Evening Star Newspaper, January 4, 1935, Page 19

HUSBAND ACCUSES MRS, FAHNESTOCK I FIGAT FOR GIALS Socially Prominent Couple Open Battle for Custody of Children. WIFE DECLARED UNFIT TO HAVE DAUGHTERS Mother Hurls Similar Charge and Claims Father Is Hiding Tots. ‘The fight for possession of the Fahnestock children took a new turn today when the father, Snowden A. Fahnestock, filed suit in District Su- preme Court charging the mother is “infatuated with- & certain man of prominence” and is not qualified to have custody of the daughters. The dispute between the socially prominent Newport, R. I, couple con- cerning their children was disclosed yesterday when the wife, Mrs. Helen Moran Fahnestock, filed a petition charging her husband had illegally re- moved the children from a train in Union Station and hidden them in the home of his mother, Mrs. Carolyn S. Fahnestock, at 2311 Massachusetts avenue. Counsel for the husband and wife were to appear before District Suprefne Court Justice Jesse C. Adkins this afternoon and ask that a hearing be set next week on both suits. Says Infatuation Admitted. Fahnestock’s petition asserted he was married in Newport, R. I, June 15, 1925, and lived happily with his wife until August, 1934, when she be- came acquainted at Newport with “a certain man of prominence.” At that time, he declared, the wife apparently lost all interest in him and the children, Clara H., 7, and Mary Lee, 6. Pahnestock declared his wite admitted she was infatuated with the unnamed man and was seen frequent- ly in his company. He also asserted he has been ha- rassed and humiliated by private de- tectives hired by the wife to watch his home. He asked the court to compel her to withdraw the detectives. Says She Asked Divorce. Fahnestock stated his wife last Oc- tober 14 asked him to give her a divorce so she might marry again. He said he refused and insisted on an agreement concerning the custody of the children. A month later, his petition said, it was agreed the wife was to take the children to Aiken, 8. C, for the Winter, and that he was to have them during Christmas week. The husband claimed Mrs. Fahne- stock did not remain with the chil- dren in Aiken, but made frequent trips to New York. Fahnestock admitted he took the children from the train, and said they are now being kept at “his ancestral home” on Massachusetts avenue. He stated the young girls have not had proper educational opportunities and asked the court to permit him to place them in school here. Detectives Guard Home. Pahnestock says he has given his wife $40,000 a year during practically all of their married life for the sup- port of herself and their children. Meanwhile, private detectives con¥ tinued to guard the home of Mrs. Fahnestock, grandmother of the chil- dren, on Massachusets avenue, where the mother charges the two little girls are being detained illegally. | The detectives and servants pre- vented deputy United States marshals from entering the house both yester- day and last night, the officers twice being told they could not enter. Be- cause of the changed attitude of the attorney today, however, the papers were to be presented at the office of Godfrey L. Munter, Fahnestock's at- torney. Files Divorce Action. Mrs. Fahnestock’s petition said she had filed suit for divorce from Fahnestock in Newport, R. I, yester- day, asking for custody of the chil- dren. She also asserted that the father had told her he would not per- mit her to have the children if she sought a divorce. The petition also charged that the father is attempting “to destroy the natural love and affection of the chil- dren .or their mother” and that they may be taken out of the jurisdiction of the District courts. Fahnestock, the wife charged, is “an incompetent and improper person to have control and custody of minor children.” She also charged him with neglect. MOTORIST IS ABSOLVED OF POLICEMAN’S CHARGE Court Upholds Traffic Count, but Dismisses C. C. Marsh on Disorderly Conduct. Clayton C. Marsh, 2910 Twentieth street, was dismissed in Police Court this morning on a charge of disor- derly conduct growing out of an argu- ment he had yesterday with Officer George M. Patton, Traffic Bureau, at Seventh and D streets over parking an automobile between 4 and 6 p.m. Marsh, who told Judge Isaac R. Hitt he was superintendent of the Brook- land Baptist Church Sunday School, testified he and Mrs. Marsh and a companion had stopped for & moment while the companion went into a grocery store and that Officer Patton approached to attach a parking ticket. Marsh said he asked the officer not to be too hasty and that when they ‘went to the Traffic Bureau to post ¢ol- lateral the officer also placed a i of disorderly conduct against him. Judge Hitt ruled there had been no disorder in Marsh's conduct and dis- missed the charge. Marsh was found guilty on the traffic charge and his personal bond was taken. Dr. P. B. Battey Dies. BEDFORD HILLS, N. Y., January 4 (P —Dr. Percy Betterman Battey, 45, superintendent of the State re- formatory for women and the State prison for women here, died last night of heart disease. He had headed the MRS. HELEN FAHNESTOCK. Harris-Ewing Photo. DOCKET SWELLED 75 Cases Booked in Court as Police Continue War on Violators. The Police Department's drive against traffic violators is finally get- ting results, if the example set in Traffic Court today means anything. Only 75 cases were booked for ap- pearance, several of these having been postponed from other hearings. Twenty-two warrants brought persons before the court on parking charges, and others elected to forfeit, making a total of 29 forfeityres. Twenty- eight charges were for speeding, two for dead tags, one for passing a stop sign and several were for minor viola- tions, such as having no rear light and failing to sign permits. ‘Warrants Ordered for Five. ‘Warrants were ordered by Judge John P. McMahon for five persons who failed to answer speeding charges. ‘They are Charles A. Collison, 471 H street; Millard E. Peak, jr., 1719 Thirty-fifth street; who forfeited $10; George W. Turner, 807 Taylor street, | who forfeited $25, and Anthony Brown and Mischa Land of New York, who forfeited $25 and $15, re- | spectively. ‘The father of Edward B. Cloppon, University of Virginia student, ap- Ppeared for him on a speeding charge. Judge McMahon said, however, he could not fine the father and con- | tinued the case until January 19, which time another University of V! similar charge. Samuel Pruitt, colored, charged with leaving the scene of a collision, was exonerated when it was testified he reported the accident later at No. 3 precinct. 1934 Tags Bring Fine. Glenn R. Stamps was fined $5 for driving an automobile with 1934 tags, which he testified belonged to a friend. Fletcher Duncan was fined $10 on a similar charge. Fined $5 each on speeding charges were Samuel S. Mason, colored, who also paid $5 f¢ failing to give a timely warning signal; Oscar Mahone, Clarence O. Hamilton, Fred W. Caspara, Joseph H. Melton, Park A. Bacon, Harold Briggs, Ben Herskovitz, Melvin Fisher, James Sil- cott and Lawrence L. Cochrell. Those paying $10 fines were Rich- ard E. Cooley, William Johnson, Jones Zobbist, Charles M. Jones, Earnest Gates, Joseph Nebel, William G. Gordon, Charles H. Fenton and Pearl McK. Wilkers, colored. Alex M. Boyd was fined $2 for parking from 4 to 6 p.m. in the re- stricted zone last August. The court took personal bond of Edna Plato on & no permit charge. Found guilty by a jury last week on a third offense speeding charge, Bernard Flood was fined $40 today, with 30 days in jail as an alternative. BISHOP WILL OFFICIATE Right Rev. James E. Freeman, Episcopal Bishop of Washington, will confirm a class tonight at 7:30 o'clock at St. George's Chay Second and U streets. Rev. A. A, Birch, the vicar, will preside. This will be the opening service of the chapel in its new location, having taken over the Church of the Advent, Thaw Is Ejected From Hotel After Punching Waiter Becomes Enraged When His Impromptu Show Is Broken Up. Harry K. Thaw had a “night out” last night from his duties as a mem- ber of the Winchester, Va., Volunteer Fire Department—and wound up by being ejected from the Shoreham Ho- tel, after letting fly a punch at the head waiter. Thaw, who was in the headlines almost constantly from 1906, when he killed the noted architect, Stan- ford White, until he retired to com- parative obscurity about 10 years ago in Winchester, had attempted to stage an impromptu floor show in the ho- tel dining room. % Pirst he wanted to talk—then dance with every one! Failing in this, he tried a solo and then struck Paul, the head walter, who tried to quiet him. The ruckus caused considerable con- fusion among the crowd of dancers, s0 the maitre d’hotel and hotel detec- tive joined the head wajter in’eject- ing him. Thaw figured in numerous similar incidents, during the night ‘club era in New York. He was released from Mattewan, after being incarcerated there as in- sane for some years, following the killing of White. The architect was shot to death on the old Madison over the affections of Evelyn q esbit, Thaw's wife at the time. § DY TRAFFI DAV ginia student will be arraigned on a | The WASHINGTON, D. C, FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 1935. Figures in Court Battle Over Children WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION PARRISH CHARGE ATTAGKBY MEAR Man Sought Two Days in Shooting Gives Up to Police. Claiming John M. Mears, 30-year- old Commerce Department employe, Parrish, 45, who surrendered at po- | today was charged with assault with intent to kill. Parrish, proprietor of the rooming house at 808 Nineteenth street, where Mears was critically wounded, gave himself up to Detective Chief Prank 8. W. Burke after being the object of & police search for two days. The bespectacled Agriculture Ad- justment Administration fleld ex- aminer sat unrecognized in the outer office of the detective headquarters for 15 minutes, waiting for an audi- ence with Burke. ‘When finally presented to the in- spector, Parrish introduced himself and said: “I believe you have been looking for me.” Claims He Was Attacked, Mears, who is from Cypress, Fla., was shot accidentally as he attacked Parrish when the latter and Mrs. Myrtle M. Doolittle] landlady of the rooming house, returned from a holi- day trip to Raleigh, N. C., where they formerly lived, Parrish told police. Before going away, Parrish said in a statement to detectives, he had requested Mears to move from the rooming house, and when he walked into the house Tuesday he found the Federal worker asleep on a cot in the hall. ‘When awakened, Mears lunged at him and began choking him, Parrish said. While they grappled, Parrish told police he drew a revolver from his coat pocket and it was accidentally discharged, wounding Mears in the side below the heart. Condition Critical. ‘While other roomers crowded around Mears as he lay on the floor, Parrish said he walked from the house, boarded a bus and went to New York, where he wandered aimlessly about the streets for two days. Mears was said to be slightly im- proved at Emergency Hospital to- day, although his condition is still critical. Mrs. Doolittle was released yester- day after being held for questioning since the shooting. She'has been separated from her husband three years, she told police. EARLY BONUS BILL REPORT PREDICTED Patman Cites Support — Says Doughton Will Request Hearings. By the Associated Press. A prediction that his bill for imme- diate payment of the $2,100,000,000 soldiers’ bonus would be approved quickly by the House Ways and Means Committee was made today by Repre- sentative Patman, Democrat, of Texas. “Fourteen of the eighteen old mem- bers of the committee voted for the bonus last session, and I think most of the new members are for it, t0o,” he said. There are seven new mem- bers. He added Chairman Doughton had agreed to take up with the committee his request for hearings on the bill. —_— THIRTEEN CLUB ELECTS At a dinner meeting last night in the Willard Hotel, the Thirteen Club elected J. F. Moulton of the Chesa- peake & Potomac Telephone Co. pres- ident for the coming year. Other offi- cers elected at the meeting are: A. E. Brault, American Automobile Associ- ation, vice president; Clyde Kellogg, Pnited States Chamber of Commerce, secretary; H. A. Kertz, National l:z—t Rol Square Garden roof as s result of a | ture, tarian THE FAHNESTOCK HOME ON MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE. | was wounded in a scuffie, Henry P.| | lice headquarters yesterday in con- | nection with the shooting Tuesday, | —Star Staff Photo. RECENT RESENT BELEVED SUDE Body of Miss Ellen Queen Found in Locked Car in New Jersey. Found shot to deafh and slumped on the floor of her locked sedan near Millville, N. J., today, Miss Ellen Queen, 35, recently a resident of| Washington, was believed by police of that city to have committed suicide | according to word received here this| morning by Inspector Frank S. | Burke, chief of detectives of the Metropolitan police. Left Capital Yesterday. Miss Queen left this city yesterday morning in her own car bound for Millville, her home. Since early in December, she had roomed at 1129 Eleventh street here. In the auto- mobile with her when she departed was a Pekinese dog. The pet was not found when a passerby early today discovered the woman’s body in the rear part of her machine. She had been shot once between the eyes. A small gun was cupped in her hands Because the sedan doors were locked with a small hole broken in the glass on the driver's side, police suggested that car keys found lying on the front cushion might have been tossed in from the outside, according to an Associated Press dispatch. They also received reports that Miss Queen had been seen in Millville with a man yes- terday. A search for him was begun Suicide Notes Found. Later, however, suicide notes were found in the car and Lieut. Biggs of the New Jersey police, who com- municated with Inspector Burke, said his investigators were convinced the death was a clear case of suicide. When Miss Queen came here in December, she told residents at the Eleventh street rooming house that she had been traveling for some time, and had recently lived in Miami, Fla She paid a month’s rent in advance and lived quietly while in the city, police were told. STRIKE AT SCHOOL LAID TO FURNACE District Line Parents Refuse to Allow Pupils to At- tend. BY a Staff Correspondent of The Star. SEAT PLEASANT, Md., January 4. —Fearing the boiler in the District Line School may explode, parents of the pupils staged a strike today which kept all 400 students enrolled in the school from their classes. Prior to the Christmas holidays there had been complaints that the heating system was not adequate. A new flue was installed last week, but when school reopened it was found there was no check draft in the chim- ney. Also, according to the parents, there was no pressure gauge on the boiler and the father of one pupil, an engineer, said he considered the plant unsafe. ‘Word of his opinion spread in the community. This morning a group of mothers from the Parent-Teacher Association picketed the building and refused to allow about 50 pupils to enter. Supt. of Schools Nicholas Orem of Prince Georges County said he gave instructions Wednesday to have a new safety valve, check draft and|ing pressure gauge installed, but the school engineer reported that the janitor refused to let him do the work while the fires were burning. School officials arranged to have the necessary attachments installed tomorrow. Teachers remained on duty today, although there were no pupils to receive instruction. Harvard U. Program Sunday. Howard University students and fac- ulty will hear Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr, ate professor of the philosophy of religion and Christian ethics, Union Theological Seminary, New York City, in an address Sunday morning in the Rankin Memorial Chapel of the uni- versity. Music will be furnished by the university choir. The public is in- vited, > | dress Group Political Sym- MRS. GIBSON FAHNESTOCK. YOUTH CONGRES IPENS ESSONS Norman Thomas Will Ad- posium Tomorrow. ‘The National Youth Congress, claiming to have delegates from or- ganizations which represent some 2,- 000,000 young people, convened here today to set up machinery through which to work for the liberal pro- gram outlined at the First American Youth Congress in New York last Summer. Waldo McNutt of Kansas, chair- man, opened the first session, held in the Masonic Hall at Tenth and U streets, which was devoted to organi- zation. ‘The delegates were to hear an ad- dress this afternoon by Norman Thomas, Socialist candidate for Presi- dent. After his speech they planned to send groups to the White House, Congress and Civilian Conservation Corps headquarters with statements of their aims. The high point in the two-day con- ference will be reached tomorrow morning, when there will be a politi- | cal symposium, participated in by Senator Nye, former Senator Brookhart, Representative Amlie, Wisconsin pro- gressive; Representative Marcantonio, Republican, of New York, Representa- tive Will Rogers, Democrat, of Okla- homa, and Clarence Hathaway of the | Communist party, editor of the Daily | ening Star 5% BORINGS PLANNED ON PROPOSED SITE OF NEW STADIUM| Foundations Will Be Studied at End of East Capitol Street. NEW YORKERS OFFER DEVELOPMENT PLAN| Government, However, Expected to Go Ahead With Program Independently. Government engineers soon Wwill begin borings on the banks of the Anacostia River at the end of East Capitol street to secure data for the: foundations of the proposed stadium there, it was announced today by C. Mars| Finnan, superintendent of the National Capital Parks. Finnan said the branch of Plans and Designs of the National Park Service will immediately start work on drawing plans for the new stadium, in collaboration with the engineering di- vision. Yesterday the special committee studying the stadium project listened to Emlen T. Littell, spokesman for a group of business men, principally from New York City, tell about plans they have had for constructing a sta- dium in Washington, similar to those erected in Brooklyn, N. Y., and Ro- chester, N. Y. The business group told Mr. Finnan and his associates they had options on three sites here which were undisclosed, for construc- tion of a stadium, which would take the form of a sports arena on which they have patents. Inasmuch as the Federal Govern- ment owns the land at the end of East Capitol street little likelihood is seen by Pinnan of private interests supervising the erection of a stadium there. The New York group had its engineer, J. Pranklin Whitman, to give have erected. Mr. Finnan said today the New Yorkers will write to his committee, giving estimates of the cost of the stadium and make any other definite proposals deemed desirable. Secretary Ickes has made available $15,000 of Public Works Administra- tion funds fer the preparation of stadium plans. Serving with Mr. Finnan as chairman on the Stadium . Vint, chief land- k Committee are T. scape architect of the National Pa Hodgson, assistant engineer Commis- . A. Schmitt of the United States ‘Worker. Win or Lose, [43 It takes more than vision of wealth to rattle 8-yea Joyce Cissel, holder of & Christmas gift ticket which may have won a prize in a Madrid lottery. Joyce was planning a California trip today in her home at the Chastle- ton Hotel, but only tentatively, just In case. She meanwhile assures her | mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. E. Burke Cissel, she “won't be disap- pointed and cry” if the ticket fails her. It can't do that in any case, for the ticket was a Christmas gift from Capt. Colon Alfaro, Minister from Ecuador, addressed to “Senorita Joyce Cissel, in her hands, not to be opened until the 25th, and a Merry Joyce opened the envelope and read the number—08935—almost before she unwrapped her new doll, her fur pleces and the many toys under the Christmas tree. It was a gift from a friend and admirer, and Joyce treasured it as such. Only yesterday the ticket began to assume larger possibilities. Capt. Alfaro, Mrs. Cissel said, was attend- s White House reception last night when he telephoned to say he had seen in an Ecuador news- paper that agents of the lottery there were searching for a ticket he had purchased as the second prize winner. Second prize would pay about $180,- 000, but wire reports from Madrid showed no number 08935 in the higher brackets. Capt. Alfaro, Mrs. Cissel said, ex- plained he had no official confirma- tion that Joyce's ticket had won, lnq added he had bought one other ticket; which he had given to a friend in Ecuador. The diplomat had met Joyce when he called on her father with regard to & real estate matter, and was im- pressed by her sweetness and wisdom. ‘The child is in the third grade at Immaculate < F I WIN only $2 I'll be satis- fled.” old | Engineer Office. She’s Happy Her chance of winning a large amount on a Christ- mas gift ticket in a Madrid lottery has failed to stampede 8-year-old Joyce Cissel of the Chastleton Hotel, who said she would be happy with “only $2.” The ticket was the gift of Capt. Colon Alfaro, Minister from Ecuador, and seemed likely to win a prize. —Star Staff Photo. today attending the funeral of a_for- mer member of the legation here. While there he was expected to leart it Joyce had won a prize, Mrs. Cissel said. If T win—remember, if I win,” said Joyce, “I'll give a lot of maney to my mother and father and I'll take them all to see Mary Lois, my favorite cou- sin in California. Il give and presents to people and buy a big doll for myself. “When we go to California—if we can go—I'll want to be on a big boat which goes through the Panama . That will be near Seuth I'm learning to speak Spanish “But remember, I'll still be satisfled with $2.” RING THEFT SOUGHT Police today were seeking a msn who stole a $500 diamond ring from & tray in the Oppenheimer jewelry store, 903 P street, yesterday. theft was discovered shortly the man had walked from the after being shown a number of Seminary. Capt. Alfaro was in Nesy York City general features of the stadia they| Society and Conviction Erro Upper: ALFRED H. SMITH. Lower: EDWARD J. PARLTON. BOUNDARY PROB SEES 1719 MAP U. S. Attacks New Piece of Evidence as “Book lllustration.” A quaint and time-yellowed map showing the Potomac River region when Indians roamed what is now the District of Columbia—the oldest map | of this section yet brought to the at- tention of the Virginia-District of Co- lumbia Boundary Commission—was introduced at today’s hearing before the commission in the Internal Rev- { enue Building. The map, bearing the date 1719. contains only three local geographical jnames that have survived. They are “Anacostien,” an Indian village, now known as Anacostia; “Turkey | Service; John Nagle, assistant chief | Buzzard Point.” now a section of South | engineer of the service; Maj. P. A.| Washington known to old-timers as “Potowmeck sioner of the District; John Nolen, jr., | Falls,” apparently having reference to direetor of planing of the National| Little Falls above Georgetown rather Park and Planning Commission, and ! than to Great Falls, which is believed Buzzards Point, and to have been undiscovered at that time. The map was produced at the Le: ing by Chairman Charles H. Broug! of the Commission, who said it was loaned to him by Miss Edith Shall of this city, who picked it up in a Lo don antique shop last year while a student at Oxford University. Known As Senex Map. Col. Lawrence Martin, chief of the map division of the Library of Con- gress, identified the map as one known 1o historians as the Senex Map, a copy of which is in the Library of Congress. The legend on the document reads: “A new map of Virginia, Maryland and the improved parts of Pennsyl- vania and New Jersey; most humbly inscribed to the Right Honble the Earl of Orkney Etc, Knight of Ye ‘Most Noble and Ancient Order of Ye Thistle. 1719.” Henry H. Glassie, special assistant to the Attorney General, and one of counsel for the Government in its claim that the Virginia-District boundary is the high-water mark on the Virginia shore, questioned the value of the map from the stand- point of accuracy. He pointed out that the map shows only one branch of the Potomac and leaves out or distorts numerous landmarks indicat- ing, he said, that it is “just a picture map” not based on any survey. Other Maps Introduced. Glassie sapressed the opinion that the map was “a book illustration,” based on the first known map of the Chesapeake and Potomac region, sketched from memory by Capt. John Smith early in 1600. Abram P, Staples, attorney general of Virginia, and Frank L. Ball, at- torney representing Arlington Coun- ay, introduced in evidence several other old maps bearing dates subse- quent to that of the Senex map. One map was dated 1775 and another 1795. The Virginia representatives expected to show the commission by reference to these maps that the area on the Virginia shore once known as “Alexanders Island” and now included in the Washington Air- port property, was not a real island, but swamp iand on the Virginia shore. Virginia is contending that her jurisdiction extends to the low water mark and to imaginary lines drawn from headland to headland on the Virginia shore, opposite the Dis- trict of Columbia. 'HEALTH OFFICER DECISION DELAYED Commissioners Postpone Selec- tion, Awaiting Return of Col. Sultan. Selection of s new District health officer was postponed today by the Commissioners until next week, to await the return to the city of En- gineer Commissioner Dan I. Sultan, now in Mississippi. While it is known the Commis- sioners are giving favqrable consider- ,ation to Dr. George C. Ruhland, health officer.of Syracuse, N. Y., and Dr. E. L Bishop, Tennessee State health officer, Commissioner Allen de- jclared today the Commissioners have reached no decision in the matter, It is’ believed the choice will lie between these two, but the Commis- sioners today declined to give an in- g:uflon of what their decision would Because of the importance of the position in National Capital admin- istration and the interest of Presi- dent Roosevelt in health matters, the Commissioners have planned to ad- vise the White of the names of General PAGE B-1 ARSON CASE ERROR 0F U. . 70 CLEAR THO SIGHA CHS Cummings Says Trial Evi- dence Was Insufficient for Verdict. OPINION WILL RELEASE FRATERNITY PRINCIPALS G. W. Students, Held After Blaze Here in 1933, Regarded as Inno- cent by Attorney General. Attorney General Cummings in a personally prepared petition admitted in District Court of Appeals today that the Government was in error in its case against Edward J. Parlton and Alfred H. Smith, former George Washington University students, who were convicted of arson in the burn- ing in July, 1933. of the Sigma Chi Fraternity House, 1312 N street. In filing the confession of error, the Attorney General revealed he had assigned special agents of the Justice Department to re-enact the alleged ac- tivities of the two youths on the night of the blaze. “The Attorney General is of the opinion that the evidence adduced at the trial did not justify a submission of the case to the jury,” Cummings said in a statement accompanying the confession, “and, in view of all the circumstances involved, is satis- fied that the defendants are innocent of the crime of which they were con- victed. He, therefore, requests the court to reverse the judgment.” To Nolle Prosse Charges. Cummings’ action will throw the case back into District Supreme Court with instructions from the Court of Appeals to hold a new trial. Then the United States attorney will nolle prosse the charges. Parlton and Smith were convicted in October, 1933, when the United States attorney for the District was Leo A. Rover. They were sentenced to from 2 to 9 years each. Cummings Ordered Probe. Appeals from the conviction were noted and it was at this point that the Attorney General became inter- ested. Personally, he went through | all the evidence in the case, became { convinced that the young men had | been wrongfully accused and assigned agents of the Division of Investiga- tion to make a thorough inquiry. The fire broke out shortly after 4 am. Sunday, July 9, and Parlton and Smith testified that at that time they were in the vicinity of Baltie more. Md,, en route to New Freedom, Pa., where Parlton had an engage- ment to meet a young woman. After reviewing the time element in the evidence, Cummings said the story as related by the defendants “is | far ‘more consistent with the uncon- ! troverted facts than the theory ad- | vanced by the prosecution.” They had presented a defense witness who testi- fied she saw the two young men at | Gunpowder Falls Bridge, Md., 68 i miles from Washington, about day= | break. Cummings cited Weather Bu- | reau records to show the sun rose at 4:15 that day. He said also that two justice agents, in a car like that used by Parlton and Smith, left Thomas Circle at 4:15 a.m. October 11 and covered the same route as the two defendants had tes- tified to, covering 67.8 miles to Gun- powder Falls and two miles back to Hereford. They arrived at the garage at 5:45 am, consuming 1 hour-and 39 minutes. “To have reached the Hereford Garage at 5:30 am. it would have been necessary for the agents to have left Thomas Circle at 3:51 am.” Cummings said, adding the justice agents probably made better time than Parlton and Smith. | WOMAN’S DEATH PROBED Mrs. Pauline’H. Steele Dies From Illegal Operation. The homicide squad and the coro- ner's office today were investigating the case of Mrs. Pauline H. Steele, 37, of 1611 Eastern avenue northeast, who died in Garfield Hospital yester- day as the result of an illegal opera- tion. *Mrs. Steele, wife of James R. Steele, underwent the operation December 12 and had been in the hospital since December 22. According to police Mrs. Steele said a colored woman performed the op- eration. Family of Postmasters. BELLEVILLE, Tll. (#).—Being post- master of Belleville runs in the Wangelin family. Herman G. Wan- gelin has just taken office, his father, I. H. Wangelin, held the post dur- ing the Wilson administration, and his grandfather, Hugo Wangelin, filled it during Cleveland's. Stolen Pay Check Deposited in Bank To Owner’s Credit Thief, However, Keeps Overcout of Govern- ment Employe Here. ~ ‘The person who stole Vamanda J. Meyl's overcoat from his office in the Bond Building last Monday apparently doesn't want to get involved with Meyl's Government pay check. Por Meyl, a landscape architect in the State Park Division of the Na- tional Park Service, received word to- day from a New Jersey bank that the check had been deposited to his credit there. The check had been inclosed in an envelope addressed to the First National Bank at Highbridge, N. J. In the coat also was a wallet con- taining identification cards and 10 $1 bills. Meyl lives at 8 Manor place, Takoma Park. ¢