The Key West Citizen Newspaper, December 12, 1952, Page 1

Key West, Florida, has the -most equable climate in the country, with an average range of only 14° Fahrenheit VOL, LXXIN. No. 296 Child Molestation Defendant Is Che Kry West Citi THE SOUTHERNMOST NEWSPAPER IN THE U.S.A. KEY WEST, FLORIDA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1952 Freed By Criminal Court Jury Watkins, And Pine Legal Team Sees Client Acquitted Insufficient evidence to! corroborate a 12-year-old} girl’s accusation of molesta-} tion led the Criminal Court | jury to acquit Arthur . Gee-| sey, 33, of two counts on! which he had been charged | | October 5. The jury deliberated; from 6:30 to 9:32 last night. When the six men filed into the | big courtroom the foreman an- nounced the jury’s verdict: “Not guilty.” Geesey, who had been tearing | his cigaret. package into little | shreds, closed his eyes and mur- mered: “Thank God, Thank God.” His wife had been praying with their two sons in the courtroom. Geesey put both hands over his face and ‘then reached over to clasp Attorney Tom Watkins’ hand. Geesey went over to his wife and embraced her while she laugh- ed and sobbed at the same time. Earlier in the trial Mrs. Gee- sey had become hysterical and verged on collapse when noise from the Sheriff's office down- stairs led her to think her hus- band was being led away. She was quieted in the Grand Jury room where she and her two small sons waited from 2 in the afternoon till the jury went out. Later she and her sons sat on one side of the courtroom. The mother of the accusing 12 year girl and her six year old son on the other side of the court- overheard. ‘ Council for the defense Tom Watkins and Fred Pine, the latter of Miami, put Geesey on the stand, ny sole witness in the day-long trial. Geesey denied emphatically that he had made any advances toward the 12 year old girl on the night of September 20 when his wife and he were fishing with the parents (Continued On Page Three) INDIAN RIVER FRUIT SHIPPED INSURED AND PREPAID Full Bushel $6.75 Hobby Shop 1105 Truman Ave, PHONE 2-7669 The End Of A Harrowing Trial Grocery Theft Ringleader Two Others Deny Guilt On Grand Larceny Thurs. After Hearing Three members of a stolen gro- cery ring that has allegedly been wards of $3000 in foodstuffs during over to Criminal Court after a preliminary hearing yesterday be- fore Justice of the Peace Ira Al- bury. One of the trio, John Monroe, ringleader of the gang, pleaded guilty to a charge of grand lar- ceny at the hearing. Marvin Brown a Navy man attached to the Sea- plane Base was allowed to plead guilty to a reduced charge of ___|“being an accessory before and Citizen Staff Photo | ARTHUR GEESEY murmured “Thank God” as he heard the six man Criminal Court jury declare him “not guilty” at 9:32 last night, Cabrera Assumes Acting-Chief Post Captain Raymond Cabrera has assumed the duties of Acting-Chief of the Key West Police Department during the illness of Chief Joseph Kemp who is to his home. Cit ‘ials ibed Kemp's i “pot ” He is expected tobe back om the job early in the week, 4 Public Invited To Dedication Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6021 and American Legion Post 168 cordially invite the public to attend the dedication of their new Post Home Saturday, December W3th at 2:30 p. m. Place 803 Emma Street. An elaborate program has been scheduled with Irving T.° Duke, Key West Na Dedication Addres: POOR OLD CRAIG SERVICE STATION Francis at Truman Dial 2.9193 Your PURE Dealer Accessories IN MIAMI INGMAN MOTORS, inc. FOR BETTER USED CARS ALL CARS — 30 DAY WRITTEN GUARANTEE 1982 DeSOTO, V-8 Convertible Light Green Color, Power Steering, OLDSMOBILE, Holiday Coupe” 2-Tone Paint, Radio, Heater, Sum Visor, Like New 82395 TO, Custom 4-dr, Radio, Heater, Seat Cove Like New a $1995, Assault Charges Filed Against New Jersey Man James Dickson, 33, of Atlantic ing melee today in @ Simonton ‘Street Restaurant, Charges of assault and battery against two police officers, drunk and disorderly conduct, using pro- fane language and resisting arrest were placed against Dickson by police officers Lionel Soriano and Nelo Albury following the brawl. Dickson was released on $150 bond for appearance in City Court today. FISHING TACKLE Thompson Enterprises, Inc. HARDWARE DIVISION Caroline St. Dial 2-3132 FOR SALE Street and Evening For Every ap bord Samples . . . Rua after the fact” in the case. Brown testified that he took no actual part in the robberies, but was pre- sent in the getaway ear. responsible for the theft of up-| the past few months were bound’ an ex-convict and reportedly the | The Associated Press Teletype Features and Photo Services. For 72 Years Devoted to the Best Interests of Key West PRICE FIVE CENTS Critics Pan City Commissions Action Winning Watkins And Pine Eegal Team Pleads Guilty |In Returning Bay Bottom Land To State Claim City Fathers Scorned Grand Jury Recommendation By JIM COBB A decision by the City Commission to relinquish their reservation on a 51% acre tract of bay bottom land front- ing on Roosevelt Boulevard is apparently meeting with strong disapproval from the public, according to a num« ber of phone calls to the editor of The Citizen. The city fathers voted 3-2 at their meeting Tuesday night to return the Jand, a 125-foot strip running from the Municipal swimming pool to a point 425 feet short of the juncture of the Sigsbee Park Road and the Boulevard, to the trustees of the State Internal Improvement Board. The IIB had reserved the land to the City in June, 1951 for the purpose of “preserving the scenic beauty of the area.” The land in question lies between the Boule- vard and a tract of land owned and being developed by County Sixteen Fail City, New Jersey was jailed on | | Announced By’ four charges after an early morn- j A third member of the ring, | Jessie James Thomas, pleaded | net guilty to @ charge of grand larceny. He will be tried in Cri- | minal - Court. The three men. are being held | in the County Jail under bond of $500 each, i The trio was arrested last week by police on the tip of a woman, Patricia Patterson of 1016 Howe thieves were storing the loot. Miss Patterson testified at yes- terday’s hearing that she did not know that the goods were stolen, City and County law enforce- (Continued On Page Three» |New Officers a Long Hours For P. 0. Saturday The Post Office. has an- ite ae, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the convenience of the Shrine City> ee, ‘The Key West Shrine Club has cers, elected at a récent dinner meeting at the La, Concha Hotel | Sesser Charles E. —— ve! wien A Mo resident. His corps low : Not Guilty Plea ard F. Cook; second vice presi- dent, Jesse J, Montgomery; trea- surer, Charles §. Taylor; and sec- On Driving Char: ge retary, Roy M. Reel, Jr. composed of Hollon R. Bervaldi,|less driving and causing an acci- Monroe J. Horre, Jack R. Hyman, | dent appeared with his attorney J. Jr., Everett V. Kinsman, and Orion | Y¥. Porter to plead not guilty this A. Russell. morning in the accident which oc- A jury was chosen shortly before noon to hear bg vena of the — plainant Mrs. Rose Herrara Saturday Afternoon — | Nw 2ith court, Miami, and her SKATING—2:30 - 4:30 PATENTS waar FREE es, ee using her 420 SOUTHA . jaughter as witness. Posey had not testified at The Citizen ‘deadline time, announced its new roster of offi- cers is: first vice president, Will- The new board of governors is| David Posey charged with reck- curred November 21, Children’s Matinee family who were in the accident. TEL. 9116 Attention Please! KEEP OUR CITY CLEAN By Calling MR. FEINSTEIN DUVAL CLUB At MINNA’S 983 WASHINGION AVE. MIAMI BEACH, FLA. DIAL 2-3036 We BUY all kinds of JUNK DANCING NIGHTLY All Kinds of Scrap Metal MON., DEC, 15 Located at Simonton & Dey Sts. ' Proudly Presents ,.. DAIRY ROOSEVELT @ SUNDAES @ MILK SHAKES Do Yourself A Favor — FREEZE BOULEVARD Enjoy Dairy Freeze @ CONES @ BANANA SPLITS LOU BORDISE and His “International Trio” In Its New Room THE HUT EVERY NIGHT from 10 P.M. *till 3 A.M. Citizen Staff Photo Street in whose home the accused BEAMING OVER THE ACQUITTAL of their client, Arthur Geesey, Tom Watkins and Fred Pine believe the six man jury said “not guilty” because of insufficient evidence, Boy Scout Court Of Honor Monday Sgt. Kenneth Kerr, the principal speaker rag -County” District Court of Honor to be held 7 p, m, — in the Court house. There will be 81 awards, .among them is the Eagel Scout medal with Gold Palm for Norman Allen and five Life Scout awards, Earl R. Adams, chairman of the ad- vancement committee, announced. Kerr has only recently return- ed from the foxholes of Korea (Continued On Page Three) Christmas Suggestions Home Bar A: essories Full Line of Pyrex USE OUR LAY-AW’Y PLAN HOME APPLIANCE CO., INC. 605 Simonton St. Dial 2-3621 Season's Tickets for COMMUNITY CONCERT AVAILABLE AT Chamber Of Commerce Office ELK’S CHARITY BALL Friday, Dec. 12th at 9 P.M. ADMISSION, $2.50 PERSON To Appear In Criminal Court Sixteen persons forfeited their bonds by failing to appear in Crim- inal Court before Judge Thomas Caro this morning. The jury was held this morning pending further non-guilty pleas which did not come up. Ben Cline of the Rod and Reel club, charged with not having a state occupational license, had his case continued until representa- tives of the State Hotel Commis- sion can appear. Julius Stone, Jr. was counsel for Cline. Dolores Pinder Dodd, who plead- ed not guilty to a reckless driving charge, obtained a deferred sen- Tax Collector Howard Wilson and Tax Assessor Claude Gandolfo. Reason given for the move Tuesday night by the commission- ers, was that the retention o the land “no longer served any use ful purpose sinee land adjacent to it had been sold and was being built up.” The measure passed by a close margin with Mayor C. B. Harvey and Commissioner Jack Delaney opposing the move, Com missioners John Carbonell, Louis Eisner and Delio Cobo voted to give the state control of the land, however. Critics of the commission's de- cision state that the action is an “about face’’ to the city’s avowed Policy, as stated in a resolution passed at a commission meeting on November 18th, of preserving all possible land along the Boule- returned Korean combat veteran, will be ‘pt tence from the Judge. The following persons had their} bonds estreated, which means they Teckleos™ driv: Sam Wilson, $25, ing; Leon Hersh, $25, reckless driving; William Pittman,. $25,/bee Park Road around the island reckless driving; Samuel H.j/for use as a public park area, Thompson, no driver's license, $25,! Others hold that it Is in direct bond estreated; Joe Guerra, va| opposition of the recommenda grancy case nolle prossed; John} tion of the Grand Jury, whick on Frederick Hughes, $25, réckless; November 13, suggested that the driving, bond estreated. | “city commission try to find Agnes Tallon Lawrence was; ways and means to buy bay fined $50 for reckless driving.| bottom land along Roosevelt Gifford Alexander Walker» was} Boulevard.” fined $100 and costs and had his} Further, the Grand Jury recom license taken by insurance com-| mended that “the city commission (Continued On Page Three) (Continued On Page Three) vard for the benefit of the public, At that time they indicated they .would. petition. the provement tor fo purchase a sU.Ap uh juin seis on the Boulevard fran wes ANNOUNCING ... Opening of Coral Isle Patio Restaurant | Stock Island On U.S. No. 2 ¢SHORT ORDERS SANDWICHES OF ALL KINDS eENJOY OUR PITCHERS OF | BEER IN FROZEN MUGS J. R. Stowers Co As usual we are offering $10 as a trade-in on your old bike. USE OUR LAY-AWAY PLAN WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE GRAND. RE-OPENING KOTTON KING 604 DUVAL ST, PLYMOUTH, Savoy Sta. Wgn. Radio, Seat Covers, New Tires Original All Over PLYMOUTH; Cranbrook 4-dr. . Sum Visor, Seat Covers, Vent Shades, Turn Signals, Real Nice « PLYMOUTH, Convertible Radio, Seat Covers, Light Green, Diack Tep. A Cream Paft . PLYMOUTH, 4-dr. Chotee of 3, Real Nice, — rae PLYMOUTH, Sp. Del. 4-Dr. Radio, Seat Covers, WITH A BRAND NEW COMPLETE LINE OF LADIES SPORTSWEAR - BEACHWEAR + BLOUSES «. SKIRTS - DRESSES « SUITS « TOPPERS - LINGERIE - COCKTAIL CLOTHES SIZES: 7-15 — 10-20 — 16%4-24% OUR USUAL POLICY PREVAILS WE EXCHANGE WE REFUND WE GIFT WRAP WE SHIP Each Purchase of 25c or More Will Be Eligible for Our Next to the Western Union CHRISTMAS PRIZES SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21, 7:30 P.M. ONLY 9 DAYS REMAIN | EVERYBODY WELCOME scsi Gala Out of Town $1695 .. $1395 $1195 $1095 _$ 995 KEY WEST SALVAGE CO. 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