in accidents. “4. The cutthroat competition and utterly inadequate earnings have re- sulted in maintenance work on taxicabs frequently being reduced to an unsafe lmit. The hack inspection service of the District is exercising the greates: efforts t& control this, but it is a physi- cal impossibility for any such inspection to take the place of systematic main- tenance work by the owners of the taxicabs.” Responsibility Law Urged. Declaring the public is unprotected and the large financial losses due to taxicab accidents are often borne by the victims, the committee urged the necessity for a property financial re- sponsibility law, to be put into effect by the Public Utilities Commission. ‘The theory that Washington’s method of taxicab operation is beneficial to employment was scouted by the com- mittee. “In the first place,” the committee’s spokesman said, “if the Public Utilities Commission were allowed the necessary powers to put into effect and enforce reasonable working hours and regula- tions which would enable drivers gen- erally to earn even a minimum living wage, it would be entirely possible to give employment to even a larger num- ber of men than at present but with much reduced hours. There is oppor- tunity here to apply the ‘spread the work’ principle. “In the second place, if all cabs were kept reasonably clean and in proper mechanical condition, this of itself would give employment to a consider- able amount of additional labor. Fi- nally, it must be borne in mind that rendering taxicab service below cost is diverting a substantial amount of traffic from the street railways and buses, thus reducing the employment available to street railway and bus em- ployes. These men are generally established residents of Washington, whereas a large percentage of taxicab drivers are recent arrivals. Rapid Turnover Shown. “Furthermore, even the unemployed man who takes a job as a taxi driver all too often fails to benefit from the present situation. Many, after making some down payment for their cabs, find it impossible to keep up payments and lose everything they had. The rapid turnover in taxicab drivers is shown by the fact that, with something over 3,000 taxicabs operating in Washington, more than 7,000 taxicab drivers have Befn licensed since the first of last uly.” There also is growing dissatisfaction on the part of out-of-town visitors with the treatment received at the hands of taxicab drivers, who because of their unfamiliarity with the zones, are frequently charging exorbitant fares, the committee stated. The group emphasized it did not advocate a re- turn to the high rates which formerly prevailed here. « _ Voicing its belief that the Public Ufllt::“hCOmmm ission ml%l;l"é. with pdm]:- er re ry power, “ an end to the present distressing and demoraliz- ing condition,” the committee urged enactment of necessary legislation to place responsibility for the taxicab situation in the Public Utilities Com- mission. ‘The committee's stand in urging in- creased for the Public Utilitles w-m“;r deal with taxicabs wag Che Fhe WASHINGTON, D. C, MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 1933. . Center of Strike § st T today started putting up the iron work for the platform for T provide work for about 100 men and will cost $11,000. RKMEN s }s } for spectators for the inauguration of President-elect Roosevelt on the east front of the Capitol. DISTRICT CITIZENS HEARD AT CAPITOL Many Present Views at Hear- ing of Appropriations Subcommittee. Citizens of the District had their op- portunity for hearings on a number of important National Capital devel ment projects today before the sul committee drafting the District appro- priation bill. William McK. Clayton headed a group favoring a zone transportation system and asked that Edwin Young and George E. Sullivan of the Public Utili- ties Committee of the Federation of Citizens’ Associations should be heard. A group headed by Representative Stephen W. Gambrill, Democrat, of Maryland, sought an appropriation of $10,000 to be made immediately avail- able for making a study of a viaduct or bridge over the tracks and right of way of the Metropolitan Branch of the Bal- timore & Ohio Railroad, so that New Hampshire avenue could be extended to the District line with a promise from the road commissioners of Maryland that a hook-up with the Maryland sys- tem would be made, providing a new arterial highway which would material- ly shorten the distance to Baltimore. General Program Urged. In connection with this group, Lieut. Col. U. S. Grant, 3d, impressed upon the District subcommittee the x;eed §gll_' a general long-time program of ma, COEASU’\II:“OD work for the District of Columbia which would include high- ways, schools, sewers, parks and play- grounds and other activities so that each would not be in competition with the others for appropriations annually. Others in this delegation included Thomas Joy, president of the Chillum Heights Citizens’ Association; Thomas P. Llewellyn, representing the Federa- tion of Citizens’ Associations; Commis- sioner Needham C. Turnage, who repre- sented the interests of the Masonic and Eastern Star Home; Charles W. Mor~ ris, secretary of the Washington Board of Trade; H. J. Overman, chairman of a special committee from the Chillum Heights Citizens’ Association; Charles A. Langley, who was president of the Chillum Heights association for 33 years; Mrs. 1. M. Evans, representing the Potomac Park citizens in Prince Georges County, and Wallace Streater, an_attorney. This delegation called the attention of the District Subcommittee to the fact that the extension of New Hamp- shire avenue had been authorized by act of Congress, March 3, 1913, under which assessments for 'benefits had been levied against abutting property owners from whom $52,995.31 had been collected and peid into the general revenues. Commisisoner Turnage had figured out that this amount, with in- terest during the period that has elapsed, would have amounted to $166,~ 770.45. Representative Gambrill and other speakers sald that those who had paid this money 18 years ago for benefits now feel that they should enjoy the benefits for which they had paid. Commissioner Turnage emphasized the fire hazard at the Masonic and Eastern Star Home, to which access is had only over a narrow lane with a rickety bridge, over which fire apparatus could not pass. J. Driscoll, Walter S. Ufford and A. president of the Midcity Citizens’ Asso- clation, and Evan H. Tucker, president of the Northeast Citizens’ Association, are appearing as a special committee on unemployment relief for the Mon- day Evening Club. Others to Be Heard. J. M. Schaffer. president of the Southwest Citizens’ Association, is to be heard regarding appropriations for Jeferson Junior High School. George C. Shinn, with the Committee on Bridges of the Washington Board of Trade, is also scheduled for a hearing. Sidney M. Smoot is heading a dele- gation to present a petition in the in- terest of unempoyment relief for single men. Vernet A. West has asked for a hear- ing regarding Brown Junior High School appropriations. Mrs. H. B. Clarke, president of the Truesdale Parent-Teacher Association, is to be heard regarding conditions at the Truesdale School. Kenneth Armstrong, representing the Burroughs _Citizens’ ~Association, ~and other organizations in the vicinity of the Taft Junior High School are to present a plea regarding the proposed cupola for that building. et ————————— opposed by People’s Counsel Richmond B. Keech and two spokesmen for the Federation of Citizens’ Associations— George E. Sullivan and Edward H. Young. These speakers also were sup- ported by Representatives Blanton, Democrat, of Texas, and Holaday, Re- publican, of Illinois, members of the subcommittee. Blanton indicated he intended to stand by his amgndment of last year, prohibiting the Phblic Utilities Com- mission from using any funds appro- priated for District use in the issuance or enforcement of any order requiring meters on taxicabs. Holaday said, according to members of the Classification Committee, that Gen. Mason M. Patrick, chairman of the Public Utilities Commission, -had expressed to the House group his be- lief that the public was satisfled with the zone rate. He cited figures in support of his contention that taxicab operators were comparatively safe drivers whep con- trasted with all automobile operators, Additional Copies Of Patronage List Stir Ironic Debate Suggestion Made to Buy Them—No Action Taken in Senate. The Senate debated today whether it should order additional printed coples of the so-called patronage list of Gov- ernment jobs that are not under Civil Service, or let persons asking for the document buy coples at the Govern- ment Printing Office. No action was taken. Senator Ashurst, Democrat of Ari- zona, said it was obvious that two copies for each Senator would be insufficient, and inquired whether the Printing Committee would consider ordering ad- ditionai coples. Senator Fletcher, Democrat of Flor- ida, said the Printing Committee can order reprints of documents only up to a limit of $200 total expense. He said, however, he understood persons de- siring a list could buy copies at the Government Printing Office for 40| cents. Senator Ashurst said he was glad to have the information that copies could be bought at the Printing Office at that price. Senator Hastings, Republican, of Delaware, asked Ashurst if he did not think it would be a hardship on peo- ple throughout the country to ask them to pay 40 cents for a copy of the list to see where they might ask for a posi- tion. . Senator Ashurst said he recognized | the “gentle irony” of the question, and replied that he did not think the con- stituents of the Senator from Dela- ware would trouble him about the matter. Senator Thomas, Democrat, of Okla- homa, interrupted to inquire whether it would be advisable to amend the Reconstruction Finance Corporation law “so that people could borrow the 40 cents.” The debate then turned to a discussion of the policies of the Re- construction Finance Corporation and no further mention was made of the non-civil service list. INTERNAL DISORDER {DENIED IN NICARAGUA President Sacasa Says State of Siege Is Merely to Aid Re- organization. By the Assoclated Press. Dr. Louls M. Debayle, Nicaraguan charge d'affaires, today received cabled assurances from President Sacasa that the recent congressional action in Managua, extending the period of the state of siege, was made to aid the new administration’s national reorganiza- tion, and was not based on the exis- tence of any internal disorder. The one-year state-of-siege period expired yesterday and Congress unani- mously approved an extension of time, President Sacasa informed the legation. A state of siege was explained as the suspension of certain private guar- antees and the jurisdiction of criminal courts. Courts martial usually are sub- stituted for jury trial in criminal cases. EMBASSY INTERPRETS BID Thinks U. 8. Wants Britain to Send Two Separate Missions. By the Associated Press. ‘The apparent uncertainty of British official circles in London as to the separate discussions of debts and economic problems at the forthcoming White House conference between the Roosevelt administrtaion and Great Britain is not shared by the British embassy in Washington. It was stated at the embassy today that the text of the Roosevelt state- ment of January 20 was interpreted by members of the embassy as indi- cating two separate discussions. The White House communique au- thorizing the invitation to Great Brit- ain in the name of the President- elect sald their coming administration would be glad to receive a British “representative” for a “discussion of debts,” and added that it would, of course, be necessary to discuss at the same time “the world economic prob- | gigp lems in which the United States and Great Britain are mutually interested, and, therefore, that representatives should also be sent to discuss ways and means for improving the world situation.” ‘The use of “representative” in con- nection with debt discussion, and of “representatives” in connection with the proposed discussion of economic problems, was believed by officials who participated in the White House con- ference to make it 'clear that separate were to be conducted. MORTAR NEEDS SUGAR Building Expert Finds Addition | o) Increases Strength. Dr. Gerald J. Cox of the Mellon In- stitute of Industrial h, speaking before the Sandlime Brick Association, Detroit, sald it was possible to build houses with mortar strengthened by sugar. “The addition of sugar to lime mor- the swearing-in ceremony and the stands WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION This will —Star Staff Photo. INAUGURAL STANDS' ERECTION IS BEGUN Capitol Plaza Work to Cost $11,000—100 Men Are Given Employment. ‘Work on the stands for the inaugural ceremony on the east front of the Capitol was begun today with the con- | tractors, Skinker & Garrett, setting in | place the metal supports for the plat- |form upon which the ceremony will be theld, and the stands which will seat | spectators. | The work of erecting these stands will go forward rapidly, it was stated by the contractors, and will be in place and thoroughly tested some time before they are put to use. Most of Material Ready. ‘The contracting firm, which has done this work for the last four inaugurals, has most of the material necessary left over from other inaugural years, but due to the elaborate broadcasting and sound picture arrangements for this year’s ceremony, will provide more ample facilities for these activities than in former years. ‘The work is costing $11,000, “.000; less than for the Hoover inauguration, | and is providing work for about 100 men. Work on other stands along Penn- sylvania avenue, to be erected by the General Inaugural Committee, of which Rear Admiral Cary T. Grayson is chairman, is expected to be started shortly* Practically all plans for the 24 units of stands have been completed, and only a few details remain to be ironed out before the actual construc- tion work can be started. Mt. Vernon to Be Opened. The Inaugural Committee today an- | nounced receipt of a letter from the | Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, | owners of Mount Vernon, stating that the long established practice of keep- the Washington shrine closed on Sun- days would be broken on Sunday, March 5, and the building and grounds will be open to the public in special consideration of the thousands of vis- itors who are expected in Washington for the inaugural but will not have an opportunity to visit Mount Vernon on inaugration day owing to the large a;unber of events which take place en. It was also announced by the Inaug- ural Committee that its executive sec- retary, Hugh T. Nelson, will speak on arrangements for the inaugural over Station WJSV Friday night. HUEY LONG TAX PROBE ning Star AIDE OF SLAYER SOUGHT BY POLICE OF NEARBY STATES Colored Man Said to Have Confessed Murder of Feed Store Watchman. POLICE INCREASE FORCE TO COMBAT BANDITS More Than 500 Hours of Protection Added by Brown From 8:30 P.M. Until Midnight. Bearch for a white man named as accomplice of the confessed slayer of Willlam Simms, colored, 65-year-old Benning feed store watchman, was be- ing pushed today in Maryland and Virginia as well as in the District. Although an all-night search of Baltimore “flop” houses failed to dis- close any trace of the fugitive, named in the lfixefi confession of George Mc- Kinley Pittman, 33, colored, police of the Maryland city were asked tinue the quest. The murder early yesterday of the watchman, an employe of the Dickey & 8Sons feed store on Kenilworth avenue northeast, caused the police to re- double their efforts to halt the wave of , hold-ups, burglaries and simillar crimes. Emergency Hours for Police. Maj. Ernest W. Brown, superintend- ent of police, ordered emergency over- time hours for all officers following the killing. Previously more than 3 policemen had been ordered on extra night duty. Under the new order, effective until further notice, 125 officers regularly assigned to day duty, will return to duty from 8:30 p.m. until midnight, pr more than 500 hours of extra police gr';)ucuun for all section of the city. m midnight until 6 a.m. more than 150 policemen will work two hours overtime each, giving the city an addftional 332 hours of protection. Despite the increased police, however, five hold-ups, as well as numerous bur- glaries and other robberies, were re- ported yesterday and last night. Man Shot and Hacked. Simms, & bullet wound in his groin and his head hacked by a hatchet, was found dead about 10 o'clock yesterday morning in the feed concern’s office. He had been robbed of $40. The dis- covery was made by Emil Yobst. a blacksmith, who noticed blood oozing from beneath the office door. Approximately eight hours before the body was found, however, Pittman had been arrested by E. E. Nicholson, a Baltimore & Ohio Railroad detective. Nicholson saw Pittman and a whitc man walking along the B. & O. tracks near the feed store and, becoming sus- picious, decided to question them. As he approached the pair, however, the white man fled. Pittman, according to the detective, attempted to draw a revolver, but was overpowered before he could get the gun from his pocket. He was taken to the eleventh precinct, where he was held for investigation. Names White Man. Following discovery of Simms’ body, Pittman was grilled by Detective Sergts. Jerry Flaherty and Dennis J. Murphy, who reported he confessed the murder, nlnimin: the white man as his accom- Pplice. Capt. Bernard W. Thompson, assist- ant chief of detectives, and Detective Sergt. George Darnall left immediately for Baltimore, where they searched vir- tually every “flop” house in the city. Pittman, a resident of Baltimore, told detectives, they said, that his com- panion, whom he accused of planning the robbery, probably had headed for that city. In his confession, Pittman, according to the detectives, said he and the white man murdered Simms after the watch- the night in the store. Simms, the confession stated, drew his gun as he was being beaten over the head with a hatchet, but it was wrested from him, and before he could to con- DENIED BY BURNET Internal Revenue Chief Says Re- port of Shadowing and Wire- Tapping Is Wholly Untrue. By the Associated Press. David Burnet, head of the Internal Revenue Bureau, gave to newspaper men today a denial that it is making “any special investigation” of income and bank accounts of Senator Huey Long of Louisiana. Published reports of such an inquiry had been_called to his attention by Elmer L. Irey, chief of the intelligence unit of the bureau, who was alleged to be directing such an investigation. u“;‘here' l:hngt a word of truth in the statement that we are investigating a Senator, shadowing him in any nny’. tapping telephone wires or making any special investigation of his affairs,” Bur~ net_said. “Income tax returns made by Sen- ators go through the same channels as those made by other citizens. The in- telligence unit never has resorted to use it, he was shot. Broke Open Safe. 3 After binding Simms with rope, Pitt- F¥% Above is seen the motor generator 00 | versy at the new Post Office Department. dispute over its maintenance and operation Mehring & Hanson Co., which is doing ig, is shown pushing the button which starts the motor. OC which is the center of a labor contro- Three unions now are involved in a Sherman Seeley, manager for the air conditioning work on the build- It is one of two motor generators used to generate current to weld galvanized steel pipes and plumbing. PAY ROLL SLAYING TRIAL IS SPEEDED First-Degree Murder Indict- ments Will Be Asked Against Four. Slashing legal red tape, the district attorney’s office went before the grand jury today with a request for first- degree murder indictments against four of the six men under arrest in the at- tempted $2,000 Browning Painting Co. pay roll robbery, in which one employe of the concern was shot to death and another seriously wounded. Capt. Bernard W. Thompson, assist- ant chief of detectives, spent the greater part of the morning rounding up witnesses against the men, five of whom are said to have signed state- ments admitting they participated in the hold-up plot. Presentation of the case to the grand jury in advance of a coroner’s inquest—an unusual procedure here— was ordered by United States Attorney Leo A. Rover, in an effort to hasten trial of the accused men. Defendants Held ‘The men held are: Claude Myers, 28, colored, 1900 block of Fourteenth street, and Fewell Work- man, 23, colored, sald to have confessed the actual shooting, in which Edward Ecklund, 50-year-old paymaster, was killed and his assistant, Harry Stumm, 48, was wounded. Albert E. Cash, 20, of the 4500 block of Ninth street, alleged to have admit- ted driving the taxicab in which the| gunmen escaped. Everett Blackwell, 22, of the 100 block of Fourth street southeast, reported to have acknowledged acting as “tipoff” man for the attempted robbery. Clyde E. Templeton, 30, brother-in- law of Cash, with whom he lives at the Ninth street address, who is said to have confessed disposing of one of the man and his accomplice, according to | Suns. the confession, broke open the com- pany's safe and pocketed its cash con- tents. They apperently divided their loot after zdn( the store, the detec- tives pointed out, because Pittman had only about $18 when searched at the precinct. Simms, who was clad only in his underwear when his body was discov- ered, is believed to have been in bed when the slayers entered the store. A jury.was sworn in over Simms’ body by Deputy Coroner Christopher J. M , but an inquest will not be held, it was said, until the detectives have had ample time to capture Pitt- man’s accomplice. Efforts also will be made, it was added, to link the pair with other recent shootings, hold-ups and burglaries. The gun found on Pittman, according to detectives, was identified as Simms’ by his daughter. Pittman also had a number of burglar tools, detectives said. reported Other included the following: illegal methods in collecting evidence in tax cases.” NEW AIR LINE OPENS Official Ceremony to Be Held To- morrow on First Northbound Trip. The Capital's sixth air transport route, from Washington to Nashville, was opened today when a tri-motored transport, piloted by F. V. Tompkins, took off at 10:30 am. on the 630-mile Tompkins was assigned to fly the ship as far as Roanoke, which will be a regular luncheon stop on the new line, and George Hand was to take it over there for the rest of the run to ashville. tomorrow, when the first trip will be started on signal from Sena- tor McKeller of Tennessee, delivered by special wire to the airport. —_— CZECH LEADER HELD UE, Ji 23 Czechoslovakia, January during the disorder. Gen. Gadjs, & former chief of staff the Czechoslovakian Army, lead- tar makes it 60 cent stronger than Filling Station Robbed. Howard 8. Cunningham, 1352 L street southeast, robbed of $19.61 by two armed men, who held him up at a filling station at North Capitol street and New York avenue. Charles E. Henry, taxicab driver, 637 F street southwest, robbed of $6 by two colored “fares” at Wisconsin ave- nue and M street. James Dean, colored, 1225 Duncan northeast, was held up and robbed $5 by on colored men at Fourth and K stree! Leroy mm colored, 1518 Caro- line street, of $3.15 at Eighth street and Barry place by two colored men who had hired his cab at Six- ital. ft of narcotics, whisky and mer- chandise from a Peoples drug store of whAicnfl%e Oscar M. Cash, 21, brother of Albert Cash, and also a resident of the Ninth ztnec lddrreuu.uwhohu lllegedn whh:;lle lisposed of other gun. He e only member of the group who refused to sign a confession, according to Capt. ‘Thompson. Many Witnesses. Because of the large number of wit- nesses, presentation of the case to the grand jury was expected to require all of today and possibly part of tomorrow. Mr. Rover said, however, that if the d jury should return indictments y Wednesday the men would be ar- raigned in District Supreme Court on Friday. This, he added, would indicate the case would go to trial by next Tues- day or Wednesday. The first-degree indictments were asked against Myers, Workman, Al- bert Cash and Everett Blackwell. The grand jury was asked to charge Oscar Cash and Templeton as accessories after the fact. Meanwhile, ho date has been set for an inquest, Acting Coroner A. Magruder MacDonald preferring to wait until the police have had ample opportunity to investigate the men’s connection, if any, with other recent shootings and hold- . It is ex however, that the inquest will held as soon as the grand jury has completed its investi- gation of the case. Will Face Storekeeper. the shootings conce: prisoners will be questions is that of Arthur A. Berman, seriously wounded by two bandits who attempted to hold him up in his delicatessen store at 4328 Georgia avenue early last Thurs- day. Because the Cash brothers are said to answer the general description of the two hold-up men, it was sald, they will be taken to Garfield Hospital —Star Staff Photo. THREE LABOR UNITS DISPUTE RIGHTS Post Office Building Strike Complicated When Elec- tricians Join Dispute. The strike on the Post Office De- partment Building at Twelfth street and Pennsylvania avenue was further complicated today when electricians entered the controversy between the | hoisting engineers and the steamfitters over the question of who should operate motor generators in the basement. While negotiations were under way between officials of the hoisting engi- neers, who are on strike, and the steamfitters, both of wiom claim the right to operate the machines, it be- came known that the electricians claim the right at least to maintain the motors, by one hour’s work a day. There were unofficial expressions of hope that the differences might be settled sometime soon, but nothing definite was forthcoming by noon on the actual results of the conference. Claims Maintenance Right. The electricians, whose business agent, Sam Terry, carefully investigated the situation today on the building claim that they have the right to main- tenance of the motors. According to Sherman Seeley, man- ager for Mehring & Hanson Air Con- ditioning Co., which installed the first of the motor generators for his com- pany, the electrical workers will be given the work of one hour a day on maintenance of the motors, in case the strike difficulty is settled by union offi- cials in favor of those who are now operating the motors—the steamfitters. But if the decision goes to the hoisting engineers, who would then maintain and operate the motor generator, the electricians, it is forecast, might call a strike on their own accord. The hoisting engineers are claiming the right to operate what they claim is a power plant. But the steamfitters and plumbers, who are using the ma- chine to furnish current for welding galvanized steel pipe and plumbing thrrughout the building, claim it is their job because they say there is noth- ing to do to the machine but turn an electric switch to start it when begin- ning work and turn the switch off at the conclusion of work. Two Generators in Use. There are two of the motor gener- ators in the building. One is used by steamfitters in welding galvanized steel pipe of the air-conditioning system and the other is used by plumbers for weld- ing pipes throughout the building. Both generators are located in the basement and long wires lead to places where workmen are doing the welding. While some trades were able to go forward with work on the building this morning, it was estimated that about 500 men were idle on account of the lack of hoists. The hoisting engineers pulled off all their 15 men operating hoists throughout the building Friday noon, and as a consequence most of the trades on the building which need materials, such as stone, bricks and lumber, are idle, because they have no material with which to work. The car- penters had some lumber on hand for work today, but it was estimated there was only about one day’s supply. A few stone masons were busy “pointing up” the stonework, but not a derrick ‘was lifting more stone. Officials of the United Association of Journeymen Plumbers and Steamfitters and of the International Union of Operative Engineers were understood to be in protracted conference today with a view to settling the dispute. Rep- resentatives of the International Broth- erhood of Electrical Workers were also understood to be joining the con- ferences this afternoon to present their ::nmhlmw maintenance of the electric Negotiations were believed to be pro- o the" Building Trades. Depacient of of the the American Federation of Labor. OVERCOME BY FUMES Special Dispatch to The Star. KEYSER, W. Va., January 23.—The pupils of Limestone school and the teacher, Mrs. Kimmell Purgitt, were oyercome by fumes generated by a de- fective furnace Friday and made violently ill. They were taken to a nearby house, where they were treated by Dr. James H. Wolverton, Piedmont County health officer, and Dr. T. C. Giffen of Keyser. The school, which located a from Keyser, is closed until the furnace can be re- Paired, PAGE B—1 TWO YOUTHS HELD INPLOT T0 EXTORT FROMD. C. WOMAN Letter to Mrs. 0. H. Perry Johnson, Wife of Bank Of- ficial, Causes Arrests. THREATENED TO TELL OF TECHNOCRACY JOB Victim Turns Note Over to Postal Officers Who Accuse Young Brothers. An alleged attempt to extort $200 from Mrs. O. H. Perry Johnson, 2205 Massachusetts avenue, wife of the first vice president and executive officer of the National Metropolitan Bank here, ended in the arrest of two brothers, William Mettovich, 19, and Michael, 18, in New York Saturday. The boys were arraigned today charged with using the mails in black- mail schemes and held under $1,000 bond for the Federal grand jury. The minimum penalty for conviction is 20 years in prison. Threatened Publicity. Last week Mrs. Johnson received a letter from the youths, demanding that she pay $200 to.prevent their giving publicity to the fact that her brother, Lucien A. Hemmick, 35, recently ob- tained a job in New York through the Emergency Unemployment Relief Com- mittee and now works four days a week for Prof. Leo Waldman, economist at Columbia University in ghe technocracy offices. Hemmick, the son of the late Ronald Hemmick, former United States consul at Geneva, is supposed to have m:sessed & considerable fortune at one e. ‘Upon receipt of the letter, Mrs. John- son at_once turned it over to Chief Postal Inspector Thomas Milligan. He directed her to send the reply, as the letter instructed, to “Willlam Dimitri,” care of general delivery at the Park Row post office. Police say William Mitrovich called for the letter. He was arrested, and his brother was picked up later the same day. Says He Helped Boys. Hemmick told police he had befriend- ed the boys when they begged money from him several months ago. He had since seen them infrequently, he said. He put forward the theory that they had obtained his sister's address from an envelope in which she mailed him a $10 Christmas check. The Metrovich boys told police they had nine brothers at their home in Akron, Ohio, and left because hard times had pressed the family. CHURCH BELFRY NOISE TRAPS ALLEGED THIEF | Fugitive Arrested, Accused of Rob- bing Poor Boxes During Night. Creaking boards in the shadowy bell tower of St. Patrick’s Church early yesterday betrayed a fugitive, who later was accused of robbing boxes, which the church had set out to collect alms for the poor. It was two hours before daylight when Sexton Martin Lohan arrived to open the church for early Sunday mass. He noticed the poor boxes had been broken open, counting four of them as jhe moved about the big building at Tenth and G streets. The sexton then heard a noise in the balfry high overhead, as if some one had ‘stepped on a loose board in the darkness. He summoned Patrolman C. A. Parker, who climbed with drawn re- volver into the belfry, reinforced by | early arrivals for mass. | Parker, he reported, arrested John G. Lewis, 22, of Berwyn, Md., who said he had been in the church all night. Lewis was said to have had on his per- son $6.15 in change, supposedly taken from the boxes, and a pair of pliers and a screw driver. He was charged with petty larceny and probably will be given a hearing in Police Court tomorrow. FIVE PERSONS HURT IN AUTO ACCIDENTS 10-Year-0ld Girl Injured When Hit by Car—Policeman Di- recting Traffic Struck. Five persons, including a 10-year-old girl and a policeman, were injured in traffic accidents last night. Doris Chambers, 10, of 3012, R street, suffered head and arm lacera- tions when struck by an automobile near her heme. She was treated at Georgetown Hospital. Police said an Army officer stationed at Fort Myer was the driver of the car. While directing traffic at Sixteenth and Meridian streets, Policeman Luther M. Francis, 42, of the tenth precinct, was knocked down by a car operated by Robert Henderson, colored, 26, of the 1700 block of T street. Francis was treated at Garfield Hospital for arm and leg injuries and sent to his home at 632 Webster street. Hender- son was not held. Lottie Stewart, 32, and Elizabeth Jackson, 29, both colored and residing at 1157 Twenty-first street, were cut and bruised when knocked down by a street car in the 200 block of Florida avenue. Police said they were crowded against the street car by a passing automobile. Arthur Johnson, colored, 57, of the 1000 block of South Capitol street, was treated at Gallinger \Hoaplul for & fractured leg, received' when struck by an automobile on Third street between L and M streets southwest. Police said Irving Johnson, colored, 400 block of N street, was the driver of the car. of WAMPLER SURRENDERS TO U. S. COMMISSIONER Attorney Posts $10,000 Bond Pend- ing Hearing on Removal to Baltimore in Tax Case. ‘T. Morris Wampler, Washington at- torney, who was indicted recently on tax evasion charges by a Federal grand jury in Baltimore, voluntarily surren- dered to authorities this afternoon and posted $10,000 bond with U. S. Com- missioner Needham C. Turnage. e e for trial in Federal Court