Evening Star Newspaper, May 18, 1937, Page 4

" A4 wxs MAN DENIES PART IN GIRL'S MURDER Friend of Mrs. Tiernan Tells Police He Had Nothing to Do With Crime. NEW YORK, May 18.—A 30-year- oid restaurant storeroom man and suitor of Mrs. Helen Tiernan, con- fessed slayer of her daughter, was charged today with acting in concert with the young widow in the crime. The man was George Christodulus, referred to by Mrs. Tiernan as George Christie. Detective Capt. Edward Mullins said she accused him late last night as having plotted with her in at- tempting to kill both her 7-year-old daughter, Helen, and her 4-year-old #on, Jimmie. Under an all-night questioning, Christodulus consistently denied hav- ing anything to do with the crime. Christodulus, except to deny Mrs. ‘Tiernan’s charges, made no state- ment, police said. He was placed in a cell at police headquarters to await appearance in the police line-up. Christodulus was taken into cus- tody as a material witness, Mullins said, after Mrs. Tiernan changed her story for a second time. Farlier, Mullins related, she had said an un- known man had attacked her and the children, later maintained that she .alone was responsible. Christodulus said he was not with Mrs. Tiernan on Saturday, and he denied also the statement attributed to her by Mullins that he had given her an engagement ring and sought to marry her. Mrs. Tiernan was charged with homicide “in that she stabbed her daughter, Helen, with an ax in the head, then stabbing her in the neck with a knife and a pair of scissors, inflicting wounds causing her weath.” Capt. Mullins said the 25-year-old widow told him she had known “Christie” about two and one-half years and that, after being given an engagement ring, she asked “Christie” when they would be married. His reply, Mullins said Mrs. Tiernan told him, was: “How can we when the kids are around? They're in the way.” Pair Plans “Pienic. Last Friday night after similar discussion the pair planned a “picnic” for the children. Mullins said the picnic basket held an ax, a knife, & pair of scissors and a bottle of gasoline. The three weapons were found at the scene of the crime at Brookhaven, about 55 miles from New York on Long Island's south shore. A bottle partially fillled with gasoline also was nearby; both children had been burned. Saturday morning, according to the young woman'’s story as told by Capt. Mullins, “Christie” drove her and the two children to Brookhaven. In the Brookhaven thicket the mother held the girl while the man hit her with a hatchet, and the mother then slashed the throats of both the boy and girl. Mullins quoted Mrs. Tiernan as saying Jimmie was not struck with the hatchet. Taxes (Continued From First Page.) ‘hx on motor vehicles, an inheritance | .and estates tax and an increase in the | tax on insurance, which, it is esti- mated, will raise $2,500,000, or less than one-half of the amount neces- #ary to meet the prospective revenue shortage. Plans for developing the tentative | general tax program from which & selection is to be made of the other forms of taxation to raise another $3,500,000 followed a round table ex- ecutive conferenoe of the tax sub- committee in which Chairman Ken- nedy and four other members took part. They were Representatives Nich- ols of Oklahoma, McGehee of Missis- sippi and Allen of Delaware, Demo-! crats, and Cole of New York, Re- publican. The discussion centered chiefly on proposals for a sales tax and income tax. Cole argued an income tax has been recommended, even though its validity may be questioned in the courts. He agreed with the Commis- sloners that the tax on intangible per- sonal property should be continued until the constitutionality of the in- come tax is determined, but that cred:t be given on the income tax for in- tangible personal property tax pay- ments. Cole also suggested that the income tax be written to cover three separate groups—Federal employes, District government employes and employes of private establishments—so District employes and those in private estab- lishments could be taxed if the courts rule that the District cannot tax the salary of a Federal worker. Chairman Kennedy, however, re- —_— . IGNITION REPAIRS Starter—Lights—Coil MILLER-DUDLEY 116 14/ ST.NW. NORTH 1583 Golitis Now Relieved by Common Garden Vegolable Stomach_specialists on the staff of a well- known Chicago Hospital have announced s revolutionary, new and “’“&""" treatment for stomach and duodenal ulcers with 8 prod. uct derived from okra, common Southern mm vegetable. Remarkable results have obtained in similar acid conditions, as well as in_many stubborn cases of colitis. Treatment is known as V. M. or Vi reMucens ::l‘ :bl]n bo( obtained along with ?ookl-t of uable information and Reports f; - tors and Hospitals at semibes Vita Health Food Co.. 3040 14th St. N.W. and 1228 H St. N.W. Po 5 T informstion BARGAIN EXCURSIONS SPECIAL ROUND TRIP FARES Good on specified trains only— for detalls see flyers —consult egents Saturday, May 22 $8.00 Boston :':'"::’." Sunday, May 23 $3.75 New York Newark Baltimore $1.25 Every Saturday - Sunday $1.50 Daily — Good for 3 days Telephene District 1424 PENNSYLVANIR RAILROAD Slaying Figures MRS. HELEN TIERNAN, Who police said confessed she killed her daughter Helen, 7, and wounded her son Jimmy, 5,in a thicket on Long Island last Saturday. () GEORGE CHRISTIE, Implicated by Mrs. Tiernan’s confession, denies any part in the killing. He is shown as he was taken to headquarters for questioning. —Copyright, A. P. Wirephotos. iterated his opposition to an income tax, and argued that the intangible tax ahould be continued but the law strengthened 20 the tax assessor would have authority to examine the books of those who pay the tax. Fred D. Allen, tax assessor, testified several weeks ago if he has such authority, the returns from the tax on intangible could be increased about $1,000,000 & year. Nichols made brief reference to the plan of the Commissioners to recom- THE EVENING STAR mend a 2 per cent sales tax exempte ing food and clothing, and declared he did not believe there should be any exemptions. He also said the tax should be “hidden” since the plans in some States of using tokens is & “nuisance.” Directed to Seek Aid. Chairman Kennedy was authorized to confer with the Commissioners rela- tive to their sales tax proposals before the subcommittee meets next Tuesday to map out its own tax program. He also was directed to seek the assistance of tax experts in preparing an outline of the program. Kennedy told the subcommittee it would have to speed up its work since the new flscal year is less than six weeks away, and the new tax program should be enacted into law by that time. He announced Chairman King of the Senate District Committee had “agreed to follow more or less” the program recommended by the sub- committee. Sales Tax Plan Drafted. Corporation Counsel Elwood H. Seal took a draft of a 2 per cent sales tax before the committee today. Designed to replace the controver- sial income tax and the proposed tax on the gross receipts of businesses, & 2 per cent sales tax was put forward as & suggestion to raise approximately $5,000,000 from purchasers. That is the amount that the Distriet stood to lose by reason of sbandoning the gross receipts and income taxes. ‘There is no certainty, however, that a sales tax finally will be adopted 1n the program. Seal was invited to sit in with the Kennedy Subcommittee in order to report back to the Com- missioners. The Commissioners last week de- cided to substitute a sales tax for the proposed income levy, chiefly because of the fear that the latter, which would tax the incomes of Fed- eral employes, might be held uncon- stitutional. The idea then was to impose a 1 per cent tax on purchases. Yesterday, however, their commit- tee decided to ditch the gross receipts tax, from which it had been expected to raise $2,500,000, the same amount involved in the income tax. In view of the decision to recom- mend a sales tax, it was regarded as poor politics to “soak” the consumer twice on every purchase. Tax Goes Down to Consumer. 8eal explained that the gross re- ceipts tax would be passed “from the wholesaler to the retailer and from the retailer to the consumer.” There were other difficulties, also, in the way of collections. The question of raising $2,500,000 from another source caused the com- mittee to fall back on & 2 per cent sales tax. Such a tax, it was said, would exempt necessities such as food and clothing. 8eal and Commissioner Hazen, who also favors the sales tax, said they —_— TOMATO JUICE picks up with LEA & PERRINS sAUcE THE ORIGINAL WORCESTERSHIRE 1Z2Y’S EXCHANGE, Inc. Is Now Open for Business at 1003 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. Under the New Firm Name of Capital Camera Full Line of Cameras 3 and Photographic Equipment § We Buy, Sell, Exchange A Complete Line of LEICA Cameras and Accessories Always in Stock =L (Rommnl 252N [oT'\ > What Shape is Your Head? A Dobbs will fit it! Every Dobbs size is made in the three master oval shapes. Exact conformation to the head and real straw comfort. Cool, comfortable and with the smart accent that Dobbs gives them. DOBBS SAILOR STRAWS $3.50 & $5.00 DOBBS PANAMA HATS from $8.00 Sidney West,nc, 14™¢ G EUGENE C. GOTT, President realize there would be stiff opposition from Congress. The corporation counsel indicated the committee had exhausted practically every other possible method of tapping revenue sources and finally agreed on the sales tax through & “process of elimi- nation.” 80 far as the Commissioners are concerned, the remainder of the frequently revised tax programs stands as formally announced. This includes $1,600,000 from an increase from 2 to 3 cents per gallon in the tax on gasoline; $1,200,000 from a weight tax on automobiles replacing the $1 registration fee, but retaining the personal property tax; $800,000 from an estate or inheritance tax; and $200,000 from an increase of one- half of 1 per cent on the net premium receipts of insurance companies, Combined with the formerly pro- posed groas receipt tax on businesses was a “privilege” tax or license fee which would be imposed on profes- Sional groups and certain classifica- tions of businesses such as jobbers and general contractors. general contractors. This feature was retained by the Commissione! ad- It will raise only a small amount, probably less than $200,000. In connection with the sales tax, Beal estimated that sales in the Dis- trict were around $350,000,000, as computed by the Board of Trade. De- ducting $70,000,000 representing the sales on food atuffs and clothing, which would be exempted from ta: tion, there would be left for tapping & revenue source of around $280,000,- 000. ‘With other possible exemptions, a 2 per cent tax could easily be com- puted to raise some $5,000,000. In event a lesser amount was required, the rate could be scaled downward accordingly. PREPARATIONS BEGUN FOR 4-H CLUB MEETING Preparations were started today by officials of the National Capital Parks for the annual encampment of the 4-H Clubs on the Monument Grounds June 16-23, Representing every State, about 200 farm girls and boys and ciub activity directors will be in the Capi- tal for the encampment. A special program will be given for entertainment of the visitors in the 8ylvan Theater Monday, June 21. The public will be invited. In charge of camping arrangements is W. G. Lehman of the Agriculture Department Extension Service. SIDNEY WASHINGTON, | MacKnight scream twice. D. C, TUESDAY, FATHERS T0 TALK IN'SLAYING TRIAL Parents to Try to Aid Youth, Girl Charged in Death of Her Mother. By the Associated Press. JERSLEY OITY, N. J,, May 18.—Two grave-faced fathers sat in a Hudson County courtroom today trying to aid their children on trial on first-degree murder charges in the hatchet slaying of Mrs. Helen MacKnight, 47, Bay- onne club woman. Gray-haired Edgar MacKnight sat only a few feet behind his daugh- ter, 17-year-old Gladys MacKnight, charged with slaying her mother, his wife. A few rows away sat the father of Qladys’ former sweetheart, Donald Wightman, 18, co-defendant in the slaying that preceded a never-filled tennis date. MacKnight, mechanical engineer for 's tasks of his life—to walk to the wit- ness chair and tell a jury how he came home from work on a hot Summer night and found his wife's body. Call Seen Today. That call was expected to come to- day. Donald's father, Joseph Wight- man, steward for a yacht club, was in court beside his wife, anxiously watching. In addition to MacKnight, a group of detectives, police officers and phy- sicians were ready to testify. The woman who occupied the other side of the MacKnight home yester- day told what she saw and heard the | night of July 31 last when Mrs. Mac- Knight was slain. | Mrs. Elizabeth Feury said she saw Gladys use & sharp-bladed hatchet to wedge open a locked garage door and & stuck window in the house. S8he identified the still-stained hatchet while Gliadys flinched for the only time during the day. averting glances at Gladys as did she at him, while the witness told of hearing Mrs. “The first was & horrible scream, and the second a8 if she were chok- ing.” WESTinc 14th and G Sts. TROPICAL WORSTEDS by There can be no “Summer slump” in ap- pearance for the well-groomed man. him, Fruhauf has tailored a hot-weather suit with all the refinements and luxurious appearance of regular weight clothes. The fabrics are light and porus and cool, but because its so meticulousty made it will hold its shape no matter how humid the The same rich pattern effects as in your regular weight clothes._ 3-piece West-Fruhauf Tropicals. weather. FROM 35 Sidney West, Nc. 14™: G EUGENE C. GOTT, President For MAY 18, 1937. DEATH OF WOMAN BELIEVED SUICIDE Prince Georges Police Ready to Free Husband After Medical Report. By & Staf” Correspondent of The Bt HYATTBVILLE, Md., May 18.—Re- lease of Paul Hartman, 39, held here since yesterday noon for questioning in the fatal shooting of his wife, was forecast by Prince Georges County au- thorities today as they declared the case “looks more like suicide than murder.” Announcing the story of the pris- oner, against whom no charges have been placed, had been substantiated by his 10-year-old son, Officer William Gray said this morning he believed Mrs. Mabel V. Hartman, 35, found near her Lanham home on Sunday, had taken her own life. Gray pointed out, however, that the case is not closed, and an inquest is scheduled for a week from tonight at the home of Justice of the Peace Fred Lutz in Riverdale. Burns on Temple. Evidence supporting the suicide theory was disclosed last night by Dr. Aaron Dietz, Hyattsville, coroner’s physician, who said tests conducted by the Department of Justice revealed powder burns around the gunshot wound in Mrs. Hartman's temple. Earlier reports that the woman had | suffered a broken nose and bruises to EXTRA SPECIAL SLIP COVERS OF STRIPED HOMESPUN Sl 2.95 Any single chair with one cushion; pieats and zippers. our colors. McDEVITT'S DRAPERY 1317 F *mney Established 1804 1325 G St. N.W. NA. 0244 her eyes were contradicted by Dietz yesterday afternoon, when he said dis- coloration noted on her face had been caused by & brain hemorrhage suf- fered when the bullet pierced her head. Mrs. Hartman was found dead with & .22-caliber rifle besidé her, about 500 feet from the rear of her home, on Sunday afternoon by her only son, Billy. The youth was quoted by Gray 88 saying that his mother had threatened to shoot herself earlier that day, but he had dissuaded her. ‘The 8hoof occurred while Billy was asleep in the one-room home, Gray quoted the youngster as saying. Husband Gives Evidence. A veterinarian &t the Beltsville ex- perimental farm of the Department of Agriculture, the husband voluntarily appeared at the police station in Upper Marlbore. After two hours of questioning by State's Attorney Alan Bowie and Judge Lutz, Hartman was taken to Hyattsville. Bowie outlined Hartman's story as follows: At about noon on Saturday, the couple quarreled. - Hartman left home and went to Boyertown, Pa., near Philadelphia, where his family lives. Not until he returned to Lanham at about 11 p.m. S8unday did he learn of his wife’s death. He had not handled Young Billy was brought to the Hyattsville substation by Sergt. Ralph Brown of the county police, and Gray yesterday afternoon. Last night, after lengthy questioning, the boy was taken to the home of neighbors in Lanham by his grandfather. With his autosy finding complete voday, Dr. Dietz declared he supporte the suicide theory. 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